Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-07-09
DEPARTMENT HAS
INADEQUATE FORCE
NOT SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF
FIREMEN TO SERVE FROM
TWO STATIONS.
CONDITION
AT SOUTH SIDE STATION


Man Unable to Drive Truck-Ques-
ton Of Maintaining Two Stations is
Revived.
Inc question of whether the city
Is to maintain two fire stations or
move the south side crew to the
central station has again bobbed up.
II conditions existing in the depart.
ment are TO remain unchanged the
question is debatab!e one. From
the standpoint of upkeep the advan-
tase is all with the one station plan,
but with the Third avenue viaduct
oiocNed during the summer months
south side manufacturers and resi-
dents are justified in protesting
against the closing OF No. . station.
From the viewpoint of the fire
Chief and the tiremen. however.
maintenance of two stations has be-
come serious problem. In for
mer years the city employed ten and
eleven men in the fire department.;
TO-DAY there are only eight men, in
Guiding the chief. on the payroll.
Members of the department are
given summer vacation and with
one man off most of the time seven
men are left to man the two stations.
Then, every fourth day is relief day
for one man, leaving six men avail
able every day during the vacation
period. There are only three men
now stationed at the south side. AT
present, one Is on vacation and at
meal hours only one mau is left to
answer calls and drive the wagon.
Fine Situation, at No. 2.
One of the men at the south side
station is new man who has not
yet learned to drive the truck
When he is left alone at the station
the south side can expect little help
from its fire crew unless the new
fireman seizes an ak and bucket and
exist until the southsiders have had
their vacation. and even after that
only two men will be on duty on re-
lief days.
The normal crew OF the central
station is five men, including the
chief. One man is now on vacation
and with the four men left, one man
If off every day. leaving fire
fighting crew Of three. At meal
hours the station crew is reduced to
two men. and at one hour of the day
the entire department numbers three
men, with the lone firman' at No. =
station unable to get the truck out
OF the house.
Fireman's Life is jolly.
Some of the puzzle selvers have
questioned the advisa bility OF
abolishing the zone day in four oft
system. The suggestion would come
only from one not familiar with the
life of fireman. The men are on
duty twenty-four hours a day. A,
present the captain of company No.
is taking thirty minutes for meals
SO as not to leave the station shors
Of men for any greater length OF
time than possible.
To- add to the pleasure Of fire life
one member of the central crew is
obliged to act as patrol driver and
is held ready for call of the police.
The upkeep Of the patrol wagon is
placed with the flremen. For driving
the patrol driver receives $25
month from the police department
fund, not in addition to his salary as
a fireman but as part OF that
salary Patrol calls have run as high
as six and seven a night and the
call wakens all the fire crew and re-
ouires two to leave their beds. one
as driver, the other to close the doors
after the patrol has left the station.
"a. xzff emf Aa-etaoil. shrdl
Jobs Not Attractive.
Critics of the fire department and
those who have wise suggestions as
to how it should be run will find
jobs open to them as members at al
most any time. The chief must now
pick men as he can, the pay is not
attracting applicants.
This antipathy for positions with
the department might have been re-
lieved had the two platoon system
been established. in lieu of another
wage increase. Mason City. Ottumwa,
Fort Dodge. Waterloo, Cedar Rapids,
Des Moines. Sioux City. Dubuque
and other Iowa cities have the two
platoon system, which permits of one
crew working nights, the other days.
The force must be slightly increased
but the installation of the system
does not mean the doubling of the
present forces The system of every
fourth day off, would be abolished
and the men now in service would
be willing to forego a vacation if the
system were adopted.
It is claimed by advocates Of the
system that during the past twelve
months more than 80 towns have
adopted the two platoon system.
More Men or onS Station.
The men, however. are not now
urging the two platoon system. They
heteve that the south side crew
should be brought to the central
station or that the city council should
secure more men so that the south
side station could be properly man.
ned. They believe that with all the
can be rendered in any part of the
CITY tndIl 10 operate Tie SOulH Sue
station partly manned.
In reply to a query as to the situa-
ton a member of the council said.
1--WE are getting along very we'll" He
spoke truly. for during the month of
May there was no fire loss in the city.
POLICE ACTIVE ELSEWHERE.