Salt Lake Telegram | 1942-06-26 | Page 21 | New Fire Unit in County Wins Official Praise

NEW FIRE UNIT IN COUNTY WINS OFFICIAL PRAISE Department Functions Smoothly in inFighting inFighting Fighting Nine Blazes Salt Lake county fire department department depart depart- ment mont officials Friday praised the manner in which the newly reOrganized reorganized reorganized department functioned during Its first busy day and de declared declared de- de dared its efficiency proved that reports of friction within the department department department de de- de- de were without foundation foundation tion From noon until 10 p. p m. m Thursday Thurs Thurs- day the department was called on nine fires nearly one an hour And that is a fairly busy period period pe pe- pe- pe nod in any mans man's fire department department depart depart- ment said Chief Vernal T. T Beckstead Beckstead Beckstead Beck- Beck stead and Assistant Chief Len A. A Saunders The whole department functioned tunc- tunc S smoothly and efficiently with new members and holdover members of the volunteer section working side by side smoothly and andin andin andin in perfect harmony the chief said Of the nine fires eight were grass fires and the ninth was at the J. J A. A Butterfield residence I East street which was almost consumed by the flames before the county equipment ar ar- ar- ar rived Mr Butterfield had been burning grass and weeds near his home and it was believed a spark was blown by a brisk breeze from the burning weeds to the residence roof A high wind was blowing the chief said and the grass has started started started start start- ed to dry out making a bad situation for grass fires At one time during the day It was necessary to split the forces between two fires going at once Chief Beckstead said The new members of the volunteer volunteer volunteer volun volun- teer section met Thursday evening at the fire hall hail at Murray at their first formal gathering J. J B. B Mullins Mullins Mullins Mul- Mul lins chairman of the Salt Lake county commission spoke briefly promising cooperation of the commission commission com corn mission matters in-matters involving the fire department Meanwhile county commissioners commission commission- ers appointed three new members of the volunteer section bringing the departments department's strength to 36 men New volunteers are John R. R Riley Frederick L. L Wright and Clarence A. A all of Murray