New Britain herald., 1919-10-11
THE FTRENfEN'S PLANS.

4le III SilAGlI Ol the c1ly nave eNOlNGu N elaborate scheme, with many pages M argument to prove, to the people of #PW Britain where it would be to their #vantage to give to their employees #lat is known as the Two Platoon" 8 Double Shift" system of operation #roughout the department The plan Nay be briefly stated as one which #ovides for a double force, not twice M large as the present force, for req S8ns which will be explained later, Me-half of which will be on duty part N the time and which will be relieved M the other half. In this way the Ssen will be relieved of what they de- Rre is the irksome A hour watch s#stem, where every man in the com &#ny is expected to be in the firehouse enty-four hours of the day, exclud- #@ meal times and one day off a week. M Me watches would consist of twelve # urs with a twenty-four hour tour 8ce a week to allow for shift in K tches from day to night and vice -sa, for each relief.
 1.-The present system calls for a total M forty-nine men and the chief in our ire force. There are twenty-five gunent. One day off per week, per n, reduces this force to forty-two om we may expect to be available. # addition vacations make the force rty- eight men per day when four # off, which is the rule. The com 8 ttee has it figured down to the mum a of men on duty during meal Irs but we will consider that a rty- eight is the number which are M dy for instant action in the entire 4 bartment of the forty-nine with ich we started. So much for the tenn of operation as it exists.
 The firemen contend that, with the hilton of twenty two men, the city Ssht place an admirable two platoon tenn in operation. These will be ided into watches of thirty five men h and will be required to report for
 live hours per day, leaving them to go to their homes, or other- &e enjoy the usual liberties accorded W average individual during the M CT twelve, though they are avail Ne for call in the case of an emer- cy, like the additional call men ich we now have. Once a week. SS watch will stand duty twenty -four lrs, thereby giving the other one 8 s Lual day off.
 acations and meal hours will also zract from the aggregate of thirty
 men as they do now, but there Ez not be the day off to give each in the department. ..
 The cost of this to the city will be la ,12o a year.
 here is virtue in the contention of m fireman that he has but little time
 himself, to do what he pleases with.
 has to remain about the engine
 se continually and finds it extreme
 tfreSome, even though he is not
 aal1y working but a very small part
 he~time. He wishes to enjoy him.
 , to mentally relax and to enjoy he privileges like fellow work
 of every description. That is
 reason for the proposed system 8ag a favorite with the firemen.
 he people of the city have to weigh
 benefit of having a potential sys-
 of seventy fire fighters, instead of
 not be as customary in the de-
 tment as they are liable to become Pn on duty all of the time and the
 it1onal protection that will be & en by having a larger force on duty
 bnce against the cost, before decid-
 what is best to do. There have SAn times when the city could have
 many more fire fighters than il
 H to a decided advantage. Much o1
 time we are not using the firemer
 H. Tn addition he has some rights M can grant him these. In the days pn it is non, too easy to get work IHa in any department it might Dt
 to offer inducements to enter tn,
 companies, which are liable to be
 e sadly depIeted. The people o
 Britain have the final say. Thi-1 &ga aver and make the decision.