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2. The A.R.P. Wardens' Sub-committee was given the task of organizing Air Raid Wardens and Posts in each Police division of Hong Kong and Kowloon.
3. The Warden Posts were fixed at the ratio of one to every 100 houses: each post to consist of three (two men and one woman) who would work on a two shift basis during an emergency.
4. Twenty-two District Sub-committees have now been formed. Some advance has been made in finding suitable Warden Posts and enrolling the necessary number of Wardens, but the rate of progress is necessarily slow. It is necessary to establish approximately 1,600 posts making a total recruitment of 9,600 men and women, each of whom is expected to attend a course of fifteen lectures and to pass an examination.
V.
Women Air Raid Precautions Union.
1. The Women's Air Raid Precautions Union was formed in May under the chairmanship of Mrs. Steele-Perkins. Lady Northcote consented to be president. The object of the Union is to teach simple air raid precautions and elementary first aid to as many ladies of the Colony as possible to enable them to put this information into practice in their own homes should an emergency ever arise.
2. The A.R.P. lectures organized by this Union were held in the various women's clubs, European and Chinese, and were very well attended. An advanced course in A.R.P. services especially suitable to women was also instituted.
VI. Blackouts.
1. A blackout was held on February 20th.
2. A surprise blackout to discover the extent to which the public had been educated in air raid precautions was held in September. For the purpose of the exercise it was announced that a "precautionary period" of seven days commencing on September 1st would be followed by an "air raid warning period" on September 8th at 8:30 p.m. to continue for 72 hours. During this period the air raid warning signal was sounded.
3. A series of blackout exercises were made during the combined manoeuvres - November 21st to 28th - to test the air raid precautions. The first was from 9:15 p.m. to 11:15 p.m. on November 24th. The second was announced to take place at any time between 25th and 27th November. There was a precautionary period preceding these exercises.
4. In the first blackout, the public gave their full co-operation, and the exercise was successful, but the same high standard was not maintained in the latter series of blackouts.
VII. Sirens.
Electric sirens for Hong Kong and Kowloon were ordered during the year and those for Hong Kong have been erected.
VIII. Messengers.
An A.R.P. Cyclist Corps was formed to ensure communications in the event of the breakdown of the telephone service. A number of Boy Scouts were also enrolled for this duty.
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P (1) 2
2. The A.R.P. Wardens' Sub-committee was given the task of organizing Air Raid Wardens and Posts in each Police division of Hong Kong and Kowloon.
3. The Warden Posts were fixed at the ratio of one to every 100 houses: each post to consist of three (two men and one woman) who would work on a two shift basis during an emergency.
4. Twenty two District Sub-committees have now been formed. Some advance has been made in finding suitable Warden Posts and enrolling the necessary number of Wardens, but the rate of progress is necessarily slow. It is necessary to establish approximately 1,600 posts making a total recruitment of 9,600 men and women, cach of whom is expected to attend a course of fifteen lectures and to pass an examination.
V.
ར .
Women Air Raid Precautions Union.
1. The Women's Air Raid Precautions Union was formed in May under the chairmanship of Mrs. Steele-Perkins. Lady Northcote consented to be president. The object of the Union is to teach simple air raid precautions and elementary first aid to as many ladies of the Colony as possible to enable them to put this informa tion into practice in their own homes should an emergency ever arise.
2. The A.R.P. lectures organized by this Union were held in the various women's clubs, European and Chinese, and were very well attended.
An advanced course in A.R.P. services especially suitable to women was also instituted.
3.
VI. Blackouts.
1. A blackout was held on February 20th.
2. A surprise blackout to discover the extent to which the public had bee" educated in air raid precautions was held in September. For the purpose of the exercise it was announced that a "precautionary period" of seven days commencing on September 1st would be followed by an "air raid warning period" on September 8th at 8.30 p.m. to continue for 72 hours. During this period the air raid warning signal was sounded.
3. A series of blackout exercises were made during the combined manoeuvres -November 21st to 28th-to test the air raid precautions. The first was from 9.15. p.m. to 11.15 p.m. on November 24th. The second was announced to take place at any time between 25th and 27th November. There was a precautionary period preceding these exercises.
4. In the first blackout, the public gave their full co-operation, and the exercise was successful, but the same high standard was not maintained in the latter series of blackouts.
VII. Syrens.
Electric syrens for Hong Kong and Kowloon were ordered during the year and those for Hong Kong have been erected.
VIII. Messengers.
An A.R.P. Cyclist Corps was formed to ensure Communications in the event of the breakdown of the telephone service. A number of Boy Scouts were also enrolled for this duty.
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