view raw text
, New Fire-Fighting and Police Operation at Washington Park Professional Force, Modern Equipment and Alarm System To Many Close Communities HOMEWOOD, HI., May 14. One of the most comprehensive security and fire-protection systems in throughbred racing will swing into action Monday when Balmoral Jockey Club opens its spring meeing at Washington Park. The protective network for both stable area and public structures ranges from trained police dogs to a school for guards in the security division, and from walkie-talkie radio to aerial fire trucks in the fire-protection phase. The new security system is being introduced under a plan created-by Arlington Park-Washington Park executive director Benjamin F. Lindheimer, and Balmoral president Hubert E. Howard. At full strength it will produce the safesTpossible conditions for horsemen" and., their employes, for the thoroughbreds stabled at the Homewood course and for the several hundred residents who live at the tracks 100-trailer court. The fire department, long an efficient segment of the Arlington-Washington operation, has been completely organized on a 24-hour-a-day basis, with ten professional firemen on a three-shift stand, many recruited irom the communities surrounding Washington Park. Track Has Own Fire Equipment The track itself is equipped with its own fire engines, including a high pi-essure unit and a combination high pressure and pumper vehicle. Both are of metropolitan 1 fire-fighting standard. In addition,-more than 300 fire extinguishers are strategically located throughout the barn and public areas, and numerous hose-carts are-on-the-ready for any emergency. The entire fire-protection system is now under the command and supervision of a community district fire marshal who has at his disposal equipment and additional manpower for adjoining communities. The tracks own fire department is in direct radio communication with fire departments in Harvey, Homewood, Floss-moor, Thornton, Hazelcrest, Riverdale, Dolton, South Holland, and Markham. If ever required, equipment can be rushed to Washington Park from any or all of these towns within minutes. Within minutes, a ladder-truck and a pumper can join the track equipment if necessary. Within ten minutes, the division marshal said, three aerial trucks and ten pumpers can go into action at the track. Complete cooperation is being provided by Fire Chief Edward Mulder of -the Harvey fire department and Chief Thomas White of Homewood. All chiefs of the community project also are cooperating. In addition to the actual fire-fighting equipment, Washington Park has a novel and ingenious alarm system which is being widely copied. Every barn in the stable area has an emergency phone connected directly with the track switchboard. The operator then can immediately alert the track fire-department, issue a general alarm over the public address system and notify other fire departments via radiotelephone immediately. Police security follows the same comprehensive pattern at Washington Park. Overall supervision is in the hands of Robert A. Frink, agent-in-charge of the Chicago office of the Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau. More than 50 police and guards will function around-the-clock to protect the entire Washington Park area. Police and guards this year will go to school to learn their specialized jobs. They have been given intensive training already by stable superintendent Charles Connelly. As for equipment, Washington Park is among the best-equipped in the nation. The protective cops includes three police squad-cars, all radio-equipped, highspeed scooters, and the tw otrained police dogs. The same protective network will also be in effect when Arlington Park opens its 55-day stand on July 6.
