Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-10
BETTER FIRE PROTECTION
CHIEF BELT SUBMITS REPORT
TO THE COMMISSIONERS.
Gives Result Of Inspection of Local
Public School Buildings-Sug-
gests Several Changes.

William T. Belt, chief of the local fire
department, who has been engaged for
more than two months inspecting public
school buildings with the view of recon-
mending better fire protection. made re-
port to the Commissioners yesterday rela-
tive to nineteen schools inspected by him
last week The Magruder. Blake. Garri-
son. Phelps and Van Buren, buildings
have wooden stairways,- and The cher
recommends that such be replaced with
iron or fireproof stairways. IL this is not
done. the chief says. fire escapes should
be placed on the buildings.
The other schools mentioned in the re-
port of Chief Belt are the Force. Patter-
son, Berret Abbott. Twining. Morse. Con-
gress Heights. annex to Congress Heignts,
annex 10 Van Buren,. ketcham. Webster,
Langston Slater and the Armstrong Man.
ual Training. The total number of school
buildings inspected by Chief Belt to date
Is III.
In his report Chief Belt calls attention
10 the practice which, he says. prevails IN
the public schools of maintaining store
rooms in Easements in the space under
the stairways. According to the chief. as
rule. these stairways and storerooms
are filled with all kinds of inf1ammable
material. and in the event of fire smoke
and gases would readily ascend the stair
WAYS and prevent the use of the same
Especially is this the case with schools
with wooden stairways. The space unuei
the stairways has no fire protection what
ever. and the steps and the floor of the
exposed.
Space Under Stairways.
Chief Belt concludes his report as fol-
lows:
lit is recomme nded that the space under
stairways be cleaned out. and that moth
ing Of an inflammable nature be stored
therein.
I'm all school buildings wherever struc-
tural conditions would permit it is recon-
mended that the pupils on the first floor
be provided with exits leading directly
from their schoolrooms into the open air.
Pupils on the first floor. particularly
Kindergarten scholars, have not that
promptness of action which is to be eX-
pected of older and larger pupils. ana are
apt to become confused. BY proElui2s
to escape from the building without using
the main hall or stairways. and thus avoid
the danger of being knocked down and
trampled upon by the pupils on the upper
floors in event of fire or panic of any
kind.
Has Standpipe System.
THE Armstrong Manual Training School
was found to be equipped with d stand
pipe system. The hose at present connect
ed with this system. however. renders the
same practically useless. This hose is
thin linen hose and leaks to such an ex-
tent that practically no flow is obtained
from the nozzle. 1t is recommended that
cotton rubber-lned hose be procured and
attached to this system as promptly as
possible.
I'm the Ketcham School. which was in
spected at the special request of the board
Of education, it was found that there was
a fight of wooden steps inside OF the
main entrance The assembly hall on the
top floor of this building is reached by
two flights of wooden steps. each but
four feet wide, leading to wooden plat
form and two additional flights of wooden
steps At the bottom of these steps the
door leading to the teachers room, when
open, obstructs half the entrance to the
north wooden stairway. 1t is recommend
ed that these wooden steps and platform
be replaced by iron or tireproof steps. and
that the door referred to be replaced by
a double swinging door