Fire department

“ Its very plain to me that all he’s heard about the New York Fire Department has made a deep impression on him, and when a boy’s got his head set on any particular line of business, it’s very foolish to try and force him in any other direction. ”

“ Well, to my mind, though I would not have admitted it twenty years ago, I think that the fact that politics has been eliminated from the department is one of the chief things that we have to be thankful for, and I believe that it is almost the first time in the history of the world that a fire department has been run without mixing it with political affairs. ”

“ It is evident that something should be done at once to furnish the Fire Department, the relief that they have a right to expect from the excessive labor that is unavoidable in drawing their engines to and from, and the hazzard and fatigue of working them at the numerous fires that take place.
In the opinion of your subscriber, the plan of placing light carts with hose at convenient distances in every street, to be at the service of a body of police, all interested to use this hose for the extinguishment of fires with the greatest possible energy and effect, is the best that can be adopted. ”

“ Questions of police, water-supply, fire protection, lights, sewers, are sometimes handled by the board of trustees, or if the village is large enough there may be separate boards or commissioners established for some of these things.
A Fire Department, with fire house, hose and wagon, exists in most villages, voluntary in small places, and a paid force in the larger villages. The fire company is a popular department of public service, because of the social pleasure involved and because firemen are exempt from jury duty. ”

“ The policemen on guard saluted, and a wagon, drawn by a panting and sweating horse, dashed through the fire-lines and drew up suddenly at the curbstone. The tall, grizzled, and soldierly looking man who alighted was evidently a person of importance, for in an instant the deputy chief in command of operations appeared before him and saluted him in military style.
The newcomer was tall and well built. He wore a thick fireman’s overcoat and a helmet. ”

“ Operation and control of Fire Departments by the Department of Police of the Governor of Korea will cause;
(2) Independent Fire Departments will be established under the direct supervision, administration and control of the authorities in cities, towns and villages; and
(3) All duties, functions, records, property and civilian personnel of the Department of Police concerned with the operation and control of Fire Departments will be allocated and transferred to city, town and village Fire Departments. ”

“ The fire department is ready at all times to respond to fires within thirty seconds after any alarm is sent in. Delay in sending in an alarm is responsible for nearly every large fire that occurs. When there is snow on the ground or the run is up hill, the department must be notified quickly to be of any service.
7. Have two six-quart pails always handy.
8. Use fire-proof metal cans for waste.
9. Look for exits in halls and public buildings.
Fire is a good servant, but a bad master.
It is the patriotic duty of every American citizen to prevent fires. Why? ”

“ An eligible fire department, for purposes of this amendment, means a fire department in Henry County which is a member in good standing with the Alabama Volunteer Fire Department Association.
Funds paid to eligible volunteer fire departments shall only be expended for fire protection services including training, supplies, and equipment. The funds may also be expended to purchase liability insurance to insure coverage of acts or omissions which are directly related to the functions of a fire department which are committed by the department or the personnel of a fire department. ”

“ In regards our fire department anything I might say in its favor would very likely be termed a biased opinion, but let our citizens try and remember the last time a fire got beyond control of our fire department, and compare the result with departments in other towns and cities the size of ours. ”

“ Dewsnap, “have come to this country for the purpose of studying its peculiar institutions, and they are particularly desirous of learning all they can about the Fire Department of New York, the fame of which has spread through every city in Europe. The fact is, that although they are too polite to say so, I am afraid that they do not believe what has been told them in regard to the rapidity with which our companies get out to a fire when the alarm sounds. ”

“ But there are little things which change the current of human life, and one of these little things happened just as Bruce was on the point of asking the chief to let him take a position in some store or office and give up the fire department altogether. One afternoon, having been given a leave of absence from the quarters, he strolled down to Captain Murphy’s engine house, in order to have a chat with the captain, who had taken quite a liking to the son of his old friend and was always delighted to talk to him about the work in the department and to explain things that he did not know. ”

“ All apparatus for the Fire Department will be kept in this new shed back of us, and no Little Citizen [57] is ever to be allowed inside this door, unless it be one of the boys detailed as a fireman.
“You ten boys will have a dark-brown camp-uniform to show you are Firemen; and in case of a fire you will don the heavy overalls and caps kept in the Fire-house.”
As Uncle Ben explained the plan and held up a sample fireman’s uniform, the boys shouted and whistled and clapped with delight, for this sort of thing was very unusual and gratifying. ”

“ In the United States bucket fire departments were organized in most of the cities in the early part of the last century, and hand engines, used by the old volunteer firemen, did not come into general use until about fifty years later. The New York volunteer fire department was for a long time one of the institutions of the country. When they had their annual parade the people of the surrounding towns would flock to the city and the streets would be as impassible as they are to-day when a representative of one of the royal families of Europe is placed on exhibition. ”

“ A force of policemen is at once sent to every fire. These stretch ropes across the street at proper distances, and no one but the members of the Fire Department, who may be known by their uniforms and badges are allowed to pass these barriers. In this way the firemen have plenty of room to work, lookers on are kept at a safe distance, and the movable property in the burning building is saved from thieves. ”

“ John Rush is a fireman to-day, a member of “Thirty-three’s” crew in Great Jones street. He was an insurance patrolman then. The organization is unofficial. Its main purpose is to save property; but in the face of the emergency firemen and patrolmen become one body, obeying one head.
That the spirit which has made New York’s Fire Department great equally animates its commercial brother has been shown more than once, but never better than at the memorable fire in the Hotel Royal, which cost so many lives. ”

“ Local community and fire department organizations are asked to provide the direction and support necessary to assure that each home and business is invited to participate in Fire Prevention Week activities ”

“ We will have no use for a fire department, fire escapes, fire alarm systems, fire insurance and fire underwriters of all kinds; thus avoiding the services of firemen, labor and materials of fire houses, fire trucks, and all supplies and labor of fire insurance companies, while having complete safety in our waking and sleeping hours. ”

“ Because approximately 80 percent of last year's fatal fires occurred in the home, every family should develop a home escape plan. If a smoke or fire alarm sounds, everyone must react quickly. When away from home, we need to make it a habit to locate the nearest exit in any building we occupy. Most important, we must never reenter a burning building.
By following these basic safety rules, we can save lives and reduce the risks to our Nation's firefighters. Every 16 seconds, a fire department responds to a fire somewhere in the United States. ”

“ Why, before the birth of Christ, the Emperor Pompey once refused to allow a new fire company to be formed in Rome because he knew that it was merely an excuse to get together a new crowd of his political opponents, and in the old days when I used to run with a company, politics and the fire department were very much mixed up. I could give you the names of dozens of men who have reached the highest offices in the city and have climbed all the way up by means of their connection with the fire department. ”

“ He’s expected to jump out of bed and land on his feet in his turnout at the very first stroke of the gong, even if he happens to be dreaming that he is Chief of the whole New York Fire Department. Well according to your calculations we’ll make it a minute and a half to get waked up. ”

“ Now in my country the men all stand up in a row and are inspected by their commanding officer before they leave their quarters, and each one must have his boots blacked and his clothing all properly arranged before he gets up on the engine.”
“If we were to stop here to inspect our men we’d never get to the fire at all,” replied the Chief. “If a man doesn’t take interest enough in his work to turn out the instant the alarm comes, why there’s no room for him in the department. ”

“ You don’t get variety enough in your life, and the next time I see the chief, I’m going to speak to him about it. You’ll never fit yourself to take a good position in the department unless you go out with the men. You can learn more by helping to put out one fire than you can by sitting around an engine house for a year. You’d better not think of looking for another job though, until you give this business a fair trial. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t make as good a fireman as your father was, for you’re quick and you’ve got a cool head on you just like that bay horse over there. ”

“ Chief Trask, like all efficient members of the service, took a just pride in his work and was never so happy as when expatiating to benighted foreigners on the wonderful efficiency of the fire brigade of New York, as compared with those of the other leading capitals of the world.
“Our motto, gentlemen,” said the chief, “is to be always ready for an emergency, and when that emergency comes to meet it without an instant’s loss of time. We have just come from a fire about six or eight blocks from here, 128and now you will see that the men are getting ready for the next alarm.” ”

“ In 1903 the sum of $23,000 was appropriated for the enlargement of water mains and the construction of new ones.
Fire Department.—The fire department consists of two hose companies—Excelsior No. 1 and Raymond Hose Company, and the Goodwill Hook and Ladder Company. The fire council consists of the chief engineer and two warders elected from each of the companies. Inspection day is held each year in the month of September, at which time the rooms and apparatus of the various companies are inspected by the president and trustees of the village, and a parade of the whole department takes place. ”

“ Instead of asking the fire department to pick different rooms in which to extinguish, the President has decided to alert the fire department and everyone involved; that we have a responsibility to move this country forward, address the long-term problems and the short-term problems in order to create jobs for the future. ”

“ For example, suppose our company were to be called out to-night to a fire, and I were to find on arrival that it was in my own district, I would take command, even if another battalion chief were to be present also. In the same way he would take command, if the fire were in his district. But, suppose I find that the fire is a big one and in danger of spreading. I go to the box and sound the second alarm, which brings up an additional force. ”

“ The city fire departments are supported by the fire-prevention and insurance foundations, and all buildings, in city or country, are fireproof—have been for over seventy-five years.
There are no municipally appointed peace officers; the police forces are maintained by the state governments. This department is recruited almost entirely from the unmarried men between twenty-five and fifty. Most of the states assess a rather heavy bachelor tax, which is remitted to all men joining the state police. In the average state the police force is now only one tenth as large as it was fifty years ago. ”

“ An efficient fire department has apparatus in good condition and suitably equipped consisting of three hose wagons, two hook and ladder trucks and one steamer. The police department is amply manned for the protection of life and property, the preservation of order and for checking over-zealous drivers of automobiles tempted by the smooth long roads. ”

“ Forty-six hotels accommodate the traveling public. The fire department is one of the best in the West, consisting of 8 steam fire engines, 7 chemical engines, hose carts, 159 men, 78 horses, etc., and the value of all the property belonging to the fire department is $316,367. ”

“ Chief Trask explains the fire box to Bruce.—Page 17.
17“Remember this, my boy,” he said earnestly, “that promptness and readiness are the watchwords of the service. Every second of time is of importance, and you should never let another man get ahead of you when you are getting ready to go to a fire, nor allow another company to get a stream on the fire first, if you can possibly prevent it. The paid department was established in 1865. ”