Rescue Rocket Sets Hill Afire

The hardest part of firing a rescue rocket is to aim it correctly. One morning recently when members of the Gisborne Air-Sea Rescue Organisation were conducting a practice up on Kaiti Hill, they expressed mild dismay when a shot went off-course and disappeared over an intervening ridge.

Their dismay soon turned to alarmed consternation. From the far side of the ridge, billowing clouds of smoke rose ominously into the sky. The rocket had set fire to the hillside.

The rescue team hurriedly abandoned their roles and converted themselves into fire-fighters. Two hours later, aided by Fire Brigade, Harbour Board, and City Council workers, the fire was finally beaten out and the crisis was over.

The rocket system is used to fire a light line where contact can be made in no other way; for example, to reach a ship aground some distance from the shore.

×

 

• 

Harbourmaster, Captain I. G. McRae, setting up the rocket, is watchad by Stuart Robertson, Don Devine, Bill Edwards, Roddy Richardson, and Tom Oates.

×

 

• 

Johnny Holmberg attaches the life line to the rocket

×

 

• 

Rocket blasts through the air in a cloud of smoke....

×

 

• 

....and disappears behind hill overlooking the beach