The Robesonian., 1917-12-06
FALSE, FIRE ALARMS
They Have Become So Frequent
as to Cause Concern-Guilty
Persons Will be Punished Il
Caught-Parents Should Teach
Children Seriousness of the Of

To the Editor of The Robesonian:
I am writing to request that you
do me the kindness to make comment
either editorial or in shape of a.
news item-on the matter of false fire
alarms. They have been coming in
so frequently of late that the matter
is causing me and the department
some concern.
1 feel sure that these alarms are
being turned in by small boys who
do not realize the danger incident
thereto or the fact that they commit
a crime each time that it is done-I
cannot believe that any mature per-
son would engage in the practice.
Each time that the truck answers
an alarm every man on .he machine
takes the risk Of losing his life or Of
being seriously hurt to say nothing
of the danger to pedestrians and
teams on the streets. The truck must
go at the highest possible rate of
speed or it's use is Of lessened value.
1t is enough to ask the fire depart
ment to answer real alarms snd take
the risk without forcing them ou5 to
supply fun CD for some little fellow
who thinks he is playing mart trick
on the driver or some member Ct the
company and it is hoped that the par
ents of all boys will take occasion to
discuss the matter in the home and
let them realize the gravity of such
conduct. It shows criminal tenden-
cy that should be nipped in the bud.
| timately lead to the detection Of some
| if caught and convicted they will have
to suffer the consequences.
If the practice continues then the
only course left will be to put keys to
the various boxes in the hands of
| some responsible persons, living near
the boxes, so that when it is neces-
| sary to turn in an alarm one must
go and first get a key. This, Of
course, is undesirable and it would
mean an addition to our fire loss for
| some building would be lost before
| the key could be procured possibly
| but it is the only course left where
| false alarms are frequent and the
| danger to life and limb is increased
above the normal.
1 doubt if our citizens fully realize
the efficient service rendered by the
fire department-and especially dur
| ing the past three or four years. We
have had no serious fires and all
alarms have been met promptly and
efficiently. No town in the country
of like class and size can show !oW-
er fire loss than ours for the past sew
eral years and | attribute it to tile
promptness Of our department but we
cannot expect this to continue if false
| alarms become the rule instead of the
exception. Such course will soor
lead to a case of "Wolf, wolf" and the
boys would not have the same vim
IN answering a call.
I hope the practice will stop before
serious damage is. done. There is nc
Iuse in adding further hazard to al
already risky business and if the BOYS
who turn in the alarms care nothine
for the risk to the lives of the. fire
men and pedestrians possibly you cal
appeal to them, on the risk to tn,
truck itself. 1t cost lot of money
and each time it goes out on a cal
there is the risk that it may b.
wrecked and destroyed. There is al
so the further risk for the one wh,
turns in the alarm-he may be caugh
and sooner or later some of then
will, and if such happens I know tha
Judge Britt can be depended on t,
do his full duty to the public-and t.
the defendants as WELL
hope that you will assist us il
this matter that is of deep interest t.
every man, woman and child in tn
community
Very truly yours,
JAMES D. PROCTOR,
Mavol