FIRE DEPARTMENT ACTIVITIES

  -

FIRE DEPARTMENT ACTIVITIES

Seattle, Wash., has approved the purchase of a new fire alarm transmitter.

Bids were opened for the erection of two new fire stations in the West End of Galveston, Tex.

John W. Mountjoy has been appointed State Fire Marshal of Montana to succeed W. G. Brooks.

A new record has been established in Cleveland, Ohio. A total of 1,200 men filed applications with the Civil Service Commission for jobs as city firemen. This is an all-time record for the city.

Mike Bauer, eighty-five years old, Chief of Nebraska City, Neb., for twenty-one years, died at his home. He was prominent in the Nebraska Firemen’s Association for many years. Two daughters and a son survive.

Edward L. Hill, Chief of the Volunteer Fire Department of Addison, N. Y., for forty years, died at his home following a few months’ illness. He was seventy-two years old. He retired as Chief three years ago.

Chief Fred A. Leonard of Taunton, Mass., celebrated his thirty-second anniversary as Chief of the Taunton Fire Department. He joined as a call man in 1882 and became Chief in 1901. He was elected Chief for a four-year term and has been re-appointed continuously since that time.

District Chief Michael J. Shea has been appointed Chief of the Fitchburg, Mass., Fire Department. He was appointed a private on March 18, 1902, permanent private_on December 11, 1907, Lieutenant on November 19, 1917, and a District Chief on March 4, 1930. He succeeds the late Chief Henry J. Hyatt.

Two Salem, Ore., firemen who were dismissed, have taken their case to court. They ask the court to review the proceedings of the Civil Service Commission, which allegedly refused to hear their testimony regarding their rights to steady work under the civil service seniority ruling. This marks the first appeal from the Civil Service Commission’s acts.

The office of Fire Marshal of Seattle, Wash., has been ordered abolished by the Mayor. This change will eliminate Fire Marshal Laing and twenty-seven inspectors. Chief Corning stated that the city is considering abandoning several fire stations and five complete fire companies. In addition, the firemen are to receive twenty per cent cuts to save the city $330,000.

Three alarms were sounded for a fire which destroyed a motion picture theatre in Toledo, Ohio, on February 10. It was one of thirty fires that occurred in the city in twenty-four hours. Fifteen companies in charge of Chief Fred Meyers responded for duty. The fire was caused by an overheated furnace which was left burning all night for the first time this winter.

George A. Wallace, eighty-five-year-old Chief Emeritus of the Cleveland, Ohio, Fire Department, had his pension restored to $3,900. A month ago the pension was cut to $1,800. Edwin D. Barry, former Safety Director, was incensed at the sharp cut given Chief Wallace and he reminded the Board that the Chief was retired with his full salary pension as long as he lived.

Even firemen in Nashville, Tenn., have icy weather occasionally. The department was called to fight a Sunday morning fire which broke out in a roof over a dry goods store. Salvage covers were spread over all the stock and the damage was reduced to about half of what it would otherwise have been. Icicles hung in clusters from the four stores damaged by the flames, and the front of the building was covered by a sheet of ice.

Contributions will be made to recognized charities by members of the Uniformed Firemen’s Association, New York City. The men voted that first grade firemen should contribute one dollar on each pay day, second grade men, seventy-five cents, and fifty cents for third and fourth grade men and probationary firemen. Many employees of New York City discontinued their one per cent charity contribution when their pay was cut. but the firemen voted to continue with their relief work.

The newly organized Burlington County Firemen’s Protective and Cooperative Association recently at its annual meeting elected the following officers: President, Francis Watchorn, Burlington; Vice-President, Arthur Mason. Masonville; Second Vice-President. William D. Cowperthwait, Medford; Secretary, George Brown, Florence; Assistant Secretary, Benjamin M. Haines, Moorestown; Treasurer, S. Earl Asay, Mount Holly, and Trustees, Henry Hoey, Beverly; William Ferry, Burlington: George Goodenough, Crosswicks; William H. Spencer, Florence; Mark Lippincott, Marlton; Theodore M. Pennock, Mount Holly; John M. Ingling, Pemberton; Paul Theilman, Riverside. The next meeting of the association will be held at Marlton, April 14.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

FIRE DEPARTMENT ACTIVITIES

8

FIRE DEPARTMENT ACTIVITIES

Firemen of La Crosse, Wis., volunteered to take a ten per cent cut in their pay.

Titusville, Pa., voted to consolidate the department into one central station as an economy move.

Portsmouth, Va., has abandoned the South Side fire station. The men and apparatus will be shifted to new locations.

Shadyside, Ohio, is considering the purchase of new fire apparatus. A recent fire brought out the need of new apparatus.

A parade and banquet marked the opening of two fire stations at Reseda and at Canoga Park in San Fernando Valley, Cal.

Kentucky had fire losses in 1932 totaling $1,846,888. Of this amount, $1,141,343 was for damage to buildings and $705,545 for the contents.

Fire apparatus and hose were destroyed when the building in Glidden, Ia., in which they were kept was burned. It is believed that an overheated stove caused the fire.

Frank J. May, Chief of the Mansfield, Ohio, hire Department for three years, has resigned. He is Vice-President of the Ohio Fire Chiefs’ Association.

The Council of Los Gatos, Cal., is considering a plan to have a state fire truck stationed here for the winter to protect the foothill and mountain area.

E. C. Kuehner, Chief of Chehalis, Wash., was elected President of the Southwest Washington Firemen’s Association, at a meeting held in Aberdeen.

Regardless of rank, members of the Lakewood, Ohio, Fire Department will receive a flat cut of $450 per member. The pay of other city employees was also cut.

A number of Chiefs in West Virginia are advocating a bill now before the legislature which will provide for a two per cent tax on fire insurance written in the state.

Chief Ralph J. Scott, Los Angeles, Cal., has appointed fifteen men on the civil service list as firemen to fill vacancies. The commission approved the appointments.

Port Monmouth, N. J., has awarded a contract for the construction of a two-story tile and stucco fire house. The building will cost $12,000 and will be finished by spring.

City officials of South Bend, Ind., were guests of the firemen at a dinner arranged to mark the addition of a 500-gallon pumper. Chief Roy A. Knoblock acted as toastmaster.

Officials of Cleveland, Ohio, are considering a ten per cent cut in the salary of firemen. The Mayor has ordered a twenty-six-day payless vacation for members of the department.

Morgantown, W. Va., is constructing a four-story structural steel drill tower to be used in connection with the state fire school and for training members of the local fire department.

Fire officials of Mamaroneck, N. Y. are advocating a loudspeaking fire alarm system to be installed in the fire station as a means of avoiding the confusion accompanying the sounding of alarms.

A new fire station has been opened in F.ast Jaffrey, N. H. As part of the ceremonies, there was a band concert, and the fire station remained open for inspection throughout the day and evening.

Twenty-one members of the Fire Department of Bridgeport, Conn., including four captains, were transferred by Chief Thomas F. Burns as an economic move. One fire station has been closed.

Wilkes-Barre, Pa., was awarded first place for the state for its activities during fire prevention week by the National Fire Protection Association. This is the first year that the city entered such a competition.

The entire off-platoon of the Jamestown, N. Y., Fire Department attended the funeral services of Mrs. Jennie R. Beatty, mother of Chief Clifton J. Beatty, who died recently. She was seventy-three years old.

Two Rivers, Wis., has opened its new fire station. The first floor contains the apparatus room, supply room, hose room, room for the fire alarm apparatus, private room or living quarters for the force, and the Chief’s office and bed room. In the general quarters the firemen have a lounge. dining room, kitchen, toilet and closet. A large dormitory to serve two companies takes up most of the second floor.

Chief Charles W. Ringer of Minneapolis, Minn., has announced that sixteen firemen are to be discharged as an economy move, including eight men who have been in the department for twenty years or more.

The Fire Department of Painesville, Ohio, received a $25,000 bequest from the estate of one of the town’s former residents. The bequest to the department will take effect upon the death of all beneficiaries of the estate.

Members of the Carroll, Ia., Fire Department gave a farewell dinner to Capt. Jurgeson of the Iowa Insurance Bureau who had charge of drills throughout the state. Capt. Jurgeson returns to his former post in the Minneapolis Fire Department.

Chief John J. Schwartz, who retired as head of the Kenosha, Wis., Fire Department on January 1, was presented with a gold chief’s badge. He was chief for the past fifteen years and a member of the department for twentyseven years.

Firemen of Middletown, Ohio, are changing equipment on the various fire trucks so that each piece of apparatus will have its equipment arranged in the same manner. This new plan is being followed so that the work of the firemen will be simplified.

The New Britain, Conn., fire board adopted a return to the one platoon system, and a stagger system of having men take one week off without pay in every four, as an economy move. This move is expected to result in a saving of $38,000 a year.

The Court has refused to halt the purchase of fire apparatus by the town of Harrison, N. Y. At a special election the town voted to purchase fire apparatus for $12,000. The Chairman of the town board refused to sign a purchase contract for the engine.

Seven firemen of Williamsport, Pa., were injured when apparatus on which they were responding to a fire collided with a coal truck. Chief Michael E. Clark, also on the way to the fire, passed the spot after the accident, and supervised the care of the injured men.

An offer has been made by the Fire Department of Burlington, Ia., to inspect any residence in the city without charge. The department started an inspection of buildings in the down town district. Inspection of residences has not been made compulsory.

Members of the New York Fire Department have been directed to make an inspection of tailor shops to see if dry cleaning is being done with the use of volatile liquids in violation of the ordinances. Many tailor shops are located on the street floor of tenement buildings.

According to the President of the Civil Service Commission of Minneapolis, Minn., no one will be certified as Chief of the Fire Department who is over fifty years old. The city has been having a difficult time selecting a successor to Chief C. W. Ringer who will retire in April.

A bill will be introduced in the Iowa legislature providing for state aid for cities which furnish fire protection to state owned institutions. Council Bluffs adopted a resolution supporting the bill. If this bill is passed. Council Bluffs will have an additional fire truck and eight extra firemen.

W. T. Filmer, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce of Youngstown, Ohio, has urged the Council to take steps to build a new fire station in the downtown section of the city. Mr. Filmer’s recommendation is in support of the request of Chief Henry Callan that such a building is needed.

John E. Cater, Chief of Galesburg, Ill., department for twelve years and a member of the Fire Department for thirty-eight years, died at his home on January 9 following a heart illness of several months. He was born in Barnesville, Ohio, March 11. 1869. He is survived by his widow, four sons and a daughter.

Frank G. Henry, State Fire Marshal of Ohio, reported that seventy-six persons were convicted of arson in Ohio during the past year. The state marshal and his assistants investigated 1,353 fires and arrested 238 persons. The cost of operating the division was $101,789, much less than the amount expended in 1931 and 1930.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR