Arizona republican., 1915-03-22
VOLUNTEERS ID
 AID REGULARS
Paid Fire Department Of- ficers Will Ask Co-opera- tiOn of Volunteers and Propose Organization of Class in Drilling

The service of the Phoenix Volun- teer Fire Department is needed to aug ment the good work of the paid depart ment. That this is true is admitted by every member of the paid department and has been argued by the volunteers ever since the new fighting apparatus was placed in commission. An effort to bring the paid men and the volunteers into closer relations, with better un- derstanding of the requirements and the ability to cooperate, has been in- augurated and it is believed a plan has been evolved that will attain the end desired.
 It is proposed that each of the five volunteer companies select from their membership five members who are in a position to respond to alarms and who will be willing to work at fires if their services are required. These five members would pledge themselves to attend at the Central Fire station every Sunday morning at 10 o'clock. Cap tain Wright, who has been drilling the paid men and who has brought the department to q high state of efficiency would arrange for the drilling of the volunteers, giving them the same ad vantages as have been given the paid men. IL might be possible too, to ar range q class for one evening each week, if the volunteers so desired
 By going through the drills pre- scrbed tor the paid men, the vOlun teers taking part would readily become valuable as fire fighters and would comprehend just what is required of them in working jointly with the mem- bers of the paid department The paid smen and the volunteers would come to know each other and there would be absence of clashes when a volunteer went to the assistance of a paid man.
 It is planned too to send the police patrol wagon to all the downtown fires equipped with ropes and officers in structed to establish fire lines. Keeping back the sightseers and giving the fire men absolute freedom in their work. The volunteers would be supplied with badges, the same as the paid men and would have ready access inside the fire lines.
 Volunteers with fire fighting experi- cnCe and possessing the efficiency that must follow such drills as are planned. would readily secure preference in va cancies that may occur from time to time in the ranks of the paid men. It is rot the plan of Manager Parish or the fire chief to ignore the volunteers [ in selecting candidates for the paid de- partment. It is rather their plan and desire to so equip the volunteers that when vacancies occur in the paid de- i partment their capabilities will vir- tually compel their selection for the paid positions. It is probable that meetings will be held in the near flu ture Of each of the volunteer com {, panies and that the plan of selecting , members for the drills will be carried 1 out
 The Republican has become pos sessed of an interesting paper entitled i "A Plea for Volunteer Bremen" b! Harry w. Bringhurst. fire marshal Of 1 Seattle. It sets forth the value of the volunteers as an aid to the paid men 1 It is reproduced herewith:
 In forming an estimate of the value of volunteer department, one is impressed by the fact that east of the Alleghanies cities of considerable size depend upon such systems at the present time. Only a short time ago Reading. Pennsylvania a city of about one hundred thousand population, de cided by an overwhelming vote no, to change from volunteer to paid firemen. Moreover, it has been said by those who should know. that speaking generally. Reading and the other large places which still de- pend upon volunteers get about as low insurance rates as like cities which have paid systems. Just wha, bearing this has upon the matter deDends upon the point of view.
 West of the Alleghenies towns oi even five thousand population seen to look upon a volunteer department as temporary expedient. to be ab- OliShed as soon as the salaries Oi three or four regular firemen can he afforded. The Underwriters appar. ently take the same view. There is apt to come time when the volun- teers are neglected and get small en. couragement. for the particular towr feels itself becoming a city and i. ashamed of it's old protectors. It may not have the population of single ward in such a place as Reading but it regards a so-called paid sys- tenn" as an evidence of metropolitan growth. There is of course truth ir
 this side. but it does not justify sighting good volunteer system for the sake of establishing a paid ,department so small and weak as tC
 he nnable9to cope with an unusual fire. Especially is it not reasonable excuse for falling into the period o1 transition that afflicts so many towns; a term of possibly years during which As times get better and cOmDlete ODer.