The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-06
FIRE SIGNALS M0DERNIZED.
ORR 7HIRTEEN-STORT CITY HAS OUT
GROIN THE Old STYLE

and Meanwhile the Uncovered DIatricts
Tnko Care OF Themselves without
Troubling tho Gallant Eire-nEhters.
Chief Bonners now FIRE signal code, which
viii co into eiTcc, throughout tho city Mt
so'c'ock on the morning o! July 49, is now in
tho hands OF every engine and hook and ladder
company, and the tlrcmcn. particularly lore
men and officers arc sitting UP nights study
ing it, So as to have 1t by heart. This is some
thing OF task, even to an experienced
fireman, for tho new system is new In every
sense Of tho word. Few signals nro alike In the
old and now codes. and the as =gnments OF
every engine and truck are largely different
Yet once thoroughly understood. 1t Is seen Mt n
glance that the now code is very much simpler
than tho CID. although 1t provides for q great
many more calls, and that 1t can marshal ut n
critical point by single coil large md pow
erfnl force, the equal OF which could not DO
summoncd by the old System without resort
ing to all the gene alarms, tho famous
"thrce skies" and special alarms besides.
Perhaps the most striking instance Of the
capabilities OF tho now code to meet great dis
as,ers is It's power noayly 10 double instantly.
even the tremendous force assembled by a
Nth alarm. BY tho old code a multitude OF
signals would keep the cnGine-house Gongs
oil over tho city janGlinS for half IN hour to
accomplish the result. The new codo accom-
plIshes it by simply sending tho old three
skies call on top OF the previous fifth alarm.
Thus nearly the entire force Of the city could
be summoned by two or at most three simple
alarms in case Of dire necessity-a necessity
which doubtless will never have to be met. 1t
Is thus seen that the three skies is retained
in the new code. But it now travels under a
new name. Hereafter the two Mines will be
the futeful signal.
Two other points distinguish Chief Bonner's
new code, one is that all the alarms are SO
Bimptiod that they save much time IN the
selves provide automatically. as it were. that
dlsenGnged companies shall move into dis.
summoned 70 a big fire. SO as to be ready for
other fires which may break out in those dis.
thought OF by the Chief in charge Of the fire.
THE new code" said Chief Bonner tho other
he cy 6s srat 5eDa
the department force. and particularly by
s s'H prevalent Su stg T Ths old
code was designed twenty years ago, when
ers Whc EAS Of
block in area. Now We have many buildings
and ar OF aeG %
from 100 to 1870 feet They are built fire proof,
so called, but are generally illled with iniinm-
years ago. a few. engines on the SPOT at once.
and the means to summon a. more ms wanted,
able to call twenty-five engines on single
alarm II necessary, and to have other forces
demand these measures. Dwelling houses are
easily managed by small forces.
see that have considered the difficulties pre-
eentcd to the fireman by each individual call
each accordingly. The tenement districts will
never need more than the eight or ten engines
monei on three alarms. so only that number
are assigned to those and the residence dis
there however we have any number OF special
calls. and, if We chose, could use the two
snse ca os that
five aarms are provided in distrcts where
great IT. buildings it iastores storehouses Offices
." Lot US tako 2 box IN the tenement districtss
Canal 1a and Division Streets The first tH alarm
VII bring two engines two trucks s. and Bat;
sace But the ire f and second
alarm is sent, We get three more engines and
wR psD4 chi Ghe d5e
more enGines-a big force.
m9G ;0F tho FIRE Now let US what
engines and truck in the neGhborhood hold
stand there ready to be specially called II they
gines and truck in tho EciGhborhood stand
In reserve. Thus. besides our, eight engines
and three trucks at tho fire we have four moro
engines and two trucks standing ready in near
by Guarters to 60 il we call them. But some
have left the neiGhbOrhood with little defence
blocks SIS OH So as to s the f tRrd alarm has
sounded, Engine from Fourteenth street and
into the quarters oil, Engine II at 81, Ludlow
sne fsRe hsps 20 R aer
rest Of the neiGIborhooi.,
4" Nov, let us go to the dry goods dis
send four or i've alarms Box IA. at Church
apd walker streets. IS a good iopr-call exam
hook ladder
We've got one or two big buildings here. YOU
see. ted with inlnmma6le goods. SO not only
q Battalion Chiof responds but u Deputy Chief,
also The second alarm brings four more en-
gines, another truck. and another water tower:
the fourth alarm six engines and a truck, We
have now eighteen engines. five hook and lad
q a Deputy Chief and four Battalion Chiefs.
There is also reserve force in quarters OF
rom TOst Tenth 'T street has CONG 6nS down
Truck from Most Forty eighth street has oc-
SMpled Truck 10 house In Chambers street
teenth street has gone 10 55s quarters In Elm
street, since We have drawn Literally from that
come over 10 Truck 4o iG place at Msrccr and
Houston. SO: without troubling ourselves more
summoned great force, hold ample reserves
i iGr tsimSrgonecs and eoyered sufficiently for
We have IRE alarm stations nj all the great
hotels; PERHAPS rs mror5anta ono as any.
though, j. 200 which has DUPLICATE call hoXes
on Broadway, one at Blocker street, and the
other at Great Jones str"-i. The district in
SISIes many imEomamt buildings, o! tie sort
Which make the fires that test II department..
We get twenty engines with the nlst four
alarms. five hook ana ladder trucks, and
ger than wo could summon by the old SYSTEM
With all alarms and tho ,three-aiSes added
Theoretically, by the old, SYSTEM We get
twenty two engines out with tho tnree- skies
cal. hut practically We only got from fifteen 10
eighteen. On the fourth call at this station. by
the now code. we get twenty Tho fifth cali
viii summon five more and make force which
Ne Will probably very seldom hayO 20 cal.
A. We might have brought tho whole lorco in
me irrt lnstHnco, you see. by sending the NTH
aIarm first. 1t would DO very quick and simple,
llho this:
"esulkss-5 strokes-2 strotcs-G strok-s-5 strokes"
1t would have meant Fifth alarm and all
preceding. to 2Gj.' A quarter of II minute later
twenty-five engines. ilyo trucks, aud q water
tower would be- rushin 10 the corner of BrOnd-
way and Bleccker street 1t Is scarcely proba-
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