The speeches and papers of my two terms as Governor are now
being collected and edited for publication, and the member of my
staff who is supervising this operation expressed some astonishment
to me at the number of fire houses that I have dedicated since I took
office in January, 1959. To me, this is a healthy sign of the tremendous
interest the communities of Maryland have in improving their services
of fire prevention and fire protection. It is most gratifying to me to
observe that our State, certainly in the forefront among the states in
the caliber of its fire services, intends to maintain the high quality
of these services. As is the case with any other agency of government,
fire departments must be given the tools that are required to carry
out their heavy responsibilities.

Under our system of government, the operation of fire departments
is primarily a responsibility of local governments. But at the higher
level of State government, there is much that can be done to facilitate
good fire protection and adequate fire prevention. The State of Mary-
land, for example, has assumed the obligation of establishing and
operating an institution for the instruction of fire fighting — in the
justly renowned Fire Service Extension of the University of Maryland.
Another area of State responsibility is in the passage of laws to make
the task of fire safety easier for those whose responsibility it is. In this
connection, let me say that I was greatly pleased some weeks ago to
be able to affix my signature to a bill, passed at the 1966 session of the
General Assembly, to make the setting of fires to buildings other than
residences a felony under our criminal statutes. As you know, hereto
fore that offense, even though it might result in destruction amounting
to many millions of dollars in property, has been only a misdemeanor.
I know how diligently this Association worked for the passage of this
measure, and I was deeply pleased to have the opportunity to sign
it into law. Also this year I was happy to have the opportunity to
place in the budget for next year a provision for the appointment of
a full-time instructor in rescue work in the Fire Service Extension
of the University of Maryland. Rescue operations are an essential
part of the services which are performed by the fire companies of
Maryland, and this service will be greatly strengthened as a result
of this added instruction at the University. In my budget also are
provisions for a fire-protection engineer under our Fire Marshal and
for an investigator for the area of Carroll and Eastern Frederick
counties.

While speaking of the Fire Marshal's office, I would be remiss in
my duties if I did not say a word in behalf of our friend, John Meyers,

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