The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1919-02-06

Become Members of Voluntary
Organizations With All the
Necessary Equipment.
PLANNED BY COUNTY AGENTS
Estimated That Quarter of Million
Dollars Worth of Grain Was
Saved Last Year-Wider Field
of Usefulness Seen.

A smoke Smudge on the horizon in
the country no longer means certain
and complete loss.
At least, this is true in $4,000 square
miles of California where 5000 farm
ers have enlisted in rural fire COM
panies, equipped with trailer fire
carts, stationed at strategic points and
ready to meet the fire peril when it
appears. The plan was developed by
the county agricultural agents, in CO.
operation with the forest service of
the United States department of agri-
culture, and it is estimated that a
quarter of a million dollars worth Of
grain was saved through it during the
summer of 1918. The plan was de-
ViSed for the purpose of reducing
losses in grain fields and on grass
ranges, but department of agriculture
specialists believe it might be given a
much wider field of usefulness in the
protection Of practically all kinds Of
farm property from loss by fire.
Under the California plan the
county farm bureau becomes the cen
trail fire protection agency. A local
fire company was formed at each COM
munity farm bureau center, and the
members pledged themselves to re-
spond instantly to the call Of fire.
Each community elected a fire boss, -
who was commissioned as a deputy
state fire warden, and a fire dis
patcher," whose duty it is to remain
at the telephone during fires to give
information and obtain help.
TraiIers Carry Equipment.
In most of the communities a two
wheeled trailer fire cart was obtained.
These trailers are of simple construc-
ton, may be attached to any automO-
bile, and are completely equipped with
chemical fire extinguishers, water
cans filed with wet sacks, with forks
and shOvels, and with cOntainer for
drinking water for the fire fighters.
The trailer is kept at the cross roads
or other most accessible point in the
community, and the first autonqObile
passing ON the way to a fire bitches
to the trailer and takes it along. Out
of the 366 rural fire companies organ
lied in California last year, 257 are
equipped with such trailers.
The saving of quarter of million
dollars in a single season in this
limited territory is an indication of
what might result If the plan were
generally adopted in communities
where conditions are such as to make
it workable. There are some rural
communities where such plan might
not be advisable, but in the majority,
perhaps, it would be workable. Prior
to the extensive spread of the farm
bureau system, which came primarily
as war measure during 1917 and
1918, it would not have been possible
since it is necessarily a cooperative
community activity. But the farm
bureau system has come to stay, and
it affords the sort of cooperative eff
fort Of which community fire protec-
ton may well he part.
Similar Need Elsewhere.
Throughout dozen or more states,
there exists q need for protection
against fire in grain and grass fields
at thrashers, and the like, similar to
that in California. In other large areas
where wooded tracts are interspersed
with titled fields and where woods
fires are of frequent occurrence and
often spread TO crops and buildings
there exists the same need as in the
extensive grain fields. And, in the
general protection of farm buildings
and fences, in hay loft and hay rick
fires from spontaneous combustion OF
accident, in fires spreading from burn