NEAFC 32nd Annual Conference.pdf - New England Association of ...

~TI~w F,I~TGLA~D AssocIATiOl~ oF I~IRE CHIEFS
means 50 or 60 miles, so that we have got to depend on volunteer, firemen, and
we like to have them work the same way that we do.
CH~.F CORCORAN Of Newton, Massachusetts: On Fire Department Training,
I will say that in the City of Newton, we have a population of 85,000, and
we have a personnel on the fire force of 234, with ten fire stations; we have a
forty-eight hour law as to working conditions, and I am doing all I can to improve
the Fire Department’s training.
Only recently, within these past few months, I had occasion to observe
that in certain fires, some of the men are a bit timid, even the older men, as to
the use of the mask.
Now, with due respect to all gas masks, I wanted them to understand that
the particular mask was approved by the United States Navy, and could be used
under all conditions. I took a Lieutenant from the Department and I delegated
him to instruct all working groups, and he has about completed that in
my department. And, I have been pleased to have reports from various men,
from the privates right down the line, saying that the course given by him had
given them great confidence in the use o£ not only the mask, but the other gas
masks. And so I iCelt quite elated over that.
I will continue that training, and all of our other training, which is generally
carried on in a city the size of Newton, is going forth as usual.
I am happy to say that with three new fire stations to be built this. year,
one of them in Newton Highlands will contain a modern drill school, a duplicate
of our friends in Brookline, and we expect to have anything and everything
in it, and I will certainly do ~everything I can to make the Newton Fire
Department a better one, to make the men better understand their duties as
fire fighters.
MOD~.RATO~ WOOLV.~.y: Thank you very much, Chief.
Before I ask Chief Marshall, who has done grand work on this, to speak
in conclusion, I would like to ask Stuart Potter to speak about the in-service
training which he has experimented with, and I believe for several years.
CH~V PoTT~.~: Roi asked me to speak about the in-service training. I
would like to touch briefly on the basic subject that is before us. today.
It is obvious that small communities: do not have the personnel to conduct
proper in-training schools; nor do they have the physical ~acilities to operate a
proper training school. It is necessary for the smaller communities to rely on
the generosities of their big neighbors, or to establish regional schools, some o£
which may receive assistance ~rom their counties, or from the State.
I highly recommend that type of training, because it provides the men,
not only with the standardization of techniques, but it also gives them the very
best that is obtainable in the field.
Roi asked me to touch on the in-training service which I did; it was
merely a night school, in which the entire paid personnel was. required to attend.
I also have a great many .volunteers, and they were invited to attend, and a
great many Of them did attend. We had some very outstanding talents we
were able to procure, and they came in and lectured.
I believe that we did get a great deal of benefit from that school, but it
was merely a service or a series of lectures, and I subscribe to the type of job
that Tom Collins is doing in New Haven, to learn by doing.
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