CHAPTER XXV 



DANGER SIGNALS 

 Section 131 Risk in Fire-fighting 



Fighting forest fires in heavy timber is a work attended' with considerable hazard. 

 Injuries caused by falling trees are frequent, but loss of life is generally due to 

 crews being cut off by fires of the existence of which in their near vicinity they were 

 unaware; or by the sudden development of dangerous conditions in the fire they are 

 themselves fighting, due to high winds or other causes. Nearly 100 men were thus 

 burned or suffocated in the National Forests of Northern Idaho in 1910. Loss of 

 life among fire-fighters has occurred to a certain extent in nearly every region where 

 an aggressive effort is being made to protect the forests from this enemy. This is, 

 of course, in addition to the loss of lives among settlers and inhabitants of forest 

 communities in regions where forest protection staffs either do not exist or have not 

 the organization and efficiency required to protect the community and confine losses 

 to the active field forces who must necessarily take certain risks. 



Section 132 Use of Danger Signals 



In order to guard fire-line crews as much as possible from the risk attendant upon 

 the sudden development of dangerous conditions several protective organizations 

 have considered it advisable to adopt a simple code of danger signals to be used only 

 in case of great emergency on the fire-line. Such signals must be easily made with 

 equipment that can be available at all times, and must be of such a character that 

 they can be conveyed simultaneously to all the men working on a fire-line of the 

 usual length. To avoid any chance of signals being given improperly or by un- 

 authorized persons, it is preferable to have them made by some instrument not likely 

 to be in the possession of such persons. The signals that best meet these require- 

 ments are revolver shots or whistle blasts. The' distance over which shots may be 

 heard in the woods varies with the wind direction, the size of the cartridge, the inter- 

 vening topography, and the outside noises. In ordinary timber on level ground, with 

 no wind or unusual noises, the report of a -3'S-calibre revolver may be heard at a 

 distance of | to 1 mile. Whistle blasts vary with the kind of whistle employed and 

 also with the wind, topography, and outside noises. The type known as a two-tone 

 police whistle may be heard under the conditions described above at a distance of 200 

 yards. 



Signals of this kind are useful, of course, only to the actual fire-fighting forces. 

 Where, as is usually the case, the forest-protection staff also has the duty of providing 

 for the safety of forest communities, the general forest intercommunication system 

 and the discipline of the staff itself must be relied upon to safeguard these interests. 



Section 133 Code of Danger Signals 



The following code of danger signals has been adopted by the forest officers in 

 the National Forests of the State of California and will also be employed by officers 

 of the Dominion Forestry Branch. All men going on the fire-line should be instructed 

 in these signals and the officer in charge of the fire will carry a revolver or automatic 

 pistol or a suitable whistle. 



- (A series of any number of single shots or short whistle blasts with 

 intervals of not less than two seconds between each)=" The fire is in a dangerous 

 condition.- Escape by running down hill." 



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