Kinematograph Year Book 1942 (1942)

198 The Kinematograph Year Book. supply, and the number of fire buckets should not be reduced for this reason. Easy accessibility of the roof void and fiat roofs was essential, and these parts and other parts of the theatre should be supplied with sand and firefighting appliances ; having the appliances, the trained man power should be available and, moreover, should be protected with suitable personal equipment. A memorandum on the use of chemical fire extinguishers in putting out incendiary bombs was issued (April) by the Fire Extinguisher Trades' Association. This stated that official tests had proved the soda-acid type and the water and compressed carbon-dioxide type of extinguisher (such for example, as those manufactured by Pyrene, Ltd.), were highly effective on both incendiary bombs and fires caused by them. An outstanding advantage of these hand extinguishers is that they can be operated single-handed. The decision applies only to the types of extinguishers mentioned, and, moreover, the operative distance of approximately 30 ft. enables the user to keep well outside the officially suggested zone of 10 ft. or 12 ft. Dual (jet and spray) nozzles as used on stirrup pumps are supplied by the manufacturers for extinguishers already installed. Another memorandum was issued in May by the Institution of Electrical Engineers' Advisory Committee to the Ministry of Home Security dealing with fire detection devices with special.reference to the detection of incendiary bombs. The report describes a number of methods of warning which should be of interest to exhibitors, including the use of light detectors (photo-cells), heat and smoke detectors and radio-active cells. Incendiary bomb detection is the subject of two specifications issued by the British Standards Institution, B.S./A.R.P. 53 — the heat-sensitive type— and B.S. /A.R.P. 55, "Detectors of Incendiary Bombs by Electrical Circuits Ruptured by Impact." A new means of dealing with the fire-bomb menace is announced by Phelps Beddard, Ltd., who have introduced a fluid, " Incendex," two pints of which, it is claimed, will extinguish within 20 seconds, a fire bomb. The fluid is applied by means of a stirrup pump, set at the jet-stage of expulsion, and is said to be speedy, safe and certain in its operation. It has been widely adopted by property owners and its utility as kinema equipment is obvious. The quandary in which exhibitors are placed owing to shortage of firetrained personnel was illustrated by an incident at Liverpool where, owing to the sudden illness of two staff firemen, matinees had to be abandoned for eight days. The need for the allocation of temporary aid by the N.F.S. in such circumstances is obvious. Many authorities have visualised a problem arising from the employment of allwomen staffs and have insisted in such instances upon a capable male [fireman being in attendance. Incidentally, there is frequent refusal to permit the manager to undertake this duty. FILM STOCK SHORTAGE AND PRINT CONDITIONS. THE position arising from the huge increase in the use of film stock, coupled with shortage of supplies— intensified since the entry of Japan into the war — has given rise to the gravest concern in Government and Trade circles. In an attempt to economise film stock, discussion took place at the instance of the Board of Trade between the C.E.A. and K.R.S. Suggestions, including readjustment of release dates, thereby reducing the number of prints, the reduction of programme footage to a maximum of 11,000 ft., the elimination of trailers, and censor certificates and the shortening of credit titles, each of which presented some point of difficulty, and the discussion failed to achieve a practical solution. A similar negative result attended a proposal that the number of copies of M. of I. propaganda shorts should be curtailed, the general exhibitor attitude being that what was needed were not fewer but more copies of all films, owing to the more rapid deterioration of prints arising from circumstances connected with the war. A practical contribution towards a solution was adopted in November, by the renters who voluntarily offered to reduce their consumption of film stock by 400,000 ft. each during the November 30-day period. This decision, it was hoped, would effect a saving