The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-11-09
Pensacola Fire Department Proves
Efficiency By Small Fire Loses

Palafox street. The company is COM
rlanded by Captains Campbell and Cook.
The equipment consists of one horse
drawn hose cart.
No. station, located at the corner OF
9th avenue and Strong street, answers d..
leonardo street. The company is COM
manded by Captains Schuerman and
Williams. The equipment consists of one
horse-drawn cart.
The two-platoon system went into eff
feet in Pensacola on October i, and so
far has given the most satisfactory re-
suits. Under this system there are two
shifts of firemen each spending twelve
hours on watch This plan enables the
firemen to spend a part of each day
with their families, whereas under the
old system they were required to stay
at the fire house twenty-four hours each
day with every fifth day off. All Pro-
gressive cities of the country have
adopted this plan in recent years and
everywhere it has made for greater eff
cheney.
The average citizen seldom realizes the
benefits which are his because of a mod
|ern and efficient fire department but
II he cares to gain a definite idea OF the
close relation which the department bears
to his own pocket book he can read the
statistics of the fire insurance COM
panies and note the gradual reduction
in premiums on insurance policies
There are now in service but three men
who were members when the department
was put on a paid basis Those mem-
bers are Captain John Matthews Cap
| tain John Campbell and William Whalen.
The personnel of the department fol-
lows:
| Fire Commissioner Frank r.. Pou.
Chief H. Riera; Assistant CHIEF. c. w.
| Kelson: Operators, r. O'Donovan and ID
/ c.. Touart:s Electrician, Len LeBaron;
Lineman, G. Bussett.
Truck Company No. Captains Condor
and Maloney: Firemen. Grain, Brown
/ Holland and Kersey.
i Hose Company No. captains Roach
/ anc Marini: Firemen, Hammond. j.. Girl
| II Girl F'illingim.
Hose Company No. 3-Captain Mat
| thcws and Bicker; Firemen, Whalen
Graham. o'Connor. Davis
i Hose Company No. captains
i Campbell and Cook; Firemen, Roach
| Haddon Farinas III. Brown.
i Hose Company No. captains. Schur-
man and Williams; Firemen. c. Rosch
Castro. Henderson, HH- Bicker.
| Truck Company No. captains
Young and Whiting; Engineer, Cairres
4 Firemen. Cope. Bartee, L. ODonovan-
Il 1t will be interesting to learn a feV
L facts concerning the old volunteer OF
ganization which guarded the city s.
4 faithfully against fires for so many lont
years. and in contrast with the moderr
DEPARTMENT of today to take peep
4 some of the difficulties in fire nghtins
they were forced to overcome
The fire department of pensacola na
been an evolution, like everything else
Back in 1870, the fire department, a Vol
unteer organization, consisted OF a puche
brigade and an old-fashioned hand puiiil
mounted upon a vehicle resembling
farm wagon of today. Along the SIDE
we're great arms or brakes, 10 wic
the fireman were wont to attach them
selves. The machine was unWleioly an
inefficient. but it was the best 10 pc nd,
at the time. and the lack was Iiiaue - =
~ the firemen themselves. These wer
| recruited from the best young men =
the town, and every fire alarm was
| soc,etv event The alarm OF IRE souhu
a. tocsin from the tower, wa
ant 70 break up frolic or dance by tn
sudden exit of the village swans ans. IN -
rsd rush for helmets. rubber boots an an
. .,..s Everybody went to the fire an
stsyed until it was put out or the nui pune,
,ng burned to the ground. Then reiresn
ments were served ana tne