1941-02-24 - Laserfiche WebLink

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J n C SELECTMEN'S MEETING February 24, 1941 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held In the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building on February 24, 1941 at 7:30 P. M. Messrs. Potter, Rowse, Locke, and Sarano were present. The Clerk was also present. In the absence of Mr. Giroux, Mr. Potter acted as Chair- man. Chief Edward W. Taylor of the Fire Department appeared before the Board at 7:30 P. M. The Chairman told him the Board would like to hear what he had to say about the purchase of the resuscitator. The Chief said that the Department had an inhalator now which had done very good work but was now almost obsolete. The resusci- tator is the only thing he knows of that,will do the work the inhalator can do. This equipment would do away with the prone pressure work that has to be done now on people who are non - breathing cases. If you have a breathing case, the inhalator It' fine, but it will not work in a nonbreathing case. It is difficult for a person administering aid by the prone pressure method to have his strobes coincide with the number of breaths per minute that the person is taking. The resuscitator'auto- matica119 takes care of this. Also with the inhalator, they have now may of knowing whether or not the person has anything in his throat, and the resuscitator tells immediately whether or not there is something in the throat. Mr. Potter asked how many men in the Department could handle this equipment and Chief Taylor said that everyone could use it. Mr. Rowse asked if the inhalator would still be kept in the Department and the Chief said it would. The Chief said the resuscitator would be kept in the station and taken out only when needed. Mr. Potter asked the Chief how he felt on the question of civil service for the men. Mr. Rowse said he understood the Chief used to be against it. Chief Taylor said he was against it at one time because a man from any part of the State might be qualified to work in Lexington and it was his belief that only Lexington men should be employed by the Lexington Fire Department. He said he understood now that he would not have to take men from out of town. Mr. Potter asked if the call men would come under this and he replied in the negative. Mr. Rowse asked if the Chief felt he would have as good disciplinary control with civil service and he replied in the affirmative. He said he was confident he would have no trouble. *Mr. Rowse said he believed it was only fair for the Fire Department to have this program as long as the Police Department has it. 543 Resus ci tatoi Civil Service Fire Dept.