The Washington times., 1916-07-27
Underwriters Report Backs Up
Plea of Department Mem.
bers to Congress.
PRAISES PERSONNEL IN CITY
Declares Losses in Capital
Compare FavorabIy With
I Other Cities. &C..

Declaring that provisions FOR pensions
for members of the Fire Department
here are lower than in any city In the
United states, the committee on fi<e
prevention Of the National Board or
Fire Underwriters today made public its
report on the city OF Washington.
This statement, which bears out a
similar statement presented to Congress
By the F1remen's Association Of the Dis
trict Of Columbia. is/made following
careful investigation Of the Fire De-
partment, the water supply. and fire
alarm system and conditions governing
fire hazards In the District.
The committee IL thoroughly IN sym
pathy with the efforts OF washington
business men. other residents. ana the
firemen themselves to obtain legislation
placing the pension system on an
equitable basis.
Finds Department Strong.
Following are It's conclusions regard
ing the FIRE department:
1.-THE FIRE department Is q strong.
fairly well equipped and mainly effec-
tive force, under good supervision. APP
--opriauons for maintenance and I'm
provements have been fairly liberal and
the department is gradually being mo.
torized. The personnel Is mainly OF
young. active men. but a number OF
members are of an age and length OF
service which merit retirement. The
provisions for pensions are less than In
any other large city: more liberal pen
sions and an age limit for compulsory
retirement would improve the service;
The training of new men Is not such as
to Quickly develop their &C. efficiency me- yy,c OF
and more instructions and drills for All
members in the use OF modern appii-
anses and methods would be OF ma
Concernin sthe committees statement
as to drills and the training OF new
men. officials of the department. said
today that there will probably be In
cluded in the next estimates an item
The. drill tower formerly used by
the department was torn down four
years ago, because OF Its weakened
condition. and there has been no appro-
priation since for its replacement.
Fire Losses Moderate.
Fire losses in the District compare
most favorably with those OF Other
cities. The gross fire loss for the five
years ended June 30 amounted TO $3.0ls.-
l20. the annual loss ranging from $343,
7e7 in 1913 to $3.50. 1876 in 1912. The annual
number of fires varied between SIS In
1912 and l,054 in 1919, with an average ioss
per fire of S65l. a moderate hgure
according to the report.
A number of recommendations arr
contained in the report. Among then
are that members OF the fire depart
.ent be retired from active duty q
the age of sixty two. unless unusuail!
efficient. The pending pension legis
lltion provides for retirement at tn
age OF sixty-five.
Recommendation Numerous.
The committee recommends also tina
a ladder company. equipped with al
automobile aerial ladder truck be es
tablished in the vicinity OF Twelfth
and II streets northeast, and that en-
gines of 500 gallons capacity or les
10 replaced by automobile pumping
engines, Engine Companies 5, 10, II
rs, and 81 to be so equipped as soon
possible.
Officials Of the fire department agre
with these recommendations and pro
visions for carrying them into execu
ton probably will be contained In tn
next estimates.
A report on the statements AM
recommendations of the fire prevention
committee VIII be prepared by the fir
department and submitted to Commits
sioner Brownlow, who has supervision o
that department.