Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-15
Training the Cfys ~Squads Blue" for Public Service

clasp. This clasp can be attached to the
ladder. at which time the wearer can
lean back without danger of falling. AT
least that is what the belts are intended
Tor. but more often Chief Sullivan has to
reassure fireman before he is willing to
trust his ample frame with it. OF course.
it really does hold, but it takes consider
able coaxing at times before the men
will believe It.
Other "stunts" through which the new
men have to go are jumping into and
learning to hold the life net and learn
ing how to lower any one from win
dow. Not only is there a special way of
holding the net, but the manner in which
any one can be lowered rom a window
as well. rope is suspended from the
top story of the tower, extending through
an opening. to the ground Down this
the firemen have to come. The trick"
lies In wrapping the rope correctly in
the clasp of their belts. as a successful
descent may be made or a pause in
midar due to the catching of the rope,
according to the way ii is handled.
4 X
Aside from these drills at the tower,
each engine house has its own drills
through which the new man is put with
special care. But even with this list of
drills to be gone through the trials of
the embryo fireman are far from being
ended. There are 100 odd alarm boxes in
the city, while there are approximately
400 fire plugs. Every fireman has to
know what boxes his company answers
on the first. second, third and each sue
cessive alarm. 1t is also important for
him to know where the four nearest
fire plugs to each box are located. And
last, but by no means least. he must
also know the shortest route to and
from the engine house to every alarm
box answered on the first call. Of which
there are perhaps over u hundred.
The probationary fireman is examined
once a month by the captain of his COM
pany regarding the progress he has made
in memorizing the location of the alarm
boxes. fire plugs, etc. Once in every
three months he is examined either by
the battalion or deputy chief All these
examinations are written, and report Is
made to the battalion chief to the
progress being made At the end of the
year the battalion deputy chief makes
the final examination, which. If satisfac-
torily passed, results in a recommendation
of permanent appointment. After that
there are still four more years of drilling
before the fireman is through.
Deputy Chief Sullivan is not Of the
opinion that the men who make up the
rank and file of the fire department are
1ured into the service by any dream of
adventure and excitement.
THE majority Of the men come from
either the army or navy" said the chief
with some coming from the country, too
In the case of sailors they are allowed
ten points in their civil service examine
ton, while the soldiers receive five. And
as strange as 1t may seem, have seen
sailors who were used to climbing into
the rigging and all that be as nervous as
child when it came to climbing the lad
ders.
1.-THE reason most Of the men enter the
fire department is because the pay is the
best they can get without learning a spe-
cial profession. They don't come in for
the excitement. When they have left the
army and navy this offers them the best
field
AS to the physical examination required
for applicants to the police department,
policemen declare 1t is the more rigorous,
while firemen are equally ready to de-
clare theirs is. But it is safe to say that
both demand a healthy system generally
before an applicant can pass. Policemen
have to be at least five feet eight inches
tall and between twenty-four and thirty
seven years of age. They are also ex-
amined by the board of police and fire
surgeons. To be policeman man must
be able to prove he has never been in
dicted and convicted Of crime, and be of
good moral character. This last is very
important, and in order to be assured on
this point an applicant is required to
bring ten letters of recommendation rela-
tive to his character and moral standing
In the community. 1t is also required