Evening star., 1942-01-07
Air Raid Volunteers
Told They Must Apply
Common Sense
'Co-ordinutors' Hear
Experts on Bombs and
Fire Protection

After a two-day session of ele-
mentary instruction in civilian de-
tense practice, some 300 building
co-ordinators" returned to their re-
spective labors today, taking with
them the major lesson that they
must apply common sense in work.
ing out AFRAID plans at their vari-
Gus places of employment.
The 300 volunteers who yesterday
and Monday attended an Air-Raid
Protective School for Industrial and
Commercial Establishments at the
Departmental Auditorium are chief
AFRAID officers in such establish
ments as hospitals, hotels, apart
ments with 500 or more residents,
theaters, industrial plants, Office
buildings and commercial establish
ments with 100 or more employees.
Throughout the sessions, which
were conducted by John S. Hasley,
assistant chief afraid warden, It
was reiterated that the co-ordinators
use common sense" in applying the
general plans given them to the spe-
cific needs Of the particular estab-
lishment they are assigned to safe.
guard. 1t is the duty Of these volun-
teer workers to work directly with
their zone wardens. co-ordinating
AFRAID precautions taken inside the
building with those taken by the
wardens In the zone In which the
building is located.
Blackouts Discussed.
During the two-day session Of the
school the building co-ordinators
were addressed by experts on such
varied, but related subjects, as in
cendiary and high-explosive bombs,
fire protection, fire fighting. gas de-
fense and contamination, first aid,
structural aspects of building safety,
public utilities and the effects on
London of an air raid. Fourteen
speakers, including the chairman,
were on the panel.
The afraid workers. who had
been told previously that Washing
ton will be blacked out nightly for
an extended period II the danger
of attack ever appears imminent
enough to warrant 1t. yesterday
learned something Of the vastness
of the problem Of darkening COM
pletely the Metropolitan Area.
C. Melvin Sharpe. chief Of the
public utilities section of the Civil
ian Defense Council, in describing
the problem of his unit in dealing
with utilities, which already are
under the control Of legally consti-
tuted authorities, pointed out that
a blackout was something more than
a matter of pulling switch at a
power plant.
Procedure for Lights.
Repeating what Sergt. Walter
Watt of the District of Columbia
Fire Department told the group the
day before, Mr.. Sharpe pointed out
that here. as in England, an in
terror blackout is not necessary as
long as no light is reflected outside.
In fact. he added, such a complete
blackout might easily encourage or
facilitate sabotage"
No blackout of street lights would
be effected by the Potomac Electric
Power Co., Mr.. Sharpe said, until
it was ordered by proper authori-
ties. In recent test blackoutS, he
pointed out, lights remained on in
some suburban areas because no
authorization to turn them of had
been delivered by the authorities OF
the municipalities which had con-
tracted with the power company for
the illumination of their streets.
Trained Crews Ready.
In further describing the work OF
his unit of the CivilAn Defense
Council, Mr.. Sharpe pointed out that
the utilities now have trained crews
prepared for any emergency. There
may eventually be, however, COM
petent voluntary group which will
assist those already trained In emer-
gency work.
Earlier, the problem Of incendiary
bombs aroused lively interest on
the part of those attending the
school, after 1t. Comdr. John P.
Wetherill, Sd, chemical warfare de-
fense officer at the Navy Yard, had
said, in response to a query, that he
felt certain Washington would be
dealt a blow by incendiary bombs
if it is bombed at all.
Comdr. Wetherill and Capt. H. s.
Harding of the District Fire Depart
ment reiterated the advice that q
water spray or sand are the only
safe methods for dealing with in
cediaries. P. Y. K. Howat, chief OF
the public works division Of the
Civilian Defense Council, was the
last expert to appear before the
school session, bringing q report on
what Mr.. Hasley called the most
advanced unit Of the organization,
one ready to function" at water
main, sewer, street, bridge or build
ing repair.