Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-02-09
The Fire Department Question.

The Fire Department Question
-Eisewherc in this issue we print an IN
tercSting letter from Edward 4. Donahue
first assistant engineer Of the flr
Department, in respect OF the criticisms
that have been made against the work
Of tho department in recent years. In
Il he makes some pertinent statements
about The causes Of many fires-the result
of rnIrc negligence by house owners or
tenants and refers TO some other mat
rers that are applicable TO the general
subject al the efficiency of our volunteer
leDartrncnt ~ this time. Also, he espe-
qalv refers 10 conditions that attended
,lic hrc al the home Of DIR. Albert Robin,
seventh and Rodney streets, early We'd
,,esday morning, and makes defence of
Ia, work oi The fircmen, blsEning most
i. ,hc disastrous results Of that blaze
mon conditions for which, he claims,
he frcmcn were not responsible.
This letter. which hears the marks Of
sincerity and evident interest in the work
L frc-ightin2 provisions for our city,
viii naturally lead - revival Of interest
d TIC lons-discusscd question Of : paid
ire department for Wilmington. Taken
n connection with recent events, j; shows
the necessity of Improvement. And rs
ho change Of Importance may be made
Immediately, and present conditions are
bound 10 continue for a long time. Mr..
ponahue's letter contains one suggestion
That all housekccpers who enjoy tele-
phone service should write down and
paste right alongside their telephones
That Is 10 look into the telephone direc-
dory and ascertain the name and telephone
d Iumbcr of the fire company nearest their
bones With this information handy, o
4 re company could be quickly summoned
tpon the breaking out Of blaze, and
thereby many fire suppressed in it's
j hcipiency
Another suggestion by Mr.. Donahue
th is important is in respect OF the con
dition OF IRE hvdrants. That they should
ali all times be kept III good condition,
i kady FOR immediate fire service, stands
4 reason No fire hydrant should
!. permitted 10 remain in q crippled con
d ltion at any time. We have had two
4 stations of unusually severe cold al
r eady, this winter; yet II l. not denied
& bat Al the Robin fire some fire hydrants
u the vicinity were useless for awhile
-c;use oi freezing
But this reference Is not intended as a
u fence IN any manner, OF the work of
: be- department at that fire. The fact
i ards ont tina, the work Of sup3ressing
d wa miscrahly inefficient. True,
:: bere was delay, ss the fire must have
b Fmned quite awhile before it was dis
c,bvercd, and there was delay in sending
r an alarm afterwards But after the
"a arm was sounded. some companies
q spondcd with insufficient working force
>ome lcheInieal engines with only the
q tiyer and there was d sad lack Of
"a guiar iiren.en. The services Of citi-
=, Il not fireilen did not appear to be de-
8. red. acrording t. reliable testimony,
3 ID 50 the Ire ragged furiously.
I'nder existing conditions. it docs Tot
D pear that much may be done 70 rem
ee II these manifest shortcomings The
iEy has little control over the depart
-fIent II does not own an engine house,
4 single piece Of apparatus, or q single
10 Cpt Of hose. II enters into contracts,
4 nuallv, with the respective companies.
I'd attend I'd fre-ilghting al so much per
an mum. The companies are expected
ID provide the required apparatus and
Ii e men tp operate them. But the
compensation agreed upon is not sufficient
"a enable the companies 20 employ enough
"a en for the purpose, and they have to
IL pend upon volunteers, the regular
70 embers of the respective companies,
% do the work at fires Drivers and
soxne other necessary agents arc employed
~ paid by the companies
The officials OF the fire companies
q dmplain that they cannot operate the
department with thorough efficiencyu1, er
their contracts. They have continual
need OF more money, they say. fhsy
a cd d co4l-carrying wagon az
pI ratls wat taken to( the Robin ire
v thout 5 upply of coal, and there'o
y as useless and have asked City Council
p buy ono, and also 10 buy new truck.
But City Co uncil, under present conditions
hhs no right TO purchase apparatus for
the fire department. The fire depart
ulent IL an outside institution, not
regular agency Of tine city administra-
q On. II IL he duty Of the fire companies,
q hder their contracts, to supply I'll that
inlay be needed in order to faithfully
Perform their contract obligations.
There are experienced fremen who say
the present compensation is ample to
' arrant good service.
This, We believe, il fair presentation