Omaha daily bee., 1911-04-30
FIRE DEPARTMENT is STRONG
Omaha Boosts the Only Exclusively
Double Shift System.
ALARM EQUIPMENT EXTENSIVE
Chief Salter Tells of His Department
and of the Needs , for Some
Additional improvements
in the Future.

A double shift system, the only one EN-.
ployed exclusively in any city in the
United States affords Omaha the best pro-
lection from fire that is possible. With a
force of 2O2 men, exclusive Of ranking Of
ficials, Chief Charles A. Salter has evolved
/ a scheme for fighting fires that makes 1t
possible for his force to reach any fire
within the city in less than five minutes.
1t is due entirely to the double shift sys-
tenn that the Omaha force has attained it's
high efficiency, says the chief. Working
but twelve hours a day, while in other
cities. firemen are asked to work twenty
four hours, his men are better able physi-
cally TO fight the flames. Moreover they
enter into the spirit Of the undertaking
with vim and dash that is not found
among those who are required to work
the longer hours.
Aside from the double shift, Chief salter
has added every minute detail that tends
to the efficiency of his department Every
conceivable means for locating fires has
been installed. In addition to the 10 fire
boxes which are scattered throughout the
city, a telephone system, has been in
stalled through which the location of a
fire can be flashed to the engine houses
the original alarm is sounded
Once the alarm is in, the companies re-
spond in rapid succession as the magni-
tude of the fire demands.
Over Two Hundred Men.
The fire department of Omaha consists
of 206 men, who operate five engines, four
teen hose wagons two combination chemi-
cal wagons and five hook and ladder
| xHya IL,
houses, located in various parts of the
city.
The force is divided as follows: Chief
salter. John w. Simpson, first assistant
chief; Martin ]. Dineen, second assistant
chief. and Charles s. Haverst0ck secre-
tary, nineteen senior captains. nineteen
junior captains, four first engineers, five
second engineers, forty-six drivers, used
as. pipemen and truckmen seventy-three
pipemen and thirty-six truckmen.
In addition to the engines, hose wagons
and hook and ladder trucks, the fire fight
ing apparatus includes a combination truck
and chemical wagon, a combination truck
and hose wagon, and a combination hose
and chemical apparatus, the last motor
driven and recently added to the equip
ment.
The chemical and hose innovation, stored
in the engine house at Eighteenth and
Harvey streets, is used for emergency pur-
poses and~does away with the engines in
many instances.
'|rhe work performed by my department
during the year just passed, has been very
satisfactory to me, although the losses
occurring within the city have been some
what increased" said Chief Salter. THE
heavy losses are due to two fires one at
Twenty eighth and Oak street and the
other at Twelfth and Jones street where
the Fairmont Creamery company's build
ing burned to the ground. Two large
elevators and flour mill destroyed at
Twenty eighth and Oak. The fire started
in a large elevator situated so that It
was hard to reach. Moreover the water
pressure in the district is very bad. Steam
engines had to be used and they had to
travel more than two miles before they
reached the scene. When the department
arrived, the building was doomed as the
fire had gained such Roadway that con-
troll wac cat of the question. The other
buildings We're directly north and with the
wind blowing a gale, No department
could have prevented the destruction or
these buildings.
Fire beyond Control.
When the department arrived at the
Fairmont Creamery building, the flames
were shooting up through the roof Of the
building. Despite the untiring efforts of
the department, we were unable to check
the fire and the building was Quilted. The
loss in these two fires ran well over the
$4,000 mark"
! OmAhas fire departments are located as
follows: Fire station No. !, Eleventh and
Jackson streets; No. 2, 21 South Tenth
street; No. 8, northwest corner Eighteenth
and Harvey streets; No. T. Sixteenth and
lizard Streets No 8, Eighth and Pierce
streets; No. 8, 9l4 North Twenty fourth
street; No. 7. Thirty-sixth and Jackson
streets; No. s. Forty-frst and Hamilton
streets; No. 9, Twentieth and Spring
streets; No. TO- Twenty-ninth and Dorcas
Streets No. II, Thirtieth and Spaulding
streets; No. u, Twenty-seventh and Jones
streets; No. Is. Eleventh and Doras streets
No Il, tTwenty-first and Lake streets; No.
10. Twenty and Ames avenue and
No 16 a volunteer station, Sixteen and
Fort streets.
! To maintain the department, the city
expended $257 0i1.57 last year. However,
Chief salter says the amount apportioned
to the fire department should be increased
as certain improvements are imperative.
The chief recommends a new fire house 10
be located at Thirty-third and Parker
streets. and also suggests that a new
steam engine be placed In the vicinity o.
| Eleventh and Dorcas streets.
The need OF another large water mai
from the Florence pumping station is
urged by the chief as well as more fire
hydrants throughout the city. If this
main Is not laid" says the chief, ian,
break should occur in the present main