South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-10-03
COMMERCE CHAMBER
GIVES R ULES FOR
PREVENTING FIRES
Fire Chief Tells of Plan TO
Give Prizes TO School Pu-
pills for Essays.

To help avoid the nations half
billion annual FIRE loss the Chamber
OF Commerce Monday the FIRST day
OF Fire Prevention week. issued a
lev rules Ges sued 20 reduce FIRE
hazards in the home These rules
follow
Before starting the fires for the
vlr1er. it Is important that careful
attention be given 20 the chimneys
and huea FOR z they are neglected
the entire home may be reduced to
q few charred tm bers merely be-
cause 81 lack OF care During the
Eve years ending 1920. property VAL
ued in excess on $12.000.000 was de-
stroyed annually as the result Of de-
fec.tve chimueys and fues. The
larger part Of this loss could have
been prevented r an inspection had
been made. SCOT cleaned out and
the necessary repairs made before
the FIRE was built in the fall.
oils and gasoline take their an
nual toll Of destruction because
someone uses them careIessly or ig-
uCrartly Kerosene or gasoline - a
% lA ~ us ae-A ~ "a aAA hH tAHAA 900 -+A--
FIRE I'm the stove or furnace. Oily
rnops or rags often cause fires from
spontaneous combustion. They
should therefore be always kept in
metal containers.
Watch Electric Apparatus.
Electric lighting and heating ap-
paratus should be carefully installed
and frequently inspected. Electric
tty alone caused an average Of $lf,-
100000 loss annually during the five
year period ending 1920.
r disorder and untdiness breed
fires. Careful attention should
therefore be given by the household
sr 10 the removal Of all rubbish
from cellars, attics and cupboards-
"All open ligh.s IN a home should
Re properly protected. Care should
be taken that curtains or other in
fammabIe material cannot blow
into the fame Of the gas light
Screens should be placed in front Of
open fTe~places go thai no one can
accidentally get his clothes in con-
tact with the fame.
Lighted matches. cigar or Gig
arctic butts should be properly dis
posed Of.
Hot water. not fires should be
used % thaw frozen water pipes.
individuals Duty.
Every individual owes it TO him
eeif. his family and his neighbors 70
use every means possible 10 remove
the cause OF fire in his home. He
should realize that carelessne ss or
thoughtIessness on his part may not
only deprive him of his property but
cause loss and suffering 10 others,
since a fire rapidly spreads. The
householder should therefore be
constantly alert and ever on the
lockout for apparently small things
which may result i'm disaster in
volving the loss of home and posi-
bly, OF lives"
According 10 Fire Chief L. W. s.
brel. a feature Of the Fire Proven
tor week will be the awarding oil
liberal prizes TO school children fol
the hes. essays on the subject Of FIRE
prevention. The children are 70 bt
divided into three different classes
and prizes OF s.. SO and 81 viii be
given the three best esscyists n each
division or class.
Provide QuestiOnnaires.
Ir addition to this and as an ex-
Terimcnt. school children are beins
provided with quest .onuaires % take
home. containing as many as 81
ouestions germane 90 the subject oil
FIRE prevention. These question
naires are so arranged that, If par
ents answer them in the spirit o
honest cooperation. -he FIRE depart
ment officials Will have some help
fui and much desired knowledge o
prevailing conditions In the homes
Although as many Inspections a.
possible viii be made during tn
week. the chief explained that It il
the intention of the department no
70 make itself a nuisance hut 10 &c
fair knowledge Of tho situation re
srccting FIRE prevention as q matte
az civic good