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Show Realistic? Outdoor Training Produces Efficient Crews Noon at the Fire Department Ik To new employes just starting to; work at Hill Field one of the most amazing aspects of the installation is the large, modern and fire department constantly on the alert to put the skids under any kind of blaze whether it be on a 4 after an emergency landing or a grass fire well-equipp- ed 8-2- down bv the tareet ranee. - . Stocked with equipment that any fire department in the nation might well be proud of, OASCs organization is ah integrated, efficient group, 90 per cent of whom were formerly occupied with any- -' thing but fire fighting, probably never dreamed they'd ever leap from a moving fire truck and sling a piece of fire hose around a hydrant with all the ' grace and facility of young gazelles. Members of the department with years of firefighting experience have accomplished the "training of the green hands. Sometimes,, says Drillmaster Ben F. Benton, they'd wash out in less than half an hour after seeing it wasn't the easy job they Imagined it. The training of new men is made as realistic as possible. They're made acquainted with the intense heat thrown out by the ignition of high octane gasoline used in aircraft by actually extin- -. guishing such fires. Then, when the real thing comes along a group of men, confident of their own ability, will answer the alarm belt organHill Field's ization dates back to June, 1941, when present fire chief William C. Jensen came from the Logan fire department to take over the reins at this post. "They told me when I got here Td probably only have to worry ' about a few grass fires," said Chief Jensen. "That just about made me turn about and go back to Logan. ; But I'm glad I didn't now." From an organization that, in July, 1941, had one piece of equip- -' ment in the base garage and an ware- -, r office in the quartermaster house, the department has grown frame a . to include . station with two modern pieces of equipment in the mobile depot . area, an .brick sta-- . base near tion headquarters, and . a brick crash house located on the northwest corner of the operations hangar. 1 Not only is the housing and . equipment modern, but the men themselves are thoroughly trained and on the alert 24 hours every . day of the year. Of the original nine men composing the department, seven are still on the job. All but one have had considerable previous experience in battling fires. Norma Griffiths is the chief's stenographer. She says she doesn't r, but like to call him a she's never been so busy before coming here. She Is anxiously awaiting the day they begin to hire woman The department ts divided into two platoons, each containing roushly 55 men. They alternate on shifts. Each man is the given a day off every two weeks, in addition to the alternate days he is regularly off. shifts per Even so, three week amount to 72 hours each fire fishier is on the job. That's considerably more than the 48 worked by other Hill Fielders. And Incidentally, there Is no overtime thrown in. They have their own mess each 'day at noon, cooked by a few of the boys with a bent for the '; . . fire-fighti- ng . . - well-equipp- ed ultra-mode- . rn slave-drive- fire-fighte- rs. 24-ho- ur 24-ho- ur -- y 24-ho- ur . forts of these part-tim- semi-circl- e.' - right. Only about 10 or 15 seconds is required to douse the fire and they're only using water. If the new Cardox truck, recently acquired by the department, were used, it would be out in much less time. "The Important thing about this training," says chief Jensen, "is that by actually getting in and fighting a gasoline fire first hand, the men lose their fear of it, a fear which, after all, is simply caused by not knowing anything about it" At intervals, Drillmaster Benton takes his men out and has them climb high ladders, carry "victims" down these ladders using the fireman's carry, or hook up a hose to a hydrant Benton says that on occasion. men have climbed to roofs and then refused to come down. No casualties have resulted thus far, but Benny says it's pretty ticklish r i . i'" " ' 'A HOSE PRACTICE . . . f s one of the most Important phases of a fireman's day at Hill Field. These fellows above are really getting Just that Drillmaster is Ben F. Benton who has aided considerably welding the department into an efficiently working team. If you ivv iiwn men on earn nose, try holding one of them jeurseu some day ktl M AT THE STB.OKE OF TWELVE . . Or very shortly thereafter Hill Field firemen in each of three stations gather around the festive board and dine on victuals the like of which only ft chefs are caDable of producing. In this way a full crew ia on hand for emergencies at all Above, Chef Reed Nelson, standing, wields the coffee pot as fellow firemen express their eolt gratitude in a confusion 01 lusty enop-ucKin- g. carrying a man as stiff as a plank down a high'ladder. This training has paid dividends on more than one ocasion. When a light army bomber crashed into the roof of hangar 1 last summer from high octane gasoline poured the tanks and lay in a thick film over a wide area on the cement Yank Requests Contributors Send in Materu Library Exhibit Features 'Gals' Color Portraits Of 'Oomph Stars' Shown hangar floor. The oomph stars of stage and "Had this been ignited by a are beaming forth in tech small spark caused by someone screen nicolor these days down at the droDoiner over walkiner a it or building piece of metal onII! it," said chiefJ base recreationthelibrary, in gymnasium, opposite neat tne woui Jensen, resulting ."Glamour exhibition an titled. nave weaicenea tne undoubtedly : . steel girders of the hangar and Girls' The glamour gals are. represent caused it to collapse, possibly kill in luscious portraits ing or injuring a great number ox ed from the files of the New York people." But firemen saw this possibility Sunday News, gracing the newly in a moment Tnev diked ud the arranged Suspended Gallery with area with sawdust to prevent the all their charms. These sugar-pustudies were gasoline from spreading, then covered it with a neutralizing chemi- collected by Pfc. Howard Low cal, scattered sawdust over it and while on furlough. , Low is in employes swept it up. That quick of gallery exhibits. Includthinking probably saved this post charge ed in the exhibit are: or thousands dollars. Alexis Smith, Ginny Simms, Bet Later, a special letter of com Grable, Michele Morgan, Lena ty mendation on the incident was Horne Marguerite Chapman, Judy sent to Chief eJnsen and his de Garland, Rise Stevens, Bette Davis, partment by ASC headquarters Betty Hutton, Ann Sothern, Anne Baxter, Margo, Ellla Raines, and On another occasion rescued the field's flag during a Maureen O Hara. Library hours: Weekdays raging blizzard. The flasr had been torn loose from its moorings and p. m.; Sundays, 8 p. m. was nuttering aDout wildly over the street Firemen are called Two Anderson Clubs , . . To ac upon to solve many problems be- commodate members on the swing sides putting out fires. and day shifts, two Anderson clubs One of the most important jobs are now Members are in the department is the inspection graduates organized. Anderson Sheet of the of fire extinguishers and nil hunt Metal school in Nashville, Tennesings for fire hazards. Eight in see. The Anderson spectors make three such inspec- club meets every first and third tions monthly of every building on The Anderson Jolly this field. Chief inspector Is Ver- Thursday. meet Jacks same days in the eve nal 8wanger, assisted by Batis for swingThe former ning. talion Chief William J. BUheL for latter the shifters; men rotate in order to become The acquainted with all phases of Absent HUleresters Dial W Hill Fielders living in the civil Chief Jensen said that In the ian barracks, Hiucrest should fol n. majority of cases, fires no,.-.ilow this procedure in reporting an here have either hMn vviujJCVCIJ absence: Dial . "0" for the Hill doused or well under control when and say: "I wish to nremen arrived a couple of min- Field operator an absence." report They should utes after the alarm was received not dial other number than any thanks to the effort oiviii... who know how to operate fire ex- the digit "0". tinguishers. Probably the most spectacular JVotc piece or equipment In the department is the Cardox fire truck used by the crash house crew in plane crashes or emergency It'a a mammoth affair 12 landings. feet high 8 feet wide and 31 feet long and will cover a burninor nlrnlnn. three tons .of cooling, smothering C02 gas in a few seconds. Captains at station one are Louis a. tieiscn and Lawrence E. Shnnr at station two. . Philip Sorenson and Vauehn Sheffield a u w J.1 L 1 K-29- 0, full-col- or tended an invitation to all ing GI journalists, repoi tographers and fiction will would like to see thei print to contribute material magazine's two Camp Newt and credit lines given. The need is not or short, amusing and light Uet also for serious articles. E is a potential contributor; story or picture about cap will be welcomed by the By-lin- es ss Post -- WKIWrcSDAY- April 3 "Buffalo Bill" 12-1- Joel McCrea Linda Darnell Maureen O'Hara FRIDAY fimn . rne xoung in SATURDAY Anvil IK "You Can't Ration Loi Betty Knoues SUNDAY-MONDA- Y. Apru w "Uncertain Glory" Errol Flynn Paul Lukas . er Jean Sullivan TUESDAY - day-shifte- TTnt4' ' "i Douglas Fairbanks, Jl Fauiette uoaaa Janet Gaynor 2-- 10 2-- Stick-Togeth- Movi is rs. "The Cowboy and Senorita" Roy Rojreri th. I WEDNESDAY-THIIK- S: - J "Meet the People Dick Powell , Lucille Ball ' Bert Lab' if This Were a B 24 7 JUS. : chefs. e Station one kitchen masters are Reed Nelson and A. W, Lof green. Nelson is particularly proud, of what he laughingly refers to as the fricadilly (Ed Note: Spelling is our own). It is really a meatball with a high collar and a Park Avenue accent. In station two chefs are Joe Cerney and Harry Ray. At the crash house it's a free lance arrangement every man. for himself. Anyone dissatisfied with present eating facilities heaven forbid let him call at the fire department. Just knock three times and when the peep door slides back, whisper, "Fricadilly." .. After every fire run. the trucks are cleaned and polished. Otherwise, they are cleaned every day. From one to four in the afternoon a stiff drill session is provided, led by veteran Benton and deputy fire chief Paul J. Ronnfeldt. Often they take their charges to a spot lust east or tne salvage yard, where they have rigged up a device which simulates the ar rangement of gasoline tanks in an airplane wing. There are four barrels placed in a row on wooden stands about the same distance apart as would be found in an air plane. Water lies around the base of the stands. High octane gasoline is poured on this and one of the barrels is unplugged. Benton lights the liquid with a long torch and then the training really begins. About seven or eight firemen, helmeted and all, close in in a Their hose nozzles are pouring out a solid sheet of water and spray which- gradually drives back the roaring inferno of flame enveloping the entire area. One of them works his way in to the leaking barrel of gasoline and plugs it up, all the while covered by his comrades. The drillmaster wades about in the mud directing ms men. it's realistic training, all 7 ' "A4''i 7 41 I: ' kitchen. Each of the three stations has its own. Otherwise, they would have to operate a Shuttle service between there and the cafeteria. That morale is high is doubtless partly due to the ef- Closing for the Kill f: it f t - ", ? ' crash - house, Shirley Ball and Grant Porter. Each station is responsible for emergencies In particular areas of the field. "They can reach any portion of the entire installation in a matter of two minutes. Latest job the department has accomplished is the organization of war prisoners here into efficient fire fighting crews similar to those auxiliary in other sections on the post The last, thing noticed on leaving the station and Chief Jensen was a pile of signs with bright red lettering containing auxiliary fire crew instructions in Italian. .. ITS REALISTIC TRAINING . . . They're after at the "1 hish the shore picture of biasing t.tUM.. i t with water hoses and a JJJU otwwmv nv iiiiiiuirsi a iff? ire Is Ignited alongthe l supporting four barrel of srasoline iwnrcaenting tanks in a heavy bomber. When the real thing 'om" J:,n of weU trained fire fighters win be ready and I 1 -- j |