Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-11-10
FIRE MARSHAL GEO. w. ELLIOTT
On Results of Fire Prevention Week

WHILE the results of Fire Prevention
w Week are not always tangible or TO
be Judged BY definite facts and figures, still
It Is Internationally having more and more
effect each year, as Is shown BY the rela'
lively decreasing number Of fires OF the spe-
cial kinds against which the week Is aimed,
says Fire Marshal George W. Elliott.
Fire Prevention Week Is almost entirely
cducational," said Fire Marshal Elliott.
''The change from single day to an entire
week gave us. among other things, the
chance to reach the public schools with
small opportunity to do in single day.
When it is considered that We reached sew
enty.tive schools with an average attend.
ance Of about 200 pupils at each session.
making Is, 900 in all who heard the ad-
dresses. it will be seen that this was quite
an important feature Of the week.
Pupils Were interested
"In addition to this there was n big as:
semblagc in the high schools Mt which all
had as many rs three addresses made IN
single school In one day to reach all grades.
zone thing which was especially notice.
able was this the work of the pupils in
making drawings and posters and In writing
essays on fire prevention indicates that
they took far greater interest In the event
this year than ever before. The interest
and the influence Of the teachers. too, were
very great, far beyond what most persons
would think, and. Of course, 1t was very
valuable for the work:
1.-THE direct results Of movement like
fire prevention are something which cannot
BE- seen. All educational processes are slow
of growth. but we have every reason to
believe that much progress IL being made on
this important matter-a thing which affects
the financial condition Of every man and
woman in the city and country.
Ecnp To-. hsol
twenty .one lives were lost, and Of this num-
Der OF fires 1901 were In dwellings. While
there were n lot Of fires In business places
and many false alarms. the percentage OF
fires in the dwellings that year was very
high There was the usual large number OF
| false alarms. one of the worst nuiSanccs
with which the fire department has to con-
tend.
Almost 1000 False Alarms
"Of these false alarms 200 were nttrib.
uted to fright on the part OF the dwellrrs
Of the buildings; there were 30! honest mis-.
takes and 157 malicious false alarms, total
OF so. The total number OF alarms includes
Ave buildings which had collapsed without
fire resulting from it, but to which the fire.
men We're called to assist In rescuing per-
sons, and also five or six times when the
city tiremen were summoned over the county
lines into Bucks or Montgomery Counties.
'"rhera wrrr also $50 fires in automobiles
not in houses or buildings ut the time of
the fires.
'"Therc has been considerable decrease
in the number Of fires caused by children
| playing with matches or with fire. This |
am convinced, is due to the campaign OF
education in 'he schools by Fire Prevention
Week and not to the vigilance of the OFF
GERS of the law. Last year there were 222
fires caused BY children, playing with
matches. and while the number Is still large,
1t shows substantial decrease. which Is
gratifying.
Observed for Ten Years
"Firc Prevention Day has now been Oh.
served for about ten years, this being the
| first time that it was extended to q week
In the last three years It has been the sub.
| ject Of a presidential proclamation. and it
| Ia becoming Il more important affair and
| more generally observed each year. 1t Ia
| only n question of time when II shall be 10
generally observed and its teachings taken
so much to heart by the public that the
| number Of fires Of unnecessary or careless
origin shall be reduced to minimum.
'The calendar manufacturers have put II
on their calendars as n regular day to be
observed throughout the country. The day
was placed in the fall on account of the
rreat amount Of trouble that persons usually
Ind with Aues at that time OF the year, and
October o was selected as the especial day
because 1t IL the anniversary of the great
Chicago FIRE.
"Of course, we are aiming at particular
kinds Of Rres In this campaign. Last year.
Tor example, We had In Philadelphia OH
6res due to the careless use Of matches