Report of the Department of Lands and Forests for 1950 No. 3 



Accident Prevention, Health, Safety Measures 



As in the case of direct training in First Aid, the distribution of literature on 

 Accident Prevention, Health and Safety Measures was handicapped for the latter part 

 of the iiscal year. The selection of material and the planning for further distribution 

 of literature, is in hand and proceeding. 



We wish again to pay tribute to the Tuberculosis Prevention Branch, Depart- 

 ment of Health, for its excellent provisions for Chest X-Ray examinations for per- 

 sonnel at Head Office and for Field Staff members in many centres throughout the 

 Province, by means of the Department's Travelling Clinics. 



The Health Centre, at the Parliament Buildings, has proved to be of increased 

 value to the members of the Department employed at Head Office and in nearby 

 establishments. This service has been the means of more than one staff member dis- 

 covering that he or she had some serious ailment of which they were previously 

 unaware. In each case of this nature, the employee was advised to contact his or 

 her own physician. 



Members of Field Staff continued to enjoy the facilities provided by the 

 Travelling Chest Clinics and by this means, or by examination at the nearest hospital, 

 the reports were made available to the Department of Health by which employees are 

 categorized prior to Permanent Staff appointment. Again, we wish to pay tribute to 

 the Department of Health for their co-operation as a whole and to Dr. A. Griffith Hill, 

 Physician-in-charge of the Health Centre, with whom we have almost daily contact. 



JUNIOR FOREST RANGERS 



The business of Forest Protection is one of the primary functions of the 

 Department. Man power requirements of the nation in time of war adversely 

 affected that particular function during the recent conflict. With the constantly in- 

 creasing demand for trained men after the termination of the war, the Department 

 conceived the idea of employing youths of high school age as a supplement to the 

 Department's seasonal Forest Ranging Staff. From this developed the policy of em- 

 ploying youths of 17 to 19 years of age during the summer season, and instructing 

 them in the work. The accomplishments of the first group were sufficiently satisfactory 

 to justify the enlargement and continuation of the processes inasmuch as the manual 

 labour performed by these unskilled but vigorous youngsters relieved trained men for 

 more important duties, particularly during the period of the worst forest fire hazards. 



Each year a number are chosen from a large group of applicants including 

 local boys, as well as others from southern Ontario. When selection is made, the 

 applicant is directed to report to one of the northern Administrative Districts, where 

 work and training is laid out for the group or groups of Junior Forest Rangers, under 

 a foreman and, if necessary, assistants, who are trained men. in addition to a cook. 

 They are provided with a daily rate of pay and their board and lodging in suitable 

 buildings or tent camps, and they are kept together in groups of six to twelve in order 

 that the training and discipline may be effective. Due attention is paid to recreation, 

 comfort and health, and the work consists of construction and maintenance of tele- 

 phone lines, clearing portages and trails, repairing docks and dams, clearing camp 

 sites, preparing fireplaces, repairing buildings, painting, construction work and forest 

 fire fighting. 



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