Evening star., 1926-05-09
Firefiehters in the District.

would be hooked into the sill OF the
second story window and q man carry
ing another ladder climb up, hook
himself on near the top, attach the
second ladder TO the roof OF the build-
ing' and continue upward. The same
maneuver was also accomplished by
two men with one ladder
They would both ascend to the
second story window and there inter-
lock their pompier belt hooks. One
would then straddle the sill, detach
and raise the ladder to the roof, un-
fasten the hooks. and go on up. De
scending, the process would be re-
versed
With nothing but the hard pave
ment beneath the men during the drill,
the suggestion naturally arose that 1t
might be wise to have u net under the
ladders as precautionary measure.
Discussion Of the matter disclosed,
however, that nets are used when re-
cruits go through this drill, but for
experienced ladder men of the variety
composing truck company No.
nets would be unnecessary. Further
more the use of q net would be i'm
practical at fire. and the conditions
existing at q real blaze are followed
as closely as possible In practice.
No. 6's period closed with a tool
quiz and indoor district drill almost
identical with that given the engine
company. Listening to the explana-
tions Of the construction and operation
Of the technical devices carried on the
machines and the correct answers to
all questions regarding fire boxes, hy-
drants and runs in the company's dis
trict, 1t became apparent that men of
no mean mental caliber were required
nv the fire deDartment.
Those who man the auxiliary appa.
ratus are also subject to constant
tests. Every Tuesday afternoon the
fire boat, stationed at the wharves,
goes out into the channel and passes
several lines Of water into the stream.
The recently organized but highly
important rescue squad, which shares
quarters with No. engine, on
Twelfth street Just above G, conducts
daily and weekly drills similar to those
of the regular companies. Tho squad
responds to all alarms in the down.
town district and carries everything
Imaginable, and many things the ordi-
nary man could never imagine, for
purposes Of first aid and help in crit.
| ical moments.
The personnel of the squad is espe.
cially selected. All Of the men have
| taken the standard Red Cross course Of
| instruction and passed their tests.
Each man can handle any of the ap-
paratus ON the wagon. although some
have been assigned to It because they
| were expert in a certain line. An
acetylene torch operator Is the latest
addition to its force.
Proof of the pudding is notoriously
confined to its consumption, and 1t Is
safe to say that the District Fire De-
partment would not devote so much
time and energy to drill II results had
not been shown. A typical effect of
the practice can be seen in the records
of the time required to get water
through 100 feet Of hose after the
engine had stopped in front Of a fire
plug. AS was noted earlier in the
article the average time for this per-
| formance today is 80 seconds. When
| it is added that a year ago it took 40
seconds, and in 1923 a full minute was
consumed in its execution, the sub.
stantial betterment derived from the
drills will become obvious.