St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1910-03-09
Our Fire Protection.

The action taken by the voters at the
adjourned village meeting last week was
very important and one that has caused
much comment. A very large amount OF
the talk is based on a misunderstanding
of the real situation. We will try to
give a correct statement of what was
done. First we give entire the resolution
adopted.
Resolved
/. That the report ofthe committee on
investigation of fire fighting apparatus
be received and the committee be
discharged with thanks;
2. That it is the sentiment of this
meeting that the village be provided
with a central fire station and proper
equipment which shall include
combination chemical motor wagon;
8. That the trustees be and are here
by empowered to purchase a site and to
carry out the provisions of this resolution
at an expense not to exceed sos, 1000.
It will be readily seen that only a
central fire station equipped with
a cost not to exceed $25, 900 is author
ICED by the resolution. But it is said
this is debt of sos, 900 saddled on the
village with large sum of interest to
pay annually and big increase in tax
alton. Suppose this was provided for by
an issue of bonds to be retired at the
rate of So 900 year. The bonds could
be readily sold if they bore four per cent
interest and this would mean 81 900
interest the first year. This would not
mean $1,000 extra expense however
because the village is now paying $500
year rent for fire apparatus that would
be stopped when the village furnished it's
own building. So the increased expense
here would be only 5000 for the first
year and it would be reduced at the rate
of $50 a year. At the end of thirteen
years the debt would be paid and the
village would own piece of real estate
with a definite market value.
Having secured a permanent fire sta
ton the matter of a fire department
would still have to be settled. The value
of the motor engine would depend upon
a force of trained men to operate it. A
force of three men would be sufficient for
this The cry goes up that paid fire
department would greatly increase ex-
penses and taxes. Let us look at this.
The average cost of the present system
for the past four years has been 81, &c.
%. Now let's see what an annual ap-
preparation of So, 900 would give us.
First, three paid regular iremen at $50
a month would cost $2,16O. Fifty call
men divided as follows, Fairbanks Village
Hose Co. No. 1, ten men; PaddOcks Viii
lage, Hose Co. No. 2, ten men; Summer
vile, Hose Co. No. 8, ten men; for CEN
trail district in addition to the three reg
ular men seven call men Hook and Lad
der Co.. twelve men. At $3oe each a year
these would cost 81 500. Team hire to
handle the Hook and Ladder truck and
hose cart for call men SIS; rent of Sum-
merville hose house 5000; estimated cost
of maintaining fire alarm $50. This
would leave 81 ,O15 for incidentals, fig
ure believed by practical fremen to be
sufficient to care for the department So
the extra yearly cost of operating paid
fire department would be $39O.78.
If these changes are made it will mean
that the village will have more effective
fire protection because paid man ready
to start at a moments warning on a
rapid car for fire can certainly get there
quicker than a volunteer engaged in his
regular work wherever located about the
village. The time OF getting to a fire
decides very largely whether it is to be
serious or not. If the fire fighters can get
- 3, - Il
way they can put out the fire. If they
are too late it makes no difference
whether you have a good fire fighting
force or not, the fire cannot be stopped
until it has completed its destruction.
With a force able to respond quicker it
will mean fewer serious fires and more
opportunities to extinguish fires with
chemicals and thus avoid the loss caused
by water.
Every place that has installed a paid
fire department has either had a
reduction in the rates of insurance or
been exempt from advances in rates
made in places without such fire protec-
ton. So ST. Johnsbury can surely expect
that better fire protection will mean
cheaper insurance for the property
owners. This would be much more than
any increase in taxation. A reduction of
ten per cent in insurance would mean
from 81, 700 to $6.o a year saved and
the increased amount to be raised by
taxation would be less than 50, 900. So
it would be an actual saving to every