The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1935-10-10
Fire Demon
Takes Huge
Annual TOll
Nearly 10000 People Lose
Lives Every Year From
That Cause.
1894 LOSS OVER
262 MILLION DOLLARS

We are now approaching another
Fire Prevention week, October 6-12.
Each year in the United States and
Canada, the anniversary of the Chi
cago fire of October 9, 1871, is now pro-
claimed Fire Prevention week, and an
international fire prevention campaign
is intended to impress upon the public
the enormity of our unnecessary fire
waste of life and property to the end
that dangerous conditions may be i'm
proved and fire carelessness eliminated.
Fire Facts.
Approximately 10000 people lose
their lives and about twice that many
are crippled by fire in this country
every year Deaths from fire or burns
in Montana during the year 1884 totaled
SO. Two thirds Of this loss Of lives
and injuries occur in homes, for the
most part to women and children.
If the United States annual fire loss
for 1884 were paid by per capita fire
tax, the cost to every man, woman and
child in the United States would be
S208. Fire losses, as compiled by the
National Board of Fire Underwriters,
for the year 1884 totaled 62,848, 122
for the United States; this is s720,132
day, S30,005 per hour, or $500 every
minute Property loss from fire in
Montana for 1884 was S490,577 for the
six months Of this year totaled s463, 1857,
as reported to the office of the state
fire marshal
Sixty-nine per cent of the total fire
losses throughout the United States
for 1884 occurred in the small towns
and rural areas, and the balance, 81 per
cent Of the total, occurring in cities
over 10000 population. The largest
single fire loss in 1884 occurred at the
Union Stockyards and adjacent build
ings in Chicago. approximate fire loss
of 4,617 $50. School fire losses in
widely separated parts OF the United
States were estimated in excess of S.
100000 In Montana alone fires have
destroyed public school property valued
at 100000 during the past five years
and to date in 1895.
Don't Wait Until Fire Occurs.
Fire Prevention week is time for
the public to cooperate in the elimina-
ton of many known hazards which
continue to threaten life and property.
Eighty per cent of fires are preventable
by the exercise of ordinary care and
precaution. Somewhere in the United
States every minute of the day and
night home is burning. Fifty-six per
cent of home fires originate in the
basement; and attics, roofs and
chimneys supply the cause Of % per
cent of residence losses. The remedy
for these is clean Easements and at
tics, proper construction of chimneys,
and fire-resistant roofs. Education in
the proper use of electrical appliances,
and the elimination of flammable liq-
uids such as gasoline and kerosene
for dry cleaning or other purposes,
would reduce the remaining fire causes
in homes to a minimum
Remove Dilapidated Buildings.
Removal Of old dilapidated buildings
in many sections of cities and towns
In Montana would be of Importance,
both from the life and fire hazard
standpoint, and as rule buildings in
such a deplorable condition are I'M
sanitary. Innumerable fires in hazard
Gus dilapidated buildings cause heavy
losses and even threaten conflagration
Taxpayers Costs for Fighting Fires.
Every time fire department in
cite responds to an alarm it costs tax
payers of the municipality and as Tie
fire calls increase, taxes must increase.
The cost to the taxpayers for euuip-
ment maintenance and operation Of the
fire department is an essential item
in every municipal budget supplied by
tax funds. About ten per cent Of the
total tax budget of your local govern
ment is for the support of the fire de-
partment Taxpayers should better
understand the fire department budget.
the functions of the fire department and
especially that efficient fire prevention
inspection work by members of the
fire deDartment will rnnservp life