The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-06-15
TRAINING THE FIREMEN.
Wonderful Results Achieved In the
Paris Fire Department.

FROM close OpSerVaJlOn, III IS SaIe
TO say that the corps delite Of the
Continental Fire Department is the
regiment of Sapeurs-Pompiers OF Par
is. For military purposes IL is under
the control of the Governor of Paris;
for technical purposes Mider the Pre-
feet of Police. II is not an easy
matter to become Paris fireman. A
man must have served as a soldier,
HIS record must be especially good,
and he must possess some peculiar
fitness for the service. lne 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
life-saving duties.
Agility is considered in France to
be one of the most valuable qualiflca-
tions OF a fireman-agiliGy 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 high degree of excellence, aud
every distinguished visitor to Paris Is
invited to witness q gymnastic exhi-
bition by the firemen.
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
firemen 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 10 do with putting
out fires. The drill master will tell
you that it strengthens the arms,
wrists, shoulders, and chests, and
makes the man more ft for deeds that
demand ability and strength, such as
rescuing women and children from up
. per windows.
The gymnasium is the favorite place
| of amusement of Sapeurs-P 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
inally their own. A round horizonta
bar about forty feet long and twelve
inches In diameter Is placed upon two
twelve loot upright posts. The mer
run along the bar, often balancing
themselves on one foot, but rarely
reach the end. In falling they catch
hold Of the bar, turn somersault
| and swing themselves gracefully to the
| ground. This exercise is 10 teach then
| to steady themselves or TO carry q
person along the top Of swaying ol
falling wall. F-t
| Another Of their feats Is performe
! by two men swinging one on 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 eact
other In midair all in one movement
as 1t were.
| These men are wonderful as wal
scalers; they climb with their hands
feet. knees, almost with their eye
lashes, UP piece of wall built like
that of a frame house. Ability TO &c
up, or down, an almost smooth wal
with 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
ornalia of froman's work for use il
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 a fireman in
good stead Such an occasion, for in
stance, as suddenly finding himself
on the top story of building with
all the staircases burned away, anc
no time to wait for ladder to be
raised. Perhaps woman, or child
Is crying for him to help; and ther
ii Is the man who can take a living
burden in his arms and climb down
the wall like a squirrel, who will bC
hailed as hero.