REPORT ON WILMINGTON, DEL., FIRE CONDITIONS

REPORT ON WILMINGTON, DEL., FIRE CONDITIONS

国家消防承销商最近发布了有关德拉姆威尔明顿消防局的报告，他们说该市的人口约为92,000；它是一个各种行业的制造城市；等级中等至陡峭；街道狭窄；铺好的街道状况良好至状况良好，其他人则贫穷。人均火灾和损失低，但每火灾损失高。过去五年的火灾损失为587,748美元，从1909年的57,768美元到1912年的180,540美元。年度火灾数量从1910年的59次到1913年。火灾的年数为165。每年1,000人口的平均火灾数量为1.86，人均年平均损失为1.32美元，这都是低数字。损失记录非常不完整，在发生损失的情况下，许多损失被视为“轻微”；如果有完整的数字，每场大火的损失和人均可能会大大增加。 The fire department is volunteer with 1,045 volunteer, and 25 paid members. The paid men consist of the chief and drivers. The department is under the supervision of a fire committee consisting of five members of the City Council. The chief and his assistants are elected by members of the department for two-year terms. The chief is E. M. Ainscow, 29 years of age, a member of the department eleven years and chief since 1912. The assistant chiefs are: W. J. Bayley, aged 36, eleven years a fireman, and J. J. McNally, aged 44, and 23 years a fireman; both were elected assistants in 1912. The City Council has no power in the selection of candidates and the result of the election is reviewed by them simply as a matter of form. The chief has full control at fires, but his authority at other times is merely nominal. The appropriations by the city for the maintenance of the department, exclusive of the fire alarm system, for the five fiscal years ending August 30, 1914, have varied between $65,000 for 1910 and $66,200 for 1914. This is a per capita expense for 1913-1914 of 72 cents, based on an average population of 92,000. Each company enters into a yearly contract with the city to render service and to keep their apparatus in good repair, in consideration of which the companies receive appropriations varying from $4,300 for a ladder company to $9,000 for a combined engine and ladder company, which also maintains two ambulances. An appreciable amount of the appropriation is saved by each company which, augmented by subscriptions, the proceeds of social functions, etc., is used for new apparatus, horses, repairs to stations, etc., all of which are owned by the individual companies. The department maintains a benefit fund supported by $100 annually from each company, by dues, gifts, etc. The benefits are $100 at death from any cause, and $5 weekly if a member becomes incapacitated through injury or sickness, contracted through fire duty. There are two combined engine and chemical companies, one combined engine and ladder company, one ladder company and eight engine companies. Six of the engine companies have combination hose wagons, and the two ladder trucks carry chemical tanks. The companies are organized as clubs; each has a president, secretary, foreman, 1 to 4 paid drivers and, if an engine company, an engineer and several assistant engineers. Companies often leave the city on excursions, two being sometimes absent at the same time, but the apparatus is not taken. At such times enough members remain to man the apparatus. Drivers are on duty at all times, except meal hours, and one day off a week in most cases; substitutes are provided for days off. From 5 to 10 members sleep in stations. No floor watch is maintained. There are 9 steam fire engines, 3 motor pumping engines, 4 motor hose wagons, 6 horse-drawn hose wagons, 2 ladder trucks (1 aerial), 2 chemical engines, a chief’s motor car and spare apparatus. The stations are mainly arranged with lighting switches and stall trips operate automatically. Stations that have drying racks in the basement have a trap door in the floor for transferring hose. The authority of the chief is confined to actual fire service. In other matters his authority is merely nominal. Except at fires he has little control over paid members and none at all over volunteers. The fire alarm system is under the supervision of the Board of Police Commissioners, and is maintained by J. T. Gray, acting superintendent of fire and police systems.

Outgrown Volulteer System