Evening star., 1925-06-28

The city of Dallas, Tex, which was
the first to install radio as an adjunct
of it's fire alarm system. has modern
| lied its equipment so as to operate au-
| tomatically from a 50-watt tube trans
mitter simultaneously with regular
| fire alarm calls.
Invented and installed by Supt.
Henry Garrett of the Police and Fire
Signal Department, this automatic ra-
dio fire alarm is unique in that 1t Will
enable headquarters to keep In touch
with it's stations, apparatus and men
practically all the time, insuring eff
! cient operation, saving money and
property, as we'll as considerable time.
The alarm signals are not disturbing
and are only on the air two or three
minutes.
| The Department of Commerce has
| assigned the call letters kVP to TINS
new station and a special operating
wave length of JAG meters, with the
understanding that it will not be used
| for MESA ges, but solely for transmit
! ting the fire box and code numbers.
! The fire box numbers are intelligible
to all listeners, but the code numbers
notify drivers of apparatus to call
| hea duuarters for instructions and cr-
| derS.
| AS installed in 1921, the original sys-
| tenn was part of the program OF the
city radio broadcaster, but now 1t is
separate. According to Supt. Garrett,
| the system is of great importance TO
the Dallas Fire Department.. when
| works its $50 firemen in two shifts.
Most of the firemen have radio receiv-
ers in their homes and, as many OF
them listen in when off duty. they keep
| in touch with headquarters. Ordlna-
| rily they do not have to respond TO
| alarms when not on duty, but tney are
required to do so on second or tniru
alarms Having heard second alarm
| by radio, the firemen drive dlrectiy 10
| the location in their automoblleS. sec
ond and third alarms are frequently
sent out, and it is only by radlo tna'
these men can be reached quickly
enough to be OF service III SuSii eiiiei
gencies.
At large fires, when most OF the ap-
naratus was in action and the chlefs
and captains were on the scene, II
! vas almost impossible to get In touch
with either officers or pieces or equip
| ment. but under the new scheme TINS
situation is handled nicely. III an
alarm is sounded for hre IN an
other part of the city it is Immediately
receiyed on the radio-equipped cars
wherever they are, and some OF the
units are dispatched directly to the
| second fire without delay.
The radio alarm system, which op'
crates automatically whenever a reg
ular alarm is rung at fire box, also
operates similarly when fire Is un'
der control or extinguished, saving un'
| necessary wear and tear on apparatus
and fuel. 1t also serves to recall
units en- route when not needed at
the particular point threatened. Ap
paratus running to fire some dis
! lance from it's station may be checked
| to normal speed or recalled by radio
| taps" to it's proper station. Usually
| the nearest chief reached the scene OF
the fire before the distant apparatus
and is thus enabled to sound taps
| if the fire is checked. relieving the ap
| preaching fire equipment from duty
| in that section. If the chief on duty
| finds the alarm was only for a grass
| or automobile fire he Immediately
/ sounds taps" stopping all units
which are not needed.
Besides reducing wear and tear on
apparatus, the new system mininizes
accidents due to rapid driving and
saves fuel. But chiefly it enables the
! Fire Department to get back on tts