New Britain herald., 1919-10-08
FIREMEN KEEN FOR
 PLATOON SYSTEM
Petition Fire Board for Change
 To Have Hearing

The fremen of the city last night presented a petition to the fire com- missioners for a two-platoon system. Action was deferred until further study The firemen will be given a hearing later. The petition asked that the system go into effect on January 1. The plan, in part, iolloW6: "On the first three days the 1lrSt platoon is on duty from a. m. to D. m, and the second platoon, or shift, is on from 6 p. m. to 8 a. m. "On the fourth day, the first platoon, instead of going off duty at 6 n m continues on dutE until & a. m. the following day. thereby ;l- lowing the second platoon 24 hours off duty and the changing of the night shift to days and vice-versa. ."The second platoon is now on duty each day from 8 a. m. to p. m. and continues so until the eighth day, when. by working A hours, it allows the first platoon the same amount of time off duty and brings the shifts as they were at the start. "This allows each platoon one day off in every eight and each are on duty the same length of time.
 
 like a radical departure, but it is no more so than the change from volun- teer to cal1man, and from callman to the permanent force, or from hcrse- drawn to motor-d driven apparatus, and from steam engines to gasoline pumps all of which have Increased the efficiency many fold. It Is not an ex- pertinent and has been proved a suc- cess in the many cities that have adopted it.
 'There has always been a cry for more leaves of absence which has been met from time to time with in creases in the number of days off and extra leaves of absence until we have arrived at a point where more sci entific and humane adjustment of the firemen's time off is absolutely neces- Sary
 "I'he fire department today is lack ing in availa ble man power and at a time when it should be at the high est state of efficiency. It is hard to get good men to take the entrance ex- aminations, owing to the better hours of labor in all other fields of employ- ment.
 Fifty men receiving one day off in every seven means seven men off duty at all times, leaving 43 men. During five months of the year. four men off duty every day on vaca- ton leaves 30 men; 39 men going to meals in three shifts means 16 men off on meal hours nine hours each day, leaving 22 men. This will give a min imum number of 22 men during nine hours a day divided in eight compa- nies. Seven companies is the maximum number responding to alarms and three is the minimum. One piece of apparatus generally goes on tele- phone calls. Many alarms during meal hours.
 Each man is allowed 99 7-S days out of 365 for meal hours and days off. The above figures are of course subject to slight changes, but the fact remains that each of the 50 men is not imme ediately available for fire 1 duty during 99 7-S days each year. | Men report during meal hours to fires
 sooner or later, but it Is the first eff l fort that counts and decides whether l the fire is to be controlled and eXtin- | guished With small loss or develop ] serious proportions To the above 1 figure could be added church leave
 and other leaves of absence, which l would not be necessary under the two 1 platoon system
 Proposed Two Platoon System. By adding 22 men to the permanent 1 force at a cost of s32,12O the city will
 be able to install the two platoon sys-
 tenn, adopted by almost 200 cities in 1 the United States and aCnada. Summary.
 The necessity for and advantage
 gained by the two platoon system in
 the fire department:
 1 The necessity of obtaining com 1 potent and reliable men.
 ?. The two platoon offers sufficient l inducem ents.
 3. By adding 22 men and instal1- l ing the two platoon system, the de- l partment would be far more efficient 4. Cost of installing the two pla-
 toon system $32,120.
 5. Added efficiency from the two l platoon system would result by hav-
 ing:
 (a) The same number of men on l duty at all times.
 charge of regular officer at all times (c) An organized reserve force
 subject to call.
 l (d) Men detailed to specific duties ] (e) Men relieved who are tired
 out, sick or exhausted from arduous
 fire duty to obtain unbroken rest. l (f) A higher standard of physical 1 condition and health of officers and
 men.
 (g) More satisfactory work done
 by the men.
 (h) Good men retained in the serv-
 ice.