Imperial Valley press., 1913-10-31
Haskin Letters.
BY Frederic ]. Haskins

Despite the fact that the fire waste
of this country is annually ten times
that of Eucope, the superiority of all
American fire protective apparatus IS
acknowledged by the world. The fire
companies in American cities are the
best drilled in the world, and the fire
fighting machinery is the most I'M
proved. At an international contest
held in Paris several years ago, an
American fire company captured the
highest prize and won the plautits OF
all nations. 1t ran up to supposed
ly burning building, laid $50 feet OF
hose. threw a stream of water to the
fourth story, climbed to the seventh
story with scaling ladders and rescued
three persons, took down ladders, life
lines, and other appliances, wound up
hose, shut off water and saluted the
Jury in less than four minutes. An
Italian company carried off second
honors by accomplishing part of the
same performance in ten minutes.
One of the most important advances
in the equipment of fire fighting or
ganizationS is the motoriZation of the
apparatus. In the great parade which
took place in New York last month
as a feature of the International AS
sociation of Fire Engineers, motor
drawn vehicles were so much IN the
majority that the occasional group of
finely groomed fire horses won ap-
plause from the crowd. The advan-
tage of speed, reliability and untiring
energy has given the motor fire pla1t
an advantage that horse power could
never rival Within the last three
years, the city of New York has
placed 1876 motor vehicles in its fire
service. They include motor propelled
steam fire engines, gasoline engines,
electric propelled engines, combine
tion hose and chemical wagons, mo-
r-driven hose wagons, hook and lad
der trucks and water towers. 1t Is
announced that no more fire horses
will be purchased for that city. Other
cities are following the same plan.
Because of the numerous high build
ings the American city has a harder
problem in its fire protection than
those of any other country. The abll-
ity to fight fire at the top of a sky
scraper seems to have been achieved
by Baltimore in it's newly installed
high pressure fire service. This has
been planned with view to prevent
ing the possibility of such a calamity
as the Baltimore fire of 1904. 1t has
large pumping station and layout
Of discharge pipes supplied from
mains covering an area of 10 acres.
The force available makes it possible
by actual test to send strong stream
of water to the top of sixteen story
building.
The discipline under which tie
American fire companies live and the
perfection of their equipment make
it possible for them at all times to
respond promptly to the fire alarm.
In Rochester, the fire fighters reach
fire in the business section of the
city within three minutes of the time
the alarm is sounded, and in the resi-
dence section within four minutes.
This speed is only in keeping with the
high average demanded from all
American fire companies and it is fire.
quently exceeded.
In addition to the protection given
by the regular fire companies,
greater number of provisions are made
for individual fire fighting in America
than are to be found elsewhere. The
number of fire extinguishers now upon
the market indicates the large de-
mand for them. While some may be
valueless, others have been pro-
nounced highly efficient by the Labor
atories of the Fire Underwriters and
require little knowledge to use. A
chemical extinguisher, three gallon
size, discharging a stream of liquid
through nozzle, is a simple and eff
cient protection within the reach of
every household. 1t will throw
stream with force and accuracy for
a distance of twenty-five feet.
The need of fire protection has been
recognized by all nations for centuries
and some of the equipment provided
for it seems almost ridiculous in conf
parison with the high grade apparatus
in use in most American towns. Yet
the progress made in this country has
been greater during the past gen
GRAFTON. Constantinople sent fire