Columbia democrat and star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1867, 1866-09-19
Rules for Extinguishing Fires.

The person in the house best qualified for
such duty should endeavor to ascertain, with
as much precision as possible, the extent and
position of the fire, while the others collect
as much water as they can. If the fire be
in an upper floor, the inmates should be got
out Immediately, although the lower part of
the house may generally be entered with
safety for some time. Ii In the lower part
Of the house, after the inmates have been
removed, great care should be observed IN
going into any of the upper floors, as the
flames very oftenreach the stairs before being
observed by those above. The upper floors
are. besides. generally filed with smoke, and
in that case, there is great danger OF slIffo-
cation to those who may enter:
On the first discovery of tire, 1t Is OF the
utmost consequence to shut, and keep shut,
all doors, windows or other openings. 1t
may often be observed, after house has
been on fire, that one floor is comparatively
untouched, while those above and below are
nearly burned out This arises from the
door on that particular floor having been
shut, and the draft directed elsewhere. 1t
| the person who has examined the fire finds a
risk Of Its gaining ground upon him, he
should, if within reach, of fire engines, keep
everything close, and await their arrival, IN
stead of admitting air to the fire by lnetfec-
tual efforts to oppose it with inadequate
means. In the meantime, however, he
should examine where a supply of water is
most likely to be obtained, and communicate
that. and anv other local information, to the
fireman, on their coming forward If there
be no fire-engine within reach, the person
who has examined the fire should keep the
place where it is situated as close as possible,
till as many buckets of water as can be easily
collected are placed within his reach.
Taking care always that there is some one
ready to assist him, he should then open the
door, and creep forward on his hands and
knees till he gets as near the fire aspossible; /;
holding his breath, and standing up for
moment to give the water a proper direction,
he should throw it with force, using hand
pump if available, and instantly get down
to his former position, where he will be again
able to breathe. The people behind hand
ing forward another bucket of water, he re-
peats the operation till the fire is quenched,
or until he feIls exhausted, in which case
some one should take his place. If there be
enough of water, however, two, three, or
any convenient number of people may be
employed in throwing it; on the contrary, If
the supply of water, be insufficient to employ
even one person, the door should be kept
shut while the water is being brought, and
the air excluded as much as possible, as the
fire burns exactly in proportion to the guam
tity of air which it receives
One great evil, and which ought to be
strictly guarded against by people not accus-
toned to fire. is, that on the first alarm of
fire they exert themselves to the very utmost
of their strength This, of course, can last
but short time, and when they feel tired,
which in that case soon happens, they very
often give up altogether. Now, this is the
reverse of what it ought to be. In extin-
gushing fires, cool judgment and steady
perseverance are far more effective than any
desultory exertions which can be made.