灭火的理论和实践。

灭火的理论和实践。

Under this title our able contemporary, the London Fireman, is publishing a series of articles which contain matter of interest to persons connected with the Fire Service, or in any way dependent upon it, in this country as well as abroad. The establishment of a force for extinguishing fires, it is suggested, should be made compulsory upon the authorities of every city and town, the money necessary for the support thereof to be raised by taxation. The services of the members of the force might be rendered voluntarily or for pay, but a certain standard of efficiency should compulsorily be secured. The standard of efficiency should be decided upon by the general government, and government inspectors should be appointed to see that it is everywhere attained and continued. Each Department should be inspected at least twice a year, and its satisfactory condition certified. An identical drill for every Department in the country would, under this system, be established. Allowing, then, for slight local differences, any officer or Fireman could drill and work with any Department. Uniformity of apparatus could hardly, perhaps, be secured, but in the most important particular, that of the gauge of couplings, it might be insisted upon, Legislation will be necessary to accomplish much which remains un„ done in America, and in the matter of couplings a uniformity of gauge will doubtless be secured in the course of a few years. There is little chance, however, that State or government inspectors will ever be appointed in this country. The spirit of rivalry which pervades the various Fire Departments will suffice to make them what they should be. The only difficulty now is that a sufficient allowance for the maintenance of Fire Departments is seldom made. If some means could be discovered by which municipal authorities would be brought to entertain a proper appreciation of the Fire Departments, this country would more than ever before be held in distinction on account of its fire-extinguishing sendee.

From the theory to the practice of fire extinction our contemporary rapidly passes. It being obvious, it says, that before a fire can be attacked and defeated, a proper fighting party must be got together, drilled and equipped, our first consideration is, " How to form an efficient Fire Brigade.” We will suppose a town in which, as we write, there is no fire protective service, or one quite worthless, and incapable of improvement. Disbandment, at the hands of whoever can effect that same, in the latter case, must be performed without mercy, or to that town our remarks have no further application. Public attention, we will also suppose, has been aroused to a full realization of the unprotected state of the town, and also to its consequences, visible in a long row of blackened ruins, or an empty space where once a fine old church, museum or cathedral stood ; brought home, too, to the townsfolk individually by insurance notices, the burden of which is increased insurance rates. A stir has been made in the matter by some locally influential, and the questions are, What sort of a Fire Brigade can we get together; how is it to be got together; and how are the indispensable funds to be secured ? First there is the Professional Brigade, composed of salaried officers and Paid Firemen. A Volunteer Fire Brigade may be said to consist of men who give their services for drill and practice without payment ; in some cases receiving it for work at fires, in others doing this also without fee. it may be supported out of the taxes or entirely by public subscription, or partially by means of both ; in some few instances the Brigade itself finds material and uniform and pays all expenses. Where this last is allowed to occur, morality in matters municipal is at a very low ebb. The means to be taken in raising a Volunteer Fire Brigade will largely differ, as the means by which it is to be supported vary. In every case, however, the first object of the promoters should be to secure public sympathy. The next thing to be done is to get money. There is no doubt the main portion of the funds necessary for a start and for future maintenance should come from the town ; properly, all should be so provided. A sum of $1250 to $1500 will be sufficient to purchase a manual fire engine with enough hose and gear for ordinary purposes, and to clothe and equip a Fire Brigade consisting of about twenty members; this amount, if it cannot be obtained from the taxes, must be solicited from private individuals, and if the matter be placed in a proper manner before moneyed people in the locality, it should be obtained without difficulty. Insurance companies, too, will sometimes assist, although they will probably point out that they are under no obligation, either legal or moral, to do so. It is always advisable to get funds enough in hand before starting ; if a Brigade makes a commencement before it is really ready to do so, it may perhaps be called out to work, and, with insufficient tools and training, make more or less of a failure. Then the numerous wischeads who prophesied that this would certainly happen will spread a knowledge of the circumstance pretty widely, through the papers and otherwise ; and the new Fire Brigade may find itself under a cloud for many years, the result of a too early start. If, after every exertion has been made to secure support, support cannot be obtained, it is undoubtedly best to abandon for a time the attempt; in a few years, when some great disaster has occurred in the town, the services of the men who tried to organize a Brigade, and were laughed at for their pains, may be eagerly sought after.