278 REPORT OF THE FORESTRY COMMITTEE 



an educational campaign every available means of getting facts before the public 

 in a striking manner which will appeal to them must be utilized. The work is not 

 so different from commercial advertising. The main thing is to decide on a 

 definite campaign and stick to it. Although its benefits are not measurable in 

 dollars and cents, probably no single line of effort has done more to prevent 

 fires than well-directed publicity. Long papers or bulletins on the subject are of 

 little use for the average person who has to be reached. Popular catchy adver- 

 tising is necessary. 



The importance of having forest protection touched upon in the public schools 

 of timber States, and of doing everything possible to properly educate the 

 children in forest matters, is considered of paramount importance, for the effect 

 such procedure will have on the future of the work. 



FIRE FIGHTING TOOLS AND DEVICES 



DIFFERENT sections of the country of necessity use different means 

 for fighting fires which have become started. Certain standard tools are 

 used in all sections, but particular devices are sometimes of great benefit 

 and when they can be used save many times their purchase price in a few hours. 



In considering tools for fire fighting purposes it must be remembered that 

 forest fires are of two general classes; top fires and ground fires. A top fire 

 which as the name indicates travels through the crowns of the trees and such 

 fires are confined to coniferous forests. Ground fires run in the duff and logs 

 which have accumulated on the ground. Top fires can seldom be successfully 

 fought until they come down to the ground which generally happens at night 

 or when the velocity of the wind slackens. Consequently fires are nearly always 

 fought on the ground. 



The ordinary means of fighting fires is by trenching, whipping out the fire , 

 with brush or wet sacks, back firing or a combination of all of these methods. 

 In some cases water or chemicals can be used in fighting fires. Generally speaking, 

 tools or devices for fire fighting are designed to work on a particular kind of 

 ground as determined by the character of the forests, or when intended for 

 actually extinguishing fires by application to the flames the apparatus is such that 

 it can be transported into rough and inaccessible territory without too great 

 difficulty. Where the country is level and well supplied with roads, tank wagons 

 are used, and similar tanks to be transported on pack horses are useful where it 

 is possible to get through the timber with horses even though no trails exist. 



The most common tools and the ones which should always be on hand, are 

 the shovel, axe, mattock, saw, and cant hook. In some places the soil is sucli 

 that the hoe and rake are the most serviceable tools. A light grub hoe is often 

 better than a mattock where there are few roots and rocks. A plentiful supply 

 of buckets and water bags should be on hand wherever there is possibility of 

 getting water. 



In some sections wagons fully equipped with tools and cooking utensils 

 are kept at stragetic points for instant use in case of fire. Some fire protective 

 agencies maintam pack trains for transporting tools and supplies to a fire. Such 



