Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-01-02
FIRE BUREAU HIT
BY LACK OF MEN
Deputy Chief Davis De-
plores designations of
Model Veterans
HINT TO THE COUNCILMEN

destinations within the Bureau OF Fire
during the year lust closed when COMPILED
viii show total which is expected to set q
high record In the annals Of the service
More than leo members ranging I'm rank
from captain down to newly appointed. or
third-gradc hosemcn and laddcrmen nave
voluntarily retired iu 1916. The exact totAl
cannot ba ascertaiued owing 10 depart
mental rule which permits man TO With
draw his resignation within a stipulated
period
Another regulation makes reinstatement
possible within three months it no impede
ment exists. 10 is the hope of thef MUIR
ply and the bureau officials that some Of
the more recently rcsigning members may
reconsider their step and go back INTO
harness before the time limit expires.
HOPES COUNCILS WILL ACT
Ross u. Davis. deputy chief engineer,
discussing tho unusual number Of resigna-
lions within the bureau today said:
at is true that we have lost more men
in the last year through designations than
In any year that can recall The number
when the figures are compiled Is likely to
exceed 100. even if some Of them do seek
Reinstatement or recall their designations.
81 hope the condition as It exists will i'm
duce councils to hgsteu their action IN re-
gard TO salary advances and an Increase
Of men. Both are needed ii the morale Of
the bureau is to be kept up to what it
should be
"Not all or the men who have dropped
out lately have been eligible to q pension
II s q GOOD thing they We're not for our
pension iu It's present condition never could
stand such sudden drain.
\ majority of u , designations came from
members of the p'rrau whose connection
was comparatively short. and who are still
young men They were trained tiremcu,
though and will be hard to replace. /
don't believe they quit because Of dissatis-
faction with the service in itself, but were
induced TO resign through the better offer
ings in salary and working hours held out
by other lines Of employment
They leave us at a bad time and IN n
bad fix, though A fireman, nowadays, Is
not made overnight. and n man, even after
he has been in the Bureau Tor some time. Is
constantly learning something new. II is
dsCouraEiuE to lose men, just when they
have reached the stage where they can be
classcd as seasoned and to be- forced TO
start all over again on Il considerable Num-
bCr OF recruits.
"Ordnarily tho number Of changes does
not amount to many and the task of re-
CruituG companies Is not hard There were
81 names on the list OF eligbles for 1916.
and this total was exhausted long before
the end Of the year. From the way resig-
nations are coming In IL seems likely that
this years Civl Service list will not last
many months.
~ new engine company Is to be installed
within II few wcelSs, We must have the
men for this station, and to get them will
have to draw upon other companies, filling
the gaps with green men. Before the end
of the year there will he other companies
to put into service, necessitatlng further
inroads upon our experienced members.
"'rhe bureau received y severe blow In
he simultaneous designations Of two Of our
model veterans. Tllerman George w. Ford