Evening star., 1943-10-04
Volunteers Set
Record in Fire
Pumping Power
400 Auxi|iuries Give
Display at Opening
Of Prevention Week

Of Prevention Week
-Four hundred civilian defense
auxiliary firemen of the Metropoli-
tan Area set national record yes
terday at the Tidal Basin with a 40
minute demonstration of emergency
fire control pumping power.
The volunteers used 100 bumpers
to send $4,000 gallons of water a
minute through 300 hose lines
raising water curtain 697 feet
wide
Water curtains are used to keep
fires from spreading when a large
area of an urban section is aflame.
Excitement was lent the occasion,
Signalling the opening of Fire Pre-
vention Week. when one auxiliary
fireman was thrown into the Tidal
Basin by the pressure Of water run
ming through his hose, another was
removed to Emergency Hospital after
hose pressure threw him against a
pumper. and third received badly
cut hand under similar circum-
stances.
Chief Peterson Halls Show.
In all, Battalion Chief C. S. Peter
son, of the District Fire Depart
ment, who commands the auxiliary
fire fighters, called the show a tire
mendous success" adding that
Washington is reasonably prepared
to cope with fires caused by air
raids, sabotage or other war emer-
gencies.
At the same time. Chief Peterson
hurled challenge to auxiliary fire
departments of the Nation to beat
the Washington record. Previously
Detroit auxiliaries had claimed the
national title by producing 1913 ST.
multaneous streams of water from
"a bumpers.
Auxiliary Gerald F. Van Pelt Of
44l2 Window place NV, a General
Accounting ONCE employe, is in
Emergency Hospital suffering from
several possible fractured ribs re-
celVed Just as the demonstration
started when he slipped in some mud
and was thrown against one of the
auxiliary fire trucks by pressure in
the hose he was holding He was
taken to the hospital in Fire Res
cue Squad ambulance. He is as
signed to Engine No. 20.
Tossed into Basin.
Fellow fireman quickly rescued
Auxiliary 1t. Nester F. Deleveaux.
jeWeler. who lives at l34I Con-
nectlcut avenue NV. after he lost
control Of the hose he was holding
and was tossed over an iron railing
into the Tidal Basin. Auxiliary
Capt. M. F. Abbott of No. Engine.
to which Mr.. Deleveaux is attached
led the reSCuerS.
A native Of Switzerland. Mr..
/ Deleveaux recently became a ma
turallzed American citizen. He was
given first aid by DR.. William
Claudy. volunteer medical officer of
the Second Battalion, and taken
home.
| Auxiliary Harry F. Jones. employe
OF the Washington Gas Light Co.
who lives at 1705 Capitol avenue
NE. was given first aid by Chief
H. L. Leonard, Washington Gas
Light Co. safety engineer, after
his left hand was cut badly. Pres
sure from his hose. he said. caused
him to lose balance and fall against
his pumper truck, attached to
No. Engine.
Strollers along the picturesque
Tidal Basin on the balmy Sunday
! afternoon saw civilian defense
volunteers, men from every phase
OF commercial and Government life
in the community. demonstrate a
high degree of preparedness to fight
! fires during any war emergency
/ Weekly practice sessions and long
hours of study had prepared them
for the task.
Equipment used in the demonstra-
tion included SO OCD trailer pumps,
which are hauled by the various
departments of the city in times of
an emergency, and 81 trucks con-
tanning skid-mount pumps. which
| are held in readiness at all times
| at strategic locations about the city
The 81 trucks were donated to OCD
for the duration by commercial
concerns, including everything from
vehicles from dairies to department
store delivery trucks.
Civilian Defense Director H. C.
Whltehurst. warmly complimented
the auxiliary firemen on their
demonstration. He pointed out that
under the "severest of tests" every
piece Of equipment had functioned
properly.
Others Praise Auxiliaries.
Others who praised the auxiliaries
included Maj. Gen. John T. Lewis,
commanding general of the Wash
ington Military District. 1t. Col
Leonce Legendre, executive officer
OF the Washington Regional OCD;
Chief S. T. Porter of the Metro
politan Fire Department, and
Frank c. Hanrahan, county mana
ger of Arlington County.
Besides helping to national
record with their water curtain
over the Tidal Basin which Chief
Peterson said nobody is going to
beat In long time" three volun-
teer Washington Gas Light COM
panies, under command of Chief
H. L. Leonard of the Industrial
Battalion, demonstrated a three
line hookup in relaying water, a
practice used frequently in London
during the blitz.
Auxiliaries of No. 9 Engine exc
cuted their weekly drill evolutions
under command of 1t. A. M. Grun-
we'll of the Second Battalion. Using
a suction sleeve placed in the river,
the men set up a "Y" fire line,
with half-inch hose with spray
21z Inch hose with a regular nozzle
nozzle to fight incendiaries, and a
to combat the hypothetical fire
caused by the bombs.
Chief Peterson explained that the
hardest job for the auxiliaries came
on completion of the demonstra-
ton, when all of the equipment