XN000022-1974-11-21 — Page 5

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1974

DRY WEATHER INCREASES FIRE DANGER PUBLIC URGED TO EXERCISE EXTREME CARE

******

THE EXCEPTIONALLY DRY WEATHER HAS SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED THE DANGER OF FIRE, AND THE COMMUNITY IS WARNED TO BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL WITH ANYTHING THAT MAY CAUSE FIRES.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT SAID THAT WHEN THE HUMIDITY DROPS BELOW 60 PER CENT EVERYTHING WHICH WILL BURN, BOTH INDOORS AND OUTDOORS, BECOMES TINDER DRY. +AS A RESULT, FIRES ARE STARTED MORE EASILY AND SPREAD FASTER,+

DURING DRY WEATHER CONDITIONS THE FIRE SERVICES RECEIVE TWICE TO FIVE TIMES AS MANY CALLS AS DURING WET PERIODS.

STRESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF HEEDING FIRE WARNINGS, THE SPOKESMAN LISTED A FEW SIMPLE PRECAUTIONS WHICH COULD HELP AVOID A DISASTER.

* TAKE CARE IN HANDLING AND DISPOSING OF LIGHTED CIGARETTE

ENDS, MATCHES, CANDLES AND JOSS STICKS,

* DON'T OVERLOAD ELECTRICITY CIRCUITS BY PLUGGING TOO

MANY APPLIANCES INTO ONE SOCKET. THIS COULD CAUSE THE WIRING TO OVERHEAT.

* TAKE CARE WHEN USING KEROSENE FOR COOKING, HEATING OR

LIGHTING.

* AT WORK, MAKE SURE THAT MACHINES ARE KEPT CLEAN AND

ARE NOT ALLOWED TO OVERHEAT.

* BE EXTRA CAREFUL WITH LIGHTED MATERIALS IN THE

COUNTRYSIDE.

THE SPOKESMAN REMINDED THE PUBLIC THAT THE YELLOW WARNING MEANT THE DANGER OF FIRE WAS HIGH WHILE THE RED WARNING SPELT EXTREME DANGER.

+IF EVERYONE, IN HIS OWN AND HIS NEIGHBOUR'S INTEREST, RESPONDS TO THESE WARNINGS BY TAKING PRECAUTIONS AND BE ON THEIR GUARD, LIFE AND PROPERTY WILL BE SAVED.+

15

•

A