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Somerset County Herald and Taunton Courier. Saturday 29 Jun 1946
Page 4 Column 3
Fire Siren Alarms Children
Taunton Objection to Its Use
School Police Patrols Request
Complaints by Taunton Trades Council regarding the use of the former air raid siren as a fire alarm – which was alleged to upset children and invalids – were the subject of a letter, read at Thursday's meeting of the Trades Council, from the Town Clerk.
The Town Clerk stated that N.F.S. headquarters proposed to summon part-time firemen by means of a G.P.O. call-bell system, with bells installed in the firemen's homes, but added that it was the official policy to have the siren sound the “All clear” signal between the hours of 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.
The Town Council viewed with considerable disfavour the use of the siren during the hours of darkness, the Town Clerk added. They appreciated that the installation of the call-bell system would obviate this and had asked the N.F.S. to request the G.P.O. to expedite the installation at the earliest possible date.
The N.F.S. had pointed out that the use of the siren would be relatively infrequent as the whole-time personnel maintained at the Taunton Fire Station would deal with the majority of fires
SCHOOL PATROLS.
In answer to representations by the Trades Council, the Borough Education Officer, Mr. C. KNIGHT, wrote that an attempt was being made to engage school children's road patrols. These would be employed at Staplegrove-road, near the North Town School; near St. Andrew's School, Kingston-road; and on the footpath near St. Andrew's Club.
It was decided to seek further information from the Building Trades Federation on a complaint that some Taunton builders had locked out employees at the Whitsun period, despite the urgency of house-building work.
Trade Union members were nominated to serve on the Taunton Local Employment Committee, which is being reconstituted.
The formation of a new Trades Council at Watchet was announced.