Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-04
Men Behind the Horses Who
Do the Work.
THEIR DAILY ROUTINE
THEY DREAD THE MoNoToNY OF
WAITING.
Hardships Encountered in Actual
Service at Confagration-No
Thought of Fear.

'In recent article IN The Star were de-
scribed the fine fire horses OF the District
fire department" said an official of our local
fire fighters this morning. but 1t is the men
behind the horses who do the work, and
they should not be overlooked While in
terest centers upon the horses and appara-
tus they go tearing along the street in
response to an alarm, 1t shifts to the men
when the scene of the fire is reached.
"Firemen are like policemen in that when
they are needed they are wanted then and
there; at other times they seem to be over
looked and often misunderstood. Thus, in
the event of disastrous fire getting beyond
control by reason of inadequate water pres
sure or insufficient fre-fghtIng apparatus
the public is unnecessarily severe in criti-
cism of the fire department. Instead they
should bestow their adverse criticism upon
the municipal legislative body which con-
trolls appropriations for failing to place at
the disposal of the department such inStru-
ments and material as will meet all reason
able exigencies In the event of confiagra-
ton.
Neither the people Of a municipality nor
its legislative body must expect an engine
with a capacity of COO gallons a minute to
throw powerful stream a steamer Of
the latest type, with capacity of LOO gall
Ions a minute. Yet so thoughtless are many
that one often hears at a fire the remark:
Why don't the machines get a big stream
going? Nor can as large a stream be
pumped from a four-inch water main as
from one of six or ten inches, and the OIL
Gals responsible for these defects in any
city are not those OF the fire department.
but of the legislative governing body which
votes the funds. All fire departments must
get all that there is to be gotten out of the
facilities given them and beyond this they
op1 hn Rra Homo ri ont n
Washington is not to be excepted because
1t is home concern.
The Men Behind the Horses.
Gan Of these improvements cost money,
yet but very little in the initial instance
compared with the inestimable protection
afforded by the fire department to property
and life. 1t is nevertheless a singular,
though true, commentary upon the govern
ing Of our municipalities that appropria-
lions for large water mains, new and pow
erful steamers and up-to-date fire fighting
apparatus to meet the new type of buildings
now rapidly replacing the old styles in all
cities, and, notably in Washington are OBJ
tanned only after strong appeals by the
press and people, and sometimes not then
in proportion to the vital Importance of
the great issue at stake, and the heavy,
ever-present responsibility of the fire de-
partment
THE men behind the horses, therefore,
do the best they can under existing coEdi
tons If Washington had fourteen steamers
of the latest type, with capacity of LOO
gallons a minute. instead of three new
ones of this style about to be installed, just
that much additional protection would be
afforded, and the efficiency and the fire
fighting ability of the department CORE
spondingly augmented.
1.-The daily life of fireman is interesting
to the public, even II somewhat mOnotOus
to him He enters the department after
passing an examination which testifies to
ct tt1,, Md
with a sound physique He is assigned to
q company and then the daily routine of
house duties and of active fire-fghting be-
gins.
What the Men Have to Do.
"At the outset of a firemans career the
excitement incident to his calling serves as
a stimulant and a pleasant novelty. After
he becomes a seasoned member of the de-
partment he becomes used TO turnlng out
Of bed and being aroused from a sound
sleep at o'clock on bleak winters night,
and getting into the street In he teeth OF
a driving snowstorm inside of q few Sec
onds as he also becomes accustomed 10
the opposite condition of sitting around the
fire house hour after hour. day after day,
without change of scene.
ASK a member of our efficient fire-fght-
ing force what element he considers the
most prominent in his life and as well as
the most exacting and dreaded and he will
swer is not what would be expected, as, to
the average person the first thought would
be the danger to life, limb and health in
fighting fire.
.'Ffremen never think of the hazardousness
Of their occupation. 1t becomes second
nature with these brave fellows, this con-
slant facing Of death. When they plunge
into the thick black smoke of a burning
building their minds are not upon possible
suffocation. the crumbling Of the wallis upon
them, or the possibility of falling into
hatchways or other open places In floors to
the flames and death below. Their one
thought is to get the nozzle of their hose
at such a point where the stream will do
the most effective work, or, in the case of
the hook and ladder men, to use their axes
and other instruments. their ladders and
the hand chemical eXtinguishers, to the best
advantage.
Characteristics and Incidents.
1.-THE inconsiderateness of the remark we
hear infrequently, however, for the sake
Of those who thoughtlessly give it utter
ance about the easy time of fireman sit
ting about the house all day becomes ap-
parent when the real duties of fireman
are considered. They have to sit around a
fire house all day because they are not
permitted to go away from 1t. The average
complement Of a fire company in Washing
ton consists of eleven men. A fireman of
our department is allowed every sixth day
of when the full complement of the COM
pany are on duty. II one man Is SICK lney
are allowed one day off in nine, and if two
men be away on sick leave they are allowed
no day OFF at all until one of the absentees
returns to duty.
'Firemen are allowed one hour off for
meals, the time of absence from the house
being so adjusted that the force is not I'M
duly depleted. This is the only relaxation
from constant duty the men receive and II
may be said to generaliZe the question OF
confinement, that they perform twenty-five
hours of continuous duty out of the TWEEN
ty-four. 1t IS small wonder that the mer
feel the monotony OF their life after awhile
1T is an interesting fact that 80 per cen
of the fires in Washington occur between
the hours of 8 and II pm. Between these
hours the entire city is lighting up as Il
were. from cellar to garnet, especially II
winter. when the furnaces and stoves arr
started, and the gas burned earlier AM
more freely than in summer.
mo hours are prescribed for the retiring
Of fire crews As the men are frequently
worn out doing fire duty they are permitted
to go to bed when they choose and Obtain
as much rest and sleep as they may. Blu
with getting up it is different. Our fire
men must arise at 7, no matter how late
they may have retired during the night, mol
how exhausting or exciting may have beer
their experience at a fire.
Neatness and System Prerequisites.
System is everything in the fire depart
apd paafpasa Ia demand ed and exact