Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-04-03

In the last issue this column dealt
with better fire protection stand
ards for the vital records of bust
ness. When vital records are men
toned we at once think of cons
tracts, notes. inventories, etc. There
are many other records, however,
which must be retained, and yet
which do not warrant an invest
ment in filing equipment Offering
high resistance to fire. The dis
cussion, therefore, will be incom-
plete without suggesting ways and
means to protect this semi-valua-
Bile business data.
American business houses are
noted for their recuperatiye powers
after a fire. Usually the business
man who has been burned out
makes ii a point Of pride to start
up again in temporary quarters the
next day 1t is at such time that
the possession intact, not only OF
the vital records but of the semi
valuable records is keenly appre-
ciated. This last class includes data
covering many current transactions,
and the ability 10 carry on in
such an emergency will go a long
way toward preserving unimpaired
credit and goodwill
When the Alarm Sounds.
When a fire occurs in an office
the employees are bound TO become
highly excited Their first thought
naturally is the preservation or hu-
man life. The value of records
sinks by comparison. The ease and
rapidity, then, with which employees
can put records in containers and
lock these containers is an impor-
tant point in selecting equipment
for fire protection.
Many offices have solved this
problem by using metal filing cabi-
nets with automatic locking de-
vices. These metal containers are
not designed to give complete pro-
lection. Their chief virtues lie in
the fact that they are not in them
selves combus;ible, and that all
drawers in any unit can be quickly
locked up by one operation.
The value of filing drawers which
can be locked quickly in case OF
fire is important for this reason.
Suppose the floors sag or fall, as
they often do in a conflagratlon.
Filing cabinets will be tipped over,
and the drawers will slide out, de-
posting their contents in the
flames. If the records escape the
fire itself, they are sure Is be
ruined by water.
Methods of Protection.
One method of insuring that rec
l, -, fnfO nd
filing drawers locked, is 10 place
a filing cabinet near the desk of the
person referring to that particular
file most often. In this way clerk
need have out of the file only such
records as he is actually working
on at any time. Then, in case OF
fire, it is but the work Of a min
ute to clear his desk of papers re-
place them in the files and lock the
cabinets.
In many offices a fire drill is re-
CURED not only to practice a RAPID
exist from the building; but To
make mechanical the act of putting
| away records and locking files
when the alarm rings. Such drill
| lessons the risk that current rec
OruS Will ne SlltNi oNtl .i'ohSt -
be destroyed or to add TO the fueI
/ of the flames.
I These suggestionsyare offered be-
cause in some offices the ledgerS
and a number of the records are
! kept in vaults. During a business
day many of these records will be
| taken out of the vault for briet use
and then left out until closing time
because of the extra steps or min
utes required to put them back, In
| this way if a fire occurs 1t VIII take
more time than may be available
| to place all records in safety.
Finally a good rule to adopt
whether for vaults or filing cabl-
nets, is that all records be returned
to the files or fireproof record con-
| tainers as soon as employees are
through using them. This Will in
sure that no papers or books are
left in desks overnight, The ten
dency is to keep in desk drawers
| the records needed to complete to-
morrow's task. If all records are
placed in the fireproof containet
every night, the little. extra effort
and time required will more than
repay for itself in better fire pro-
| lection, and the speedy renewal OF
business in case of disaster.