The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-03-26
Fire Marshal Plans
 Drastic Action To
 Check Fires Here
Property, Lives Endangered By Carelessness of Per- sons Starting Fires Under Adverse Conditions;
 Permits Needed Within City's Limits

tends to make survey of the city on Saturday and Sunday and where instances occur in which there is danger to adjoining property we shall issue summons for the appear ance of those violating the law to appear before the Prosecuting atty
 No Permits Issued
 There appears a disposition on the part of many people that brush fires amount to little or nothing But take the cases of this week a. lone; since last Sunday, the Fire Department up to 2 o'clock Friday afternoon was summoned to ex- tinguish 83 fires of this kind. And in the bulk of instances, no permit had been issued by this office. Sure ly, there is no disposition on the part of the Chief or the Fire Mar shal to cause trouble to the good people of our home city. We dislike to see people in controversy or to have to meet them on a fire ques- ton in court. The good old Water bury of years ago would never think of starting fire without first seek ing the permission of the Fire Mar shal's office. But apparently, things have changed to such an extent that there are some property own CTS and tenants today who feel that they possess the right to burn grass and leaves just because it so hap pens it is on their own land. But they forget the possibility of the fire getting beyond their control or endangering the property of their adjoining neighbor.
 In many cases, however, we find that boys are responsible for many of these fires; that is, they start the brush going, and then rush to nearby box or telephone the de- partment just to see the fire appa- ratus in action. Always, it is impos- Sible, in rare instances, to secure names, and nothing results from the investigation conducted But just the same, 1t will be our pur- pose to try and ascertain the real causes back of each and every brush fire for the next few weeks.
 176 Alarms
 The record for calls in the fire department in any one month oc- cured in April, 1881, when there were 176 alarms of all kinds. Thus far, for the month of March, the department has been called out 166 times, most of which were for brush and grass fires. The wind for the past few days has been such that the fires were carried along for some distance and firemen had to work most diligently to extinguish them.
 An added and important feature of these calls is the cost of gasoline, and the wear and tear on the de- partment machines. In nearly most of the calls, no knowledge is given of it being brush fire, and the box alarm calls out various pieces of fire apparatus.
 The hope and wish is expressed on our part that care will be talk en during the next month or so in the building of bon fires, so that the flames will not get beyond con- trol. and that there will be no need of summoning the department for fire that should not have been started in the first place, on ac- count of the elements.
 Favorable Weather
 When the weather is better and the winds are not so strong. rub bish may be burned without risk to nearby buildings or the neigh bor's wash or household effects ou. for an airing in the spring house. work, smoked up and damaged.
 Our wish is for fewer bon fires, and we know the public will do what it can to stop them, at this particular season of the year.