Canadiun Forestry Journal, June, 1915 



99 



Fire Protection On Railways 



Canadian Com])anies reco<i;nise the economy of preventive systems 

 and co-operate with the 1^ ail way Board 



One of the most cheering evidences 

 of the general awakening of Cana- 

 dians to the folly of forest destruction 

 lias been tiie co-o{)eration of the Cana- 

 dian railway companies in the regula- 

 tive Mork of the Board of Railway 

 Connnissioners. 



The newness of tiie lioards orders 

 respecting forest fires a few years 

 back gave them, not unnaturally, an 

 appearance of unreasonableness and 

 interference. As time passed and the 

 coi-poration executives perceived the 

 identity of burned forests and disap- 

 pearing freight traffic, the grudging 

 obedience to the various orders came 

 to be tinged with more and more good- 

 will. Today, the railway companies 

 are manifesting a readiness to com- 

 ply with the fire protection require- 

 ments, wliich greatly assists the Chief 

 Fire Inspector and his staff and re- 

 sults in appreciably imj)roved condi- 

 tions along the rights-of-way. 



The orders for 1915 were sent out 

 on March 16 and came into effect on 

 April 1. covering a period to Novem- 

 ber 1. All roads (except Government 

 roads) under construction or being 

 operated by steam are obliged to ac- 

 cept the Commission's regulations. 

 The ash pans and smoke stacks must 

 be protected and regular inspection is 

 provided to see that this is carried out. 

 Provision is made for keeping the 

 rights-of-way in a condition which 

 will reduce to a mininuini the oc- 

 currence and spread of fire. This is 

 attained by means of the disposal of 

 debris and litter and the ploughing or 

 digging of fire guards where con- 

 sidered neces.sary. Conductors, engi- 

 neers and trainmen are required to ])e 

 vigilant in regard to fire out])reaks 

 and prompt in reporting them to the 

 nearest railway employees and the 

 superintendent. The railways are 

 made responsible for fires occurring 

 within 300 feet of the railway track, 



unless proof is furnished that such 

 fires were not caused by the railway. 



The use of a sj)ecial fire patrol, as- 

 signed to the single task and well 

 equipped with velocipedes and speed- 

 ers and fire-fighting equipment is, of 

 course, many times more effective 

 than even the mo.st conscientious and 

 obedient efforts of regular railway em- 

 ployees. As to how eacli railway 

 sliall detail its patrolmen and eciuip- 

 inent, the Chief Fire Inspector. ^Ir. 

 Clyde Leavitt, specifies the extent and 

 character of patrol in the various sec- 

 tions of the systems under his care. 



Velocipede and power speeder 

 patrolmen passing telegraph stations 

 are reported the same as passing 

 ti-ains and such records are open to 

 the Board's inspectors. Where there 

 are no regular stations, provision is 

 made for a point of register near each 

 end of the beat. 



Each foot ])atro]man is equipped 

 witli a shovel and canvas bucket. 

 Each velocipede and power speeder 

 patrolman has two shovels, two can- 

 vas l)uckets and an axe. in addition 

 to which a quantity of fighting equip- 

 ment is stored at the section tool 

 house for emergencies. 



The Board has been careful in for- 

 mulating the rules to impose the 

 minimum of expense upon the com- 

 panies. A point much emphasized 

 is that while the rules provide for an 

 average patrol, the vigilance of an 

 individual must be supplemented by 

 the. ability to summon plenty of as- 

 sistance, with little delay. The com- 

 panies have been quick to see the im- 

 j)ortance of making the work of tlie 

 j)atrolman effective by instructing 

 their employees to be prompt with as- 

 sistance in case they are called upon. 

 Transportation on the companies' 

 lines is freely granted to bodies of 

 fire fighters moving from point to 

 point. 



