The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-03-16
HANDY HINTS
in CASE OF
A FIRE

Philadelphia, March 1s-Baltmore's
terrible fire has turned peoples minds ell
over the country TO fire protection, and
in consequence the fire departments OF
all large cities have received hundreds
OF householders' letters that ask, first,
how best to prevent fires In dwellings,
and second, how, a fire having started,
the inmates OF n burning dwelling may
best escape.
The chief OF the Philadelphia fire de-
partment is j. c. Baxter. a fireman OF 10
years experience and the chief of the
Philadelphia Bureau OF Building 1nspec-
ton Is Robert c. Hill. Each OF these
men, in response 10 n public demand. has
formulated a set OF fire rules for the
householder-Chief Baxter's. I'm Case OF
Fire." and Chief Hlll's ITO Prevent
Fire" The rules of Chief Baxter fol-
low.
IN CASE OF FIRE
First OF all, sound the alarm.
Close the door and open the windows.
A closed door Is "a wonderful protection
against fame, and an open window lets
out the heat and the smoke.
DO not fear thick smoke too much. A
stairway that is a mass OF smoke Is not
necessarily impossible. Go down on your
hands and knees-you will find no smoke
way in this way, and In nine cases out
OF ten you will descend in safety. Many
have been burned 10 death because they
thought a smoke filled stairway meant
an impossible one. and because they did
not know that there is always plenty of
pure air TO breathe down near the floor
If there is a skylight. break it open.
The smoke, then, Will disappear through
the opening rapidly.
Ia fra haN Qaf head
way that all exits are blocked, shut your.
self I'm front room, and lean far out
of the window, so that the nremen ~ m may may
ably certain that they will rescue you.
Above all things, keep cool. The ma
/ jorty OF deaths from FIRE would have
! been averted N the victims had not lost
IL there are any extinguishers or hand
grenades In the house. do not hesitate
/ to waste a few charges or a few gren-
AIDES I'm fire drills. Many n fire has re-
suited disastrously, because no one, when
the time came. knew how 60 use tho ex-
Chief Hiil OF Philadelphia's bureau OF
building inspection gives these rules.
TO PREVENT FIRE.
| DO not put ashes I'm wooden boxes or
barrels These wooden receptacies are a
frequent cause OF fire. In every kitchen
and cellar there should be an ash box
Keep the cellar clear OF heaps Of
refuse-of old newspapers, rags and
/ broken wood.
] Cobwebs on cellar beams and walls
/ should be carefully guarded against, and
( every cellar should receive az least once
I n year n complete coat OF whitewash or
/ OF fireproof paint.
Line all fiues with terra Gotta
Keep wood away from the chimneys.
| Where chimney lathing Is necessary, use
a lathing OF metal.
Never hang lace curtains near gas Jets
Let your windows he bare OF lace. or else
move your gas Jets to another part OF
the room. IN private houses there are
lace curtains.
III you are going 20 build. put up. ir you
can afford ~. freprOof house. What Is
n freproof house7 10 is one wherein no
wood or other inflammable material ~
used except in the doors. window frames.
floors and nnishings. The beams or such
brick or terra Gotta. with the floor boards
nailed on wooden sleepcrs. A hreproof
house is costly but IL will not burn down.