Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-12-01
CITY OVERBOUGHT
FIRE EQUIPMENT


ment differs from that contemplated by
the board Of safety. The city board has
PLANNED to have 239 men on duty day
and night when the two-platOon system
Is Pot into effect. The national board,
basiDg its view on the experience Of
citiea over the country, suggests 1t
would be better to have pa men on duty
days and 294 nights.
POINTS OUT
POSSIBLE SAVING.
In his letter Of Nov. II. accompanying
the detailed recommendations, NJ. Sell
ers points out that by purchasing motor
equipment according to the underwriters
outline the city could have saved the ex-
penSe of eight combined pump. chefni-
cal and hose wagons. one sixty fvg-foOt
aerial truck and three service wagons.
Roughly estimated this would figure an
unnecessary expenditure by the board
on motor equipment OF around $4,000.
The most astonishing fact brought out
by the underwriters is that the city will
not receive any credit IN its rating as to
protection from fire because Of this ex-
ira equipment, but may actually lose
credit
In the rating of cities the National
Board Of Fire Underwriters uses point
system, adding to the points when the
city has some undesirable feature and
deducting therefrom when the undesir-
able feature is eliminated or a desirable
feature added.
Indianapolis at present has rating
Of 1913. This puts the city in the fourth
class, which includes all municipalities
with q rating Of between 1900 and 2,OVO
Despite this fourth class rating, the city
several years ago obtained a reduction
in FORE
for cities of the third class OF premises
to make certain Improvements In the fire
fighting system. Some Of these promises
have been fulfilled, but most have not,
as the lengthy list of recommendations
given by Mr.. Sellers indicates.
POINTS WAY TO
MORE CREDITS.
Mr.. Sellers stated that If the city will
make all the changes recommended, S6t
dement's may be turned into credits and
the city's rating as to lack OF protection
reduced TO Ill. This would put lndi-
annapolis IN the second class for insur-
ance rates. There are only two munich
palities in the country in this class st
present Nj Townsend stated These are
two small cities IN Massachusetts, which
enjoy their rating chiefly because their
fire lighting system is necessarily so
simple lHeAE NoA HUI W ---
with it.
The SGT dement's which would be lost
by Improvements would be divided as
follows:
water supply, IA; fire department.
bO4: fire alarm system, 14T; building
laws. 81: explosives and infammables. IS.
The general views Of the underwriters
regarding the indianapolis situation are
outlined by Mr.. Sellers In his Nov. i
letter to the board as follows:
LETTER OUTLINES
PROTECTION BASIS.
In compliance with your request, the
protection has been graded according 10
improvements contemplated comprislhS
the purchase Of eighteen 600 gallon ana
seven T5G- gallon combined pump, chem
zeal and hose wagons; ten service trucks :
ono ei-ht- fve-fOOt and two sixty five
foot aerial trucks: two tractors Tor
steamers; one supply and fuel wagon
all automobile; powerful stream apph-
anres: minor equipment and hose; the
erection and equipping OF two additional
FIRE stations and repair shop; by increas-
ing the number Of company members Ito
onerata under the double platoon sys-
fe1nl so that there viii be a minimum
ON dutv Of go fremen each shift tiuclud-
ing the proposed two engine and one
ladder company and by arranging the
rasDOnse to alarms so as TO meet stand
erd requirements. which result Is
credit OF 242 points and reduces the total
number Of deficiency points 10 l.3oS, or
a Grade Of protection Of the third class
Satisfactory protection for the clty's
present needs would not require the pug