The Huron Expositor, 1975-06-26, Page 42From hose and reel
(Continued front Page '5) control and a problem occurs
and probably their fire insurance when cars follow the trucks. Cars
rate would be lower," he said. are a nuisance. One fireman said:'
Hesitate to Call "In Staffa about 15 years ago,
Both Chief Ridley and ex-chief cars were lined along the side or
Jack Scott said that many people the road to watch the fire when a
hesitate to call, • the fire fire truck caught a number of car
department, feeling the cost a bumpers.
fighting the fire would be charged To join the fire department, a
to them. Both explained the cost man has to be able-bodied,
of fighting a fire was paid through available, and willing to put in the
taxes. time. The firemen usually discuss
"A lot.of people try to fight the who gets accepted, Mr. Scott
fire before they call us. If they said.
called us in the first place, we "It used to be a great thing to
maybe would be able to help get into, and there was always a
them," Chierf Miley said. _ list of those who wanted to get In.,
"Some people are afraid of It Was prestige.One of the reasons
inconveniencing us but that's was that they're a pretty good
what we're here for," he said. bunch of fellows."
Firemen don't feel there is any Mr.Scott who has served as
glamour in the job, but will admit chief longer than any other chief,
there is excitement. said he entered because of his _
Chief Hulley said: "It's -a way friends, although his father was
of helping other people. For $300 also a fireman at the time.
a year they can't say we 're out Biggest
for the money.""At one time, I remember it to _
Chief Hulley said: "We happen be one of the biggest
to have a younger brigade and Organizations in town," he said.
they seem more interested in it." Altho ugh the most active
We feel we are accomplishing organization, with men getting -
more, we are more efficient cats out of trees, a practice almost
whether the public does or not, non-existant now, or a man out of
especially since we received the a well; it was the most criticized.
tanker four years ago," he said. "If you didn't save the building,
In the last few years more fires there was criticism," he said.
have occurred which gives the The firemen also came to the
men more practical experience in rescue of Expositor employee Leo
firefighting. Many of the 14agan one time when he called
buildings have gotten bigger and for help to remove a skunk under
have false ceilings which make it his kitchen.
difficult to locate the fire, he said. This criticism has almost died
One misconception caused by down, beeause with the new . as spray some water over there,
television is that on T. V . equipment, the public can see he said.
programs firemen are full-time they are trying to do their best," The only thing of criticism his
and so people expect us to be he, said. — wife, Hazel, ever said was, "Get
there as soon as they hang up the Firemen put up with a lot more those smelly clothes off," hdnid.
phone, he said. h ardships years ago when they
Rescue •only. had 'a hat and a iubber coat
"Rescue work is really nil, than they do now. He was
although a person in a building is initiated into the brigade when he
the first thing we look for. We are had to run a hose a block and a
lucky, in most cases people have half through mud.
le the house before," the chief Mr. Scott said it was because worry was when I would see them
s id. of ,the good fun _that he stayed in
The chief said: "Radios would the fire department so leng.Those•
be a terrific asset to the Sunday morning poker 'games
department. Sonietimes when would see him return from the
ycu're sleeping the kids hall with tears running down his
holleiing, or the wind is blowing face from laughing at some of the
in the opposite direction, the remarks made by fellow firemen,
siren can't be heard." he remembers.
One of the problems in country Those firemen were natural
fires is that, there is no traffic wits and original remarks would -
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20—THE HURON. EXPOSITOR, JUNE 26, 1075
be thrown back and forth at the
fire and firehall, he said. "Some-
tin' rn be sitting on the steps
and remember - some remark
and the situation. Some people
may wonder what the Sam Hill
I'm laughing at," he said.
'There is no bossing as far as a_
tire chief goes" but you can
suggest they do something such
Challenge
"There is a sense of challenge
with a house fire because you
don't want to destroy everything
with water," he said.
"There is a lot of danger. My
up- a ladder. Some of them took
too much of a chance. I was
always. in fear that someone
would get hurt or killed,
especially when there was no
need of it," he said.
For awhile the department
seemed to have lost its spirit. "At
one time it was almost dead, but
now they have some good workers
0
Congratulations
To
SEAFORTH
on its
100th Anniversary
In the past 10 years we have
been in business in Mitchell,
we've gained many friends in
Seaforth . We look forward to
serving you in the future.
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119
man team to start a distance of certain amount of spirit and pulls
200 yards from the hydrant, lay together with the fire bell rings.
300 feet of hose attached it to the What• we try to stress is
hydrant and replace a section of teamwork."
hose. Jim Sills said: "There isn't
international hose reel race.'
George Sills did the coupling
and running that day in 56%
seconds. The rules and
regulations required-.an eighteen
in there and they are pushing department. ,
ahead," Mr. Scott' said. Even if those competitions still
Mrs.Broome said just once or exist, Chief Hulley said: "We'd
twice when Ron has been gone for hate to send too many men out of
a long time, has she gotten town for those things,"
worried. "It could worry you if.. . He said they try to do a little bit
you let it," she said. of fire prevention, but that isn't
One time she was worried she so easy when you can only do-it-at
said when she got up and night.
answered the fire phone and The men average about four or
could see the blaze from the five hours a week in firehall and
window, related duties.Two men clean up
She said the wives mix pretty the hall, two the trucks and after
well and they have annual every fire the 'hoses have to be
banquet for the firemen and dried wits- the gas dryer, a lot
wives, a lawn bowling game once easier than drying the hose with a
a year, dances, and a Christmas stove and having to pull it up "to
party for the kids. the top of the tower, as it was
Just the other day one of the' done before. .
wives jokingly said they'd haVe to Chief Hulley said: "Most of the
ring the fire alarm to roust' them t raining is pretty well done by
froth their Sunday morning poker ourselves . We are pretty well
game. , self-.taught
department."
with the
The spirit has changed.
Seldom are there water fights More Training
except when a new member He said he thought they would ,
returns home soaking wet from
his initiation.
benefit from more training
because every day there are new
In August 17, 1888, eighteen chemicals and equipment coming
men from the fire brigade won the on the market and unless you go
Championship of America, as the to school they can get ahead of
Star Hose Company for the you.
Just this year 12 firemen took a
group,first aid course, but many
have taken them at work, he said.
Chier9ley said: "We don't
have a lazy man, everyone has a
an
These men were'rather dashing
in their scarlet jackets and blue
pants with a red stripe, but in
spite of their ' expertise three
years laater they- had to watch
their own fire hall burn down
because all their firefighting
equipment was inside.
Mr. Scott said those activities
and competitions were long dead
before be came into the fire
aman on the department who
wouldn't go in and pull a man out
of a burning building even if it
jeopardized his own life."
This seems to be the real test of
spirit. Although today's firemen
don't wear scarlet' jackets and
aren't award winners, it seems
the spirit hasn't changed
essentially. This is the Spirit of
1975. LS,
When boys
My sole literary effort for
publication was a contribution of
sorts to a school publication in
1935 (Ed. Note. The SCIO alumni
year book).
One more anecdote and I am
through. Rogers the principal
kept Sills and me in late one
Friday night and went home and
forgot us. Nobody came in the
(Continued from Page 6) room, The staff had -locked -the
teaching people in mechanical room doors and gone home. It
arts to work in the munitions came 5 o'clock and Sills and, I
plants in W.War 2. Lorne decided it was time to figure out
Hutchinson was secretary of the how we could get out. There was
Connaught Institute for years, a pine tree jtist outside the
window at the, front of the school.
Joe and I got the window open
and jumped into the pine, and
arrived downtown. By this time
my dad was probably pretty
thirsty at the pool hall 'and
greeted me with. "Where in H.
have you two been?" I told him
and Rogers took art maul lot of
kidding about that one from the
boys at the otieens Hotel.
41
_BUTCHERING ON-THE ltWELFTH CONCESSION — Butchering was a family
affair around -Seaforth early the twentieth century. This photo was taken'on the
12th pf Hibbert in 1902"on the farm of Edgar Allen, father of Mrs. Harold Coleman
of town, Four of Mr. Allen's eight brothers, Wilson, Frank, Ivy and Ernest were
doing the butchering in the Allen barn.