The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1908-07-16
COMMUNICATION

Editor The star The Hlnekley
block fire, on last Monday evening.
IL another illustration Of the need
81 making greater effort 10 provide
protection Tor firemen against tho
dangers they are obliged % face In
the performance Of duty.
The fact that 81 members 81 the
fire department we're overcome by
the fumes % burning material IN
that huilding. and that Il vas al
most impossible 20 get working &C.
ces4 20 The fire because 81 smoke.
should start immediate and careful
inquiry as 10 whether there cannot
be means found 10 lessen thu dan.
Ger 10 life and health of flremeu
and. AZ the same time. make more
efficient their efforts for the con
troll Of fires
Il u a question which concerns =
both from the Humanitarian aud
financial aspects--the property
holder and business man. As we'll
as the working man And It con.
Germs In their personal safety
moat 81 all. those men who. az
their iifea work. render fire pro
lection service to the community.
A few months age q drug store
IRE IN Tacoma resulted Ia two n.
taiitits and tso cAHeg ~ Illness
from q similar cause being over
come BY fumes a. that time the
writer called attention. through the
Union Record. % the need for
remedy aud suEsratca that the 81
ficiaia responsible for the purchase
% supplies for the fire department
Investigate the merits o. the sew.
eral life saving devices on the mar.
krt with a view % experimenting
unttl a suitable modification IL found
adaptable TO fire department use
The suggestion was made IN a gen
erHl way. and alluded 90 the sew.
erai patterns Of so-cailed breath.
ina devices By which The wearer
can enter unhrsathable gases and
smoke aud do efficient work fof
time IN rescue work or fire fight
,ing.
ana In no way interested IN
promoting the sale Of any such ap.
paratus. except 10 see an improve
mcnt In present conditions. n SC
can be brought about By the use
Of such Instruments But In the
course Of study along other lines.
mention Of the performances OF the
DraeGer apparatus and others have
fallen under my notice. and would
nov specifically name the Draeger
apparatus Manufactured at the
"Draegerwerk. Lubbock. Germany.
and extensively used IN mines IN
continental countries. aud In the
United States ~ we'll BY rescue
parties and in fighting mine fires.
The apparatus is not unreasonahly
heavy. IL scifcontained. requiring
no connection by pipes or line with
outside plant, and IL 10 worn M 10
leave The operator free action for
effective work for a considerable
period Of time, IN an unbreathablc
atmosphere This particular appa.
ratus has been used for the pur.
pose AZ the Boston and Montana at
Butte. and At PittsburR Westmore-
land coal mine. PittabuFg. and
others with good results.
Al the Homeatake. at Lead. s. ID.
during the fire In March. 1907.
much inferior apparatus Of the com.
pressed air type enabled the en-.
glneer and his assistants ] LOO feet
below surface to operate the pumps
In fourhour shifts
Had the Draeger or similar de-
vice been Ia use Of the fire ~
Tacoms or IN the Hinckley block.
II is probable that pipemen could
have worked in proiractod shifts
without personal danger and pene-
trated into the smoke 10 close prox.
unity 20 the fire. with n proper.
donate increase I'm results and
property saving.
This suggestion may not be ID
line with accepted fire department
methods throughout the country,