FIRE SAFETY

Maryland's long tradition of reliance upon well-trained
volunteer fire departments had the full support of Governor
Tawes, himself a former volunteer fireman. The Governor's
interest in fire fighting and fire prevention was genuine, ex-
tending bach to the days of his youth when he joined the
Crisfield Volunteer Fire Company, an affiliation he maintained
throughout his public career. He was a past president of the
Maryland State Fireman's Association, a distinction he valued
as one of the high points of his life in the public service.

As Governor, he took pride in the fact that Maryland's fire
safety record was reflected in an over-all reduction in fire
insurance rates. It was his contention that, since nearly all
fires are man-made, most of them could be prevented and he
undertook an extensive program of public education toward
that goal. He was the first Maryland Governor to call an
annual conference on fire prevention, bringing together leading
authorities on the subject in an attempt to find new ways of
curbing this threat to the public safety. Approximately one-
third of a million dollars was made available in 1961 to expand
the training facilities of the Fire Extension Department at the
University of Maryland, where some 2, 000 volunteer firemen
annually received training in the latest fire fighting techniques,

ADDRESS, FIRE INSTRUCTORS CONFERENCE
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE

February 26, 1959

The nature of the title of this talk—"We Have Come A Long Way"—
is double-barreled in that it allows discussion that is both general and
specific.

Speaking generally of the cause of fire safety and fire-loss reduction,
a look at the program of this conference shows unmistakably that we
have indeed come a long way as a nation. This is a healthy sign because
the economic drain of fires on the resources of this America we all love
so well is cause for the concern and concentrated attention of everyone.
It is of special concern to those of us here who are to be regarded as
watchdogs of the public's interest in fire safety.

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