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

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00 4 d " That new Fire Department headquarters be erected to house all the apparatus in Town 2c t', e l l CF all the permanent members . " Chief Walsh makes sixteen recommendations , many of which shou Ld have been accompliehed in the usual course of Fire Denarttuent operations ; the balance would have required action by the voters . The New England Insurance Exchange says in part : - " The Deportment is poorly organized in that there are no full time chief officers and an inadequate number of full paid officer : and men . The Chief and assistant Chiefs devote only a portion of their time to the Fire Department service therefore , good supervision of department affairs in genera ] , suffers , and it is highly probable that efficient fire fighting is retarded by delay : attending their response or their absence at fires . The number of companies is sufficient but in some instance : the apparatus is not of the proper type . " Engine capacity is somewhat deficient ; the single pumper available and of value is of satisfactory size and in good condition ; operators are ample in number but with a few ex- ceptions have had little practical experience in pump work . " Discipline could be improved by the adoption of suitable rules for the government of the Department , their rigid enforcement and the keeping of proper records of service ; the lack of adequate full paid officers and large percentages of call members are factors /towards deficient control . tending " Drills and training are so irregular and infrequent as to be of little practical value and their scope limited by deficiencies in facilities and the lack of a drill -master to provide for uniform instruction . " During test mEnoeuvers the work of individual officers and men as Tell as company organizations indicated the urgent necessity of the appointment of a competent official to conduct drills which should be frequently and regularly held if satisfactory results are to be obtained . "Fire methods are only fairly efficient , considering the normally under-manned condition of the companies , some deficiencies in equipment and the serious lack of training in modern methods . "Building inspection work could be improved by a systematic use of members of the full paid force employing a proper form for reports , preferably accompanied by sketches , which practice would not only permit of the correction of hazardous conditions , but would familiarize the department with structures and occupancies , and add to the general and specific knowledge essential to successful fire fighting . "Records of fires are fairly complete , but other important der)artment matters are not generally reported . " BUILDING INSPECTIONS . In t i s. matterNews h the England Insurance Exchange ' s engineer says : " The Department inspection work is practically limited to the efforts of one officer who makes regular monthly visits to alt mercantiles and is at times accompanied by the Chief . Notes of conditions are made but the use of approved forms adapted and formerly used for this work have been discontinued . The Chief has sufficient delegated power to correct hazardous conditions whenever drastic action is necessary . Records are kept of the number of visits and of conditions in general but are satisfactory as to type and incomplete ; no data appears as to any necessary follow-up action of the department to ensure