is somewhat less than the loss for the previous year, but here again, even
with the reduction, it is too heavy for us to feel self-satisfied about it.

While I deplore complacency and encourage constant concern about
fire conditions in the State, developments of recent months provide
some ground for rejoicing on our part. Most of you are aware that,
effective last June 1, there was a statewide across-the-board reduction
of insurance rates amounting to 7 per cent in Maryland. And the insur-
ance rate on residential property was reduced by 25 per cent. Credit
for this, of course, must go to our paid and volunteer fire companies
and to the Fire Service Extension of the University with its unexcelled
training program—to men like yourselves who have devoted so much of
your time, energy and intelligence to safeguarding the lives and prop-
erty of the people of the State.

I think we firemen can take justifiable pride in the fact that through
our efforts, in a large measure at least, the people of our State not only
have more security in their homes and on their jobs, but they pay insur-
ance rates which are much lower than they would without the programs
initiated by us.

Much splendid work has been done, and is being done under superb
leadership, in Maryland for the improvement of our fire-fighting serv-
ices. I could cite numerous examples, but here I will name only a few.

The fire school built only a short time ago in Baltimore has received
wide recognition in numerous national firemen's magazines. I am in-
formed that the firemen's training center in that city is used by more
men daily than any other in the country.

Maryland has been a pioneer in the emphasis it has placed on the
value of teaching in its program of fire protection. The program of
training for firemen, started here in College Park nearly thirty years
ago, was a modest one in the beginning, but it has grown by leaps and
bounds over the three-decade period of its existence.

As an old fireman—as one who is always interested in fire prevention
and fire protection—it is highly pleasing to me to know that of all our
Maryland fire department, volunteer and paid, 75 per cent will have
men in training in any given year....

In my observation, there appears to be a growing interest on the part
of firemen in fire protection. Baltimore City has established an excellent
and effective program of in-service inspections designed to eliminate fire
hazards.

I am proud of the small part I have been able to play—as an active

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