S.I. No. 238/1939 - Air-Raid Precautions Schemes (Prescribed Provisions) Regulations, 1939.

STATUTORY RULES AND ORDERS. 1939. No. 238.

AIR-RAID PRECAUTIONS SCHEMES (PRESCRIBED PROVISIONS) REGULATIONS, 1939.

WHEREAS it is enacted by sub-section (2) of Section 12 of the Air-Raid Precautions Act, 1939 (No. 21 of 1939), that air-raid precautions schemes shall in particular contain provisions in respect of such matters as may be prescribed by regulations made by the Minister for Defence under Part II of that Act but the said Minister may as regards any particular scheme-making local authority, exempt such authority from the duty to include in an air-raid precautions scheme prepared by it any matter so prescribed, and thereupon such authority shall not be required to include in such scheme provisions in respect of that matter :

AND WHEREAS it is enacted by Section 36 of the said Act that the said Minister may, with the concurrence of the Minister for Finance, make regulations in relation to (amongst other things) any matter or thing referred to in Part II of the said Act as prescribed or to be prescribed by regulations made by the said Minister under that Part of that Act :

NOW, the Minister for Defence, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by Section 36 of the Air-Raid Precautions Act, 1939 (No. 21 of 1939), and of every and any other power him in this behalf enabling, with the concurrence of the Minister for Finance testified by his signature hereto, hereby makes the following regulations :—

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Air-Raid Precautions Schemes (Prescribed Provisions) Regulations, 1939.

2. In these Regulations, the expression " the Act " means the Air-Raid Precautions Act, 1939 (No. 21 of 1939).

3. Every air-raid precautions scheme submitted under section 12 of the act by any scheme-making local authority which is the council of a county borough or the council of a scheduled urban area shall, unless the Minister exempts any particular such authority from the duty to include in such scheme any of the matters hereinafter mentioned, contain provisions in respect of all of the following matters, that is to say :—

(a) the giving of any necessary instruction and advice to the public as to air-raid precautions ;

(b) arrangements for receiving information with respect to impending air-raids, and for giving local air-raid warnings ;

(c) arrangements for the collection and necessary distribution of information and reports of air-raid casualties and damage and for the recording of such reports ;

(d) the organisation of services of air-raid wardens ;

(e) arrangements for dealing with casualties, including the organisation of first aid parties, first aid posts, casualty clearing hospitals, base hospitals and ambulance services ;

(f) arrangements for the clearance of debris from highways streets and public places and for dealing with damaged or unsafe buildings and the rescue of persons trapped therein ;

(g) arrangements for the detection of poison gas ;

(h) arrangements for the decontamination of highways, streets, public places and buildings affected by poison gas and anything therein requiring decontamination ;

(i) arrangements for the repair of highways, streets, public places and sewers and for co-ordination between the authorities responsible for such repairs and public utility undertakings ;

(j) arrangements for the protection of such premises as it will be essential to occupy and use in time of war for the maintenance of air-raid precautions and local government services ;

(k) arrangements for the provision of such shelters for the protection of the public as may be necessary ;

(l) arrangements for or in connection with the restriction and regulation of lighting in highways, streets and public places ;

(m) arrangements for the distribution of respirators to the public upon directions being given by the Minister for Defence in that behalf ;

(n) emergency communication systems as affecting the air-raid precautions services organised by the local authority ;

(o) the organisation of an emergency fire-fighting service, including such provision as is necessary for auxiliary fire stations, fire patrols and fire posts ;

(p) the selection of auxiliary fire stations ;

(q) arrangements for making use of natural or artificial supplies of water for fire-fighting ;

(r) the recruiting and training of auxiliary firemen and such other personnel as may be required for the purposes of the scheme ;

(s) the provision of appliances, equipment and material required for the purposes of the scheme, other than such equipment as may, in pursuance of section 60 of the act, be sold, supplied free of charge, or lent to the local authority by the Minister for Defence ;

(t) the storage and maintenance of such appliances, equipment and material as are provided under the immediately preceding paragraph of this Article ;

(u) arrangements for securing the use of such vehicles as are required for the purposes of the scheme and the adaptation thereof where necessary ;

(v) arrangements in connection with any transfer of the civilian population pursuant to any directions given by the Minister for Defence ;

(w) arrangements for the control and co-ordination in time of war of air-raid precautions services.

4. Every air-raid precautions scheme submitted under section 12 of the act by any scheme-making local authority other than those mentioned in the foregoing Article of these Regulations shall, unless the Minister exempts any particular such authority from the duty to include in such scheme any of the matters hereinafter mentioned, contain provisions in respect of all of the following matters, that is to say :—

(a) the giving of any necessary instruction and advice to the public as to air-raid precautions ;

(b) arrangements for dealing with casualties ;

(c) arrangements for or in connection with the restriction and regulation of lighting in highways, streets and public places ;

(d) arrangements in connection with any transfer of the civilian population pursuant to any direction given by the Minister for Defence ;

(e) the organisation of an emergency fire-fighting service ;

(f) arrangements for making use of natural or artificial supplies of water for fire-fighting ;

(g) the recruiting and training of auxiliary firemen and such other personnel as may be required for the purposes of the scheme ;

(h) arrangements for securing the use of such vehicles as are required for the purposes of the scheme and adaptation thereof where necessary ;

(i) the provision of appliances, equipment and material required for the purposes of the scheme, other than such equipment as may, in pursuance of section 60 of the act, be sold, supplied free of charge, or lent to the local authority by the Minister for Defence ;

(j) the storage and maintenance of such appliances, equipment and material as are provided under the immediately preceding paragraph of this Article ;

(k) arrangements for the detection of poison gas ;

(l) arrangements for the decontamination of highways, streets, public places and buildings affected by poison gas and anything therein requiring decontamination.

Given under the Official Seal of the Minister for Defence this 24th day of August, 1939.

(Signed) FRANK AIKEN,

Minister for Defence.

I consent to the foregoing Regulations.

(Signed) SEÁN MAC ENTEE,

Minister for Finance.