Arkansas State press. [volume] (Little Rock, Ark.) 1941-1959, 1942-08-21

rotary Wiekard, the Departments
field services are working with
farmers, white and colored alike,
In an effort to prevent farm fires
! and the heavy toll Of lives and
property they take. 1t is estimated
that farm fires claim $500 lives
annually and destroy 100 million
dollars worth of property.
Think Of it, $500 lives. Why
that represents enough manpower
for an army infantry regiment,
Bringing it closer to the farm,
$500 persons could pick $50 bales
OF cotton in a single day, tend
10000 hogs, and milk 10000 cows
And 100 million dollars worth
of property destroyed why, ac
cording to- the Office of War In
formation Uncle Sam could buy
any of the following items with
100000, 900; one battle ship and
cruiser, 300 heavy bombers, $500
medium tanks, 10000 torpedoes,
6,7O0 l5-inch shells, 1,4oO fighter
planes. l,a50.o00 automatic rifles
or 36,000,000 steel helmets.
Officials point out that these
fire losses handicap our war eff
fort, because vital raw materials
on which many Of our industries
depend are destroyed, and the dis
ruption Of farm activities cause
by the burning of homes or barns
slows down the Food for Freedom
program.
Eight principal causes of farm
fires listed by the Department
are: ~ Defective chimneys and
flues, (2) sparks on comhustible
pools, (3) lightning, (4) spontan-
eous combustion, t5) careless use
of matches, smoking, (6) careless
use of gasoline and kerosene, IN
, defective and improperly installed
stoves and furnaces, (S) faulty
wiring and misuse Of electric ap-
planes. These causes IS per-
cent Of the total losses from farm
fires.
A chimney that becomes too hot
to hold ones hand against should
be carefully inspected and re-
paired by a reliable mason.
Properly installed and we'll
maintained lightning rods on farm
buildings are practically 100 per-
cent effective In preventing dam
age from lightning.
The Department offers these sug
gestions; hay, moist from dew OF
rain or not thoroughly cured be-
fore being stored is likely to fer
ment and generate sufficient hea
to catch fire. The use of from
three to 10 pounds Of salt per tor
Of hay, according to its dampness
is useful to- check fermentation
Waste md rags saturated will
paint, linseed or other drying oil!
are also subject to spontaneous
ignition and should be burned i'm
| mediately or placed in propc1
metal Containers.
| A fire extinguisher used at thu
right time may do more than {
whole city fire department ant
where there is little running wat
or, some fire extinguishing equip
ment should be readily availah!
for use In various parts Of th'
house and barn where fire may
start. The simplest form is pail
filled with water and placed on .
shelf or hung on brackets, or bet
ter still, barrel of water near a
hand.
| Another simple piece of equip
ment is the hand pump tank holC
ing three to five gallons Of wat
ter with about 26 feet of small
hose so that water can be dis
charged on the fire. Efectiv,
fire fighting equipment car b
made from the large type of spra!
used for insecticides.
In tie forest fire prevention
campaign. thousands are enrolling
in the volunteer Forest Fire Figh
ers Service. now being organized
in many communities with the co
operation Of the Office Of Civil