New Britain herald., 1917-02-24
that he has secured options on several

that he has secured options on several
 sites.
 There was a lengthy and informal
 discussion yrelative to the various pro-
 posed apparatus and other details. It was voted to send votes of thanks and appreciation to the places that re- sponded to the call for aid Wednesday night and to ask that any bills for such service be forwarded at once. The request of Chief Rawlings for the police department included few items of a new and major importance One is for three regular chauffeurs working in eight-hour shifts. It was intimated that some arrangement Will be made whereby the chauffeurs wilt ] assist in the janitorial work at head quarters. The long-mooted question
 relative to the policy of having a Wo-
 man janitor at headquarters was touched on briefly but action was de- ferred until another session. Commits sioners Frank J. Moran intimated that there will be action later and there
 will be a change in present arrange ments. Chairman Babcock defended
 the way in which Mrs. Marry Metty now attends to the work and said *'' the premises were never in more sanitary condition. No objection was
 entered to continuing her as police
 matron. In the police department re- quisition. s66,692.25 will be asked, an l increase over this year because of the increased salaries
 Preparedness Plans.
 The utmost precautions are being taken by the authorities in blocking
 out emergency response, in case of another visit by the fire fiends. In addition to the patrol and auxiliary
 automobile, the police will have three private automobiles at their disposal day and night, immediately following
 any fire alarms Chairman Babcocl< has arranged to have his automobile
 hurried to Headquarters following an
 alarm The offers of two citizens
 have been accepted for similar ac-
 ton. In cases of emergency, these
 autom obiles will be used to rush mem
 bers of the police and fire depart
 ments to any section of the city and
 will be equipped with chemical fire
 cNtinguishers.
 Arrangements are already being
 made to have much more rigid fire
 lines in the future with only autho
 rized persons allowed about the ap' paratus and in the danger zonN Chairman Babcock and Chief of Po- lice William J. Rawlings have ap- proved the securing of a number of fire badges that will be distributed in limited manner to members of the press and a few others, such as elec- trical and gas company employees who are supposed to enter fire lines as l a protective measure to shut oft gas l mains or disconnect electrical wires. l Plans for securing the badges at one l of the local factories have already i been taken up and it is expected that they will be received for d1strlhutlo1l 1 the first part of next week.
 New Traffic Regulations.
 Important plans are also under way to revise certain conditions connected with the regulation of traffic dur ing emergency periods, when fire ap- paratus is responding to alarms or on other occasions where there is thkely to be a congestion of vehicles and pedestrians Chairman Babcock,
 Chiefs Rawlings and Dame and Traf
 fic Supervised Clarence Lamphere
 have been in conference relative to
 the subject. 1t is expected that auto
 matc signal horns will be placed at
 important street corners, especially at
 functions such as Commercial and
 Main streets, where fire apparatus
 needs d clear track in responding tC
 alarms. These signals would be con- nected with the alarm system so as to sound the box number in conjunc- ton with the fire bell. In this way traffic policemen, drivers, motormen and others would not only be warned but have an idea of the direction to be taken by the apparatus.
 Already steps have been taken to eouip policemen liable for traffic duty with q loud and distinct whistle
 being made to work out a system 1 whereby one sound of the whistle l will mean a certain type of demand, ] two sounds. another and so on. It. 1 is believed that it will he much more ] to aid them in regulation of traffic, 1 especially at times of emergency or ] during the hours when there is a | conecstion of traffic. An attempt Is ] effective than the present system, es- ] peciaily after dark or when there is 1 a large number of vehicles and 1 people on the street. As soon as
 some regular system is decided upon, i wide publicity will be given so that l drivers chauffeurs and others may l become familiar with it. Chairman. l Babcock took steps this morning to