The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-04-20
Fire Chief Talks on In
creased Efficiency in the
Fire Department
TELEPHONE ALARM
SYSTEM BETTERED
Arrangement So There Will Be No
Overlapping of Territory-Hours
of Instruction Profitable-Cap-
tains and Men Redistributed

The trouble with us is not failure
to put out fires" says George b. Ward,
official head of the Birmingham fire
department, but 1t is in the great
number of fires we have to extinguish.
That's why our fire loss is above nor
nal and our insurance rates too high
"As l have before stated just plain,
simple carlessness on the part of cit
liens in keeping premises clean is more
than anything else responsible for Bir-
m,ngham's abnormal fire loss. There
is no dispute but what We've got ono
of the best and most efficient fire de-
partments in the country. We can get
to fire and put IL out 1t is the great
number that We have to get to that
runs up our total fire losses above
what they should be-
As previously published. the fire In
surance rates In Birmingham have in-
creased from so to 70 per cent In the
past three years. Insurance men say
this is due to the abnornally high fire
loss in Birmingham. In this connection
Chief S. A. Middleton of the fire de-
partment yesterday made report on
what has been done toward increasing
the efficiency of the Birmingham fire
department since he took office about
nine months ago. This has been done in
line with recommendations of the
Southeastern Underwriters association.
Yet nothing has been done on the 9TH
err hand to decrease insurance rates
as a result of the improvements in the
fire department.
Report From Middleton
Chief Middleton's report is as fol-
lows
Board of Commissioners, City:
please find herewith report of what
has been done toward increasing the
my appointment as chief on August l..
1914:
a. Substitution OF motor tractor Ill
stead OF horses for drawing S5-foot
aerial ladder truck, located at Third
avenue and Fifteenth street.
80. New station installed at East Bir-
mingham, equipped with motor conf
bination hose wagon and manned by
five men.
view, equipped with motor combina-
ton hose wagon and manned by five
men.
"a. The force at the Wylam station
Increased from three to four men,
Force Is Rearranged
as. Encouragement of the force ot
the department consisting of several
Loft hf tho
captains and privates for the better
ment of the department.
&c. Increased efficiency in the tele-
phone alarm system by connecting the
Wylam, Ensrey, Fairview and Pratt
City stations on the same phone. The
East Lake, Woodlawn. Avondale and
East Birmingham stations on the same
phone. The West End and the Gray
mont stations on the same phone ard
also connecting the phone in the North
Birmingham station on the same line
with the stations in old birmingham.
BY this method two stations answer
any alarm in the outlying sections and
rhe other stations in the suburbs know
when any of them are out at lire.
81. A running card, setting out and
defining each company territory mas
been put into effect. which eliminates
the response to alarms of an unnec-
aasarV number OF companies. ltuhuiiS
card also sets out which stations answer
alarms when in any part of the city
when any company or any number Oh
companies are out at a fire.
"S. Rules and regulations governing
the discipline and operation of the de-
partment in detail have been drawn up
and In forced.
49, A/system of fire extinguishment
by the use of chemicals where same is
practical, and the use of the minimum
amount of water where same is nee
essary by the exercise or good judg-
ment in locating the seat of fire be-
fore throwing any water has reduced
water damage to the minimum on
household furniture and the various
classes of merchandise.
40. BY having hours of instruction
regularly the members of the depart
emnt have become familiar with the
construction of buildings, the location
of alley ways, stairways, court ways,
sprinkler valves, stand pipe connections,
and the location of fire MIGRANTS
al. The inspection work has been
broadened by the assistance of the in
spectors in the other departments of
the city government. the firemen in the
outlying sections inspecting their own
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