Building Construction and the Chief

Building Construction and the Chief

The modern chief of the fire department has many duties that the head of the fire-fighting forces of fifty years ago never dreamed of. The active chief of today must for one thing, be a thorough fire preventionist. He must understand the things which go with this duty and be prepared to take an active part in matters connected with Fire Prevention in his city or town. One of the most important of these is the question of the proper construction of new buildings so that they will not be fire menaces to the tenants and to the surrounding structures. To be able to do this he must have a pretty clear knowledge of building construction, so as to speak with authority in cases where the plans or actual construction show faults which may result at some later date in a fire. This especially applies to the matter of proper lining of chimneys and chimney flues with some fireproof material; the proper construction of fire places, heating plants, etc.; the placing of exits in the most favorable positions for the quick emptying of factory buildings, places of amusements and other structures where large assemblages are brought together; the opening outward of doors in such buildings; the placing of fire escapes on buildings of such a nature that they will really be fire escapes and not traps for roasting their victims and in one hundred and one other details that only hard study and experience can teach him.

One of the most important matters along this line, and one in which the chief can exercise much influence in bringing about is the adoption by a city or town of a carefully formulated building code. Without this assistance in legislation the chief of a fire department is very badly handicapped in enforcing correct building operations. Such a code should always be submitted to the fire chief for his supervision before final adoption by the council of the municipality.