TRAINING SCHEME

Waikato Times, Volume 132, Issue 21982, 10 March 1943, Page 2

TRAINING SCHEME

EMERGENCY SERVICES NEW ESTABLISHMENT PLAN Reorganisation of the Emergency Precautions Services with reduced personnel was discussed by the district controller, Mr H. D. Caro, in a statement, as chairman, to a meeting of the Hamilton E.P.S. Central Committee last night. “The Wardens, Law and Order Communications, Medical. Fire and Works units are all termed ‘front line units’ and our establishment for these units is laid down as a total of 1,050, apart from reinforcements and the establishment and reinforcements for other than ‘front line units’ or mobile squads,” he said. “The Wellington conference and the department agreed that the 1,050 might be divided between units on the basis of Wardens 20 per cent (210), Law and Order 10 per cent (105), Communications 10 per cent (105), Medical 20 per cent (210), Fire 20 per cent (210), and Works 20 per cent (210), with priority in the allocation of personnel for these units to be given to assumed target areas, and backing up from residential and other areas to be planned to the utmost. Selection of Personnel “In the selection of Unit establishments due consideration is to be given to the necessity for posting those who are not likely to be required for the armed forces, who are not working long hours in important industries or who otherwise would not be available for training to the extent desired. Personnel in these units are also to be exempt from firewatching service. “The allocation of the 1,050 amongst the front line units is subject to adjustments to suit local conditions, and the executive is of the opinion that with a few minor alterations we can carry on with our units at their present strengths and still come within the limits the department has suggested. The personnel on unit establishments in each of the six front line units and in the mobile squads, where these are formed, are required to undergo a course of training which will require 30 hours spread over the next six months.

“The course is known as the general personnel course and comprises: (a), general duty; (b), elementary first aid; (c), elementary fire fighting; (d), protection against H.E.; (e), U.X.8.; (f), crowd dispersal; (g), resuscitation; (h), stretcher-bearing; (i) personal and general hygiene; (j) elementary chemical warfare. “Personnel in unit reinforcements other than mobile squads, and all personnel in other than front line units, are to continue training in their respective basic subjects with not more than one compulsory parade not exceeding 2 hours’ duration a month. Co-opted Instructors

“To implement the programme of training a training unit is to be established with an executive, and it is intended to appoint Mr Kalaugher, who recently attended a school in Wellington, to take charge of this activity. It is hoped to arrange for each of the five area representatives to act with him as the units executive, and that each unit will early recommend the name of one officer to act as the unit’s training Honorary instructors will also be co-opted from such organisations as the Order of St. John, Royal Life Saving Society, Fire Brigade, Health Department, bomb disposal squad and Army area office. The job of the unit will be to organise and direct the whole of the training plans for the Hamilton service, to supervise the progress and efficiency of training and, subject to the direction of the chairman, to be responsible for the planning and conduct of all trials, including team and combined exercises and public tests, and to train incident officers. “If the establishment and the training proceed on the lines laid down the department hopes to achieve a static establishment of well-trained personnel which will ensure readiness to deal with any major emergency, and permit transferring men from one unit to another, or even to another do this it is esential to have some district, without loss of efficiency. Tc uniformity in training, and a standard syllabus has been prepared by the department for the purpose. The course for the front line units presumes that. the presonnel of each knows the job of the unit to which he is attached. Each unit must first be ready to do its own job and then to assist other units as may be necessary.”