Evening star., 1940-06-16
strictMayWin
Fire Insurance
Rate Cut
Underwriters Accept
Invitation to Make
Survey Here
BY DON S. WARREN.


Possibilities of reductions in fire
insurance rates for the District were
seen by some District officials yes
terday when the Commissioners were
notified that the National Board of
Fire Underwriters had accepted an
invitation to make comprehensive
survey of the Districts fire defenses.
Some officials of the underwrit-
ers' organization will arrive here to-
morrow to begin the survey, which
will be the first of it's kind made for
the District since 1928, it was an
nounced by Maj. Patrick H. Tansey,
assistant Engineer Commissioner.
Maj. Tansey was in charge of the
fire station survey last winter which
led to a program of consultations
of fire engine and truck companies.
A recommendation that new and
thorough fire defense survey be
made of the District was contained
In the report of the Taney Board,
which was adopted by the Commis-
sioners and used by congressional
committees in planning the l94l
District supply Dill.
The new su~"ey will 60 into all
the facilities which in any way
affect the efficiency of the District
fire protection system, including the
availability of water supply, fire
stations, fire apparatus. the fire
alarm system, number and location
of fire alarm boxes and the struc-
tural conditions of buildings sub
ject to fire protection.
The survey will be conducted
under the direction of George w.
Booth, chief engineer of the un-
derwriters' body He will be assisted
by George T. Bennett, who Will
survey structural conditions; George
L. Swan, who will specialize on the
condition of the fire department
and the fire alarm system; and
George j. Robinson, who will devote
special attention to the adequacy
of the water supply system.
In the Tansey Board survey re-
port, it was stated:
"Washington's per capita fire
losses for the past 10 years have
been exceptionally low. There has
been a downward trend in fire
losses since 1880 Washington's per
capita losses are lower than those
Of the rest of the Nation, according
to statistics of the International
Fire Fighters Association.
The District now holds No. 4
grade from the underwriters, the
best which has been given any city.
The underwriters chalked up 89l
deficiency marks against the Dis
trict as of 1926. with but four of
the larger cities showing lesser
marks, for that year.
Fire Marshal Calvin G. LAUDER
told the Tansey board he believed
that when an accounting was made
of the many improvements in the
Districts fire defense system in
more recent years the deficiency
marks would be reduced to 583
points, as of 1899 Improvements
have been made since that date,
notably completion of the new cen
trSl fire alarm headquarters in
Mcmillan Park.
The Tansey board, in its report
of last December 1, declared that
In spite of the relatively low fire
insurance rates in Washington, cur
rent fire losses and defense seem
to justify a further reduction in
rates"
Development of the new fire alarm
headquarters and installation in
recent years of many new fire
alarm boxes and cables, it was said,
resulted directly from the 1926
fire defense survey. District officials
agree there is need for extension
of the fire alarm box system and
that this may entail considerable
cost.