Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-11
RED CROSS FIREMEN
BOSTON onoAf1zArroN TO DO
RESCUE WORK.
Picked Men Frqn Fire Companies Re-
ceive Instructions in First Aid
tofMjured.

From the New York. Tribune.
Recent deaths 81 tfire in this city call at
tention to the fact that Boston is consider
ing notable advance In the development
of the science of saving human life at
fires by the Introduction of what Is known
as Red Cross f1remen-a corps of able
bodied young fire fighters, who are equipped
for and charged with the duty Of saving
human life at fires. Gov. Bates, State
Treasurer Turner and other prominent
state officials have consented to serve on
the board If the new service Is introduced.
One of the most prominent features of the
new plan for saving human life at fires will
be found in the instruction course which Is
preliminary to actual work in the new
sphere. Two or more strong, active young
men will be selected from each fire COM
pany, and will be relieved from duty for an
hour or more two or three days in week,
IN order that they may attend the lectures
of the Red Cross school" Each delegate
who thus receives instruction at first hand
is expected to impart this information. in
SO Tar as 1t may be practicable, to the fell
loW-members of his company. in order that
all the fire fighters in the city may thus be-
come conversant in general way with the
theory and practice of the new scheme. 1t
Is not expected, to be sure, that this teach
Ing at second hand will be as effective as
that impaired in the school," but any
at large in this manner will be so much
distinct gain.
Lectures by Surgeons.
Some of the lectures in the Red Cross
course will be given by eminent surgeons
and medical specialists who have volun-
teered their services in behalf of the COM
mon welfare. The young fire fighters will
first be made acquainted with all the fun
damental facts regarding the human anat-
omy, with an Insight into the causes and
effects of injuries liable to be sustained
under unusual circumstances of any kind.
Then will follow an elaborate course IN
first aid to the injured" The science of
how to do the right thing promptly in case
of an accident will first be taken up in
general way and following this the firemen
will receive specific instruction in the class
of cases with which they are most likely to
be confronted. For instance, there will be
full instruction as to the best manner in
which to treat burns. All known remedies
for Suffocation will be taken up and treated
at length individually and measures Tor
the prompt relief of hysteria, fainting tits.
&C.. will receive attention.
Practical instructions.
r Nor will the instruction be wholly theo-
retical, by any means. The class Of fire.
men under instruction will be divided into
squads, and each will get experimental
work in binding up the supposed wounds
or one of their number. setting fractured
or broken bones, applying restoratives, &c.
1t not infrequently happens that there Is
delay in conveying burned or otherwise IN
jured persons to hospital, and subject
which will get special attention on the
part of the Red. Cross firemen is that of
full knowledge of the best methods of con-
tributing to the comfort of injured persons
while waiting for the arrival of an am
bulance. r
Simple Remedies.
1t is expected that each squad of Red
Cross fircmen, when in actual service, will
carry a case of bandages. restoratives and
simple remedies, and practical demonstra-
ton will be made as to the application of
these Another phase of the work to which
the greatest attention will be given is that
which seeks to familiarize the Red Cross
firemen with the best means of removing
injured or unconscious persons from any
part of burning building or from the roof.
This branch of the instruction course will
start with the eSfgencieS of cases where
means of egress from burning or threat
ened building are virtually unobStructed
and where the problem presented Is merely
that of carrying an invalid or sick person
in such manner as to cause as little adcf-
tional pain as possible to the sufferer. From
this point the Red Cross work will concern
more difficult undertakings, until finally tho
Red Cross recruits. on the eve of their
graduation, will be thoroughly familiar with
all the best methods of rescuing injured or
unconscious persons of either sex from
burning buildings where every means of
escape has apparently been cut off.
For one thing, instruction. will be given
in dropping persons into life nets. Then
there will be practical demonstration of the
best means of holding supporting an in
jured man or woman while the fireman is
descending an. extension or telescope lad
der and exhaustive attention will be given
to the possibilities of the life line as an
avenue of escape for rescurer and rescued
The Red Cross fireman must know not only
how to descend life line, carrying an in
jured or unconscious person in his arms or
on his back. but he must also acquire ia
cility in fashioning quickly sort of swing
or moose whereby a person incapable Of
aiding in his own salvation may be lowered
to the ground by a fireman on the roof or
I'm the window of burning building.