1929-01-07-STM-MIN - Laserfiche WebLink

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2:32 , THE KN OX PUMPER AND LA FRANCE LADDER TRUCK CD ►Io much has been said regarding the Knox Pump that we secured the services of Captain James Ryan , engineer of motor apparatus of the Boston Department . lie made a most careful examinc. tion . The pump was removed and taken apart ; the chassis given a road test , and while use could be made of it as pumper by spending 45 , 000 , his opinion was against our spending anything , except to continue its use as a hose and chemical wagon , as a '' spare . " The Committee feels that more use may be had from this machine by taking the chemical tank from the discarded Kissel car and mounting it on the Knox . Three cities aimi towns in the thetropolitan mire District and the City of Gloucester still have Knox pumpers in commission ; viz : Arlington , Recding and " ec;ton . Vve feel that had our department taken sufficient care of this apparatus to have kept it in proper condition it would not new be necessary to recommend the purchasefbt a new machine . Other cities and towns are still using this very type daily , but due either to neglect or failure to properly care of this apparatus , we are obliged to recommend the purchase of a new pump to replace this machine . Much also has been said regarding the ownership of this apparatus . It is the opinion of our Town Counsel that it be- longs to the Town . A more recent occurrence of the lack of proper maintenance of apparatus shows that the Lafrance ladder truck was out of commission several weeks the past summer , it being necessary to make extensive repairs to same , costing in the neighborhood of $ 1 “, 00 . The La France people informed our expert that either lack of oii in the crank case or improper adjustment of the bearings and the use of improper sized cotter pins necessi - tated these extensive repairs . PORT;BLE FOREST FIRE PUMP HOSE V fiGON . /in equipment of this type consists of a light chassis which can be driven to points ordinarily impossible to reach with the heavier machine . It is so constructed that four men can carry the pump to any body of water that a truck cannot reach . It has 2 , 000 feet of le hose which is so light and flexible tint one man can handle it . The Committer: believes that such a piece could not only be used for grass and forest fires , but as is done in Norwich , Connecticut , can be used in a large percentage of fires with much less water damage to the property than with the heavy pump and hose . FIRE HOUSES Headquarters on Meriam Street is a fairly modern building , principally of wooden construction , too small to house properly the apparatus , difficult of ingress and egress , and exposed to great hazard by surrounding wooden buildings , and deficient in fire protection . This building houses the battery and generator set and repeating instruments , the very center and heart of the fire alarm system . The experts state , and our own -'oard of Engineers agree , that in this building , as well as that at East Lexington , many rules and regulations relating to fire prevention are being neglected . The Committee feels that these risks could have been materially reduced by better housekeeping methods , re- gular training and inspections . We recommend the abandonment of this building and site .