The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1940-12-12
LOCAL FIREMEN
DECIDE TOBUY
new FIRE TRUCK
Smaller Unit Of Present Equip
ment To Be Exchanged On One
With Enclosed Cab
MERIT SYSTEM ADOPTED

Decision to replace one of the fire
trucks of the Oakland Volunteer Fire
Department with new truck to be
built with an enclosed cab, was made
at special meeting of the members
on Monday evening. Such a purchase
had been contemplated for several
months by the organization.
Both of Oakland's fire trucks are
the open type models and frozen faces,
ears and hands have been the lot of
firemen upon a number of occasions
while going to fire in sub-zero Win
ter weather.
The new truck has been purchased
from the American LaFrance Com
pany and it is to be delivered within
80 days. In the purchase of the new
machine, the smaller of the two pres
ent trucks will be applied, with ball
ance of $4,000 to be paid by the fire
company.
The company at the present time
has approximately $4,000 in its treas
ury, it has been stated, which sum
has accumulated from its Fourth of
July celebrations, donations and an
nual payments from the County Com
missioners and the City Council. The
city pays annually $1,000 and the
County Commissioners $500.
The new truck will have a 5OO-gal-
Ion pumper, thes anne as the old truck,
but in addition will have a 2O0-gallon
booster tank, compared to the 100
gallon tank in the truck being ex-
changed. The enclosed cab will hold
five men. Other standard equipment
such as axes, ladders, spotlights, siren,
ETC., will be on the new truck. The new
truck will also carry 200 feet of hose
for the booster tank attached to a
reel. There will also be space for the
1,200 feet of two-inch hose already
owned by the department.
With the arrival of the new truck
it is expected to be used mostly for
out-oftoWn calls, while the larger
truck will be used only in town, ex-
cept in emergencies.
Merit System Adopted
A merit system was adopted for the
fire company at the last regular meet
ing looking toward greater eff
cheney among the members. The sys-
tenn was worked out by a commit
tee composed Of Robert Stanton, Will
bur Davis and Robert Lohr and allows
the following merits: Two for attend
ing fires; l for attending each meet
ing; 2 for participating in parades
out of town; 1 for parades in town; 5
Tor working on the cleanup commit
tee, and two for any extra work.
According to the committee each
member must obtain 60 per cent of all
merits available to maintain his
standing as member and failing to
get this number he is automatically
NIOPpCU IlOIIl Iuc dCIlNC llSG 10 Cne
retired list. Attendance at meetings
and fires was covered heretofore in
the bylaws Of the organization.
At the last regular meeting of the
members the annual election was held
resulting in the reelection of E. A.
SHaffer, president; A. G. Gortner,
vice-president; the election of Joseph
Stanton, secretary; and the reelection
of Walter w. Dawson, treasurer; En-
roy Bolden, chief; Grover C. Stemple,
LIST assistant chief; James Lewis, Sec
ond assistant chief; Robert j. Stan
ton, captain.
The standing committee includes E.
A. Shaffer, A. g. Gortner, Emroy Boil
den, G. C. Stemple, w. w. Dawson,
H. p. Stuck, L M. Fralev.