Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-08-10
FIGHTING NEW YORKS FIREs-By Frederic j. Haskin

stores, theaters, garages, factories and public
buildings in their district to inspect their quant-
cations for resisting fire. There are certain laws
concerning fire escapes, doors leading to the out
side and the storing of infammable goods, as well
as very stringent regulations regarding smoking
in garages and factories and it is up to the fire
men to see that they complied with This IN
spection serves a double purpose. 1t not only edu-
Gates the fireman with respect to the ctys require
ments, but it makes him familiar with the physlcai
features of his district He knows the exits, trap
doors and stairways of every building-prlvate
residences excepted, of course-he knows where
there are pitfalls that would prove dangerous at
night fire; he knows how many occupants are IN
each building, and where the chemical spr1nklers
and other fire apparatus are located.
AIkof this is very important, for fire-fghting is
not an unskilled profession, but very scientific
one fire is a disaster which requires Just as
much cool-headed thinking courage and executive
ability battle, and perhaps even more tech
nique. For example, there is fire in a tenement
house. The first response to the alarm is a nook
and-ladder company which finds the building filled
with smoke from fire which is raging in the eel
lar Now the first order of the chief of this COM
pany before the ladder apparatus has been touched
at ALL is open the scuttle the roof of the tene
ment This allows the fire to go up instead or
spreading out like mushroom and importing the
buildings each side
Or suppose the fire is in one of the innumerable
stores which have side stairways that lead TO
apartments above. Instead of attacking from the
front or back entrance of the store, the firemen
start their fire fighting from this side hallway,
in order that the fire may be kept from ascending
to the apartments above
Various factors such as these must be taken
into account. fire chief has the lives of his men
to think of, as we'll the course of the fire, and
his position is not always enviable for instance
when it is the life of trapped child against the
life of of his leutenants. So far as courage
is concerned, however, it must be said with all
possible due credit to New York firemen that they
usually do not have to Oe urged to endanger their
lives for others. In the fire training school the
cruit is taught how to his own life and he is
taught many other things besides which would as
hnild
ing construction, and he must learn certain spe-
cial things about chemicals. Some fires are only
made worse by the application of water and instead
must be chemically treated
To this technique of fire-hghting the fireman
also adds his physical strength, mental agility and
courage. Sometimes life may be saved by the
fraction of second that it is absolutely essen
tial that the fireman should think quickly A few
months ago, for example, Richard Mangels or
Hook-and-Ladder Company No. saved the lives
of two men by his quick thinking and sheer nerve.
Scaling ladders had not been brought to the
when Mangels, looking over the root of the burn
ing building, behed two men clinging precariously
to the top of the ifth-foor window shutter, imme-
diately beneath him. Standing on the coping OF
the roof the fireman braced short wooden lad
der found on the roof agant his legs and extended
it out that it rested againt the shutter and wall
of the building. Then with other fremen holding
him, he held the ladder in this position by main
strength long enough for the rescued men to ascend
to the roof. The physical strain of this lot of ell
durance severe that the fireman afterwards
tainted and for many days carried the imprint OF
the ladder his body.
Mangels received medal of honor for this act
of bravery distinction which is great incen-
tive to reckless merit among the fremen. There
are thirteen medals of honor distributed by the
mayor each year.
Now that the harbor has been added to the
list of bad fire risks in New York the number OF
volunteer firemen has increased enormously. They
train just as the others do and perform the sam"
sort of work, but they receive remuneration
and if they killed their families inherit moth
ing but honor. 1t is rumored, however that the
New York philanthrOpists- which there
overwhelming number-are the trail of these
volunteers with additional medals of honor.