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Show EFFICIENCY IN FIRE DEPARTMENT SERVICE Unique Zone Plan Originated in Chester County, Pa. To secure the greatest possible efficiency ef-ficiency in fire department service for the rural districts the Chester county (Pa.) farm bureau has orglnated a unique fire zone. plan. The actual conception of the plan was probably started as a result of an appeal made to Maj. C. M. WI1-helm WI1-helm of the state bureau of fire protection pro-tection from the Chester county farm bureau for closer co-operation. At a meeting of farmers Major Wll-helm Wll-helm urged organization with townships town-ships as the unit. The first township to get organized was Westtown township, town-ship, which was the most completely organized township of any in the county coun-ty for farm bureau work. The principal factors of the fire zone plan started by this township, and subsequently developed for the remaining townships, were dependent upon the co-operation of the following agencies : Fire department service represented represent-ed by the Chester County Firemen's association and the borough council of West Chester. Bell Telephone company. Township supervisors. Roads arranged ar-ranged In the zone directory, under their supervision, and contributions made to the fire department. State police under state bureau of fire protection. Neighborhood service tinder zone directors. All fires are reported to the zone director and to the nearest fire department. de-partment. The zone director gets the neighborhood service Into action by arousing the proper township fire chiefs, of which there are at least two In every township, and then starts In to arouse the neighbors of the fire victim. This plan Is turned over to a zone director, because he Is trained to know his territory better than rould be possible by a dozen or more different telephone operators. Once the fire chiefs are on the ground they are In a position to decide de-cide whether extra equipment of any kind Is needed, or the state police should be notified. The Importance of neighborhood service and the value of state police becomes more and more evident every day by reason of the fact that hundreds hun-dreds of automobiles block fire department de-partment service and bring strangers who are not slow In taking advantage n the chance to loot the premises of the fire victim. The West Chester flro zone Includes all or part of 11 townships In Chester county, and two townships In Delaware Dela-ware county, all points of which are within ten miles of the fire department. |