Show THE MANTI FIRE DEPARTMENT The following article was prepared prepared pre pre- pared recently for use by the Utah I and perhaps other Legion Legion Le Le- Le- Le gion publications It is a rare thing when a Legion post takes over a city fire department and in n order that might learn more of their fire protection we weare weare weare are publishing the following article as it was submitted for Legion pub- pub publication publication MANTI FIRE DEPARTMENT By R. R LaVaun Cox Authors Author's Note A meeting of time old-time Legion fire fighters was called to gather facts and information information tion for this article and just fifteen teen cen minutes before re the meeting time ime a fire call was sounded Needless Needless Need- Need less ess to say a Manti resident had hadlis his lis home saved by prompt action on the part of the fire department I but jut the scheduled meeting was delayed delayed de- de ayed 24 hours Operators of their city fire de department department department de- de for almost 20 years without without without with with- out the loss of a si single gle major building building build- build ing ng in the city due to fire that's the he record of Sanpete Barrage Post 31 in Manti Utah The department department department depart depart- ment manned entirely by members of the Legion has successfully fought ought every type of fire in aH all kinds of weather The Legion Post took over the Fire Department for Manti City in 1929 when their fire-fighting fire equipment equipment equipment equip equip- ment consisted of a wheel 2 cart carrying only feet of hose and with but ten fire plugs to cover a city that now numbers about 2300 people Prior to this time the Fire department had been entirely volunteer volunteer volunteer vol vol- with the City Marshal serving as fire fire chief Shortly after the Legion took over the City of Manti purchased a fire truck for the department equipping it with a gallon 60 chemical chemical chem- chem ical cal tank pump ladders etc to tomake tomake tomake make it a modern truck in hi its it's day The department was hampered hampered hampered hamp hamp- ered by the lack of fire plugs for some years after getting their new truck and it wasn't until 1937 that the city waterworks department be began began began be- be gan adding to the mere ten fire fireplugs fireplugs plugs a available At present there are fire plugs throughout the city in in such a plan that every house inthe in inthe inthe the city is from at least one plug Leaders in getting control of the city fire department turned over to the Legion were Ardray Ardray Ardray Ar- Ar dray and Arnold Garbe both x th artillery veterans of World War I. I They were instrumental in making the city council realize the dangers of fire and are still active members of the department and I leaders in efforts to to get get new and better e equipment qui p men 1 served as chief of the fire department for ten years after the Legion took over the fire fighting activities and has been followed by three fire chiefs Fire drills are held by members member of the Legion twice monthly and in inthe inthe inthe the past it has been customary to devote part of each Legion meeting to discussion on fire control Mantis Manti's operated Legion-operated fire de department department department de- de has been called to fight many fires out of the city limits during the past twenty years and has always answered the calls They have aided in putting out brush and grass fires in controlling fires on farm arm buildings in the surrounding surrounding surrounding sur sur- rounding countryside and have sometimes gone to neighboring towns to aid in fighting major fires A new and modern fire truck was purchased by Manti City in inJune inJune inJune June 1948 at a total cost of almost The new truck carries all row equipment including a gallon tank with a powerful pump Continued on page 4 i i i is THE MANTI FIRE DEPARTMENT Continued from Page 1 Replacements on equipment arc are authorized by city officials as reci recommended recommended rec rec- by the Legion depart depart- moat ment The new truck with its it's tank and modern equipment en enables enables enables en- en ables the ManU fire-fighters fire to toi handle 95 05 per cent of all fires without without without with with- out the use of water from the fire plu plugs s. s The TIle new truck at present carries feet fed of standard fc 2112 inch fire hose and the Legions Legion's aim IS ISto S 'S Sto to have 1000 feet on the truck with 1000 r feet t in reserve The Manti ManU fire department is paid 1000 per fire drill by Manti City The department receives 1000 1006 for the first hour at a fire and for each ensuing hour hourn n needed ded to bring the fire under control This money is divided among the Legion members who answer the fire call Many times in the past the sum has been voted into the Legion treasury for use by the post though this is done only w with th the approval of all members members mem mem- bers who have pay coming from the fires The Manti l Legion and thir fire department feel they have a record tJ to be envied by other volunteer groups for they Have kept the losses from fire at a very low mark and they are arc always prompt in answering calls In a recent city fire the had water pouring onto a fire a fire more than a mile from the fire house just five minutes after the siren h had d sounded the call o |