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Show A Bad Start That king of destroyers, fire, is on the rainpago again. During the first (wo months of this joar, iirroi ding to the National Hoard of l ire Underwriters, direct firo Ioss was about fjiU, 000,0.0 higher than in tho same period in 10:',!). If that ratio should obtain for (lie balance of the year, the incraesc would be close to .$00,000,000, bringing (ho toljil loss to around (ho .$100,-000,000 .$100,-000,000 level. And remember (ho indirect loss caused by firo is estimated nt three or more times (he direct loss. Lost jobs, orders, business of all kinds, are just as serious ns burned buildings. Most serious Jy far is fire' toll of human life, running to 10,-000 10,-000 in an average year. What causes fires? A few aro caused by incendiaries, (hough their toll has been much reduced in Ia(c years due (o iinrcinitling efforts of prorcul ing authorities ami fre jircvrnt ion pronpH, A few nro unavoidable. And (he balance, mMiIi include.,) ()j(i great ina.j iri'y ef ail firr-s, are caused by (lie average man people l.ke JfiH'-'-'i'. They are the tragic fru''..s of human carelessru ss, human i:ior.!!r e, human iielii f-r c:ice. They represent f-h'-er nnd Iricx-! Iricx-! cus.iMe iale of lives aid resources. l ire i.r.'vi'iii inn i-n't the other fellow's job. It's your Job youi- ne;i;iit)or s jol everybody 's J'.ib. The. s' eds of fire i:mloi.bt-eoly i:mloi.bt-eoly exist in your home and your plate of business, waiting for the spark (bat will spell disaster. We can stump out firo but wo can do that only if all of us cooperate in fighting It. Nex time yon read of a home hunting, reflect tliat It might have been your homo. Next time you hear of someone meeting a horrible death from fire, think that you or a member of your family fam-ily may be on fire's future list of victims. Then ak yourself thi question: Is fire prevention worth while? |