CITY FIRE BRIGADE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 489, 23 April 1909, Page 2

CITY FIRE BRIGADE.

SUPERINTENDENT'S ANNUAL REPORT; .'■";.' FACTS AND FIGURES. A report on the working of the Firo Department for tlio year ended March 31 was sub- .' mittcd to 110 Cit.v Council by. Superintendent 0 Brum last night. It showed that the number of calls.tp fires or supposed fires during the twelve months had been 257, of Which 10 resulted m total destruction, 33 in considerable damage, 39 in slight damage, 74 in trifling damage, 28 were clumnoy fires, 27 rubbish and fires, and 10 wore alarms. Of'the 16 fires of total destruction 6 were beyond' the water reticulation, and in regard to tho others owing to tho Jack of street alarms, which meant a late call, together witli difficulties met wit i in fighting fires on high levels the staff oould only confine its efforts to saving adjoining properties. Actual fires showed en increase of 23 over; tho previous yeaiy wMlet ' thero was n. decrease of 28 rubbish and gorse hi'es, and 3 more false alarms. The decrease . in rubbish and gorse fires could be accounted for by the activo measures adopted by tho • council in oloaring the Town Belt of gorse, etc., and enforcing by-law regarding'clearing vacant sections of such growth, • Extension of Fire Alarm System. slc ? 1 ' . it '™' "tated, ;had woiked satisfuctonly during (he past year, and it was intended to place an amount on ho estimates for the coming year to allow tZ ho extension of tho system, as it was only b compete system of street fire alarms that o Department wpuld bo able to keen down a thnl'r- '?T " a( !i«onal boxesS been authorised,.and when delivered would'bo-Id* nonstable Street, Nqwtown; Riddiford Street . ne?°nf tO Xf Don « ad , M '^ n Strcet . ■ Newto Jcorw^li^Tf nnii K °/ stre The brigade ,gas called tn fires as fo lows:—Eleot'ric ffi Cost of Upkeep, Etc. ■/■:'. '-■'■'.■ There were at present in commission tlhti' repor continued) W motor cheS eng n« «„Hc }°f a B 0 ? 8 which worked very satisfactorily; but a third was urgently needed to replace one should it bo out "of commit' a f °{v. any aSOn overhaul: or a™ 1 dent. When tho -question of purchasing another -machine was brought up a mot"? fire F,rFl, 6h ° Ul ? b0 P™ ured > as Lperifinco ing the post year bad proved that, that class '' th.™n'Kn. M S° U ! d b ,\' l ValUable "«lUißition tO «,,«,& V Dunn s - h ? ycar thoro "ad been a number o cases o injury to firemen whilst iu . « utM of their duty, but only in .three ' instances., were they incapacitated for any Kii°. di '' m "'i'- n W '? musclos of-back, 15 dajs; severe body bruises, 2l'days; iniurvtn a 1,16,16 °f briga'de Stag-. fiOiSU. Gd. To ; tho corporation the'cost for tho ycnr.was.ls. 7Jd. : per .£IOO of rateable value, or equivalent to a ra.te of only oneMth of n n penny, in the ■£. The discipline and general efficiency fof the brigade, was satisfactory.. Ho .would" like .to express, his thanks, to the officers and members of tjur Volunteer J iro Police Corps, Police Force, Dr. Pollen, hon. medical officer, .and officers of tho various.. departments, fpr tho assistance given tho brigade during .the past year, and to the officers and-jnembors.'of tho' brigade for tho manner in whion they had'always carried out his orders . and oxocuted their very arduous duties. '■■'■•

- i ' Fires and Alarms, ■.-.',',.' It.was, next shown that tho number of Area and alarms <pcv'month had; been-as under:— April,: 19; May, H; June, 16; July, HMugust, 24; September,'S3; October, 23; November, 23; December,' 14; January, 23; February,' 22; and March, 30. Of theso 150 had taken plaoo in tho, city, 54 at Newtown, 19 at Thorndon, Kolburno 5, Kilbirnie'-7, Brooklyn 8, Island Bay 0, Northland- 4, Wadestown 1, wharves'!, Maramii 1, Hatait'ai''3, and Vogcltown'l, ,Tho calls wero spread over tho 21 hours' as under: Between a p.m. and 12 midnight, 100 j- 12 mid. night and 6 a.m., 45; 6 a.m. and 12,n00n. 46| and 12 noon and fl p.m., GO., A summary showing days of week'oh. whioh fires occurred and clarms.l.wore,given gave ,tha .following'• results: ■ Sundays, 30; Mondays, 30; Tuesdays, 31; Wednesdays, 39; Thursdays, 38; Fridays, 32; and Saturdays, .51., -.. . ■•...•... >..,... ; . , r v . ":, Causes of.Oufbrcaksf ,r .,; ■ : The causes of tho various outbreaks were aa-' signed as under':—Airing linen. B;..boiling over of beeswax; 1; boiling over of fat', 2; candlo, 22; testing - gps joints with..candle,, 2;; doffcetivo baker's oven, ,2| defective'fireplace, 8; defective brickwork', .11; defective • flue, 2; explosion of teoseuo lamp,' 2; fire falling . from fireplace, 3; gas ring, 2j hot ashes, 4; hot.iron,. 1; ignition of benzine fumeS 5 1; 'nmtolics thrown down, 14; boys playing witn'matches,-3; children playing with matches, 2; overheat of gas 'stove, 1; overheat of tar, 3; overheat of koroseno heater, 1; overheat of coal stove, Sj overheat of drying oven, 1; overheat ''bf kitchen .ovon, 1; overheat of copper fireplace, 1; oxidisa--tionof phosphorus, 1; spark from fluoj 1:, spark from adjoining flue, 3; spark from, fire, Gt smoking, tobacco, 2; unknown,'so; upsetting of. kerosene'healer, 1; upsetting of ketoseno lamp, 2s upsetting of methylated spirit stove,,2j',up.. setting of fat, 2. '~.. ..... -, Premises Where Outbreaks Occurred.'; It was mentioned that the premises whom tho outbreaks occurred were classified ns undor:—Bakehouse, 2; coffee- stall, 1; dwelling in courso of erection, 1;. boardjnghouscs, 30; pri-. vate dwellings, 43 s unoccupied dwellings, 4; dairy, 2; boot factory, 1; clothing factory, 1; confectioners' factories,; 2;, aerated water, factory, 1; foundries, 3;' mental; hospital, 1 ( private hospital, 1; hotels, 4; private hotels, 2; manufacturing printer' ; and. , stationer,:' I|' offices, 6; restaurants, 2; boot repairing -shop, 1; blacksmith's shop, 1; butcher's shop,- 1) cycle shop, 1; drapers' shops, 4;. pastryoook shop, I;.fancy goods shop, 1; furniture dealer*! shop, 1; greengrocer's sliop, 1; printer's and ■' stationer's" shop, 1; pork butchers' shops, 2| tailors' shops, 2; unoccupied shop, 1; school, 1; 'skating rink, 1; flax store, 1; oil and colour merchant's store,!; general ■ carrier's 6tore, 1; general merchants' stores, 2; -general produce 6torc, 1; oleaning company's store, 1; wool store, 1; ships, 2; telephone exchange, 1; thoati'o,,l; timber yards, 2; pipe and pottery, works. 1; asphalt works, 4; cabinet maker's, workshops, 3; builders' workshops; 0; carpenters' workshop, 2. - ■■-.■'• ' J .;,'.. ■ ' Comparative Table In Regard. ; to Calls. ',-'■'•: ; 10034. '04-5. '05-6. '06-7. '07-8. '08-fi. Chimney, 'fires 19; 21 V 20 '-22 28 .- 28 Rubbish, grass,;; ■ , '■■'" ••;; '■'"'. and gorso fires 1G 12' 18 48 53 27 False'alarms ... 33, 40' 26 '31 37 40 Actual fires ... 66 , 08'' 98 128 139 163 Calls received... 131 174 '. 157 .230 .' 257 257