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

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233 The s � ee��n� conditions for �hv me�� taexctllen�i �hen ©om- arrangemen S ea qua.r ers are air , pored with the conditions in the fire house at East Lexington . The East Lexington fire house is so bad that it is diffi - cult to find words to describe it . The sleeping conditions are poor , the toilet arrangements could not be worse . In this house the boiler room is on the same level as the apparatus floor , and at headquarters it is below both boiler rooms open directly into the apparatus floors without adequate protection to pre- vent gasolene fumes from coming in contact ,with the heating boilers , so that the possibility of a fire or explosion is very great . The second floor of this station is used for religious services and other meetings ind in order to reduce the possibilities of an accident , temporary wooden posts are attached to the ceiling of the first floor which may be let down so as to form additional supports for the second floor when services are held . In connection with the use of this building for public purposes the State Board of Public safety condemned its use three yearsago , unless more adecuate means of egress and proper signs were installed . fire have been advised that these re- quirements would not cost over $500 . The possibility of a holocaust is co great that we re- commend the immediate adoption of the requirements of the State Board of Public Safety regardless of what action the town may decide to take regariing the balance of this report . Before reaching the conclusion that neither of these buildings could be remodeled satisfactorily for fire department purposes , we studied most carefully all possibilities for altering them tomeet the future needs , but had to give up the idea of rebuilding them . CONSOLIDATION OF FIRL HOUSE: This question has been carefully studied and maps prepared showing possible locations , which would meet with the rules of the insurance exchange , viz : that there should be a fire station within two miles of every house and one within 3/4 of a mile radius of the mercantile center , this distance being measured over the traveled highway , in order that the prop3rty may be considered properly protected . Under such conditions the required locations are as follows : 1 - between the Arlington-Lexington town line and Marrett Road onLassachusetts Avenue , 2 - within a 3/4 of a mile radius of the old town Hall , which would place one on Massachusetts Avenue or Bedford Street , within the limits bounded by Revere Street on the west and Percy Road on the east . Three sites have been suggested for a new headquarters . One at the corner of Grant Street and Massachusetts Avenue and one on Bedford Street between Phelps Garage and the Lexington * � Lumber Company . There is also room on the easterly siaecf the Cary Memorial building . Of these the Committee feels that the second is not only cheaper but better adapted and better located than either of the others . A station at this point together with one on the present East Lexington site would serve practically all the houses now built within two miles over the traveled highway . The Bedford Street lot contains approximately 35 , 722 square feet of land , and is large enough to house the additional apparatus recommended , a new battery room, the fire whistle , drill towers and other necessary equipment , and We have been informed that it can be botght for 45 , 000 . This is approximately 15 cents per square foot . I ii