| Show Fire Chiefs of the Big Big- Cit es ss iscu-ss Men sW Hours I I Believing that the firemen of the city should have more freedom from their duties than they now enjoy in Salt Lake this p paper per has made some in inquiries inquiries in in- int into the practices that other cities have adopted As the question o of th the two platoon system has been discussed discussed discussed dis dis- dis- dis cussed quite quite freely freely frely here the comment of fire chiefs in the big cities should prove of inter interest s in Salt hake Cake They will be found q below ow Fire Fir Chief By Bywater water has freely ex expressed expressed expressed ex- ex pressed himself In favor of bettering the conditions the m men n in his department department department de de- de- de while maintaining the splendid splendid did lid efficiency which he has built up ashead ashead as ashead head of that important department It has been en his wish that the city could arrange arrange to give the men longer time with their families At present they are on duty m most st of the twenty-four twenty hours Some cities have adopted the two platoon system system one one force works twelve hours and is relieved by another crew to work the same length of time Other municipalities have found it best to give the men more days off To establish the two platoon system in Salt Lake would cost the city about a year it is said The following letters throw light on the subject ct TWO PLATOON SYSTEMS New NewYork York December 20 1915 Editor The Telegram Dear Sir Sir Sir-In In answer r to your re request request request re- re quest of December 16 for the nam names s of the the cities In which the fire de departments departments departments de- de are under unde the two-platoon two system we refer you to our our issue of December 11 In which the following article appeared TWO-PLATOON TWO DEPARTMENTS In response to numerous requests herewith Is given a list of the cities whose fire departments are under the two-platoon two system of duty Anaconda Mont Berkeley Cal Cat Billings Mont Butte Butto Mont Colorado Springs Colo Cob Great Falls Mont Mon t. t Kansas City Kan ICan Kansas City Mo Los Angeles Cal Omaha Neb Pueblo Colo Cob Seattle Wash Vash Yonkers N. N Y In the thel following cities the two- two platoon system has been authorized but has not yet been put Into force Atlantic City N. N J. J Lincoln Neb Paterson N. N J. J Pittsburg Pittsburgh Pa Topeka Kan Youngstown O. O Your Very truly FIREMEN'S HERALD A. A Freeland Editor HAS PROVEN A SUCCESS Kansas City December 20 1915 Editor The Tho Telegram Dear Sir Sir Sir-In In reply to yours of the regards to Information relative to the operation of the two- two platoon system in the department will state as follows The two-platoon two system was In Inaugurated Inaugurated inaugurated In- In in this department In July 1913 upon the passage of ot an ordinance providing for the tho same by the city council I Ii It is my opinion that the same h has proven a success after three and arid a a trial and has not decreased the efficiency of the department j From our experience e it it has demonstrated demonstrated demonstrated demon demon- that the sl successful operations opera opera- of the double platoon system depends upon the addition of a sufficient sufficient dent number of men to the department department department depart depart- ment to properly man the companies so as to maintain the efficiency of th the companies in each shift the same as under the old system also the Inauguration of new rules and the strict enforcement of the same ame to govern the changed conditions In the department The cost to the department department depart depart- ment to carry carryon on the plan has not been excessive The increased cost to our department In salaries has as been approximately a year and we have a total of thirty-eight thirty companies and men Trusting that the above is the In Information information information in- in formation desired and wishing you good success I 1 remain very truly yours J. J C. C EGNER Chief Fire Department P. P S. S S. S.-I I p. p copy of the rules governing the two-shift two system In our department Also wishing you a amerry amerry amerry merry Christmas and happy New Year LIKES CHICAGO'S PLAN PLIN Los Angeles December 21 1915 Editor The Telegram Dear Sir Sir Replying Replying to Inquiry of the In regard the two-platoon two would say that from the firemen's standpoint it is well liked and much preferred to the one day In five we had formerly Personally If it back Continued on page 11 I I I FIRE CHIEFS CHIEFS' Continued from page e 1 lit I in the ranks I would prefer one day In three as Chicago has jAs As to the city's side the efficiency of the department is greatly increased by the full crews at all times in all houses under the two-platoon two whereas wheres where where- as ts s formerly companies were sometimes sometimes sometimes some- some times caught very short handed on of men on days off meal hours ours sickness or detail The main raw back seems to tobe be the tho addition of bout boot 50 per cent to the salary roll Trusting this will give you the in- in desired desire I remain yours ery ry truly ARCHIE ARCHIEl J. J ELEY ELBY Chief Engineer I OPPOSED TO IT r d' d St St. Louis December 20 1915 I Mitor of The Telegram Dear Sir Sir Replying Replying to your your letter our let letter r r T of December 16 In reference to the two-platoon two system I will state for your information that this subject had been discussed in the ranks of this department for quite a while prior to September a year ago when it be became became became be- be came so strong that we had to do dor something In order to check it as we J felt Celt r that the expense incurred by the then platoon system would not justify n and Increase the efficiency enough to warrant it We Ve have therefore blocked the double shift in this city by Uy giving iving our members every third day off o f Instead of every sixth day oft off which they y were setting getting before that time I do not believe belleve in dividing re responsibility responsibility re- re m therefore I am not in ina a r ra a double sh shift shift With u kind personal regards and Spy wIshing you a merry Christmas 81 3 and New Year I am arn Very truly y yours urs J-E J F. F B E. E HENDERSON Chief t. t WHAT IT COST COSTS 41 Denver Colo Cob Decembers December's r 23 1915 Editor The Telegram I Dear Sir Yours Sir Yours of ri ric December c 16 15 relating to the two platoon system for fire departments recel received d. d In answer answer answer an an- to your questions the same I beg leave to a city is financially able to appropriate an additional amount about 50 per cent over what the running expense of the department was the old or 01 time off schedule the two platoon system should not he adopted as it will take at least that amount of additional money to keep the companies properly manned and companies undermanned work a hardship hard- hard hardship hardship ship on the firemen when working at a fire tire together with increasing the fire loss I am heartily In favor of firemen rece rece I ing as many days off as is possible possible possible pos pos- sible for them to receive also an annual vacation but I am absolutely opposed to the two platoon system unless a city can appropriate the amount of money necessary to properly prop prop- erl erly install the same Yours truly JOHN F F. F HEALY POINTS OUT DANGERS New York December 24 1915 Editor of The Telegram Dear Sir Sir Sir-I I have your letter of December 17 asking my opinion of the two-platoon two system as compared with what we term the continuous duty system I have always opposed th platoon on system for toJ t the e reason reason rea rca I son that firstly I consider it it absolutely absolutely absolutely subversive of di discipline secondly secondly sec sac because it entails a greater ex expense expense ex- ex pense without the compensating advantage advantage advantage ad ad- vantage of increased efficiency The two-platoon two system brings the men In the fire department down to a mechanical mechanical me me- working basis I had a two-platoon two system for the pilots and engineers of the marine division at the time that I had the Immediate command of that division I found it almost impossible to keep any esprit de corps among the engineers engIneers engi engl- or pilots They were simply there to work a certain number of hours and under any and all circumstances circumstances circum circum- stances they wanted to to quit when their hours of duty were up That kind of thing is not good for a fire department You will be up against the argument argument ment meat that they can be called out when necessary to great fires That in my opinion is putting the fire de department department department de- de back forty years to the old volunteer system of blowing a whistle to summon the men when they are wanted Furthermore under a two two platoon platoon system the men are Inclined to spend their days off in attending to their own business coming back tired and fagged out to bunk in an engine house for the night under such conditions the fire lire business soon becomes a kind of secondary occupation Give the themen themen themen men a day off in five a day off oft in four or even a day ot off in three but never allow them to get you In a position position position tion where they are controlled by a labor organization and ready to de demand demand demand de- de mand pay for overtime as they did didin didin didin in Kansas City A firemans fireman's day is twenty-four twenty hours he is not working he Is wafting waiting wait waft ing The business demands eternal vigilance it those who adhere to the principle of eternal vigilance who wh can properly guard the lives and property of the people of the city that employs them Yours respectfully JOHN KENLON EVERY THIRD DAY DAY OFF Chicago December 20 20 1915 Editor of The Telegram Dear Sir Sir Sir-I I beg to acknowledge re receipt receipt receipt re- re of your esteemed favor of the nth and in reply would state that the proposition to install the two-platoon two system in this department department department depart depart- ment was defeated by a large majority majority majority ma ma- at the last spring election We Ve have a system in vogue In our de department department department de- de whereby the men receive a twenty-four twenty hour off every every third day and we find that it is very satis satis- factory t Yours Tours respectfully THOMAS OCONNOR O'CONNOR Fire Marshal |
