Practice.

At a given signal (fire alarm) the children in each school room or dormitory form in squads under the direction of the teacher or caretaker, and march out into the corridors where they take their proper places in the formation composed of the entire population on that floor of the building. The entire company then marches in regular order and without delay or confusion down the stairs and out of the building, following a similar company made up of the children from the floor below. children from the first floor should march out first, followed by the company from the second floor and so on through the building. If the building has more than one exit the companies may be formed accordingly so as to secure more rapid dismissal.

The company of

The outside fire escapes as well as the interior stairways should be used as means for egress during these drills, so that the children may become accustomed to them and be able to leave the building by any means of exit without confusion or panic in case the interior stairway should be cut off by fire or smoke.

Where infants and small children are in the institution the drill should include practice in the speedy removal of these children by the caretakers, nurses and other employees assigned to this duty.

All employees should be instructed in the use of the extinguishers and other fire-fighting apparatus as a part of the fire drill and certain of them, other than the teachers and caretakers if possible, assigned to particular duties in connection with the use of this apparatus, when an alarm is given.

2. HOSPITALS, HOMES FOR THE AGED AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS WITH HELPLESS INMATES.

In these institutions the removal of patients in the event of fire is more difficult and laborious than in those cases where the inmates are active persons. Many of the patients must be car ried out bodily, some of them on mattresses or stretchers, and

without delay or injury. Accordingly dismissal drills cannot be actively participated in by the patients but fire drills must consist in the practice of movements looking to the rapid removal of patients by the nurses, orderlies and employees. For medical reasons it is often not advisable to actually remove the patients from the ward during the drill, but this fact does not affect materially either the need for or the value of such a drill.

The employment of a competent expert for a brief period sufficient to instruct and train the staff of employees, as has been done in some of the larger public hospitals in New York City, is recommended by the board, where possible.

The drill should include the following matters:

1. Instruction of the staff of employees in the use of the firefighting apparatus, and practice in the same.

2. The organization of the staff for the purposes of this drill and the assignment of the resident physicians, nurses, and employees to particular positions and duties in connection with the work of removing the patients; these positions to be taken immediately upon the signal (alarm) being given.

3. Instruction and practice in the handling and carrying of stretchers and other work having to do with the removal of patients.

Weekly or fortnightly practice of these drills is necessary to secure and retain their effectiveness, and printed instructions indicating the specific duties of the several officers and employees should be conspicuously posted or furnished each of the employees. It is suggested that at least once in three months one or more of the liquid chemical fire extinguishers be discharged and one fire hose tested in connection with the fire drills, in order to familiarize the employees with their use. The date of recharging the extinguishers and of testing the hose should be recorded on a tag attached to the apparatus.

Rules for the Reception and Retention of Inmates of Institutions.

Homes for the Aged, Temporary Homes and Like Institutions. 1. Under and pursuant to the following order, rules and regulations, the following classes of persons, and no others, may be received and retained as public charges in charitable, eleemosynary, correctional or reformatory institutions, wholly or partly under private control, authorized by law to receive payments from any county, city, town or village for the care, support or maintenance of inmates:

(a) Persons who pursuant to the provisions of existing laws, have been received or are retained in any such institution by the written order or permit of the superintendent of the poor of a county, or overseer of the poor of a town, or commissioner or commissioners of charities, or other local officer or board legally exercising the powers of an overseer of the poor in the county, city, town or village sought to be charged with the support of such persons.

(b) Persons who have been committed to such institutions by any court or magistrate having jurisdiction.

2. No child under the age of sixteen years, unless committed for juvenile delinquency, nor any destitute minor or adult person, whether committed by any court or magistrate or otherwise received, shall be retained in any such institution as a public charge, unless accepted in writing as such by the officer charged with the support and relief of the poor of the county, city, town or village upon which such child or destitute minor or adult person is sought to be made a public charge, subject to such regulations as the board may from time to time prescribe, and all acceptances so made shall lapse and become void unless renewed in writing within thirty days of the expiration of one year from the time of the first acceptance, said year to date from the period of said acceptance. The reacceptance in writing shall be repeated each year that the inmate remains in the institution and within thirty days of the expiration of each successive year. Every such acceptance, or

renewal of acceptance, shall be based upon the results of an investigation into the circumstances of the person accepted and into the circumstances of his or her parents, relatives or guardians, if there be any, and a copy of each such acceptance or renewal of acceptance shall be kept on file in the office of the institution for reference.

3. The names and ages of patients or inmates, with a statement of the period for which payment is claimed, and such other information as may be required by auditing or disbursing officers with respect to persons received or retained as charges upon any county, city, town or village, together with the certificate of compliance with the rules and regulations of this Board, duly signed by its secretary, must be placed on all bills rendered for such care, support and maintenance, prior to the presentation of such account to any public official for audit or payment as the final form of acceptance of such patients or inmates as public charges.

4. No payment shall be made by any county, city, town or village to any charitable, eleemosynary, correctional or reformatory institution, wholly or partly under private control, for care, support or maintenance, which shall fail within a reasonable time after notice to comply

(a) With any law affecting the health of the inhabitants of the said county, city, town or village;

(b) With any rule or regulation of the local board of health. established pursuant to law;

(c) With any law regulating the erection of the buildings of said institution;

(d) With any law, or rule or regulation made pursuant to such law, enacted to protect the inmates thereof from fire, or requiring the erection of fire escapes or additional means of egress; or

(e) With any rule, regulation or order of the State Board of Charities.

5. The inmates of all charitable, eleemosynary, correctional or reformatory institutions, wholly or partly under private control, who are retained therein as a charge upon any county, city, town or village, shall be humanely treated and suitably provided with

food, lodging and clothing and whatever further may be necessary for their safety, reasonable comfort and well-being, and a copy of the dietary shall be furnished, upon request, to any commissioner, officer or inspector of the State Board of Charities by the officer in charge of such institution.

6. No adult inmate of any such institution, who has been placed or permitted to remain therein by a proper officer, shall be retained therein at public expense after a date fixed by a commissioner resident in the district in which the institution is situated and of which the proper authorities or superintendent or officer in charge thereof has been notified in writing.

7. Each and every such charitable, eleemosynary, correctional or reformatory institution, wholly or partly under private control, in which inmates are maintained in whole or in part at public expense shall keep records as follows:

(a) A book in which shall be recorded and preserved in permanent form the name of each inmate, age, residence, date of admission, cause of dependency, name and official title of committing officer, and the names and addresses of relatives or other persons visiting such inmates.

(b) Proper books of account which shall set forth all receipts and expenditures with the vouchers therefor, and be open for the inspection of the State Board of Charities, its commissioners, officers, inspectors and agents.

8. Each and every charitable, eleemosynary, correctional and reformatory institution, wholly or partly under private control, whether incorporated or not incorporated, subject to the visitation and inspection of the State Board of Charities, pursuant to Article VIII, section 11, of the Constitution, shall, on or before the first day of November in cach and every year, prepare and file with the Board, at its office in the capitol at Albany, a report of the condition of the institution and its operations, for the preceding fiscal year ending September 30th, upon forms prescribed and furnished for the purpose, to wit:

First. The estimated value of the real and personal property of the institution and its assets and liabilities at the close of said fiscal year, September 30th.