FIRE FIGHTING

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 13 June 1925, Page 10

FIRE FIGHTING

VALUE OF PREVENTION address pv brigade SUI’ERUN TEN DEM The following is the text of an address which has been delivered by Fupenntendeut Williams, of the Wanganui Fire Brigade, at the public *7 Pools in connection with, dealing with tires and the prevention of same, says the Herald: — "It was in llu: year 1751 that the first pumping outfit was built and used for suppressing fire. 'This machine v,ms of crude design, but answered a purpose at the time in helping to* keep tires from spreading. There have been wonderful changes since 1751 in building ottieient plant all over the world to adequately cope with fires. There arc plenty of people who can recall the early'days of the volunteer lire brigade with thei.r manual, which were used as a pumping i utfit. hand drawn reels, and luise carts, carrying hose anil ladders essential to tight the fires. As time vein i'ii, the horse drawn steamer, with powerful pumps, caim: into vogue. Afterwards these* steamers were propelled by their own power. As the world progressed scientifically, so did the (ire departments progress in all the branches. I’etrol-driven machines came into use many years ago, and since their inception have reached a very high state of efficiency. Tlfis fact alone gives a fire brigade a good chance to respond quickly to a call, perhaps save a fire from spreading, and also save much valuable property. During recent years many a. ml great changes have taken place in the Dominion in regard to. 1 fire fighting. Modern fire-fighting has become more of a- scientific profession, and can be compared to other leading professions of tlie day. Improvements are continually taking place in fire fighting appliances that enable officers and firemen to successfully combat, an outbreak. All fires have common characteristics that enable fire brigade, officers and men to use certain recognised principles in i 'ping with them. Modern medical men seek, t o emit ml disease by striking at it s root, and eliminating tlic cause rather Ilian by curing their patients. The modern tire fighter endeavours to prevent fires, rather than attack them after they are well on their way. The success of a brigade depends a great deal on whether iliev receive an early call in a fire. It means the difference between

a small loss ami a bige <>ne. according to tin. value of the budding and controls coneerned. I am *>f the opinion (hat the majority of fives are. caused through carelessness, although there, are many other contributing causes in which cigarette smokers play a. very prominent part. 'I lien, again, benzine and many other inflammable liquids nie iu yuch daily denutnd ttpat ovei-confi-dence in t.lieir use, combined with ca.relessuess, often mean t.he starting of a fire and causing great loss. "It should lie the general rule of citizens, both in their homes am] busi ness premises, to eliminate as far as possible all causes that may be the means of starting a fire, and which may gain ground rapidly, perhaps causing the loss of life, home, or business. Frequently people try to fight a lire themselves before calling up the fire brigade, which is fatal as a rule to good results by the brigade. How many people look at the actual and set ions loss a fire may cans l '. It may mean a life that is lost something you cannot replace by money. There is the other side to seriously consider. Ihe loss of a home bv fire is a calamity to. most people, especially those who may not have very much money In replace their loss. The loss of a ' business by lire may mean that many men and also women are thrown out of employment, which is a hardship, and more particularly if they are the breadwinners of the family. A loss by fire in a business building means a loss to the City (. nuneil of revenue from rates. M hen our considers the great misery caused by fires, then it behoves all who can to lake all precautions that will prevent fire and its deadly destruction. 'lt would be a cheap investment if every home could have a fire-extinguisher in n handy position for use in case of fire, and all members of the family who are old enough instructed how to use it. In the ideal dwelling home much can he done by people to make their dwellings as nearly fireproof as possible. People can prevent inflammable rubbish from, accumulating. If thov use gas lights thov can see that the flames cannot come in contact with the walls and perhaps curtains. or other flimsy materials. They can see that every match they use is entirely extinguished before they throw it away. They can keep matches out of the hands of children, and they can store matches where rats wort' not likely to get- them. Wax matches are always dangerous. The day may not he. far distant- when the toe of wax matches will he prohibited in all countries. A good brand of safety matches is a better proposition for household use. This brings me now to the question of respectfully suggesting to all business men the ad visabilit-y of favourably considering the protection of their industrial, plants and business premises l>v having a sprinkler system installed for the. suppression of fire in its early stages. It holds a fire in check uuti.l the. fire, brigade arrives besides automatically sounding the fire alarm gong at- the fire station. There is also a thermostatic fire, alarm for buildings that will set off a fife alarm gong when there is an increased temperature in any part of the building. This system can also be. connected up with the fire station, so that the brigade will receive a. fire call at the same time as the fire alarm gong sounds in the

building concerned. The city and suburbs arc rapidly increasing, and this also means increased fire risks. If behoves all business men to seriously consider my well-meant suggestions and provide an automatic fire alarm in their business premises. In fighting a fire I remarked in the first part that there are recognised principles that are used in fighting a fire. Briefly, these broad principles are : ‘The outbreak must be confined to as narrow a space as possible; adjoining property must ho protected by every available means; injury and loss of life must he prevented; efforts made to centralise the outbreak as a whole; and all forces imust he concentrated on the points of greatest danger. “The modern fire-fighter is ever resourceful and ready, to face any danger, especially if life is at stake. One frequently hears the expression used that different, buildings are fire proof. These buildings have a nasty habit of catching on fire at times and proving that the fire-proof building is non-existent. One may often see a building that is t oi a certain extent fire-resisting, but still dangerous if attacked by any great beat- from lire. New dangers exist in ail towns. I refer to motor garages and workshops which are one continuous fire risk, tint only to the buildings concerned, but also to the surrounding properties, especially if they are built of wood. Many of these fires have been caused by the throwing clown of a match not properly extinguished, after lighting a pipe or cigarette—a combination of habit and carelessness. Frequently a short circuit ott the motor car engine will give the necessary spark which niav start the motor car on fire and sounding destruction to the whole building and its contents. Now that electricity is coming into daily use in all homes it brings another danger unless great thought is given to its uses. I refer to the. general use of the electric iron for household purposes. Frequent lv tiie user of the iron may he called away from her duties when ironing, and without, thinking may leave the iron laying flat on the ironing cloth, with the power still on. This will soon cause a. fire. If everyone using the electric iron will remember to stand the iron on its end and at the. same time switch off the ]iower if called away, then there is not the slightest chance of any fire risk There are.many buildings ip the ciU.fhat are always a bad fire risk, owing. to their faulty construction. They ha\e no brick walls to divide them from other brick buildings and act as a check in. case of fice."