The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-08-29
CON GRESS
SANCTION
SEEN
Proposal Would Be Boon to
Suburbs, Sponsors
Maintain

Creation of a Greater Washing
ton fire department, which would
be one of the greatest in the
country, by amalgamation of all
fire-fighting organizations in the
District of Columbia and in nearby
Maryland and Virginia, within a
radius of fifteen or twenty miles
Of the District, is being fostered
today.
A meeting of all fire chiefs
within a twenty-mile radius of the
National Capital will be called
within the next week or ten days
to lay the foundation for the ANAL
gamation of all fire units and to
plan for creation of model fire
fightin organizations in the
nearby States.
Big Parade To Be Staged
The meeting will be called by
Sergeant A. ]. Bargagni. general
chairman of the firemen's parade,
depicting the evolution of the fire
department, to be held here soon.
The parade will be composed OF
apparatus and floats from all fire
fighting units within the proposed
metropolitan area.
Sergeant Bargagni, who has
served twenty-five years in the
District Fire Department and VINO
is now assigned to Number Truck
Company, Georgetown, will pro-
pose to the assembled fire chiefs
that a permanent organization be
created to which all fire companies
in the metropolitan district would
belong.
The organization would elect a
chief for the Greater Washington
Fire Department, who would have
Jurisdiction over the entire area,
regardless of political boundaries.
While such an organization could
not act in an official caIl.city with
out authorization of CONFESS, it is
held. it would be of tremendous
value in securing permanent plan
of development and uI1ification of
fire companies in Washington, end
its suburbs.
Expects Congress Aid
Congress, / am confident, will
approve the creation Of this Greater
Washington organization" Sergeant
Bargagni said. at has become the
policy of the Government to safe
guard In every possible manner the
life and welfare of its officials and
employees. The District Police and
Fire departments are, as Congress
intended they should be models for
the nation.
But the day when Congress
could safeguard it's workers merely
by exercising supervision over the
District Of Columbia. has passed.
Thousands of Government workers
have gone beyond the District
boundaries TO live and have built up
the prosperous and expanGing COM
munities in nearby Maryland and
Virginia.
"Shall these Government workers
be denied the safeguards Congress
wishes to throw about it's employees,
merely because they live a short
distance beyond the boundary line
Of the District? / don't think Con-
gress will permit such a condition
10 exist. especially when it can be
remedied without expenditure of
Government money"
Model Fire Fighting Unit, Plan
1t is proposed that the Greater
Washington fire department shall
be the basis upon which future or
CARNATIONS in Washington's Mary
land and Virginia suburbs may be
patterned. Chiefs of all the depart
ments would agree upon standard
equipment, housing, fire fighting
methods and standards for firemen,
which then would become standard
for all units.
The organization, according to
present plans, would designate fire
areas in Maryland and Virginia
similar to those in the District, lay
out areas and fire runs for sub
urban equipment and extend met
ropolitan standards to all the near
by territory.
The new Washington water sup
ply system will solve the problem
of high pressure water in many
square miles of territory in near
by Maryland and Virginia" Ser
geant Bargagni said. Congress
has passed a law providing thai
nearby Maryland communities may
secure water from the District a.
soon as it is available.
IAN aqueduct has been incorpo
rated in the new Key Bridge and
Congress is expected this winter II
pass Q bill extending to nearb!