The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-08-21
IHE NECESSITY FOR FREQUENT
INSPECTIONS OF BUILDINGS
AND BENEFICIAL RE-
SUITS THEREFROM.
By Louis BehrenS, Chief Charleston
Fire Department.


south Carolina State Firemen's AS
sOciatiOn:
Gentlemen: l have been requested
py your Topic Committee to prepare
paper on the THE Necessity for
frequent Inspections of Buildings and
Beneficial Results Therefrom." and
Deg ieave to submit for your consid-
Grafton my views on this branch of
efhclent fire department work.
In my opinion there is no more i'm
portant feature connected with a fire
department than the inspection of
buildings. 1t is the ounce of pre-
Vention' by which millions of dollars
IN property and many lives are an
nually saved, and it is indeed remark
able how little attention is bestowed
on this subject by some of orr de-
partlnents. Experience proves that it
is absolutely essential to the efficiency
of any department to have such
SYSTEM and L am satisfied that great
good will result from a thorough dis
cussion Of the subject. To my mind
there is nothing so inexcusable as for
body of men to assume the respon-
sibility of protecting the property
and lives of their fellow citizens and
then fail to famliarize themselves
with the duties required Of them.
thousands Of dollars are expended
for apparatus and the equipment of a
tre department, men are employed to
superintend and operate its machin-
cry, means are furnished for the
prompt notification of a fires ap-
pearance. and other precautions TAX
en- for the protection of property. The
alarm sounds, the men rush to the
scene, and, for the first time, realize
that they know absolutely nothing
about the construction Of the building
in flames. That ignorance is often
fatal, and is due to neglect of proper
inspections.
The object Of inspection by firemen
is twOfOld: First, it makes the fire.
men acquainted with building
threatened with destruction, showing
him how best to enter and what to do
In the hour Of danger. and disclosing
dangerous openings and faults in con-
structiOn, which, may save life If
nd "a
lar inspection firemen can save own
ers a great deal Of loss through pre-
ventive measures, pointing out de-
fects which escape the average per-
SON but are readily detected by the
TRAINED fire fighter. :,
| Need Of fire inspection Is recognize
ed by the State Of South Carolina, and
ample authority Is given our fire.
men to make these inspections. Let
me lead the Statute, as follows: "The
Insurance Commissioner or his Depu-
ty. or the Chief Of Fire Department
or Chief of Police or Intendant
(where there is no Chief Of Fire De-
partment). or County Sheriff shall
have the right at all reasonable hours,
for the purpose Of examination, to
enter into and upon all buildings and
premises within their Jurisdiction,
whenever any Of said officers shall
find in any building or upon any
premises combustibe material or in
f1ammable conditions dangerous to
the safety of such buildings or prem
ises. they shall order the same to be
removed. or remedied. and such or
der shall be forthwith complied with
by the owner or occupant of said
building or premises: Provided, How
ever. That If the said owner or occu-
pant shall deem himself aggrieved
by such order. he may, within twen-
ty-four hours appeal to the Insurance
Commissioner, and the cause of the
complaint shall be at once Investigate
ed by the direction Of the latter. and
unless by his authority the order of
the Fire Chief or Chief of Police
above named Is revoked, such order
shall remain In force, and be forth
with complied with by said owner or
occupant. The Insurance Commits
sioner or his Deputy, Fire Chief or
Chief of Police or County Sheriff
shall. as aforesaid. make an imme-
/ 4.
date investigation as to the presence
OF combustible material or the exist
ence Of infammable conditions, in
any building, or upon any premises
under their jurisdiction. upon COM
plaint of any person having an inter-
est In said building or premises or
property adjacent thereto, anyone