Evening journal., 1922-08-26
CASE OF
FIRE, CHIEFLJ77ZU URGES

Fire Chief Lutz has today issued
message addressed 20 the citizens
OF Wilmington on fre prevention
and the proper method Of sending in
fire alarm calls.
After calling attention to the slo-
gan OF the fire bureau. which is
Let the Citizens Be the Fire Pre-
yenters. and the Firemen the Fire
Fighters" he says:
'careiessness is the greatest and
most frequent cause Of fires IN the
United States. This has been clearly
demonstrated in the past year in the
city Of Wilmington, Delaware. II
the citizens would use a little care
and judgment in their daily work
approximately so per cent. OF the
fires would not be started. This Is
particularly true Of placing hot
ashes in wooden boxes in the cellar,
OF having the match box within
reach of small children. Careless
rnokers have also been the cause of
many fires in this city during the
past year. damaging much property,
and furniture. and endangering the
lives Of many people. Housewives
opening windows and allowing the
breeze to blow the curtains around
when the gas Jets are near the cur
tains has caused quite a few fires.
Overheated furnaces. and allowing
hot electric irons 10 stand or any
other kind OF irons 10 come into
contact with wood. rags. etc. We
have had a heavy FIRE loss in this
city for some months past due 70
car elessness which should be elm
mated. Perhaps this will not be
fully appreciated until someone is
careless in your own home. and
cause much damage by fre. but the
average citizen can realize the perils
10 which carelessness subject them
selves 10.
IL Nearby, Call f400.
When a fire occurs in or near
-our house, the best results viii be
obtained by calling 400. the fire
phone. Someone is always on this
phone to receive fre calls. and II
the csll is properly made, no trouble
or delay will be experienced in
reaching the scene OF the fire. Calls
should be made as follows: CHM
ney on FIRE at. 952 Market street. or
'fire in kitchen. n. W. Cor. (sive
streets)' The proper address is alb
soluteiy necessary to avoid delay and
perhaps save much property. II the
Are is in an out OF the way place I
give instructions as to how to reach
II. as this also will save time in
reaching the fire.
'If YOU are nearer TO fire alarm
box than you are TO a phone, strike
the box IL fire is a threatening one
(but not II only a small fire is seen).
To strike the box II is necessary TO
open the door-and pull down the
go immediately Use
a kew or knife. in breaking the |
glass 10 open the door, I'd prevent
glass from cutting the hand. BE
sure TO pull lever on II. inside Of
the box. otherwise the -crm Will
not be received. -.
AT one of our recent be hres'
the watchman of the pant ran to
the fire alarm box, broke the glass
opened the door. and stood wait
ing for the engines TO come. Con-
siderable headway was gained by
The fire before some other party
knowing how to strike a fire alarm
box turned in the alarm. This has
,een done several times. and the
nan who does this is the man who
always kicks when the engines do
rot respond to the supposed alarm.
This was clearly demonstrated a
hort time ago, when there was
ire in the center OF the city, and
nan opened the door. and did not
,ull the lever A number of pro-
ests were received about the bad
ire alarm system, and slow response
" the fire department. but no one
vas was responsible except the man.
Who did not strike the alarm prop
rly.
7alse Alarm Fiends.
"Seventy-five per cent OF the 1flres
n this city can be handled by one