Life of a Fireman (Detroit, Michigan) Part 2
Description
The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: “Inaccessible points are reached in this manner. Splicing a 35 foot and 18 foot ladder and tying slings ‘on the job’ all in 59 seconds.” Firemen practice, using trestle tower. “Any height building may be scaled with pompier ladders. In 2 minutes, 20 seconds, six stories are ascended and a man lowered to the ground.” “There are no ‘muffs’ in this game -- the lifesaving squad is in position in 10 seconds.” Fire truck drives up to tower - firemen get out and hold net - man jumps. “Sliding life line.” Sliding down rope. “Aerial ladder service clearing its way through wiring.” Men on moving ladder cut wires. “To the top with water in one minute.” Trucks drive up to tower, ladders are raised, men carry hose up. “Up six stories with 100 foot hose and receiving water in 1 minute, 10 seconds.” Firemen carry hose upstairs inside tower. “A bridge to safety erected in 1 minute, 10 seconds.” Ladder is dropped from tower to building roof forming bridge. “Using a 55 foot extension in form of fire escape.” Firemen raise ladder from ground to 3rd story of tower. “Raising hose by means of fire escape hook to fight upper floor fire from underneath.” “The turret nozzle, into which we can Siamese three 2½” lines, will throw 909 gallons of water per minute with one man operating nozzle.” “Old type ‘deluge’ for street work, used to do heavy battering.” “In cases where it is impossible for the firemen to fight a hot fire through windows from a ladder, the stream is elevated to a proper height on the aerial ladder and operated from street.” “Cutting steel window gratings and doors with a torch constructed especially for fire department use.” Fireman cuts bars with torch - firemen with gas masks and oxygen tanks enter burning building. “The supply of oxygen in one of these helmets will last 80 minutes and can be replenished in the heat of the fray without injury. Rescue work has never been blessed with greater assistance.” Firemen carry man overcome by smoke out of building - administer oxygen. “Chief Callahan of Detroit.” “In time, the expert instructors pronounce their work completed, and standing on the pedestal of public service is the nation’s guardian -- The Fireman.” Group of Firemen poses. “The End.” [1921]
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