The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1919-02-07
FIRE COMPANIE
AMONG FARMERS
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 $1,000 square
miles of California where 5000 farm
ers have enlisted in rural fire com
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 Ygri-
culture, and ii Is estimated that n
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 Il
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
fire company was formed at each com
munity farm bureau center, and the
members pledged themselves to re-
spond instantly to the call of IRE.
Each community elected fire boss,
who was commissioned as deputy
state fire warden, and fire dis
patcher," whose duty it is to remain
II frAc N DIX
information and obtain help
TraiIers Garry Equipment.
In most of the communities 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 filled with wet sacks, with forks
and shovels, and with container for
drinking water for the fire fighters
Tie trailer is kept at the cross ROADS
or other most accessible point in the
community, and the first automobile
passing on the way TO a fire bitches
to the trailer and takes it along. Ou
of the 366 rural fire companies organ
lied in California last year, 257 are
equipped with such trailers.
The saving OF u quarter of m.ilioI
dollars in single season in this
limited territory is an indication o
what might result If the plan wer'
generally adopted in communities
where conditions are such as to maxi
II workable. There are some rura
communities where such plan nigh
not be advisable. but in the majority
perhaps, it would be workable. PRO
to the extensive spread of the farm
bureau system, which came primaril
as war measure during 1917 an
1918. 1t would not have been possible
since it is necessarily co-operativ
community activity. But the farn
bureau system has come TO stay, an
1t affords the sort of cooperative ei
fort of which community fire proteC
ton may we'll be part.
Similar Need Elsewhere.
Throughout a dozen or more states
there exists need for protectio
against fire in grain and grass fields
at thrashers. and the like, similar
that in California. In other large area
where wooded tracts are intersperse
with TILED fields and where wood
fires are of frequent occurrence an
often spread 80 crops and building
there exists the same need as IN III
extensive grain fields. And, IN u
general protection of farm buildins
and fences. in hay loft and lay nc
fires from spontaneous combustion
accident, IN fires spreading from Dur