The East Hartford Gazette

Local Defense Unit Prepares For Any Medical Emergency

"All first aid stations now have their definite assignment of doctors and nurses," Doctor F. Wellington Brecker informed the Defense Council at its special session on Wednesday afternoon. The entire staff assigned to a casualty station will report there on any alert to ascertain whether the call is real or a test black out. Thus far the medical division did not have a sufficient amount of helmets allotted to go in the field during a raid. Another shipment of helmets has been sent to East Hartford and will be distributed according to need to the medical department, the fire department and the air raid wardens.

Letter of Thanks

The Council has sent a letter of thanks to the Red Cross for its contribution of first aid material to the East Hartford casualty stations. All other work was temporarily held over to have the medical stations adequately supplied with the necessary first aid materials.

Chairman Francis Hoffman of the Blackout Committee attended a meeting in Hartford with engineers of the Hartford Electric Light Company, members of the State and local Defense Councils and retailers of the Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Hoffman stressed the seriousness of the dimout regulations as ordered by the Army authorities. All outside lights, advertising lights, marques of theaters and parking lots are affected. No store window may have a bulb in excess of fifteen watts for every six feet of display space and then shielded so as to leave no upward glare. No lights from stores, taverns or other public places may throw a direct light into the street. In the homes all shades must be pulled at least three quarter ways down at night to comply with the dimout regulations. No open porchlights are allowed, except when of fifteen watt capacity or less and so shaded as to throw the light directly downward.

The Council approved the blacking out of all necessary rooms at Police Headquarters and the entrance to the Municipal Building entrance to the first floor so that it may be accessible in case of night raids and the necessary activities may be carried on uninterruptedly.