The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-07-06
FIRE CHIEFS DUT|ES.
He Must Be a Manager
of Men.
State Insurance Commissioner Young
Cites The Law and Urges the I'M
portance of the Position On
the Public.

Mr.. Editor: | regret very much to
see the resignation of Chief Woollcott,
of your Fire Department He was a
faithful, efficient officer whose SER
vices your city can i'll afford to lose.
The office is a most important one.
It's responsibilities duties and oppor-
tunities for serving the city and her
people very great. No one should be
selected to fill it who is not compe-
tent and experienced. A good chief of
a fire department should be q good
organizer and manager of men.
He must understand fighting fires and
be Quick and decisive in handling his
department. He should be we'll paid
for his time and in position to give
sufficient time in drilling and organ
izing his men.
The Legislature recognized the i'm
portance Of this Office by establishing
it in Chapter Ell, Laws of 1901, as
follows: :.
Section l. That there is hereby
created in the cities and incorporated
towns of the State where not already
established by their charters, the Of
fee of "Chief of Fire Department" 1t
shall be the duty of said "Chief of
Fire Department to do and perform
the duties prescribed in chapter 5S,
PUBIC Laws Oh 1909. dllu dClS dIleilu-
atory thereof, and such other duties
as are prescribed in the charters and
ordinances of the cities and towns of
the State.
Sec g That where it is not fixed
in the charters of said cities and
owns, it shall be the duty of the
Boards of Aldermen and Commission
ars in each city and town to elect
such officer, and to fix the term of Of
no In 11Ifin nd n Or
ions and compensation of Chief of
fire Department" and change the
iuties and compensation from time to
ime, not inconsistent with the duties
rs prescribed in chapter So, Public
Laws 1899, and acts amendatory
hereof.
Sec. 3. That where said duties are
lot prescribed by the charters or
Board of Control of incorporated cities
lnd towns, it shall be the duty of
said "Chief of Fire Department in
addition to the duties prescribed in
chapter So, Public Laws of 1899. to
preserve and care for the fire appara-
JUS. to have charge of the fighting and
putting out of all fires. to make annu-
IL reports to their city or town gov
ernments, to seek out and have cor
rected all places and conditions dan
gerous to the safety of the city from
lire. to look after buildings being
erected with a view to their safety
from fires and TO do and perform such
other duties as may be prescribed by
The governing boards of the several
cities and towns
The duties referred to in chapter So,
Laws 1899, are in the first section
that the Chief of Fire Department
shall investigate all fire. occurring
within the limits of their city and re-
port the result of such investigation to
the Insurance Commissioner, and
where the circumstances of the fire
are suspicious aid the Commissioners
IN making a full investigation.
The other and very important duty
is in regard to the inspection of
premises and is found in section 4 of
said chapter and reads as follows:
"Sec. 4. The Insurance Commission
er, or the chief of fire department or
chief of police where no chief of fire
department or local inspector of build
ings in cities and towns where such
officer is elected or appointed, shall
have the right at all reasonable hours,
for the purpose of examination. to en-
ter into and upon all buildings and
premises within their jurisdiction. 1t
shall be the duty of the Insurance
Commissioner to require in all lncor-
porated cities and towns of the State
that the said officers shall make in
their respective cities and towns an
nual inspections of the buildings in
said cities and towns and quarterly in
spection of all premises within the fire
limits and report in detail the results
of their inspection to the Insurance
Commissioner upon blanks furnished
by him. Whenever any of said Of
ficers shall find in any building or
upon any premises combustlble ma