Pacific Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 03, 1948, Tokyo, T�ky�                                During the fiscal year 1948, 1 july.1947 to 30 june 1948, there were reported in the far East command 510 fires with losses Over $25.00. These losses amounted to $9,725,351.00 and were an 18.6% reduction in loss to those in fiscal year 1947. Sixteen lives were lost and 131 people of the occupation population were injured either in or fighting these fires. The three major causes were electrical defects unauthorized use of gasoline and thoughtless and careless operation of heating equipment. A Large percentage of fires occurred in dependent housing boys billets and Barracks and were 90% prevent Able. While the losses in the. Far East command have been reduced tie losses indicated have been attributable to factors and conditions which Are subject to control and Elimina Tion. Frequency of fires is the real Meas ure of fire prevention. A reduction in frequency indicates the effective Ness of the fire prevention program. Fires do not happen they Are caused. A specific cause May. Start an Incon sequential fire at one time but the identical cause May Start fires of conflagration proportions at another time. An Active fire prevention pro Gram will reveal these causes and by the elimination of. Such cause minimize the fire  the far East command electrical defects caused. 18.8% of fires these were largely the result of Over faded i circuits Over fusing and use of def c i live equipment. Unauthorized use of flammable liquids caused 15% of the fires. A potential fire Hazard exists in the use of Light bulbs and heading elements to heat closets in an Effort to combat mildew. If properly constructed with adequate ventilation and the heating element installed to preclude any possibility of combustibles coming into Contact with the heating elements the fire Hazard i is Low. Fire chiefs fire marshals or fire Protection engineers should be consulted before constructing any heating device within structures. T in Korea the largest losses have been caused in the Winter by use of Oil space Heaters improperly in stalled serviced and operated. Korea has cold Winters and space Haat ers Are forced beyond their limits with resultant fires. Okinawa is handicapped by Lack of water and in most cases water must be transported to a fire on fire apparatus consequently Large fires Are difficult to combat and intensive fire prevention measures Are Neces sary to prevent the occurrence of fires. Marianas Jonins command is also Hjad capped by Lack of an adequate water system at Many locations and great dependence must be made upon transported water. The. Far East command is Well equipped with fire apparatus Man Ned by enlisted men in some cases but largely by native personnel who Are trained and supervised by army personnel. United states equipment is used As Well As equipment indigenously procured such As pumpers Hose and apparatus equipment. The native fireman is a Good fireman but. Has. His limitations due to stature and strength. Each major command has in its employ a fire prevention and fire Protection Engineer whose duties Are the dissemination of fire prevention in formation the expediting of supplies and equipment to the fire depart ments of the command the training of personnel for fire fight Reg and inspection of All property of the com Mand in an Effort to minimize fire hazards. Many cities of Japan have had tremendous losses of life arid property by fires but the philosophy appears to be that such things Are inevitable and they rebuild and continue to build with highly flammable materials Lack of Clear space Between. Buildings narrow streets and limited fire alarm systems All contributing to a re occurrence of a conflagration with great loss of life and property. I with the use of buildings of Flam Mable construction and the Lack of building codes or plans for fire resistive construction the problem of fire prevention and fire Protection becomes a major problem for the far East command. A i 11 i i � we e k Start 0 stripes Page 3