Evening journal., 1920-07-20
URGESP PAID
FIRE SERVICE
Installation Would Cost
100000; Maintenance
$214,00O Yearly
NEED 1O8 MEN
FOR II COMPANIES

Members OF the Conservation and
Fire Prevention Committee OF the
Chamber OF Commerce were Informed
at a meeting yesterday afternoon by
j. n. Rowland OF the National Board
Of Fire Underwriters, that II this
city Is TO be spared the catastrophe or
a serious fire with possible loss Of
life the present volunteer lire depart
ment should be supplanted by a paid
department.
Mr.. Rowland presented an itemized
statement showing that paid fire
department would cost the city about
100000 These figures Mr.. Rowland
said, provided for a department that
would meet the minimum require
menis.
Mr. Rowland who is an engineer
In The employ OF the Underwriters
Association said that the larger fire
Insurance companies were deeply in
ieresied I'm the local situation and
there was a possibility that the poll
cies held here would be withdrawn
unless more adequate fire protection
Is given property owners.
The principal objection Mr.. How
land could ind with the volunteer
system was the fact thai the books
OF many OF the fire companies have
been closed for years so that the ma
iOrty OF the men In the department
are no longer young and would be in
competent OF meeting such tasks as
bringing persons down ladders from
burning buildings or doing the other
tasks which would require the
strength Of younger men. He also
declared that no department could
expect TO be called efficient which
did not require It's men 10 drill in
fire prevention and life saving work,
natural talents. TO be flremen.
The estimate, as prepared by Mr..
ll0Wland from present day quota
ilons, for a paid fire department OF
minimum strength cOnlemplates ten
stations and twelve companies OF
these there would be nine engine
companies and three ladder cOmpan-
les. The cost OF necessary equipment
as quoted by Mr.. Rowland for the
Fire Prevention Committee, was as
follows.
Three one thousand gallons. COM
blnation pumping engines, $4,000;
three combination hose wagons.
$4,000, two. seventy-f00t aerial lad
ladder trucks. $4,000; seven six
thousand gallon triple combination
pumping engines, for use In the out
lying districts, Sn,750; 10000 feet Of
hose. SOP 600
The paid fire department. Mr.. How
land believes. should be organized on
a two platoon basis. with one chief,
one assistant chief, ten captains.
twelve lieutenants, a master me-
chanlc department clerk and iOs men.
The total salaries. according to this
estimate would be S2ii,i00 annually.
This provides a salary OF SO GOO for
The chief OF the department. assistant
chief. S2700; captains $1,000.
The maintenance OF the department.
he said. would cost $4,000 a year in
addition TO the salaries The con-
structi0n OF ten new buildings would
cost s225,0O0 according to the stand
ards for fre houses as approved by
the National Board OF Fire under-
writer's.
An OF the estimates Mr.. Rowland
declared would be reduced consider
ably by The purchase OF the equip
ment OF those companies which arc
willing 10 sell 10 the city.
The iahulated estimate OF the initial
cost or the paid fire department is as
follows:
New equipment ..............s .s207. .750
caalles ....................-. t.fW
Maintenance ................. $4,000
Buildings lten stationsl....... 225,0OO
Total, exclusive OF land. e.. s696 .sJd