Fire Prevention and Inspection
The fact that in Philadelphia in one year the loss by fire from combustible materials alone was $300,000 shows how important is fire prevention in the clean-up work. Realizing the conditions and the effective means which clean-up campaigns offer to improve them, many cities have laid special emphasis upon safety as well as sightliness and cleanliness. The effort of Cincinnati illustrates the results that have been achieved in many other communities.
INSPECTOR’S REPORT (1915).
“Clean-Up and Paint-Up” Campaign.
Under Auspices of Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce.
“The success attained in the Cincinnati campaign in 1914 so impressed the State Fire Marshal that he assigned one of his assistants to spend his entire time in the 1915 season going about the State organizing in the different cities clean-up campaigns based upon the Cincinnati plan, and in which inspections by the State Fire Marshal’s department played an important part. Since it is estimated that 80 per cent. to 90 per cent. of all fires are caused by accumulation of waste, rubbish or trash of some sort, a thorough renovation of all premises in the city must decrease the risk of fire. Therefore the more thorough the Clean-Up Campaign the more work done toward fire prevention. The $600,000 reduction in fire loss, from $1,341,348 in 1913 to $793,796 in 1914, may be traced largely to the result of the Clean-Up movement. This means a reduction of insurance rates in the business district of from 5 per cent. to 8 per cent. and an annual saving of perhaps $160,000 in fire insurance premiums.”
Sanitary Inspection
As a preliminary to the Clean-Up Campaign in Kirkville, Missouri, an inspection was made of all grocery stores, drug stores, bakeries, and dairies by the State Pure Food Inspectors. The work continued over many months, and every Sunday one of the local newspapers devoted an entire page to the report of the conditions, good and bad. Each concern was scored on various points of sanitation on the basis of 100 per cent. perfect, and the Sunday papers printed scores of all concerns inspected the previous week. Thus the interest of the public was aroused to watch the scores. In the instances where the low scores were made the effects of public disapproval were instantly felt.