The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-12-01
Station Capt. Driscon
Fav0rS a County
Fire Department

of the Lakeland Fire Department be.
lieves that a county Fire Depart
ment would prove a great benefit,
and writes thus interestly of the
matter to the Fire Prevention, a ma
tional magazine for safeguarding
lives and property, published in New
York:
To the Editor of Fire Prevention:
About this time last year the town
of Auburndale, in this county, had
a serious fire, and being without
waterworks they of course suffered
bad losses. However they at once
rebuilt and used brick instead of
wood and felt safe. Last fall an
other fire Quilted all the new brick
stores and threatened all the town,
and We, not having pump, were
unable to assist them, although they
have several good lakes in the city
limits and a pumper would have
been worth thousands of dollars.
have noticed that in my former
home state, Illinois, and in Iowa,
similar fires have occurred where the
towns needed assistance but the help
they wanted was late IN getting to
the fire on account of the long dis
lance. Take the case of St. Angus
tine, Fla. Jacksonville responded,
but that was big trip and much
property was laid waste in the time
it required to make the trip.
What l wish to suggest is this:
That all counties in the state bond
themselves to purchase one or more
bumpers, either motor or horse
driven, and several thousand feet of
best pressure hose-the size of the
county can determine the number of
pieces of equipment needed. Then
have these outfit stationed at the
most central point in the county or
best junction point, and kept loaded
on regular cars for quick transpor-
tation. An efficient crew to handle
the outfit of course should be main
tanned.
When any bad or threatening fire
occurres in any city in the county,
all that will be necessary will be to
phone or wire the central station OF
this County Fire Department. BY
! the blowing of whistle the men
could respond, place the engine on
a fiat car and soon be on the way to
the scene of the fire. You will see
that this idea works on the same
lines as wrecking crew, only the
men must be thoroughly drilled and
better time must be made than the
ordinary wrecking crew makes now.
The great value of such an emer-
gency outside in the event of fire at
a large isolated dairy or farm is
plain.
Under my plan every town and
village would contribute it's share to
the cost and upkeep Of the County
Fire Department, for each at some
time would be certain to need its
services. The figures as near as l
can get them would be, say for our
county, which is one of the largest
Nm Florida, one giant 700 to 900
gallon pumper, $4,000, either motor
or horse driven; 1000 feet of best
hose, $4,000; necessary expense,
such as monthly rent on fiat car
perhaps this might be bought; shed
for the storage of the outfit, $500,
and other little incidentals, 5000.
This total would be not over $12.-
900, and the county board might
place d rental for the outfit, just as
railroads do when allowing their
wrecking outfits to be used by
other lines than their own. Towns
in the county, like Lakeland, which
has five branches, would be the best
places for the outfit.
I sincerely hope that the above
tD