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42 Fire Menace on Ships (Continued from Page 15) ords indicate that the majority of fires aboard vessels originate in these compartments., It appears that the contemplated revised rule will alter this condition to some extent, but it would be desirable if the rule were still more specific as to the locations aboard ships that should be protected against fire. Definite Features Suggested Other features should be taken into consideration in order to establish uni- form practice, some of the more im- portant of which are as follows: (a) Fire alarm system circuits should be used for the exclu- sive purpose of transmitting fire signals. (b) Fire alarm systems should in- dicate the presence of excessive temperature, at both the pilot house and engine room. (c) Indications of fire should be made both audibly and visibly. (d) Fire alarm systems should be fully automatic and should be re- quired for the protection of all parts of every type of passen- ger-carrying vessels, and should be capable of the successively repeated signals. (e) Thermostats or detectors should be installed overhead in the com- partments protected. (f) Not more than ten staterooms should be allowed on a fire alarm circuit or zone or indi- vidual annunciating indicator. (g) In case of large compartments, detectors or thermostats should be installed for every 144 square feet of area. (h) Fire alarm mechanism for use at sea should be made of non- ferrous material as far as pos- sible, and where not practicable other materials should be treated against corrosion. (i) All electrical contacts should be made of coin silver or platinum. (j) Fire alarm systems should be under constant electrical super- vision other than the trouble circuit and the trouble signal should operate continuously un- til manual attention has been applied. (k) Fire alarm detectors or thermo- stats should be sealed against contaminating dirt or vermin. (l) Provisions should be made for the efficient testing of fire alarm systems. (m) Fire alarm systems should be energized by a potential of not less than 20 volts. MARINE REVIEW (n) A continuous source of current supply, such as duplicate sealed storage batteries with proper charging equipment should be available at all times. If a ruling were made, predicated on the fundamentals outlined above, owners and operators of vessels would be sure of obtaining efficient fire alarm systems, and uniform practice in installation methods, which would, undoubtedly curtail the enormous fire loss to vessels and cargoes. Further, it would insure uniform fire alarm installation approvals in all inspec- tion districts, and insurance com- panies should make due allowance in rates because the risk in ships so equipped would be materially lessened. The foregoing, where it has to do chiefly with present and proposed rules governing automatic fire de- tecting and alarm systems, must not be considered, even if adopted in its entirety, as a panacea for all ills oc- casioned by the most hazardous con- dition at sea, namely, that of fire. No piece of equipment, whether the engine, steering gear, telephone, com- pass, or what not, is more efficient than the operating personnel charged with its maintenance and _ upkeep. As it is necessary to properly main- tain the machinery of the vessel, so is it necessary to properly care for any type of fire alarm system. It, therefore, becomes essential that a proper test and inspection of a fire alarm system should be made once a month, and preferably before each sailing of the vessel. The design of automatic fire alarm systems today permits an inspection T° IS pleasant to know that the skill, courage and unselfish de- votion to duty on the part of American seamen sometimes gets the recognition deserved. On Aug. 26, Captain Maxwell and the crew of the tanker S. S. W. W. Mirus were honored by the officials of the Pure Oil Co. owners of the vessel and a number of prominent persons from civil and government circles. The W. W. Minus under command of Captain Maxwell rescued five men from the schooner Simmons as_ she was sinking during a severe storm off the Florida coast. On a_ previous occasion the Minus under command of Capt. D. Evans rescued five survivors of the ill-fated Norwegian RuNA. Director of public safety George P. Honor American Tanker September, 1926 being conducted very quickly and thoroughly, and it should not impose a hardship upon any owner or op- erator. Experience has demonstrated in the case of all types of inspection work, whether ashore or afloat, that the most efficient inspection work is performed when conducted by the per- sonnel of an organization that makes a specialty of such work, submitting their reports to the proper authorities. This is not intended as a reflection on the operating personnel of any ship. So many of the vessels of American registry do not carry elec- tricians that the time of the en- gineer, who must in addition to his regular duties maintain the electric lighting and power plant of the ship, is so limited that it is physically im- possible for him to give personal attention to the inspection and up- keep of fire alarms, telephones, and such apparatus of a technical nature which require a proper knowledge of the equipment to obtain the best re- sults. The present rules governing auto- matic fire detecting and alarm sys- tem and installation, will probably re- main in force until: the next annual meeting of the board of supervising inspectors. At this time, the study now being made by the department of this most important subject, will no doubt be concluded. If the new rules, which will un- doutedly be issued thereafter, con- tain the fundamental requirements, some of the most important of which are suggested herein, many lives may be saved as well as the untold prop- erty losses now resulting from fire. Elliott presented a medal for valor to Captain Evans, who comes from Philadelphia, commemorating the RUNA rescue. Admiral Billard com- mandant of the United States coast guard presented similar medals to Can- tain Maxwell and the members of the crew actually participating in the rescue of the crew of the Simmons. The presentation took place following a luncheon at Ritz-Carlton hotel, in Philadelphia. As a permanent record of the skill and bravery of the officers of the MILLS in maintaining American traditions of the sea, a bronze plaque was placed on board the tanker, W. W. Mills vice president of the Pure Oil Co. officiating at this ceremony on board the tanker at pier 34 South.