SOUTHWESTERN FIRE CHIEFS FORM PERMANENT ASSOCIATION
Constitution Adopted at First Annual Convention Held in Texarkana— Next Gathering to be Held in Shreveport— Interesting Sessions
CHIEFS from Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and New Mexico convened in Texarkana, Ark., to form a permanent district organization of the International Association of Fire Chiefs. A constitution and a set of by-laws was adopted at this, the first annual convention. The group will be known as the Southwestern Association of Fire Chiefs. More than one hundred attended this gathering.
首席j . e .近代的负责人Blackwell, Okla., department and temporary president of the association, presided at the sessions which opened on March 15 and continued the following two days.
During the afternoon of the opening day there were reports from the constitution committee, adoption of constitution, enrollment of new members and a review of the Texarkana fire department. Through the courtesy of the local department, the chiefs were treated to a spaghetti supper. A banquet was held the following night.
A. D. DuLaney of Little Rock, deputy Arkansas insurance commissioner and fire marshal, spoke on the annual fire loss in the state. Arkansas now enjoys a $3,000,000 reduction in annual fire losses. This is attributed to an act of the legislature making every mayor, police and fire department official in the state, a deputy fire marshal.
Chief Goff of Oklahoma City urged the chiefs to make friends with the public. This he said could be done by exercising some care at fires. He advised the chiefs to keep both religion and politics out of the department.
L. H. Harver of Memphis, a representative of the arson squad of the National Board of Fire Underwriters, explained the function of arson squads in the organization of fire departments and explained how they aided in convicting persons who had committed arson. A. W. Penninger of Waco, and also a member of this squad of the National Board of Fire Underwriters, asked the cooperation of the chiefs during arson investigations. He said chiefs are in a position to give the investigators valuable information.
Chief S. D. O’Connor of Beaumont was unable to be present, but his paper on Cotton Fires was read by Chief J. H. Dixon of Fort Smith, Ark.
Chief R. G. Gambrell of Dallas prepared a paper on Oil Fires. A talk on ventilation was given by Chief Goff of Oklahoma City.
Chief Hammer of Belton, Texas, spoke on “Fire Fighting in a Small City.”
H. B. Savage of Little Rock, Ark., chief of the conservation division of the Arkansas Fire Prevention Bureau, spoke on “The Fire Department in Fire Prevention Work.” He pointed out the value of regular and systematic inspections of buildings.
S. W. Inglish, manager of the Texas Inspection Bureau gave an address on “Fire Prevention Instruction in Public Schools.” There were many other interesting and instructive papers presented.
Chief J. E. Taplin of Blackwell, Okla., was elected president and chief Tom Lyle of Okmulgee, Okla., was elected secretarytreasurer. The state vice-presidents are as follows: Chief Charles S. Haefer, Little Rock, Ark.; Chief Frank J. Roddy, Monroe, La.; Chief George B. Goff, Oklahoma City, Okla.; Chief R. V. Miller of Clovia, N. M., and Chief W. F. Manner of Belton, Tex. Chief W. T. Springer of Texarkana was elected first vice-president and Chief S. J. Flores of Shreveport, La., second vice-president.
According to the constitution adopted, the president, the first vice-president, and the second vice-president constitute the executive committee.
None of the elections were contested.
Several cities presented bids for the 1929 convention. Invitations were received from Abilene, Tex.; Fort Worth, Tex., and Muskogee. Okla., but all three withdrew in favor of Shreveport, La., which was selected the next convention city. No date has been set for this gathering.
Battle Creek, Mich., Fire Alarm Tested—After a week of tests, the new fire alarm system installed in Battle Creek, Mich., has been declared acceptable. All that is left to do is to replace the wires that are now on poles by an underground conduit system. A number of new boxes will be installed in the down town section. The conduit improvement may be spread over a three-year period.
