The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1916-01-06
REPORTS OF FIRE
PERIL IN SCHOOL
Marshal Bringhurst Points
Out Weak Spots
in System
ASKS UNIFORM DRILL


Fire Marshal Henry W. nrinE.
hurst has submitted to the school
hoard report on his inspection 81
Scattle's public schools. started fol.
lowing agitation by The Star. after
the school fire at Peabody. Mass
+. r. Houck. % the Pacific coast
inspection bureau. accompanied
Bringhurst on his tour OF inspec.
ton.
In speaking OF varied form OF
fire drill In some OF the schools. In
which mAneuvers are made possible
10 change from one exit to another
In case one becomes impossible. the
report says.
This idea Is most commendable.
and should be adopted In all. The
stormy weather prevented drills In
most Of the high schools. but he-
cause OF many criticisms aud com
|plaintB. there II reason 20 believe
they need serious attention.
Recommends the Plan
"a march without formation or
discipline has nothing 10 hold Il to
gether In case OF a real fire.
In certain grade schools three
Tor four Of the largest boys ran to
stations on every floor. prepared %
fight tho supposed fire as soon &c
the children were out, and another
stood ready 10 run to the fire alarm
box 10 give the alarm,
This plan would be valuable In
every schooiF
Marsha. Briuehurst believes that
the school board should adopt one
set Of maneuyers and gradually
change the system To every school
10 make them uniform. lie declares
that In ten Of the public schools
there are no fire alarm signals.
Criticises Alarm System
The majority OF the schools have
electric alarm bells. both In the
Easements and IN the building prop
or. The marshal also stated that In
his opinion any one should have au-
thority to sound the alarm. which Is
not the case &C the present time.
There should be no delay on any
nretsxt.' he said. AN ounce OF pre-
Mention Is worth a pound OF cure"
In the course OF inspection, Il was
also discovered that four schools
have fire hose that II practically
worthless. and would be OF no use
In case OF blaze.
Furnaces Not Safeguarded
Bringhurst suggested in his re-
port that these matters be RENE
died at once. In one or two cases
II was found that the furnaces in
the easements did not have proper
safeguards.
"All stairways in schools should
be flrc.proofed Enclosures" said the
marshal
AS 10 general safety conditions
az to fires IN Easements. have not
ed So schools as satisfactory, % as
fair and four as poor
Those fair are the jefferson. Nd
ans. Greenwood, b. F. Day. Inter
lake. Cascade. Walla Walla. Lawton,
Queen Anne high. Dunlap. Franklin
high. olympic. Rainier. Washington.
South Park. Georgetown, Central.
Summit. Broadway high. Latona an
mex, Main street annex. Emerson
annex. Girls Parental--so marked
because Of combustibles or minor
deficiencies. much as flimsy doors to
furnace rooms.
THE four easements graded as
moor are the West Seattle high. old
lnllard high, Lincoln high and South
Seattle.
Except for the five manual train
ing rooms In first stories. ] found
nothing on the school floors OF build
ings that the boards attention need
be called to.
Those Shops should be carefully
cut of from tho halls.
"All IauItora' stores should be IN
the furnace Enclosures"
The board viii confer with Chref
BrlnghurBt regarding his recommon-
datiOng In the near future