New Britain herald., 1923-10-08
RADIO ID BE USED
 ON FIRE PREVENTION
Information to Be BrOadcasted
 Enabling Il to Reach Millions

New York. Oct. s-''FiFe prsFsns ftiaa week. throughout the United states and Canada begins today, fas entire population of the i~e sean. l.ies will he urged to concentrate. during the next six days. upon the problem Of decreasing q fire lass whieh last year resulted in the death Of ls.eo0 persons and the destruction of more than ssse.eee.eee worth Of property,
 it is estimated, according 10 the Underwriters Laboratories, that bes tween 70 and ss per cent Of this sner- nous waste is preyeniahle by oFdins ary care. and it is a fact that the waste. in spite Of efforts 10 prevent II. is increasing rather than decreasing year after year, The per capita loss in the United States is approximately sa. The per capita loss in Holland is n cents, The nearest approach to the huge per capita in America Is approximately ib cents In England and France.
 Iiadi0 to Break
 In order to reach the largest pohs sible number Of people with an ap- peal 10 prevent fires. advantage Is being taken by radio transmission George B. ,Muldaur. general agent of tho Underwriters Laboratories, has prepared an address which Is to be broadcast tonight from is different radio stations in this country and Canada. The estimate of the num- ber Of people who will hear this message through the air runs as high as 10000. .00o. The address reads in part as follows:
 "The time 10 put out Il fire Is be- fore it starts: in other words. pre- yention. While the use of Improper building material Is doubtless the cause Of large proportion of our industrial fire loss, 1t Is certainly true that bad housekeeping. both in the home and industrial establishments, permits the starting of an enormous number of fires which could never take place is simple rules Of order and neatness were observed.
 How much do you know about the fire hazards existing in your own home? One of the most dangerous things in house Is the common match, because 1t is apt to be left carelessly about, within the reach of children or where it may be dropped and stepped upon. Matches care lessly thrown away after lighting, are alone accountable for many millions of dollars of fire loss. An electric iron is a most useful implement, but if left alone with the current turned on will almost invariably cause fire. The same is true of many other elec- trical devices, excellent in themselves, but a menace when improperly used. Greasy cloths, if thrown together and left for any length of time, will ig- nite spontaneously. Nothing is more dangerous than 10 throw such rags and other rubbish into closet or wooden receptacle. All cleaning cloths and fluids should be kept by themselves away from combustible material. All parts of the house, from attic to cellar should be kept free from accumulation of any kind of rubbish. A small blaze once start cd in a rubbish pile makes headway with unexpected rapidity. and it is difficult to approach such fire when hampered by an accumulation of ars ticles which have no business to be there.
 Where Is the Box? Do you know the location of the fire alarm box nearest your house? If not, find out. Do not depend upon the telephone to send in a fire alarm. Bear in mind that a clean house is a safe house, and that every house should be clean at all times and free from all accumulation of unneces- sary articles.
 Kerosene lamps, if used, should be kept well away from any inflam- mable part of the building, and the kerosene itself kept in metal can outside of the house. It is not nec- essary to use infammable cleaning fluids. Ashes should always be kept in metal cans and not allowed to ac- cumulate. Walls and floors should be protected by metal or asbestos cov- ering from stoves and pipes.
 "Do not use wooden shingles. En- tire cities have been destroyed be- cause the majority of the houses were shinge covered and roofs have been ignited by burning brands carried by the wind for distances of more than mile. Defective chimneys have caused countless fires. Keep your chimneys clean.
 Carefully inspect all gas and elec- tric connections, and do not use rub Der tubes for gas appliances. Buy u few fire extnguishcrs and keep them where they can be got at. You will not have to use them often, but when you want them, you want them bad ly."