Putnam patriot., 1916-12-15
From the Editors Desk
Fire Protection

c0DDtu out ever bhihB thSiS 20 "
know about the situation will be
Brought to light and the citizens can
then easily decide for themselves
whether on the facts found they be
iieve more money should be expended
for apparatus and equipment. This is
commendnbe mode Of procedure.
One committee is a committee ap.
pointed by the mayor and is made up
of the highway committee and the
fire committee Of the common council.
The other committee is fire protec-
ton committee .appointed by the di-
rectors of the Chamber of Commerce.
The duties assigned to these COM
mittees are TO investigate the needs 81
the fire department and also the
finances of the city with view to in
forming the mayor, common council
and the people just what the depart
ment's needs are and just how well or
how Ill the city can afford to supply
them. In other words to find out, us
suggested in the PATRIOT last week,
whether or not the benefit TO be gained
Is commensurate with the amoune OF
money TO be expended.
The city voted $1,000 last year for
motor driven fire truck. IL was gen
orally believed at that time that when
the truck was installed the city would
be well protected and that future
needs would be anticipated for some
time. The truck arrived, January 10th
of this year and although less than
year has passed the citizens have been
informed by the Chamber of Com
merce, after consultation with mem.
bers of the fire department, that al
Feady our fire protection is inadequate
TO meet present needs. This has come
somewhat as Il surprise TO the citizens
who voted for the appropriation
$1,000 believing that they were putting
the department on fine footing and
IL is little wonder that they ask for the
answer.
Whatever the opinion might have
been when the new piece of apparatus
was purchased If the fact remains that
Notwithstanding this expenditure Put
nam property is in danger from fire
on account of ia lack OF apparatus to
fight IL we believe that the citizens
will vote still more money TO provide
adequate protection. 1t would not
seem however that IA city the size of
Putnam need be esainely or as genet-
ously equipped as large metropolitan
city. We have few fires of threat.
ming nature. The greater number of
alarms the department is called upon
TO respond 10 are brush fires or chin
ney fires. OF course there is always
chance of a ,conflagration, the same
chance that any city or thickly popu
lated town of village has, and the
more apparatus on hand nj such
time the better. The question Is how
much risk the city can afford TO runs
or, to put 1t the other why about, how
many possible contingencies the city
can afford TO guard against land get a
pro rata return for It's investment.
OF course two pieces of apparatus are
better than one or three are better than
two. One in each small section of the
city might be even better. But we
have to return TO the question Of what
city the size Of Putnam needs To be
adequately protected under ordinary
circumstances and conditions. Ii we
are not up to a proper tstandard of ef-
:iciency but are carrying too great
percentage OF risk on ourselves on nc
count OF lack of apparatus then we
should surely have more. If we are
pretty well equipped 10 take care OF
Tres as we find them to occur and
have we'll filled treasury then we
may provide for still further contin-
gencies that We might not provide for
II the treasury wers not in good con-
diiion.
IA neither we wish TO MAKE our pro.
lection through our department as
+ near absolutely perfect 'as we can, at
an increased cost, or whether we want
10 run the ordinary chance against
possible contingencies, ana to what de-
| gree. is what the citizens will have to
decide.
The committee .of the ,chamber OF
commerce have issued a statement
upon The situation rs they have thus
/ far investigated. They find that speed
In attacking fire is perhaps the first .
sential and therefore find that motor
driven apparatus is The proper mode OF
4 transportation. They find that the
4 hose wagons of the,city belong to the
Il companies and not TO 1.-THE city, that
u the city is dependent upon this appara-
/ tus which Is not its own property They
H point out that motor driven piece OF
Il apparatus has TO have its motor over
hauled and that il is liable 10 motor
trouble or TO meet with an accident on
the way 10 lire. Either of these con.
tingencies occurring the city is with
out protection except the horse drawn
hose wagons. IL is further pointed
out that The central fire station may
burn down and destroy the city's
piece of apparatus and the firemen
would then be without means TO fight
the fire. Ii is usual If chemicals are Mt
first used TO lay hose in case OF emer-
gency. The best way TO do this Is 10
run the truck from the hydrant TO the