Among the buffs
DEPARTMENTS
THINGS ARE TOUGH all over department (northwest Florida section): Mayor E. A. Tharp of Chipley, Florida, is dusting off a 40-year-old ordinance which says, “Any unauthorized person making any suggestion as to the operation of the fire department at any fire, thereby causing confusion to the department, if he shall refuse to discontinue same after being requested to do so, it shall be the duty of the officer in charge to order the water hose turned on him.”
Buff William O’Meara, instnictor in woodwind instruments (clarinet, saxophone, flute, oboe and bassoon) of 618 Lake Avenue, Manchester, N. H., and his fellow buffs in the frigid North are aghast at this breach of Florida Chamber of Commerce etiquette. Buffs who, like Bill O’Meara, might wish to fiddle while Rome burns will be interested to know that California beckons with its generous hospitality, sun glasses and smog. Of course, you have to be part mountain goat to get to most of our blazes. Thanks, Bill, for sending me the item.
Constant readers and penpals of Paul Vaillancourt, the fire engineer who has been a guest in Walla Walla State Prison for several years will be interested to hear that Paul is being released June 19 and will go immediately to Florida, to begin life anew. Paul’s parole just came through and he is going to work for a fire equipment manufacturer.
“I will be working as a fire equipment engineer,” Paul writes, “and the job has the promise of being one of the best I ever had. The man I will be working for sounds like a very wonderful person and I am sure that things are going to be fine.” Paul says he has been hearing from buffs, including Jeff Schwartz of Chicago who sent him details of Chicago’s recent major fires.
A buff and fireman in Santiago de Chile, Enrique Guerra B., Casilla 1173, writes that he would like to make contact with American firemen who would correspond with him and exchange information of mutual benefit. Enrique is Captain of the 2nd Company, Nunoa Volunteer Fire Department. His department consists of six companies of 60 men each; four engines and two ladders. The outfits protect an area of about 40 square miles containing 180,000 people. They respond to an average of 250 alarms a year.
Fire Buff C. Kennard Robinson of Peekskill, N. Y., operator of the Robinson Flower Shop gifted me with a commerorative plate honoring the city’s firemen. The plate calls attention to tire fact that “since 1826 the . . . firemen of Peekskill, pushing and pulling their trucks through winter ice, snow, mud of spring, heat of summer, fog and frost of fall, have protected fives and property.”
消防设备建模继续兴趣很多buffs. Among the builders is Tom Showers of Station 31, Los Angeles County Fire Department. He has all models on display in his den at home, 10326 Felson St., Bellflower, Calif., for the benefit of visiting firemen. Several years ago, says Tom, he began building model fire apparatus commercially and has sold a number of them to eastern customers. He also designed the new style body for the Crown-Pittman Snorkel and built five models of it for their various distributors around the country.
Not long ago Tom took his Danish bride, Lise, and toured Europe. He visited many fire stations and was welcomed when he showed the fire brigadiers a model in a plastic case, plus an album of photos. “My one big tip,” says Tom of buffs who plan to travel through Europe, “is not to go by the tourist books. Co to a fire station; tell them who you are and ask what there is to see. You will be guided to far better and more interesting sights than most tourists see. European firemen are just as fine a group as our American ‘brothers’.”
Another modeler is Jim Leininger of 1061 17th Street, Wyandotte, Mich., who is interested in hearing from Detroit buffs. Jim writes that he has been building models for 10 years and sends along two photos. One pictures a Seagrave ladder truck built about eight years ago. The other is an American-LaFranee pumper. Both are built of balsa wood.
An interesting report indicating what buffs experience in Hong Kong comes by way of our British counterpart.Fire Protection Review, edited by Christopher R. Elliott at Bouverie House, Fleet Street, London, E. C. 4. Chief Officer W. J. Gorman of the Hong Kong Fire Brigade reports that his department is expanding -after responding to 1841 calls in 1961 as against 1367 for the previous year. Due to the almost unparalleled conditions of crowding in Hong Kong the fire brigade is confronted with a major life hazard problem.
“导入ant operational difference between our methods,” says Chief Gorman, “hes in our approach to rescues. Firstly, the windows, doors, and other points of entry to tenements and other buildings are often protected by substantial antiburglar grids and a high degree of oxyacetylene cutting competence is thus required of all ranks since the availability of such apparatus is frequently a criterion in effecting rescues.
“Again, the congestion in tenements often results in not one or two or a halfdozen occupants being trapped but sometimes scores of persons. To meet this problem, great use is made of jumping sheets which are not only carried on all appliances but which will shortly form the main equipment for a special rescue tender. This rescue tender should not be confused with the normal ET common to all brigades, including Hong Kong.”
Chief Gorman said the special tender will be manned by an officer and 12 men. It will respond to all fires and emergencies other than known electric fires or grass fires. Should the tender’s services not be required upon arrival at an incident, it will immediately return to quarters. The crew will not normally fight fires.
Fire Protection Reviewcarried a dramatic photo of the Hong Kong firemen effecting a rescue as a kimono-clad woman leaps into a jumping sheet. Because this column receives frequent inquiries about the English magazine, the subscription price, including a copy of a most worthwhile yearbook, is $4.25 for American and Canadian subscribers.
Until the bells go down again next month, a resounding honk of Bill O’Meara’s bassoon to Chipley. Please continue to send the news notes, anecdotes, and club reports to me at 4234 Don Diablo Drive, Los Angeles 8, Calif. I regret that letters cannot be answered, other than through this column.
