Show Th The Fire Departments Department's in Good Shape A A YEAR ago Friday J. J K Piercey took charge of the Salt Lake fire department as chief Prior to that time for several years past the fire department had gone through some difficult times During the ir st 12 months however things have run very smoothly and it seems appropriate on n n the first anniversary of Chief Piercey's regime to review revie briefly the fire departments department's status Quite a few changes have taken aken place in the department the past year Salaries have been raised to a month for first grade firemen Personnel although it has not been Increased and still is less than it ought to be has been maintained very well considering wartime conditions and difficulties difficulties difficulties in getting and keeping man power There has been some reorganization of personnel The city has been divided into two fire combat districts to facilitate better supervision by chief officers with two battalion chiefs always on duty There are now five battalion chi chiefs s in the department instead of two One new was placed in service during th the year Another Another Another An An- other new was damaged in shipment and had to be re returned returned returned re- re turned but it is due to arrive for service in another 30 days Bij Big Dan the aerial ladder truck is scheduled to be ready for service again acain shortly Headquarters station has been abandoned as liS structurally unsafe and No 1 station equipment and personnel personnel per per- lIOnnel are now housed in temporary quarters until a new headquarters headquarters head head- quarters station can be built Several innovations which promise to improve fire department department depart depart- ment efficiency have been placed in effect One is periodic testing of all equipment to discover any weaknesses or performance performance performance per per- fai failures ures before an emergency when failure might prove disastrous These tests incidentally showed fire engines on the whole to be in excellent condition Where weaknesses were revealed they were either corrected correct d or those pieces of apparatus placed where when they would not b be un under ler too heavy a strain A systematic program of training drill and study insures t that at firemen will know v th the proper procedures in fire fighting and b be able to handle all equipment There is a science of fire firefighting firefighting fighting which can be learned There is elaborate and costly equipment which must be used at the right time and in the right way to get the best results results and and only through ugh pr previous training can firemen know the right way and the right time timeto to use it The fire department has made commendable progress the past 12 months Many of the kinks have been ironed out Morale Morale Morale Mo Mo- rale is definitely better Discipline and efficiency are improved Fire losses have been reasonable J. J H. H Roberts District manager of the board of fire underwriters underwriters underwriters under under- writers says The Salt Lake fire department is in good shape Efficiency and training are much b better Fire losses have not been excessive Chief Piercey is doing a splendid job That's high praise May it be a challenge to the chief to Public Safety Commissioner Romney and to the city commission as RS a wh whole le to continue the program of improvement which has been so well launched |