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14
Home Safety.
The last full year of the Home Safety Sub-Committee was an extremely
active one, in fact it could be said that the Sub-Committee excelled
itself and finished in a "blaze of glory."
The usual float was entered in the Hornchurch Carnival and succeeded
in gaining a prize.
A most successful exhibit was again staged at the Carnival Fete
and attracted well over a thousand visitors.
A mobile home safety exhibition was staged consisting of three
vehicles—one belonging to the North Thames Gas Board and one the
Eastern Electricity Board displaying safe appliances. The third vehicle
was a caravan hired by the Sub-Committee which explored the theme
of 'Burns and Scalds.' Special features included a set of photographs
showing the tragic results—especially to children—of severe burning or
scalding accidents and a display of flameproof material both the fabric
and made up garments.
These three vehicles were sited on the Carnival Fete ground and
then toured several secondary schools within the Urban District. This
exhibition was well received and illustrated the value of having a "captured
audience." Probably had these three vehicles been parked in
isolation they would not have attracted a very large attendance, but,
forming—as at the Carnival Fete—part of a general display and also
being taken to the individual schools where the children were released
a class at a time to view, a great number of people saw and studied the
displays.
The display of flameproof fabric was most apt as the Children's
Nightdress Regulations, 1964, came into force on the 1st October, 1964.
This legislation was unique in that it prohibited the sale of any child's
nightdress in non-flammable fabric after this date irrespective of the date
of manufacture. Legislation is not normally retrospective and to ensure
compliance with this very necessary—and much sought after—law, every
shop within the Urban District selling such garments was informed by
letter of the salient points of the Regulations. In addition, inspections
were carried out by the Department's Public Health Inspectors and in
several instances garments were withdrawn from sale.
Another innovation in 1964 was the extension of poster distribution.
Apart from the normal display on official notice boards, special
large posters were displayed on hoardings at the six railway stations
within the district.
A Home Safety handbook was also produced during the year under
the expert guidance of Mr. Glyn Richards, Public Relations Officer. A
similar handbook was produced during the first years of the original