The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-24

now Ihsy Extsngussh the Pa mes In Ger.
many and Holland.
From Household wordsL

How They Eztsneussh the Ylaues in Ger.
many and Holland.
From Household Words.
The alarm created by the recent great
nre In London will probably lead to
steps being taken for rendering the
metropolitan IRE brigade more efficient
and equal to coping with large conf1a-
gratfons. In connection with this it IL
interesting to compare London methods
with those in use on the continent for
the extinguishing Of fires.
In Amsterdam the firemen are all
unmarried men and live at the fire sta
tons. The street alarms for calling out
the IRE brigade are distributed over the
city. so that nc house is more than 300
two methods Of rescuing people from
burning houses which are practiced in
the Dutch town. II the inmates are
In a very dangerous position a fine line
Is shot up to them with q pistol. They
catch the line. draw 1t up. and at the
inside the room and slide down 1t to the
ground. Jumping sheets are also pro-
vided; the firelnen grasp them with
both hands. raising their arms and the
sheet to the level of the collar bone.
and throw back the body to an angle.
The fall of the person thus cause the
sheet to give without bringing the
bearers to their knees.
In Germany cal boxes are very nu-
merous and the extent, as well as the
locality. Of the fire is signaled. Engines
are dispatched according to the size of
the fire as It 10 signaled-small. medium
or great. Most German firemen, II IL
curious to note. are telegraph clerks.
A great feature OF German fire brigade
work is the prevention of unnecessary
dovuoOa hy vuotA~ A. AovxyhnAU
knows. the water used for extinguish-
ing a fire does almost as much damage
to the contents OF a building as the
flames themselves. The German fire.
men pay particular attention to thi
point n do not flood the building with
necessary. The flremen's clothes can
be inflated with water IL occasion re-
quires 1t. The blouse and Trousers are
made of a double layer of canvas and
by means Of a tap attached to the hose
for this purpose a fireman can I'LL the
waterproof space between the two lay
ers with water Immediately. If too
much water Ia poured in the surplus
escapes through a valve and pours
down over the wearer like a fountain.
thus doubly protecting him from the
flames. The smoke helmet Is also used
by Germans, as. indeed. by all CONT
mental firemen. 1t serves as an air
chamber. which is filled by an air
pump. with which h fireman Is pro-
vided. BY this means the lungs are
supplied with air and the head kept
cool, while the escaping air clears away
the smoke and enables the fireman to
see what he Is doing. Thus the fire.
man is able to enter a burning room
and fight the fire at close quarters.
The Berlin fireman also carries a short
ladder; placing it against the first floor
window, he mounts IL, gets onto the
window sill, pulls up the ladder, hooks
1t on the window sill above and so
reaches the roof. He then lets down
a line. draws up a hose pipe and sets
to work.
OF all continental capitals Vienna is
probably the most perfectly equipped
for outbreaks Of fire. There are nu-
merous street alarms, which are most
ingenious and useful. Instead Of the
glass window-which is equally at the
mercy of a drunken or rowdy person
or the real discoverer of "A ~fire-which
must be smashed before the alarm can
be given, there Is a key. umbere
keys for the call boxes are freely sup
piled to all respectable citizens. who
are responsible for their use. On dis
covering a fire the man unlocks the
door and gives the alarm; when this
has been lone the key cannot be with
drawn until another loo has been un-
locked, the key for which only fire.
men possess. From the numbered key
in the lock the name of the person Civ
ing the alarm ear be found, as a regis
ter is kept of all the citizens to whom
keys have been supplied. with the num-
Der of each key. The Vienna fire bril-
gade turns out more quickly than any
other European brigade. In driving to
the scene Of the fire n Of the brigade
sits by the driver Ind blows a trumpet,
which can be heard a great distance
away, and Ia a summons for all vehicles
to pull aside until h engine has
passed. A water cart follows the en-
CINE. and so an immediate supply of
water Is at hand while the fire plug
is being found. Thus many small fires
which would soon extend are nipped in
the bud. A great point is also made of
the right application of water. which
In used with great economy. 1t stands
to sense that a pint Of water at the
light spot is better than a gallon in the