The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-08-02
o ~~~~w@~~~@@@~ o o o o o o o
HOW TO DECREASE WATER
DAMAGE.
O % o o 8 o o o o @ O @ o o o

O. @
o @@~~~~ o o o o o 9 @ o o o o o
Read before the South Carolina Fire
mems association in convention at
Rock Hill, S. c., by Henry B. Wells,
chief Of the Newberry Fire Depart
ment:
When the question of ''how to re-
duce the water damage" is correctly
answered, the financial loss from fires
will be reduced at least twenty-five
per cent. When a building that con-
tains stock of merchandise or house
hold goods is partly consumed the
damage occasioned by water will, in
most instances, be equal to the loss
from the flames. It is absolutely i'm
possible to entirely eliminate water
damage, but that damage can be, and
ought to be, reduced to .he minimum.
It is impracticable to lay down and
impossible to follow iron clad rules
in reference to this matter. ON two
fires originate identically in the same
way or can be fought in the same
manner, consequently every fireman
must be controlled somewhat by the
peculiar circumstances presenting
themselves at that time and be guided
by his former experience and best
judgment.
Every fireman knows that there are
two elements of destruction connected
with a fire; first, the loss occasioned
by the actual burning of property; and
second, damage from nisdirected and
unnecessary amount of water used in
attempting to extinguish the flames.
In almost every case Of partial burn
| ing Of personal property the monetary
loss occasioned by the use of too much
water at the wrong place is as great
as the damage from the fire itself. The
first lesson a young fireman should
| learn is that he must fight the fire and
not fight the smoke. The old adage
that "where there is a smoke there
must be fire. is applicable IT. most in
stances, but q fireman should always
remember that where, -here is a flre
there must be smoke, and lots Of it,
and he must find the fire and let the
smoke take care of itself. Throw wa
ter on the flames and you will put out
the smoke, but if you throw water on
the smoke you will only succeed in
adding damage to loss and in no way
extinguish the fire or stop the confa-
grafton.
Organization is the keystone to the
arch of success in all undertakings OF
private, public or general nature. A
successful fire department is marked
by the fact that the individual mem
her loses his individuality, and his
personal identity is merged into one
organized body working for a COM
mon purpose and for the public good.
It has been said that the battle OF Wat
erloo was won on the playground at
Oxford: that is to say, that the great
Duke of Wellington learned when he
was a school-boy that to succeed in
any undertaking in life he must rea-
lie the necessity of organization and
=. thorough training. His early realiza-
ton of that great principle swept Ma
poleon from the field of Waterloo and
dashed to the ground forever a scep-
ter and a crown. What is true OF
Wellington is equally true Of every
fireman in South Carolina. In order
to succeed he must know that nothing
practicable or permanent can be ac-
complished without thorough and COM
plete organization and frequent and
close training. We all know that when
fighting a fire the pipeman is "the
man behind the gun" and he must be
a. man with a cool head, steady nerve
and quick judgment Right there is
where organization and training W.
tell the most. He must be taught that
throwing water on smoke has not and
never will put out fire. He must
find the base of the fire anc get at it,
One gallon of water at the base OF the
fire is worth more than one hundred
gallons somewhere else. He must stick
to the text: "Play low and get close. y
The pipe-men of every organization
are the ones who direct and control
the water damage" of this country
and it is to them that we must look