Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-09-02
Athletics VIII be Emphasized IN Valley School
FIRE FIGHTING
FORCE IN CITY
WELL DRILLED
School For Firernen
Proves Useful I'm
Teaching Tricks of
the Trade

Brownsville has a training school
for firemen.
II is just in its nucleus now, but it
has been modelled after tha San An
tonic school and is to be built up as
the department grows. according to
J.. ID. Guerra, senior captain Of the
Brownsville fire department.
Speaking Of schools for firemen.
the day has long past when any man
~could qualify for a fire department
and hold down the job after he had
been assigned
The firemen Of today are highly
trained and efficient men, whole in
body and in mind.
They are not a group of weaklinES,
lounging around q fire station be-
cause it is an easy job as was once
the popular conception.
Rather, they are men, wholly cap
able Of meeting any emergency.
The fire rate Of a city today Is
based largely upon its fire equip
ment and fire department personnel.
In order TO give Brownsville one
of the finest fire departments Of any
city is size in the state. Fire Chief
Roy Weller and Senior Capt. Guerra
banded together in the establishment
of the Brownsville fire department
training school.
Guerra is a graduate Of the San
Antonio fire department school which
is surpassed only by New York City.
Aside from graduating from this
school, he served with the San An
tonic fire department for years be-
fore coming TO Brownsville TO accept
the position Of senior captain.
OF course, the Brownsville depart
ment is handicapped at the present
time for both space and proper
equipment for drill practice but this
is 10 be cared for with the compile
tion Of the city's new $4,000 central
fire station, il IL said.
Men Must BE Fit
First Of all, the men now being adj
mitted TO the city's fire fighting
forces must be physically and men
tally qualified for the job. In order
that they are so fitted. they ere
given physical and mental examina-
tions before they are admitted 70 the
service.
The training they must undergo
after they have been admitted in
strenuous but IL Is designed 70 build
physically fitted men.
Guerra is in completes charge Of
this training school and. a. far as
possible, he has mapped out a course
Of work as nearly like the San An
tonic fire school curriculum as ia
possible with the equipment and
space available.
Aside from the regular hose
drills. Guerra Is putting his men
through ladder work, the same type
that is given in the San Antonio
school.
The ladders used in this training
are taken from the city's new aerial
truck.
The men are first taught the feel
Of these ladders and the best man
ner in which TO handle them. In DO
ing this, they are forced 70 take
them up and lay them down and also
10 carry them properly.
Handling Of these particular pieces
Of fire apparatus is no child's play.
Taught Ladder Work
Although not 50 very heavy when
measured in actual pounds. these
ladders must he balanced properly
10 be handled or else they are urman-
ageable. They are top heavy and
cannot be handled adroitly except hv
men who have been especially and
properly trained.
Brownsville firemen are also being
taught TO scale these ladders. Not
alone but with a man thrown across
their shoulders
The men are having 70 take tlrn
about carrying each other up and
down in order that they will learn
70 handle persons whom they might
be called upon to rescue.
This il one Of the hardest Jobs
they have 20 face unless il IN having
to pull themselves up the undcrsidc
OF the ladder TO the second floor Of
central station and hen down again.
hand over hand without touching the
ladder with any other part Of their
body.
There arc some men ia The de-
rartment who have not become de-
veloped nough physically to complete
this drill but they are improving
gradually and will be able ~ accom-
rlish IL before their training period
Is finished.
The men are not being called upop
10 70 through their PAGES without
first being shown.
They are never ordered to 60
through a drill before Guerra has
first gone through At 60 show them
the proper method.
Guerra has been thoroughly trained
and knows perfectly the things he il
called upon 10 teach his men.
Although these drills are not held
daily. they are often held two and
three times n week and whenever
the men fall out for instruction they
perform before an audience that
often numbers one 70 two hundred
persons.
II 5 fascinating. this fireman's
training school. and il is never held
without its full quota Of spectators.