Evening journal., 1914-04-24
ASK FOR PAID
CITY FIRE Fighters
National Board of Under
writer's Picks Flaws in Viii
mington Organization
RECOMMENDATIONS
COME AFTER TEST

The fire prevention committee Of
the National Board of Fire Under
4 writer's, which investigated the vol
unteer fire department in this city in
February, has compiled a report in
which il is claimed the city has
reached a time when a volunteer de-
partment is wholly inadequate to pro-
tect it, The report says that the or
ficers are elected for short periods
and have little authority and that
there is a lack of cooperation among
the companies
The new and valuable apparatus,
the report sets forth, is poorly main
tanned, and il says that in recent tests
made by the committee, only two en-
gines made good runs, showing %
per cent. of their rated capacity,
while the others ranged from 43 to 81
per cent. 1t is claimed that too many
companies respond to a first alarm,
leaving other parts of the city un-
protected; that the department is
strong in apparatus and weak in men
at small fires, while at big fires there
are so many firemen that they get in
one another's way,
At a recent big fire, the report
alleges, it took one company IS min
utes to lay line of hose, while an
other company had three sections Of
hose burst under $50 pounds pres
sure showing that the hose was not
properly tested The committee rec
commended a full paid fire department
and proper fire prevention work.
While several members of City
Council have received a copy of the
report, it was not mentioned at the
meeting of that body last night. It
is probable that the members of the
body will desire to become familiar
: with the recommendations before
taking action upon it.
The conclusions of the report are
/ as follows:
wilmington has far out-grown the
conditions under which the volunteer
, fire department can give adequate
4 protection. The unsatisfactory meth
ods of appointment, the election OF
chief officers for short terms upon
other qualifications than ability and
! efficiency, the lack of proper drills
and training, the lack of discipline
the poor cooperation between COM
panies and the lack of fire prevention
work, all features detrimental tc
good fire fighting and the reduction
of conflagration hazard appear to a
marked degree. The large member.
ship resulting in political interfer-
ence and the intense rivaly between
companies during the campaign fol
chief officers, are detrimental TO the
| service.
While the direct appropriation by
the city for department expenses is
low, large sums must be raised in
other ways, and the total expenses C
the citizens for the inadequate pro
lection afforded, is heavy. The large
amounts expended for apparatus
have been spent unwisely in severa
cases, and after placing in service
expensive apparatus, it has not beer
maintained in good condition, a ma
tural consequence of lack of com
petent supervision. Although tn,
number of companies is ample, anC
could be safely reduced with full
paid department. some companies ar,
not well located and chemical anC
ladder service is deficient in parts o
the city. Most of the houses coulG
De readily adapted to the uses of ;
paid department. Several of the en-
gines are in poor condition. The en-
gine crews exhibited general lack o
training at the tests.
Some of the fuel was unsatisfactor,
and provision for delivering it to fire
is poor. Some of the companies ar
poorly provided with hose. Minor equip
ment and appliances for handling hcav,
streams are inadequate and salvage ap
pliances are lacking.
] -. ~.
in apparatus, is often weak in mel
for ordinary fires; for serious fires. me-
often attend in large numbers and ge
in each others way. The running car
is poorly arranged; so many companie
respond to some first alarms and leav
some sections unguarded. Fire method
= are poor except with the good use mad
- of chemicals. Inspections, such as ar
regularly made by well managed d,
. partments are lacking. Records and II
y ports are incomplete and inaccurate. TIL
recent and authorized improvement
have materially increased the mechanics
strength Of the department, but only b
establishing a full paid and well traine
department as outlined in recommend
tions hereinafter given, can its efficier
use be expected"
|" concerning the water system as we
as the fire department reaches the cor
Le lclusion that the Water Department
well organized and the officials are we
l. QUALIFIED for their duties.
Concerning the test of the fire engine
, in February Of this year, the report sci
forth that two of them developed mol
h than 95 per cent. of their rated capacit
u and others only from A to 81 per cen
u 1.-THE slip was excessive in five pumps
IL the report continues, reaching 43 p'
cent. in one of the automobiles. FL
lgine broke a piston rod at the sta
At of the test; the rod had a large fla
n in it. Engines l and made excellel
7 runs. developing nearly their rated C
| pacities with moderate slip. Engine
made an unsatisfactory run; both Il
running and stoking were very poor, an
the engine developed only so per cen
Of the rated capacity with 33 per cen
Il slip.
III Engines g and 10 were poor
stocked and was in general DO,
Z condition; the steam valves 10 and
were improperly set The coal fu
nished to engines 10 and u was III
satisfactory. The automobile engin,
j., were run at speeds set by Il
6 chauffeurs; their speeds were 10
and the slip excessive or the puml
,d are much overrated, as the two +
tary pumps delivered only "a p
cent and the piston pump only
nor cent of rated caDacity III