The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1907-11-28
TRAINING THE FlREMeN.
Won derful Results Achieved IN the
Paris Fire Department.

faTiS FlTe department.
From close observation, 1t is safe
To say that the corps delite Of the
Continental Fire Department is the
regiment Of Sapeurs-PUmplers of Par
is. For military purposes 1t is under
tie control of the Governor OF Paris;
tor technical purposes under the Pre-
feet of Police. 1t is not an easy
matter to become Paris fireman. A
man must have served as soldier,
his record must be especially good.
and he must possess some peculiar
fitness for the service. Inc training
is thorough. There are six hours
day of actual instruction two hours
Of which are devoted to gymnastics
under a professor to fit the men for
liie-saving duties.
Agility is considered in France to
be one of the most valuable qualifica-
tiOns of fireman-agiliIy which will
enable him to scale walls, to creep
along cutters, to swing from window
sills. Therefore the firemen OF the
great cities of France spend much time
in their gymnasiums. drilling with
parallel bars, flying rings, trapezes.
and other apparatus, and also in the
simple calisthenics that are familiar IN
schools. Physical training is carried
to a high degree of excellence, and
every distinguished visitor to Paris ls
invited to witness a gymnastic exhi-
bition by the iremen.
Some of these exercises would cause
an American fireman to smile, yet any
expert in physical culture will testify
to their value in making the joints
supple, the muscles firm and hard the
chest broad the movements quick, and
| in making the whole man stronger
and healthier. To see battalion OF
| dremen lying fiat on their backs and
| at the word of command raising and
| lowering their bodies from their hands
| makes one wonder what this seemingly
puerile exercise has TO do with putting
! out fires. The drill master will tell
| you that it strengthens the arms,
| '" ioNoi SlIOuliNlof anu NIltoIo, anu
makes the man more fit for deeds that
| demand ability and strength such as
| rescuing women and children from up
| per windows.
| The gymnasium is the fayorite place
| Of amusement of Sapeurs-Pompiers,
and they perform some really amazing
| feats Of strength and dexterity such
as walking on their hands and doing
| the grand circle" on the high hori-
| Zontal bar. The Paris life savers have
| drill which is exclusively and orig
lnally their own. A round horizontal
bar about forty feet long and twelve
| inches in diameter is placed upon two
twelve foot upright posts. The men
| run along the bar, often balancing
| themselves on one foot, but rarely
reach the end. In falling they catch
hold Of the bar turn a somersault,
and swing themselves gracefully to the
ground. This exercise is to teach them
to steady themselves or to carry a
| person along the top of a swaying or
falling wall.
| Another OF their feats is performed
by two men swinging one on a trapeze.
| the other on the flying rings. After
| obtaining the necessary momentum
| they let go, pass each other in the
air. catch the trapeze or the rings.
make quick turn, and repass each
| other in midair all in one movement,
as 1t were.
l mo n al txah
scalers they climb with their hands,
| feet, knees, almost with their eye
| lashes, up a piece of wall built like
| that of frame house. Ability to go
up, or down, an almost smooth wall
| with a scaling ladder may prove in
valuable to any of these men at any
time, though of course they have seal
| ing ladders and all the other paraph-
crralia of n fireman's work for use in
| ordinary cases.
1t is, however, in the emergencies,
| in the unforeseen occasions, in which
extraordinary measures must be TAX
en- and taken instantly, that these
gymnastic lessons stand fireman in
good stead. Such an occasion, for in
stance, as suddenly finding himself
on the top story OF building with
all the starcases burned away, and
no time to wait for ladder to be
raised. Perhaps woman, or child,
is crying for him to help; and then
it Is the man who can take a living
burden in his arms and climb down
the wall like a squirrel. who will be
hailed as a hero.