Evening star., 1928-10-28
CURB ON FIRE AUTO
SPEED IS OPPOSED.
Police Also Resisting Jury's
Recommendations After Re-
cent Fatal Accident.
Aeitated bv the recommendations Of

Agitated by the recommendations oi
coroner's jury for the adoption o1
regulations limiting the speed of fire
apparatus, police automobiles, an1bu-
lances and other emergency vehicles
oficials of the Police and Fire Depart
ments moved Independently yesterday
to forestall favorable action by the Dis
trict Commissioners, who now have the
jury's report under consideration.
Fire Chief George S. Watson indi-
Gated quite significantly that he in
tended vigorously to resist the adoption
of the recommendations, while Maj
Edwin B. Hesse, superintendent OF
police, prepared to issue a general order
calling for stricter enforcement of ex-
isting regulations which require motor
lists to draw to the curb and stop upon
the approach of fire apparatus.
Both of these officials believe that
with the cooperation of the public
and stricter observance by traffic of
prescribed regulations there will be less
ing tragedy In which a deputy fire
chiefs automobile killed Miss Cecilia
King and seriously injured her COM
panion, Mrs. Margaret Connick.
Inquiry Before Action.
The Commissioners, however, decline
to express an opinion on the recon-
nendations of the coroners jury at
this time, but announced that the re-
port would be carefully considered. Be-
fore any action is taken, Commissioner
Proctor L. Dougherty, who has super
vision over the police and fire depart
ments. said he would call on Fire Chief
Watson, Maj. Hesse and Traffic Direc-
tor William H. Harland for statements
as to their views on the proposed speed
curb.ng measures.
1T is not the speed of the fire appara-
tus that causes accidents but the un-
willingness on the part of the public
to give the engines the right of way
declared Fire Chief Watson. This is
not true in other cities. l have observed
flre engines rushing through the con-
gested sections Of Philadelphia and
Baltimore without having to veer around
traInc or dodge out OF the way Of
pedestrians.
The Washington public does not
seem to be impressed with the neces-
sity OF giving the fire apparatus the
right OF way. It seems to me that a
campaign to educate the psople to
create a. clear part for the apparatus
would be more effective than a restr.c-
ton on speed.
Our apparatus does not run at an
unreasonable rate of speed. The
drivers. too. are decidedly careful. I
think study of statistics will show
That the percentage of accidents in
VolVlng f1re apparatus is small in COM
parison with those involving private
machines. Our engines make on the
average OF 10 runs dav, mainly
through the congested sections, and
accidents occur very seldom.
Moreover. the high record of ef-
t1ciency held by the Washington Fire
Department which is reflected in low
IRE insurance premiums and a con-
tlnuous reduction in fire loss, despite a
population increase, is due primarily
to the promptness of the apparatus in
reaHning the scene of fire. coupled
with the effectiveness of the firemen
in extinguishing a blaze"
Motorists Found at Fault.
Maj. Hesse said he is confident that
motorists are not generally obeying the
regulations requiring them to give the
right OF way to emergency vehicles and
that wholesale arrests of violators might
improve conditions. He is planning to
detail motor cycle officers to trail be-
hind fire apparatus responding to alarms
to compel observance of the right-of-
way rule.
William Jaeger, driver of the deputy
chiefs machine that struck the two
women, has been given a leave of abb
sencf to recover from the shock he sus-
tanned as a result of the accident
Whether he will be detailed to drive
again when he returns to duty, Fire
Chief Watson said, depends entirely on
his condition and reaction.