Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-02-24


Montgomery Bourd,
Council to Consider
Yeor-Long Study
Reorganization of fire pro-
lection in suburban Montgom-
cry County to provide central
lied control and increased ia
cilities is recommended by the
Maryland Fire Underwriters
Rating Bureau.
The buerau's recommended
tions were made after a year.
long survey conducted at the
request of the County Council.
The report, delivered by Ro-
land w. Neal, executive man.
ager Of the bureau, will be
studied by the county'S fire
board at a closed meeting to-
night in the Rockville County
Building.
Council members will con-
slider the report at their meet
ing tomorrow.
Dispute Over Setup
The recommendations, call
ing for sweeping changes in
the county's fire protection set
up. are the latest development
in a long standing controversy
over the proposed organization
of a central fire alarm system
in the down-county area and
an increase in the number of
pdlO AIClllCHs
The bureau said suburban
fire protection is hampered by:
/. Inadequate number of fire
companies.
2. Inadequate response by
volunteers in some instances to
fire alarms.
3. Use of paid firemen on am
bulance calls without provision
for requirements.
4. Lack of a central alarm
system.
Boundaries Cited
5. Adherence by fire COM
panleS TO boundaries of their
fire tax areas. thus preventing
the nearest fire company from
responding to a fire.
6. Lack of centralized control
Of suburban area fire depart
ments.
The bureau recommended APP
polntment of a paid full-time
chief and two assistants.
The chief would have com
plete charge of the central
alarm headquarters and the
following fire companies with
respect to operations on the fire
ground. training, alarm re-
Spouse, mutual aid and any
other related fire suppression
duties in the cities of Takoma
Park and Rockville, the Rock
vile fire area and the fire tax
areas of Bethesda. Chevy
Chase, Glen Echo, Hillandale
Kensington, Silver Spring. Ia
koma Park and Cabin john"
New Companies Asked
| New fire companies were rec
commended at these locations:
Bradley lane and Seven Locks
road. VierS Mill road near
Falkland drive. Norbeck. Coles
vile road near Bonifant road
Old Georgetown road and
Rockville pike, Falkland, Red
land, Wisconsin avenue at Dor
set avenue. and Potomac in the
vicinity of Falls and River
roads.
Ladder trucks were recon-
mended for location at the Sill
yer Spring Firehouse No. 2 at
-Four Corners. the proposed sta
ton at Wisconsin and Dorset
avenues. Glen Echo and Rock
vile Fire Departments.
Appointment and promotion
of paid personnel should be
made under Civil Service regu-
lations, the bureau said.
The report also recommend
ed retirement system for paid
men and annual medical ex-
aminations for personnel over
SIS years old.
Comparable 10 City
The bureau noted that the
suburban area population has
increased from 142, 900 in 1850
to approximately 100000 to-
day, an increase of SO per cent.
LAS a result. this once-su-
burban residential area with
scattered communities is now
comparable in many respects
to a large CITY," the report said.
The bureau sets fire insur-
ance rates for the State. Ade-
quacy of fire protection facili-
ties is a major consideration in
determining the rate scale.
Nioht Potro|