MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1975
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FIRE PREVENTION CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED
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NEARLY $40 MILLION OF HARD EARNED MONEY GOES UP IN FLAMES EVERY YEAR BECAUSE OF INDUSTRIAL FIRES.
AND ALL THIS UNNECESSARY LOSS COULD BE AVOIDED WITH A LITTLE MORE CARE, THE ASSISTANT CHIEF FIRE OFFICER, MR. TONY CONWAY, SAID TODAY AT A PRESS CONFERENCE TO LAUNCH THIS YEAR'S FIRE PREVENTION CAMPAIGN.
THE ACCENT OF THIS YEAR'S CAMPAIGN, WHICH WILL CONTINUE UNTIL THE FIRST WEEK OF NOVEMBER, IS ON INDUSTRIAL AND COUNTRYSIDE FIRES.
MR. CONWAY SAID: THE CAMPAIGN IS TO ALERT INDUSTRIALISTS AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC OF THE EXPECTED INCREASE OF FIRES AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR AND TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO BE MORE CAREFUL.+
A FIRE PREVENTION EXHIBITION, A NEW FEATURE IN THIS YEAR'S CAMPAIGN, WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE OCEAN TERMINAL BETWEEN NOVEMBER 13 AND 17. THE EXHIBITION INVOLVES NOT ONLY THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT BUT ALSO TEN OTHER PRIVATE COMPANIES.
+INDUSTRIAL FIRES MEAN NOTHING BUT LOSS, + MR. CONWAY SAID, +THE OWNER OF THE FACTORY SUFFERS THROUGH LOSS OF PRODUCTION, MACHINERY, PREMISES AND GOODS- THE INSURANCE COMPANY SUFFERS FROM MONETARY LOSSES AND THE BIGGEST LOSS IS IN FACT SUFFERED BY THE EMPLOYEES BECAUSE THEY WILL LOSE THEIR WORK AND WAGES, THUS AFFECTING THE LIVELIHOOD OF THEIR FAMILIES.+
HE ADDED: +1F YOU ARE THE MANAGER OF A FACTORY AND WHEN YOU FIND FAULTY ELECTRICAL WIRING AND FITTINGS, OR OBSTRUCTIONS TO MEANS OF ESCAPE ROUTES INSIDE YOUR FACTORY PREMISES, IT IS IN YOUR INTEREST - AND THOSE OF YOUR EMPLOYEES AND NEIGHBOURS - TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO PUT MATTERS RIGHT AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE MOMENT.
+IF OBSTRUCTIONS TO MEANS OF ESCAPE ARE NOT UNDER YOUR CONTROL, THEN CALL THE FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU WITHOUT DELAY AND LODGE A COMPLAINT.+
MR. CONWAY SAID THAT ALTHOUGH SAFETY OF EMPLOYEES INSIDE FACTORY PREMISES WAS A MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY, THERE WAS NOTHING TO PREVENT WORKERS FROM BRINGING FIRE HAZARDS TO THE NOTICE OF THE MANAGEMENT. +FAILURE OF EITHER PARTY TO ACT PROMPTLY CAN RESULT IN A FIRE,+ HE STRESSED.
THE HUMAN ELEMENT HAS BEEN FOUND RESPONSIBLE FOR NEARLY ALL FIRES AND IT IS THEREFORE NECESSARY TO REMIND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT THEY ARE MORALLY - AND IN SOME CASES LEGALLY - OBLIGED TO MEET.
MR. CONWAY NOTED THAT LAST YEAR'S CAMPAIGN AGAINST FIRES CAUSED BY SMOKERS HAD BEEN SUCCESSFUL AND THE NUMBER OF SUCH FIRES WAS REDUCED BY ALMOST 60 PER CENT.
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