Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-03
CHIEF ROSS 3. DAVIS
On Fire Alarms and Prevention


4 BOUT 3 per cent of the fire alarms sent
n In in Philadelphia are malicious ones.
and practically all the false alarms come in
this category. according to Ross IL. Davis,
Chief Of the Bureau Of Fire.
'"rhis Is one of the greatest nusances
with which the Fire Bureau has to con-
tend" said Chief Davis, "and il the public
would assist the department in running
down and furnishing those persons who send
considerable item of saving to the city. 1t
Is impossible to estimate the cost OF re-
spending to an alarm, but. when 1t Is con-
sidercd that from twelve to eighteen pieces
Of fire apparatus respond to each call. it
will be readily seen that the cost to the
city is not small.
How to stop 1t
"But in addition to the cost there is the
constant risk of accident to pedestrians
caused by moving the heavy fire apparatus
at n necessarily somewhat high speed through
the city's congested streets.
1--WE have succeeded in having the PEN
, alties for sending malicious false alarm
| made very severe by the last Legislature
| and these penalties are now fine OF not
more than $500 and imprisonment for
| period not to exceed two years. or both.
II admit that it IL difficult to obtain
| convictions under the law, but few con-
|
those who set Of fire alarm nccdlessly. or
rather malciously. The great trouble in
securing convictions is the necessity in the
eyes Of the magistrates for having eye.
witnesses Of the misdemeanor.
| ''In the course of q year there are De'
tween 5000 and 5000 fire alarms sent In.
OF these, there were 3S7 false alarms in
| 1921 and 432 alarms which were tinneces-
sary. This was II decrease over 1870, when
there were 4S3 false alarms and 430 un-
| necessary ones.
Every large city has the same expert.
| ence with false and malicious alarms. and
| we probably do not suffer relatively to any
| greater extent than other cities Of the size
Of Philadelphia. But ii we could eradicate
the malicious alarms evil, we would gladly
| enough answer those alarms which are un.
necessary but which are honestly sent.
| Things the Public Should Know
| "The average citizen very often does not
| know exactly what to do when fire Is dis
covered in his home. One excellent way Is
to call Emergency on the phone and ask
that a fire company be sent to the house,
stving the address clearly and distinctly, to
| avoid repetition and delay. These messages
are delivyed very quickly and the fire com :
| pany nearest the house Is notified to respond.
",rhis saves the expense of calling out an
unnecessary number Of companies, as a sin =
gle company can handle almost any dwelling
house fire and the captain of that company
| will know at once Wnether or NOT ne VIII
need assistance.
MANY persons also do not know how to
handle the fire alarm boxes. The glass
should be broken, the key turned which
opens the door and the lever pulled down
once and allowed to go up, which it will
do Of itself. Most persons know this, but
they do not know that the alarm box will
tell them whether the alarm has been trans
mitted safely. There is little bell on the
inside of the box and If the alarm has been
correctly sent, this bell will ring ten strokes
then pause and then ring the number of the
fire box, which is on the outside of the box.
II will do this four times, and If the person
giving the alarm hears this, he may know
that the alarm has been turned in correctly.
"It is also a wise precaution to look up
In the telephone book the number of the fire
company nearest the home and to make a
memorandum of this number on curd, which
should be kept close to the phone for emer
gencies. The fire company can then be called
directly in case OF need and il the house
holder thinks 1t wise he can also notify
Emergency a moment later.
Carelessness the Main Cause
"But more important than to know how
to give the alarm quickly and accurately is
the best way OF preventing a fire from sta RI :
Ing. Carelessness 10 by far the greates,
cause Of fires In any city, and with prone,
precautions believe that the number ~ 6,o.
annually would he reduced BY at least In
per cent and probably the percentages woni,
be higher than this. Careless handlinr NJ
| matches, hot ashes placed In wooden rs'
| cepteples and lace curtains too near ,hs
, | ~ ~ the chief eaupss Of DWELLING 6res .''
Z 0asoi1ss used ,eatelessly 1or cieanin,