The following cities have no specific local ordinances relating to fire protection, so far as ascertained: Amsterdam, Binghamton, Cohoes, Corning, Cortland, Dunkirk, Fulton, Glens Falls, Gloversville, Hornell, Hudson, Ithaca, Jamestown, Johnstown, Lackawanna, Little Falls, Lockport, Middletown, Mount Vernon, Newburgh, New Rochelle, Niagara Falls, North Tonawanda, Ogdensburg, Oneida, Oneonta, Oswego, Port Jervis, Poughkeepsie, Rensselaer, Rome, Schenectady, Tonawanda and Watervliet.

REQUIREMENTS OF THE STATE BOARD OF CHARITIES AS TO FIRE PROTECTION IN CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS.

The State Board of Charities in considering the question of proper fire protection for inmates of institutions, bases its requirements upon the following:

1. The general laws of the State dealing with the matter.

2. The building laws and ordinances of the respective localities and the requirements of local fire commissioners, departments of public safety, and similar regulations.

3. The necessity for reasonable protection of inmates, particularly young children and sick and aged persons, in institutions not affected by the foregoing laws and ordinances.

When making an inspection of an institution subject to the jurisdiction of this Board the inspectors of this department are instructed to examine with care the facilities provided for the protection of buildings and inmates, in the event of fire, and to ascertain the extent to which the law is complied with and the buildings and inmates protected against fire. Examination is made. and data secured upon the following points, which cover the more important provisions of the laws and ordinances in regard to the matter, in force in this State at the present time:

1. The neighboring hazard.

2. Height and material of buildings and whether of fireproof construction or not.

3. Number and location of exits, interior stairways and elevator shafts and whether fireproof.

4. Number, location and construction of outside stairways* and fire escapes, and if same can be reached easily.

5. Fire alarm connection, and date of last inspection by local fire department.

6. Number and location of hydrants and standpipes; length and condition of hose, and how often rested.

7. Number and location of portable fire extinguishers, hand grenades and fire pails.

8. Organization and practice of fire drills.

9. Whether night patrol service is established with use of watchman's clock.

10. Protection given swinging gas jets and other heating or lighting fixtures in proximity to woodwork.

11. Presence of rubbish, particularly in attics, cellars, etc., or of oils and inflammable liquids, and care given same.

An institution found to be complying with the law and satisfactorily equipped in the above particulars, and whose officers give due attention to fire drills, night patrol service, care of oils, inflammable liquids and the disposal of rubbish, is considered by the Board to be adequately protected.

SUGGESTIONS FOR PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS AND INMATES AGAINST FIRE.

1. Buildings of charitable institutions should be of fireproof construction if possible.

2. Interior stairways and elevator shafts should be made fire proof, and in the case of the stairs, sufficiently broad to permit all persons on floors above to pass down without delay.

3. Outside iron stairways of easy descent and connecting with each dormitory should be provided to furnish means of escape in case the interior stairways and elevators are cut off by fire.

Chapter 381 of the Laws of 1895 requires all hospitals over two stories in height and not of fireproof construction to be provided with outside iron stairways, the design being to afford means for the removal of surgical or bedridden patients on stretchers, when any other method of handling would be dangerous.

For safety these should be inclosed with heavy wire netting and provided with iron handrails.

4. Direct fire alarm connection is most desirable.

Telephone

is not considered as satisfactory as an electric alarm connection. 5. Interior facilities should include a sufficient number of portable fire extinguishers, hand grenades, and fire pails, and in buildings of more than two stories, standpipes with sufficient hose attached to reach every part of each floor. The hose should be tested every three months, the fire pails kept filled and the extinguishers recharged annually, the date of recharging being shown on a tag attached to the extinguisher.

6. Regular fire drills both for employees, and, where their physical condition permits, for inmates as well, should be held in order to accustom them to the work of rapid removal from the buildings and thus prevent confusion or excitement in case of a real alarm.

7. A night watchman should patrol the building during the entire period when the day employees are off duty, and should be required to register his visits to different parts of the institution by means of a watchman's clock.

8. Stationary gas jets should be protected by globes or wire screens, and all swinging jets made stationary. All woodwork

in proximity to stoves should be protected by sheets of metal.

9. All parts of the building, particularly cellars and attics. should be kept free from rubbish, and rags used in oiling floors, etc., should either be destroyed after using or kept in metal cans or boxes.

10. Great care should be exercised in the storage and handling of paints, oils and other inflammable liquids. Oil stoves and lamps should not be used if avoidable and should never be filled or trimmed after dark; if oil is used it should be of the highest fire test.

11. A high grade of safety or sulphur matches should be used. 12. Ashes should never be collected in wooden barrels or boxes, but in metal cans.

13. Fire escapes, stairways, halls, passageways, windows or doors should never be encumbered with boxes, barrels, etc., as in the event of fire these would interfere with the escape of the in mates and hinder the firemen in their work.

SUGGESTIONS FOR SUITABLE FIRE ESCAPES.

In view of the recent losses of life in fires in charitable institutions by reason of the absence of escapes or because the escapes provided were defective or unsuitable, the following suggestions as to what kind of escapes are best adapted to charitable institutions are submitted:

1.

FOR HOMES FOR CHILDREN, INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS, REFORMA-
TORIES, ETC.

Outside iron stairways not less than twenty-four inches wide, guarded by handrails and preferably inclosed with wire netting. Such escapes to connect with all the dormitories and all approaches to escape to be kept free and clear.

Stairs to be placed at an angle for easy descent (not to exceed 55 degrees; preferably from 45 degrees to 50 degrees).

Treads to be not less than six and one-half inches wide and preferably from seven and one-half to nine inches wide.

Spaces between treads to be not more than ten inches.

Ladder escapes are of little value except for the larger boys, and as a means of ingress for firemen.

Stairway escapes may be broken into a number of short flights or may extend the full length of each story of the building.

2. FOR HOSPITALS, HOMES FOR THE AGED, ETO. Stairway escapes as above but of greater width-not less than three feet are recommended.

Platforms, approaches, etc., to be wide enough to permit handling an operative case on a stretcher or mattress without injury, in case the interior stairs and elevators were cut off by flames or smoke.

Such escapes to connect with all wards and be accessible from all private rooms. Approaches to the escapes to be through doors which should open freely (rather than through windows which make exit difficult at best). Both approaches and escapes to be kept free and clear.

FIRE DRILLS.

1. HOMES FOR CHILDREN, INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS, REFORMATORIES

AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS WITH ACTIVE INMATES.

The kind of drill recommended for homes for children is that required by chapter 201, Laws of 1901, entitled "An act providing for fire drills in the schools of this state." Under the provisions of that act the principal of every public or private school in the State having more than 100 pupils is required to instruct and train the pupils in his school so that they may be able to leave the building in the shortest possible time without confusion or panic. The children in homes should in like manner be practiced in rapid dismissal exercises, using both the interior stairways and the outside escapes. The caretakers and other employees should be assigned to certain stations in connection with this drill and carefully instructed as to their duties in emergencies. The caretakers of the children under five years of age should be most carefully instructed and drilled in the best method for removing their charges from the building promptly.

The following is an outline of plan for the organization of a fire drill similar to that practiced in a number of homes in this State:

ORGANIZATION.

1. The superintendent, or in his absence the matron, head teacher, or engineer in this order to be in chief command and to have direction of the drill as a whole.

2. The head officer of each department of the home to be re sponsible for his department to the superintendent or his substitute and to be in command of that department.

3. Each caretaker and teacher to be in command of and responsible for the children in his dormitory or class room (under the head officer of his department).

4. The children in each dormitory or class room to be organized into squads of ten, one of the older children (captain) being in charge of each squad.

A plan of organization for such a drill may be shown graphically as follows: