Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1899-05-12
New Wrinkles for Flremen.


Some interesting new wrinkles" in
the way of hre fighting facilities are
being introduced in the District OF Co
lumbla by Commissioner Wright who
has charge of the fire department of
Washington. These inovations are not
only interesting to the general reader,
but nave their suggestive value to
tnOse who have charge OF fire depart
ments here and elsewhere.
The bicycle service is probably the
feature that is regarded as the most
striking novelty. A firemen from each
engine house has been selected and
mounted on a bicycle. Whenever his
company is called out, he precedes Il to
the fire. IL is estimated that as a rule
the firemen on wheels reach a fire on
the average at least three minutes be-
fore the rest of the company, with
their engines and trucks. In cases
where lour or FIVE companies respond
to an alarm and tina. many men reach
the fire ahead of the rest, and ahead OF
the regular time, a great deal may be
accomplished by these men before the
engines arrive and get to work. In
many cases, where lamps are over
turned or draperies catch fire, an ex-
perienced fireman with the necessary
appliances may prevent a disastrous
confiagration by extinguishing the
flames at an early stage. In the Wash
ington service, each bicycle fireman
will carry small, light tank Of chem
ical fire extinguisher on his back, and
a light pick.
Another new wrinkle" that is prov
| ing valuable, is the use Of the mega
phone by the man who is in charge at
fire. Commissioner Wright states
that he noticed that on many occas-
ions where tall buildings were burning
or where there was much confusion for
one reason or another, 1T was almost
impossible for the firemen to under
:tand the orders OF the chief, and as a
result each was compelled very largely
to depend upon himself and act almost
entirely upon his own responsibility.
On one occasion, owing to this very
cause, several firemen were killed by
the falling OF floor, not having heard
the warning given them by the chief.
There are other innovations which
are in contemplation, the most novel OF
them being the individual fireman tele-
phone service. AS is we'll known, fire.
men are sometimes in danger of losing
their way in a dense smoke and thus
imperiling their lives, not to speak of
the peril of being cut off from COM
munication with those outside the
burning building According to the
plan under consideration a fireman
when he goes into a building under
such circumstances is to have mounted
on his back a small reel of wire, which
Wal unwind as he goes into the build
ing. Connected with the reel is also a
receiver and transmitter outside.
Thus if there is any danger of a wall
or floor falling, the firemen could be
notified by the chief. He could also re-
port to the chief his discoveries as to
the location of the fire and its progress
without leaving che building for that
purpose. When in danger he could
ask for aid 1t is believed with light
copper wire this applianc would not
weigh more than six or ten pounds and
could easily be handled by firemen.
But of course there are lots of novel
ties suggested by inventors which for
one reason or another prove to be i'm
practicable.