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Show THE READER'S DATE BOOK Annual Fire Damage in Nation s Home Towns Totals Millions i National Fire Prevention Week, October 7-13, is an ideal time for the small towns of the nation to inventory their fire fighting equipment and organization. And it is the opportune time for the home town merchant to inspect his building and make a check list for the elimination of fire hazards. It seems fantastic, but last year 51,000 stores, many of them in the home towns of the nation, were destroyed by fire. The total loss was estimated at approximately $53,000,000. ganizing farmers to haul water in milk cans to fires; these cans of water help keep the pumpers going longer. But rural residents will be much better off and his properties will be safer if he has a dependable water supply for fire fighting within with-in easy access of a road and hia buildiugs. Another program the merchant mer-chant might find beneficial to sponsor is fire prevention instruction in-struction as a part of the regular regu-lar curriculum of the nation's rural schools. Atany a group In the country today feel that fire safety education is just as Important Im-portant to local and national welfare as geography, history, or any other standard subject. The nation-wide trend toward consolidation con-solidation of small school districts And fires on the nation's farms are causing deaths of 3.500 persons and a property loss of nearly $100,-000,000 $100,-000,000 every year. To cut these losses, merchant organizations, org-anizations, in coop-- coop-- eration with other A civic organizations, fiflJSlPl have conducted fire safety education ST$$!T programs through rranioc elementary and 1-fc.A I UKfc Wgh schools and be- fore local groups. Many communities will conduct fire safety programs, designed primarily primari-ly to remove immediate fire hazards. haz-ards. Here is a short self-inspection list that the local merchant might well consult during National Fire Prevention Pre-vention Week: 1. Are all entrances and fire exits unobstructed, clearly marked and lighted? 2. Is all rubbish removed regularly reg-ularly not just out into the store yard but burned or hauled away? 3. Is basement storage space separated by substantial partitions parti-tions and is merchandise stored neatly with easy access for fire fighting? 4. Are flammable liquids stored in approved safety containers? con-tainers? 5. Are all electrical installations installa-tions performed by a competent compe-tent electrician? G. Are all fuses of proper t type, size and in good condition? 7. Is there dirt or rubbish under un-der benches, in lockers, behind radiators, or any other part of the premises? This is a short list the local merchant mer-chant might make in inspection of liis store, or his home, for that matter. mat-ter. The annual fire loss in the home towns and rural areas is so high today to-day because of two general factors. 'There is delay in notifying the fire department because the fire isn't immediately noticed, and, there isn't a good supply of water near 'the blaze. If enough farmers are organized organiz-ed to bring water to a fire In milk cans, the fire department's pumper can be kept in operation for a considerable time. The above picture shows the scene at & fire in a Michigan community, where this method is ' in use. However, milk cans are no substitute for a good accessible pond or 3,000 gallon gal-lon cistern. into larger ones was the opening the ddor for a rural school firs safety instruction program in somi areas. In Illinois, for example, the 12,00( school districts that existed in 1941 have been reduced to approximate ly 5,000 districts today. The new districts are stronger financially better administered, and should b able to include a fire safety educa tion program in their operation. Many educators believe modert farm yjuth would welcome the op portunity to learn fire safety as s part of their regular school work Through such training, they woulc undoubtedly make important con tributions to the fight against farn fire losses. Nine out of ten fires start through carelessness. Today, America can't afford this waste. Fire hurts our defense effort, consumes needed housing, feeds inflation by destroying $2,000,-000,000 $2,000,-000,000 in buildings and materials materi-als dally. Don't gamble with fire. Throw ou' rubbish and rags. Don't smoki where it is forbidden; never smok in bed. Don't misuse electrical wir ing and appliances. Make a fin "safety check" of your home. Anc keep matches away from children There are many other things on( can do to prevent fires, but observ ing these few will help tremendous ly. NEPH Week Scheduled For October 7 to 73 Hiring the physically handicapped not as charity but to promote de-tense de-tense production and the nationa economy was urged by Presideni Truman recently when he proclaimed proclaim-ed the week of October 7-13 ai National Employ the Physical! Handicapped Week. The physically handicapped is thf often overlooked labor source o: many home town employers. Th results of two recent surveys of tht work performance of the physicalh handicapped indicates that whet properly placed, they generalli make good. They are excellent pro ducers. They are safe workers. Anc they stay on the job. During the past year, as more and more people went into the armed forces, the public employment em-ployment services found 100,000 more jobs for the handicapped than the year before, a gain of more than 40 per cent. In the coming year the manpowe: reserve of the nation will be fur ther tapped by the armed forces To fill this void in the labor force local employers might well conside the handicapped persons. It home town and rural residents can find means to correct them, they will go a long way toward reducing re-ducing the large number of "total losses" that occur in rural areas. Early detection of farm fires is important. Firemen say that the :first five minutes of a fire are more important than the next five hours. Farmers should be on the alert at times when they suspect danger, such as after an electrical storm, or when power machinery is operating oper-ating unattended. When new hay of unknown moisture content is stored, it should be watched carefully for any signs of overheating. Your local county agent will tell you of methods meth-ods to "take the temperature" of hay to find out if it is nearing the danger point. Most small communities now have some kind of organized fire department and water supply Is adequate. However, any community com-munity that does not have a water supply, a centrally located 3,000 gallon cistern should be considered. Merchants woulc find that sponsoring such a project proj-ect would be well worth the effort ef-fort because of the added protection pro-tection it would offer. On the farm, the easiest way to provide adequate water is to dam a brook, or deepen an existing marsh or water hole near the barn. Where this is not possible, the farmer may be able to bulldoze a suitable pond near his buildings. Many farm fire departments are improving their efficiency by adding add-ing large water-carrying trucks and trailers to their equipment. They are using spray nozzles and chemical chemi-cal wetting agents to stretch these supplies even farther. They are or- |
