Show FIRE COMPANIES AMONG N MR n afim become members of voluntary organizations with all the necessary equipment PLANNED BY COUNTY AGENTS estimated that quarter of million dollars worth of grain was saved last year wider field of Useful nc seen A on oil tile horizon tn in tho the country no longer means and complete loss AL ak least this Is true in ID square miles of california where farmers have enlisted in rural lire fire companies equipped with trailer tiro fire carts stationed nt at strategic points and ready to meet the lire fire peril when it appears the plan was developed by county agricultural agents in ili cooperation ope ration with the forest service borvice of the united santa department i 0 at agriculture and it Is estimated that a quarter of a million dollars worth of grain was saved through it during the alio summer of 1018 tho plan was devised for the purpose of reducing losses in grain fields mid and on gruss ranges but of agriculture specialists believe it might be given a much wider held of usefulness in the alie protection of practically all kinds of 0 farm property from aiom loss by fire under tho the california plan the county farm bureau becomes the central fire protection agency A local ore company was formed at each community farm bureau center and the members pledged to ro re spend instantly to the call of ire fire each community elected a fire boss who wits was commissioned as a deputy sento fire warden and a firo fire dispatcher whose duty it Is to re rii at the telephone during fires to give information and obtain help hell trailers carry equipment in most of the he communities a two wheeled heeled v trailer fl 0 o cart wits was obtained these rhese trailers are of simple construction may bo be attached to any automobile and are completely equipped with chemical lire fire extinguishers water cans filled with wet sucks backs witt I 1 forks anil and shovels and with a container for drinking water for the fire fighters the trailer Is kept at the cross roads or other most accessible point in tho the community and the first passing on tho the way to a fire hitches to tile the trailer and takes it along out of the ag 30 rural fire comp companies autes organized in california last year arc equipped with ruch uch trailers tile the saying saving of at a quarter of a million dollars in n single aiho le season in this limited terr territory Jory la Is an indication of what might result it the plan were generally adopted in communities ere conditions are such as to wake make I 1 or kable there are some rural t where such a plan might not be advisable but la the majority perhaps it would he be workable prior to the extensive spread of the far farm m bureau system which camo came prim primarily artly as a war measure during 1017 1917 and 1918 it would not have been possible since it Is necessarily a operative cooperative co collI community activity but the farm bureau system has come to stay and it rife affords ads the sort of at operative cooperative co effort of at which community tire fire protection may well lie he a part similar need elsewhere throughout a dozen or more states abere exists a need tor for protection against fire in grain and grass fields at thrashers thra and the like similar to that in california in other large areas where wooded tracts are interspersed with tilled fields and where woods fires are ot of frequent occurrence and often sp spread to crops and buildings there exists the same need as in the elten extensive sivo grain fields and in the general prota tion of farm fann buildings and fences in hay bay loft and hay rick fires from spontaneous combustion or accidents in fires aspre spreading adami from burn ing brush or rubbish where tit in most cases water 14 riot not available an organized lire fire emiliana emi c liany quipped equipped with it chemical cart would be ot of the greatest utility tile office ot of farm management of 0 tho the united states department of agri culture has for time urged tho the 11 use ot chemical apparatus its aa more effective effe c live than water against fires on the farm especially where kerosene gasoline or other oil Is involved and us its an indispensable reinforcement to the vo ot of water in fit nil all cases that ta Is so seen i d in the california plan together with un nit oven even more effective thing tho the organization of tho the men of therom tho the coro com inanity in such way that can ann cnn make their efforts almost effective against tiny any fire |