FIREWARDEN'S REPORT. 53 



THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD COMPANY 



BALTIMORE 4 WASHINGTON RAILROAD COMPANY 

 NORTHERN CENTRAL RAILWAY COMPANY 

 WEST JERSEY & SEASHORE RAILROAD COMPANY 



THE PREVENTION AND EXTINGUISHMENT OF FOREST AND GRASS FIRES 



In order to prevent as far as possible the occurrence of Forest and Grass Fires 

 and eliminate the damage which they cause, stringent .measures for their prevention and 

 suppression must be taken during the season of fire danger before vegetation starts in the 

 spring and after it dies in the fall, and during periods of dry weather at any time. Beginning 

 about March 1st and October 1st of each year, special vigilance must be exercised until 

 the season of fire danger is passed, and Supervisors, track foremen, and others must be 

 governed by the following regulations: 



1. Trackmen shall burn old ties and other debris at such time and in such places aa 

 will not result in any spread of the fire. 



4 2. Enginemen shall use every precaution against fire and not permit burning waste, hot 

 cinders, or any other inflammable material to be- thrown or dropped from the engine ; clean 

 the ash pan or front end only at points specially designated; and report promptly any 

 defects in the devices on locomotives designed to prevent the throwing of sparks or dropping 

 of hot coals. 



3. Trainmen shall place fusees only where, there is no likelihood of fire spreading 

 from them. 



4. Trackmen shall promptly extinguish all. fires which start on or near the right- 

 of-way, and render all possible assistance in fighting fires whether on private land or on 

 property owned by the Company. 



5. Trainmen shall notify the first section gang passed-and report to the Superintendent 

 from the nearest telephone or telegraph, the existence of fires which .evidently have not 

 previously been discovered or bad no steps taken toward their extinguishment. Freight 

 trainmen shall, wherever practicable, stop and extinguish small fires, since waiting to 

 report them might give thorn tirne to get beyond control. Other employes will take the 

 necessary steps to notify the Superintenden t and trackmen of such fires as come to their notice. 



6. Supervisors shall have all grass, brush, and debris within the right-of-way line 

 opposite the forest plantations, and, when feasible, as far back as the plowed lire line (which 

 will be 100 feet from the track wherever possible), burned in the fall of each year as soon 

 as the grass has died down enough to make this possible. Wherever practicable, the same 

 plan of burning shall be followed on the right-of-way where there are no forest plantations. 

 This burning shall be done with extreme care, and only when there is a calm or when the 

 wind is blowing toward the track ; and sufficient men shall be kept on the work to prevent 

 the fire spreading to adjoining property. 



7. If a large fire occurs on land not owned by the Company, the Supervisor shall 

 notify the nearest State Fire Warden. In case he cannot be located and the fire is in Penn- 

 sylvania, notify the Commissioner of Forestry at Harrisburg; if it is in Maryland, notify the 

 State Forester at Baltimore ; if it is in New Jersey, notify the State Forester at Trenton. The 

 names and addresses of the Fire Wardens for the various districts will be furnished prior to 

 each season of fire danger. 



8. Operators shall transmit without charge, as Company business over Company lines, 

 all messages relating to forest, woodland, or grass fires which are on or near Company pro- 

 perty or are likely to affect Company property. 



GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS 



Eemember that the most effective means of controlling forest fires is to prevent them. 

 Use great care in the use of fire in forests or grass lands. Do not throw burning matches or 

 tobacco where they can set fire, and impress others with the necessity for following these 

 precautions. 



If a fire starts, take prompt and energetic action to prevent its getting beyond control, and 

 make use of the telephone, telegraph, or other means of getting help when it is needed. Plan 

 'definitely what action to take and how much help will be needed ; a tew men properly directed 

 will accomplish much more in extinguishing a fire than a large force working at random. 



After a fire is controlled, guard it until it is entirely extinguished. Not even a spark 

 should be left where fire might start. Fires which have been thought to be under control 

 have broken out afresh with a change in the wind. It is safe to watch a woods fire twenty- 

 four hours after it is seemingly out. 



Fight light grass fires and ground fires in the woods with green boughs, brooms, wet burlap, 

 or by throwing on fresh dirt. If the line of flame is too hot for . this, try scraping or digging a 

 trench around the fire. Take advantage of natural vantage points, such as rock outcrops, 

 streams, roads, etc., and connect them with lines or trenches along which the mineral soil ia 

 exposed. In severe fires start back-firing toward the approaching main fire from a break or 

 line of some kind. Fqr the ordinary ground fire the tools most readily available the axe, hoe. 

 shovel, water bucket, and burlap bag are usually sufficient. 



The fundamental object infeuppressing forest fires is to protect property, particularly build- 

 ings, fences, timber, forest plantations, etc. It should also be remembered that the suppression 

 of fires is an essential step in the conservation of our forest and water resources. The various 

 States have fire laws ana organizations to fight them. The States alpne, however, cannot at 

 present suppress all fires, and it is obviously the duty of all land-owning individuals and cor- 

 Derations to help create a public sentiment adverse to fires and to take all possible action in 

 their power to curb the fire eviL 



FEBRUARY 1, 1912 SUPERINTENDENT. 



