Evening star., 1942-08-18
Auxi|iories Got Baptism of Fire
When Hotel Burned in Winter
Some Heard Sirens and Sped to Scene;
Feel That Any Emergency Is Their Duty

in comfort. I joined up because I
couldn't think of anything more
useful T could Is for my COM
munity.'
Climbed to Roof of Church.
During an especially severe thun-
der storm several weeks ago, light
ming struck the chimney and steeple
Of the Wallace Memorial Presby-
terian Church at New Hampshire
avenue and Randolph streets N. w.
J. L. Speert of 5O40 New Hampshire
avenue NV, who puts in six hours
every Monday night with Engine
Co. No. "a. had just barely arrived
at the station house when the call
came.
The rain was still coming down
in torrents, and Mr.. Speert, like
most other auxiliaries, wore no pro-
tective clothing other than his he'll
met. When firemen reached the
church. they discovered number
of bricks on the chimney which had
become menace to persons walk
ing on the sidewalk beneath.
Mr.. Speert, an engineer with the
Interior Departments geological
survey who had virtually no expert
ence with anything other Gl,an step
ladders before he became an
auxiliary, climbed to the roof of
the church with the rain soaking
his clothing and helped to remove
the loose bricks.
When he returned to the station
house, water was oozing from his
shoes and his wet shirt was cling
ing to his skin. He had nearly five
more hours left before ne could go
home.
Feels Good to Get Soaked.
1--WE don't mind it so much in
summer" he said. In fact, some
times it feels pretty good TO get
soaked after you've been through
a hot spell of several days. But
when the weather gets colder. !
, don't know what we'll do. They'll
have to get us boots and some pro-
tective clothing by that time"
Louis zetlin of 5134 Eighth street
NV, a beer salesman, went out
and bought his own boots. Mr.. Zet-
lin spends six hours every Monday
night at Engine Co. No. "a and six
hours on Wednesday nights at
| Truck Co. No. 9 at 1853 Lanier
place NV. On Saturday mornings
he puts in another five hours al
| one or another of the two stations
He has been averaging about one
run week since he went on duty
last April, and he was getting his
feet wet every time there was a
basement to be pumped or a hose
line to be handled at fire So he
went out and bought the boots
for SO.
Glad to Donate Time.
Naturally. not all of the auxili
aries can afford to do that" he
commented, land If they could, they
probably wouldn't find 1000 pairs
of boots in the whole city. As a
matter of fact, they shouldn't be
asked to provide their own equip
ment All Of us are giving up q
good deal of our spare time. We're
glad to do that-We're glad to dc
anything that will help the COM
munity-but we feel that somebody
ought to buy us the few simple
items that will protect us when we
go out on runs"
Well. the boots are here. Cover.
alls have been ordered but they
have not arrived When all his
equipment has been delivered the
auxiliary fireman will feel a gooc
deal better.
One of the auxiliaries summarized
the attitude Of most of his col
leagues in this way:
IF it's priorities that's holding
up our stuff. we're not going to kick
about it. We can understand that
But a good many months have gone
by since Pearl Harbor, and maybe
priorities aren't altogether to blame
After all, most of the fellows il
my class began their training thu
night before Pearl Harbor."