“CLEAN UP” WEEK

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXX, Issue 64, 20 March 1935, Page 2

“CLEAN UP” WEEK

FIRE PREVENTION PLAN

BOROUGH CO-OPERATION

“It will be remembered that, consequent on the serious fire losses experienced in New Zealand over a period of years, the Government requested the support of all urban local authorities and arranged for the holding of a fire prevention week at the end of 1931. The results of tjiis and the subsequent fire prevention weeks were most satisfactory. The fire losses in New Zealand have dropped to less than one-half —from £1,292,904 in 1931 to £644,781 in 1933. The figures for 1934 are not yet available, but the indications are that the reduction in fire loss is being well maintained,” said a letter from the Minister of Internal Affairs received by the Borough Council on Monday.

“It is therefore evident that fire prevention propaganda is effective in imposing some check on the fire wastage, but the experience in other countries shows that, in order to maintain effectiveness, the question must be brought before the public regularly. Representations have been made to me recently by the Fire Brigades’ Association and Institutes, requesting that fire prevention week be held on a regular date in each year. It has been decided that the month of March is the most convenient, and arrangements are therefore being made to hold fire prevention week for 1935 from 18th to 23rd instant.

“The proposed organisation has been drawn up with a view to limiting to a minimum the expenditure necessary, and so far as local authorities are concerned, the action desired is mainly the concentration into fire prevention week of some of the inspection and refuse collection work which would otherwise be distributed over a longer period. The proposals for local authority action are: —

1. Inpection of business premises by local authority and fire brigade officers. It is desired that an inspecton of business premises for fire hazards be made by municipal inspectors, and if the necessary arrangement can be made, by fire brigade officers as well.

2. Facilities for “clean-up” of premises. The experience of fire brigade officers is that the collections of rubbish are a very prolific source of fire and even when not the actual cause, help to spread the fire. A “clean-up” campaign is therefore an essential part of any fire prevention effort. It is not considered that this should necessarily take the form of a house to house collection, but that the local authorities should undertake to collect rubbish where accumulations are noted during inspections, or notified by the occupier. This will simply concentrate to some extent the ordinary refuse collecting activity. Public health authorities are unanimous in the opinion that collections of rubbish form a serious breeding ground for disease and the “clean-up” programme suggested will therefore have a valuable effect from the health standpoint.

3. Publicity. The fire prevention movement is mainly educational in character and every effort should be made to obtain the maximum publicity in the local press, both regarding the general fire waste position and the effect of fire prevention in saving to the community, and also the value of the “clean-up” programme in the interests of public health. 4. Fire brigade activity. As stated above, the decision to hold the fire prevention week has to a extent been made on the representations of the fire brigades, and the United Fire Brigades’ Association has requested all the brigades to give additional interest and publicity to the fire prevention week by holding special demonstrations of their work during the week, and in the larger towns for* the fire stations to be open to the public in the evening with firemen on duty to show the working of the fire alarms and apparatus. Arrangements have been made for special lessons on fire prevention to be given in the schools, and also for talks to be given from the principal radio broadcasting stations. I have also requested that all fire boards should co-operate with the local authority in their district, and tjje United Fire Brigades’ Association has arranged for members of their brigades to distribute posters and other publicity matter. The question of fire prevention is a matter of local as well as national importance, and I trust that your Council will be able to arrange to

give all the help possible to the movement.” It was decided to co-operate by arranging a special “clean-up” week.