Norwich bulletin., 1921-03-23
WOULD IMPOSE TNO-PLATOON SYSTEM
 ON ALL STATES FIRE DEPARTMENTS


 ability, length of vacations and all oth- er matters pertaining tq thu management of the department are left entirely to the governing bodies of the several depart- ments.
 The exception of the chief engineer from the provisions of the bill is made at the request of the various chiefs who will be in full command of the depart ment at all times.
 Application in Norwich.
 Should this act. be passed by the leg lslature 1t will mean additional expense to the city of Norwich as well as to every other city town or borough where there is fre-fghting force. When asked about his view of the bill Chiet Howard l.. stanton said on Tuesday evening that he was heartily opposed to the measure as mandatory bill because he was of the opinion that any such measure should be left entirely with the people of the town, city or borough.
 Chief Stanton went on to say that should the two-platoon system become effective it would mean that the Norwich fire-fghting force would have to be in- creased at least 20 men. The addition of 20 men would mean an increase in the payroll of the, Norwich fire department of SO to 100 per cent which in turn would mean additional taxation. have one ot the best personnels of any city in the country and I believe that my boys are heartily in favor of the present system and know that none of them have had anything to do with .s2 fostering of the bilf as 1t is solely fos Ircd D. the Con necticut State Firemen's association, said Chief Stanton. This bill will do away with file pres- ent system where man has one day in hYe off and it will do away with all vacations. A man under the two-pla. too system will work twelve hours a day and have no time off for meals There Will be a day and night shift which will alternate on the shifts, oBt set of men working nights for a weel or so and the other working days. The whole matter, said Chief Stanton. mar rows down to matter of finance. If | city is well able to pay double the mum | Der of men the present wages all wei and good, but if the city cannot pay th | present wages to an increased fore then the men themse.res will suffer fo the first curtailment of expenses woul naturally be in the wages. There ar hundreds of other ways where a cit such4 as Norwich could cut expenses an In so doing have a larger force of me ! put noI as eHlclent one. In my opinio the matter should be eft with the citie themselves to decide whether they wan and, can support a two-platoon systen | Opposition in Norwich.
 Mayor Herbert M. Lerou said that Il thought that every man of the Norwic fire department was satised with th pesent system and as far as he kney no one of the local department or tn city government were in favor or ha taken any part in the approval of tn measure
 Mayor Lerou. like Chief Stanton, e, pressed himself as opposed to the mea. ure as a mandatory bill and he said ths he thought it should be decided with referendum vote of the people MT. L . rou said that 1t would mean a heavy at 1. ditional expense to the city should u measure be passed and forced upon tt city.
 Several of the members of the dspar ment expressed themselves as not fs voring the bill and thought that 1t woul not work to their advantage should 1t | : passed,