Milford chronicle., 1933-04-28
AFFAIRS OF HARRINGTON

A drenching rain failed to dampen
the spirits of nearly 200 firemen from
every section of the State, who gath
cred at Dover for the meeting of the
Kent County Fremen's Association
An open meeting was first held at
the Dover High School on the Edu-
cational Campaign of Fire Preven-
tion, the meeting was arranged by
Assistant Chief Baker Of the Rob-
bins Hose Co., who is chairman of
the Kent County Committee. II is
believed that Fire Prevention should
be first taught the children of school
age, it is very unfortunate that so
few of the Dover citizens in addi-
tion to the Hose Company members,
failed to get first hand information
on the important topic.
State President Haddaway intro
duced the different speakers OF the
evening. The first on the program
was Prof. Wiley of the Dover High
School. He welcomed the fiTemen
and added he was only to glad to
cooperate by placing the school
facilities at the disposal of the fire
men. He further stated that the pu-
pills in the schools We're being taught
the essentials of Fire Prevention
and that it was rather unfortunate
this education could not be secured
in the text books of the schools,
Walter Hubert. Educational Direc-
tor of New Castle County briefly
stated that fourteen companies of
the seventeen in New Castle County
were attending the conferences in
that county. Howard Sheldon, pre-
sident of the New Castle County As
sociation headed a delegation of
fifty firemen from the upper eoun-
ty He extended an invitation to the
first aid squad to- visit them and
put on their demonstration. Chief
Hancock of Dover assured Mr.. Shell
don that this probably could be ar
ranged in the near future. Included
in the list of visiting tiremen were
many distinguished smoke eaters
from Pennsylvania.
Chief Frank Dean of the LancaS-
ter Fire Department was the first
speaker. He cited a recent case of
a fire and the results of their in
Vestigation. The building was ar
ranged automatically to go off at
4.30 in the morning. The talk Of
Chief Dean was very interesting.
He said the State of Pennsylvania
has 10000 firemen, the most OF
whom are volunteers. The mem
bers of the paid departments eXer-
else much influence in the legisla- |
tive halls at Harrisburg and efforts
have been made to eliminate the 2@o I
Insurance Law, but thus far every
effort has been defeated. Chief Dean
closed with an apology on the length
of his speech. State Vice President
Samuel Pierce of Lewes. extended ,
an invitation to all firemen to as
semble at Seaford Sunday after
noon, May IA, for Good Fellowship |
Meeting to be held in the High |
School Auditorium. Elbert c. Bail
ey of Laurel Past President of the
State Association reminded the fire.
men of two important conventions
soon. The Del-Mar-Va meeting at (
Easton, Md. on May 10th and the /
state Convention at Laurel in Sep I
tember. Chief William j. Lutz OF I
the Wilmington Bureau of~Fires has /
been a smoke eater so long that he
is almost able to -recite statistics on
fire losses during the past four years
backward. According to his report
the loss for four years. beginning
with 1928 is 1895, 5,S19.S2, The aver
age per capita less in this period
was 81. 40 and in two years were the
losses reduced to $3.50 per capita
which is considered minimum loss.
All during the speech making an
electrical display was being arrang-
ed behind a curtain on the stage.
Chief Lutz introduced the final
speaker, DR.. E. NJ. Ranck, Chairman
Fire Prevention Committee of Lam
caster, Pa, launching into his speech
DIR. Ranck said that the most i'm
portant of all was to eXtinguish,
coafne and prevent fires. He then
recued pOcn dedicated to the Vol
,intcer Fhcmcn Continuing he re-
ported fire lQssc: In 1881 of $46i,-
G2S.6gg. bat 25Eg of the losses were
not reported. SOC of the losses are :
Fire waste is tax
which benefits none. most of the fire
waste is due to carelessnesS said
Dr. Ranck. Fire losses are enor-
nous. a home burns every minute,
1000 buildings burn every "a hours. :
3196 of the fire losses is in homes,
27 people are burned every day in
home fires and of these one-third {
are children under 10 years of age. c
The important causes are: poor
fiammable reefs, Chin
neys, open fire places, kerosene and
-aenline. dirty cellars and attic. trash 4