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Show VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENT Chief Denny Tells of Conditions Which Should Be Remedied There is nothing more trying for men than getting to the rope and pulling volunteer apparatus to a fire. Yet it is done with vim, vigor and willingness. First, a fire alarm is sounded, probably at night, while the volunteer volun-teer firemen are at home in bed. The quick, partly-dressed men hurry with all speed to the house containing the apparatus, reaching there in a nearly exhausted condition. Yet, they are game, and will further labor in pulling pull-ing the apparatus to the fire, and upon up-on arrival are about out. Yet they do not despair and with what little energy en-ergy is left, do not lie down, but will go at the job to fight the fire with a vengeance. These things wear the life out of men, bring on disease, and they are finally laid away in specially prepared grounds, known as cemeteries. Now, let those in authority au-thority take up the subject and make the proper remedies. First, by purchasing pur-chasing up-to-date apparatus and implements for fire fighting. Have the men respond to the fire. Let the apparatus be conveyed to the fire by 'horses, better still, by gasoline power. pow-er. The care of horses is a great and continuous risk and expense. The cost of motor no expense, except when in actual service, outside of incidentals in-cidentals in trying out the power occasionally oc-casionally to know that it is in proper prop-er condition and has not been tampered tamp-ered with. The volunteers should insist, and those in authority should act without the view of too much economy, in purchasing good apparatus appar-atus for the volunteers, and the means of conveying the apparatus to the fire, other than pulling by hand. In this case, the men are ready for work, without injury to the human system. The loss of any one ordinary ordin-ary residence or business place would almost pay for the proper fire protection. The volunteers should not be compelled to run, exhaust themselves and to shorten their lives by endeavoring to first haul the apparatus ap-paratus and then extinguish the fire. It is but right and a strict business busi-ness proposition to provide proper apparatus and equipment for fire extinguishment. ex-tinguishment. And hats off to the brave .volifnteer firemen. (Signed) ' E. R. Denny, Chief Fire Department. |