ON CALL

Series

Series Name

Mining Review 13th Year

Issue

Issue No.

5

Date Released

Jan 1960

Stories in this Issue:

1. 1STITCH IN TIME
2. 2STOCKS FOR WATTS
3. 3JOHNNY SCHOFIELD
4. 4ON CALL

Story

Story No. within this Issue

4 / 4

Summary

BFI synopsis: the new call system for part-time members of the Central Rescue Station in Cowdenbeath.
NCB Commentary - This is the Central Rescue Station in Cowdenbeath. It serves all the pits of East and West Fife yet it’s staffed by only four permanent members - the other 140 are all part-time miners who give up their leisure to train and practice for a call which may come. Each must do 14 days station training and six practices a year. The station training covers subjects like the use of breathing apparatus and knowledge of the methods of reviving an injured man. Instruction is carried out by the permanent members of the staff.
In the past, one of the difficulties of part-time rescue stations was calling the men out in a hurry. The vehicle or messenger had to call on each house individually. If the men weren’t there or weren’t ready valuable time was lost. At Cowdenbeath, and it’s being extended to other part-time stations, they’ve pioneered a new system. With the help of the G. P. O. it puts men on call for 24 hours a day, they never know when it will come.
If there’s an emergency at the pit. From the pit manager’s office a call goes to the rescue station, a switch is pressed and simultaneously, in many homes, the bells ring.
At any hour of the day or night the insistent clanger of the bells is answered as the men race to pre-arranged pick-up points. A rescue team can be at any colliery in the area within twelve minutes of the first call - as fast as a permanent resuce station.
For a rescue team, teamwork, training and courage are the three essentials and every minute counts.

Researcher Comments

Commentary recorded 7th December 1959.

Keywords

Communications; Emergency services

Locations

Scotland; Fife

Written sources

British Film Institute Databases   Used for synopsis
Film User   Vol.14 No.167 September 1960, p520.
The National Archives COAL 32   /12 Scripts for Mining Review, 1956-1960

Credits:

Production Co.

Documentary Technicians Alliance

Sponsor

National Coal Board