Show OF INTEREST TO THE fahme H TO REDUCE FARM FIRE LOSSES kierre wallace endert endorses es fire prevention ution week national fire prevention week Is to tie observed october 29 2 9 its object islo is to call attention to tile the vase annual loss by fires which might have been prevented and to emphasize the necessity of safeguards a aganet abst future fires the nations total fire loss is estimated at lives alves and ak in property each year Ac Acco iding colding to the statistics of tile the national board of fire underwriters there were fires on oil farms in a single year 1918 and the estimated loss was that means that rural families in 1918 suffered suf feied loss in degrees varying from crom slight damage to the loss of 0 home livestock and in ili many cases human life farmers and all persons in ili rural communities well may join in the observance ot of fire prevention week loth both individually and in public gatherings such as schools churches and farm organizations HENRY C WALLACE secretary v of agriculture farm fires cost about a ear in of oc the fires that year 33 per cent net e from causes classed as preventable 37 per cent from partly preventable causes and 30 per cent unknown but believed to have been largely preventable with inadequate firefighting fire fighting equipment on farms fires are hard to control prevention is the best way to deal with them defective chimneys and flues took toll to the extent of 0 31 sparks on roofs careless use of matches by smokers and others petroleum and its products and stoves furnaces boilers and their pipes the largest item listed as partly preventable is lightning 1 fire prevention week should be made a special time for looking over the premises to see that the buildings are in the best practicable shape to prevent ani and resist fire that inflammable rubbish is cleared away and that habits of safety are instilled in the handling ot of matches lamps stoves and kerosene and gasoline gasoline has come to play such an important part in farm eife ifa that special care should be taken to see that it is not stored in inflammable buildings and is never opened in the presence of 0 uncovered flame fire prevention week ends on the semi centennial of the great chicago fire while occurring in a great city the traditional cause of this fire was one is liable to occur in the country the upsetting of a lantern on a stable if lanterns must be used in barns they should be deptin good condition set or hung in a safe place and never filled or lighted in ili the barn numerous disastrous fires are caused by threshing machines both by scattered sparks and embers and by ly aust explosions in ili tile the separators all smokestacks smoke stacks should hae spark arresters and the ground around the bolter boiler should be kept clear and wet down if i necessary grain dust explosions plo are largely preventable the united states department of agriculture has hab made exhaustive studies of 0 the subject and is prepared to recommend adequate safeguards serious losses are caused by sparks from locomotives which ignite dry wooden shingle roots roofs and start many fres res iu in straw stubble and grass during dry seasons it if a railroad runs through the farm it will pay to plow c r few furrows along the right ot way as a fire break kerosene lamps should be examined to see that the burners are in good condition and should never be left where they may be upset kerosene and gasoline receptacles should be kept apart and should be so different as to avoid possibility of a mistake ordinary friction matches should be kept in safe receptacles receptacle 3 away from chil children dLen and never carried loose smoking in barns and garages never should be permitted fire marshals of western states report greater fire losses in grain and straw the past season from carelessly thrown matches engine sparks and automobile and tractor backfire than ever before buildings may he be made safer by fiig that the chimneys are without cracks and tree free of soot which may take fire and scatter sparks on adly diy roofs flues which may become hot should be covered with asbestos nid and mv nearby near by walls and ceilings pi r elected there should be a sheet of 0 metal under every stove out or oc all the losses by lightning not one was on a I 1 building protected by lightf lighting ug rods it Is now definitely knorn that lightning rods afford protection if I 1 installed intelligently they reduce the risk from lightning almost arto the vanishing point public schools may well devote an in hour or alvernoon alter noon to a special fire prevention program some prominent CRIMP could be called in for a if ak essays and perhaps a play leaby the children would help im in otiss ass cht h matter on oil their minds minda some choals cli already a ireada have a weekly fiftena minute lesson on fire prevention the plan is admirable meetings of farm organizations are particularly proper occasions for fire prevention programs these or g have a fire insurance feature and every fire loss means macais larger premiums for the mu idal insurance associations the lesson of fire prevention should be taken to every rural home and community precautionary measures will do much to cut down a loss that takes millions or of dollars out of the possession of rural americans every year and leaves nothing in 1 I its place prevention is better than regret |