The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-06-21
MONTPELIER FIRE
PROTECTION SCORED
BY Engineer for National Board of Fire
Underwriters In Special Report to
Mayor Ballard Yesterday.

Mayor Ballard Yesterday.
Some radical changes in Montpelier
fire department and fire alarm system
are recommended in the report OF
Charles Il Barker, engineer for the
National Board 81 Fire Underwriters Of
New York, which was submitted to
Mayor Ballard yesterday, including the
establishing Of partial paid and
partial volunteer department, central
fire station, better fire alarm sys-
TEN, an auto chemical truck and the
appointment Of superintendent Of water
\ for an indefinite term,
After discussing the conditions at
some length, Alr Barker draws his
conclusions as follows;
"The fire department is a volunteer
organization with no permanent men
or horses, and is inadequate to protect
the city The most effective means
Of preventing large fires, which are
liable TO occur In this city, owing to
the poor class Of construction, is to
provide for greater promptness in re-
Spouse and concentration of effort dur
] ing the first few minutes of a fire;
this can only be accomplished by hay
| ing horses in quarters at al times and
having a wen organized department
working under suitable rules and reg
ulations, and consisting Of permanent
and call men under the direct charge
of a permanent chief, appointed for
an indefinite term, who shall devote
his whole time to the prevention as
well as the extinguishment Of fires An
efficient department could be main
tanned at but slight increase in cost
over the amount now expended by the
city
The present method Of supervision
/ Is unsatisfactory, as the council COM
mttee, rs well as the fire department
officials. are subject 70 change an
nually The ladder service would be
sufficient for city Of this size, were
| it not for the delay which is liable
to occur through lack OF horses Hose
wagons are light for the services
chemical service is lacking, except
from hand extingnishers The amount
Of hose IL decidedly inadequate, par
ticularly as outside aid il 80 remote
The minor equipment on the ladder
truck is poor The response to alarms
could be more satisfactorily arranged
with the department on a different
basis Fire methods are unsatisfae-
tory Quarters provided for the appa
ratus are poorly adapted for the sery-
ice No inspections Of buildings are
made by the officers OF the department
although such would be OF great
service in acquainting them with the
interior arrangement Of buildings,
and the fire hazard could be reduced
through removal Of combustible ma
teriaIss
Looking toward the remedies for the
conditions. Engineer Barker says a
new fire alarm system should be in
stalled as the present single-eircuit
type is unsatisfactory, unreliable and
poorly maintained Ie recommends
the establishing Of fire limits and super
vision Of building construction He
thought there ought to be more rigid
examination of premises and that the
laws concerning inflammables and ex-
plosives be improved upon. The city
should supervise electric work. The
water superintendent should be APP
pointed for an indefinite period, and
that he should be provided with an as
sistant Water meters should be es-
tablished Excessive use Of water at
time Of fire.be restricted Water mains
should be standardized
Volunteer department should be dis
banded and reorganized on part paid
and part volunteer basis, and that a
set Of rules be adopted for them Pro-
vide central fire station; site near
city hall recommended Provide auto
chemical truck Buy two-horse hose
wagon Provide four horses, two for
ladder truck and two for hose wagon
Furnish more hose Have regular
drills Make systematic inspections Of
premises Place more boxes These