The Savannah morning news., 1904-11-17
MAGUIRE OFFERS
FEW SUGGESTIONS
ON FIRE DRILL REGULATIONS.
WAS REQUESTED BY ORPHAN
HOMES TO PREPARE RULES.

No Rules Can BE Made, He Says,
That Would Apply With Good Re
suits to All schools, Orphan Homes
and FactOries-The Nature of the
Building and the Individuality OF
Those in Charge should Vary the
Regulations.
Several of the orphan homes OF the
city have applied to Fire Chief Ma
Ruire to furnish them with some rules
for conducting the fire drills, made
necessary by the recent ordinance
(which Council passed.
No rules can be laid. Chief Mcguire
saws as the plan of the drills should
depend entirely upon the nature OF
the building. which tAe children oc-
eupv.
Absolute rules for all places alike
would probably defeat the very object
of the ordinance, Chief Mcguire says.
zach school. orphan home, or factory
however, should make its own rules
and see that they are rigidly enforced.
"A few general suggestions, however,
are offered by Chief Mcguire, to aid
the authorities of the various institu-
5ions that have applied to him.
CooIness and Confidence.
In speaking of the matter yester-
day, Chief Mcguire said
80 far as l know there are no spe-
cial rules for conducting fire drills
which could be made to apply to every
building. This is a matter which must
depend entirely upon the judgment and
ability of those in charge.
The purpose of the drill is, first to
educate the teachers TO keep cool, TO
avoid the slightest show of excite
ment. and to encourage the children
TO have absolute confidence in their
teachers. Second, to educate the chill
dren to move with promptness and
precsion to obey every command ana
from frequent practice, to become SO
accustomed to the drills that when
fire does occur they Will understand
lust how to act and will do just what
win be expected of them.
THE ordinance recently adopted does
not provide how the drills should be
conducted. and this is as it should be,
because the conditions must necessar-
ally be different in the various schools,
orphan homes and factories, and a
general rule could hardly be made to
apply to all.
Separate Fire Gong.
81 have been asked to suggest plan,
and TO all those who have requested
this information l say there should be
provided a separate and distinct gong
or bell for sounding the alarm, so the
teachers and the children would know
when IL was sounded that a tire drill
was about to be had.
Upon the sounding of this gong the
children should rise without further
order from the teachers. The teachers
should Immediately take their places
at the exits and order the children to
march out, two by two, each child
holding his companions hand so that,
should one stumble the other may pre-
vent his falling. The march step
should not be too fast. l think the reg
ular military step of 120 steps to the
minute would be all that should be re-
quired at the first. This could be in
creased afterwards, if the position of
the stairs and the surroundings would
permit. -...
Piano Would Help.
"If a piano is available some one
should be assigned the duty of play
ing a march, thus enabling the chill
dren to observe a regular step. Where
there is no piano, the teachers could
keep time by slapping their hands, or
the children could be taught to count
or sing as they marched out. Teach
ers should always see that the line is
strictly preserved, and they should re-
main in a position where they could
observe the whole class, If possible,
leaving only after the last member Of
their class had passed.
For a short time the teachers
should be notified when a fire drill is
to take place, so they could become
accustomed to the rapid formation and
movement of the children, but as soon
as the drill has been perfected they
should not be made aware of the time
the drills are to take place any more
SO than the children.
No one should be permitted to stop
for hats, books or wraps when a drill
is being had. The moment the signal
is given the children should be re-
CURED to rise and promptly move when
ordered, as any delay at all would
defeat the objects of the drill"