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FIRE COMPANY ALWAYS ALERT

Maintenance Trucks, Men Fight Fires Immediately

NO WRITER ATTRIBUTED

Ready to roll at a moment's notice, the 45 men and four trucks of the Harvard Auxiliary Fire Department are fully equipped to meet any emergency, should air raid drills be set aside for the grimmer realities of war, and bombs fall on this side of the Atlantic.

The Auxiliary Fire Department is under the direction of Walter F. Graves while the men are drawn from among the members of the Maintenance Department, nevertheless, it is possible that students might be called upoon to assist if an emergency arose.

Four Wagons Available

Equipment is kept at the Maintenance Department and consists of an old Boston pumper, another pumper, and two demolition wagons. The latter carry equipment for combatting fire, incendiary bombs, and other similar emergencies.

All of these trucks are fully equipped and ready to go when the alarm sounds except for one of the demolition wagons. This is used for other work around the University and consequently requires about 15 minutes to load with the fire fighting equipment.

Drills Held Weekly

The Auxiliary Fire Company keeps in training by holding weekly drills at which they run through various elements of fire fighting. Numerous students have witnessed their seemingly pointless efforts in pumping water out of the Charles by the Newell Boat House and spraying it upon luckless scullers.

The Auxiliary Unit was fortunate last week in obtaining permission to use the Cambridge Fire Department's drill tower on Portland Street for one of its drills.

Although it was started only last May, the Auxiliary Fire Company is an integral part of the University's Air Raid Precautions system and receives all orders through the College switchboard which is controlled by the ARP during air raids.

When the Auxilitary Firemen are not able to cope with a situation, they work in coordination which the Cambridge Fire Department. Also, Auxiliaries may be used as a reserve and stand by to aid the regular Cambridge force if their assistance is required.

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