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DITORIAL PINION Tragic Statistics One of the most tragic realities about fire is the fact that people think it could never happen t them. ' Each year over 1,000 Canadians become the victims of their own carelessness. Smoking in bed, storing gasoline indoors, and failing to warn children about the danger of matches are the three most common causes of fires resulting in deaths. Canada has one of the worst fire loss rates in the world. 70 percent of these fires occur in the home. In 1973, 1,268 Canadians lost their lives in household fires. This year the death rate will probably be higher. Between January and March of 1974, 16 citizens of a large metropolitan city died as a result of fire. Last year there were 26 deaths in this same city over a twelve month period. Fire prevention should be practised in every home says St. John Ambulance. Most of the victims would be alive today had the simplest of safety measures been taken. It is the safety conscious person who is most likely to escape injury or death. St. John Ambulance recommends that people pay attention to the following advice. It could prevent a fire and save a life. "People should learn from the mistakes and misfortunes of others but they don't" says R.H. Brown, . Director of the Toronto Fire Prevention Bureau. "The leading causes of fire today are the same -as they were 10 years ago." Mr. Brown continued to say: "The majority of victims are killed not by flames but by smoke and fire gases. Your family will stand a better chance of survival if you have planned for this type of an emer- gency." To treat persons suffering from major burns St. John Ambulance recommends that you pay attention to the following advice. Remove patient to hospital as possible. Avoid unnecessary handling. Cover the area with a clean dressing,--even a towel or sheet. Do not apply salves or lotions. Do not remove burned clothing. Do not break blisters. soon as For the treatment of minor burns St. John Ambulance suggests that relief comes by immer- sing burned area in cold water. When immersion is not possible, towels or clothes soaked in cool water and changed frequently may be applied to the affected area. : A fire can happen anywhere, anytime. It takes only minutes for a fire to destroy an entire building and it contents. "Only people can start a fire" says Mr. Brown, and only people can prevent one." Hopefully Canadians will remember the tragic deaths which have occurred and fromm them learn the need of practising fire prevention. Hopefully they will not think it couldnt happen to them. i: . ~~ PORT PERRY STAR Company Limited ao Z O 4, Sa_a, & CNA : (OUR) 2 . 1 - a "te are iL] N Serving Port Perry. Reach. Scugog and Cartwright Townships P. HVIDSTEN, Publisher WM. T. HARRISON, J. PETER HVIDSTEN. Plant Manager Advertising Manager Member of the Canadian Community Newspaper Association Member of the Ontario Weekly Newspaper Association Published evéry Wednesday by the Part Perry Star Co. Ltd, Port Perry, Ontario Authorized as second class mail by the Post Office Department, Ottawa. and for payment of postage in cash Second Class Mail Registration Number 0265 Subscription Rate: In Canada $4.00 per year. Elsewhere $8.50 per year Single Copy 15¢ a a A A A A A A A A A AAA SON - - " --- TAKES THE WORRY OU] OF BEING CLOSE BILL MILEY UGAR ano GUESS WHAT I'M A V.LP. Have you ever been a VIP? As a matter of democratic principle, I'm solidly against special treatment for anybody. But when it came to practice, 1 found it delight- ful."and wondered what the poor people were doing tonight. It has never happened to me before, and probably never will again, so I want to get the experience down here for posterity and my grandchildren. It happened during my recent trip to Germany, courtesy of the Department of National Defence. Hold it, you taxpayers. It didn't cost you a nickel. The plane was going anyway, and I was told I'd have to pay amy own expenses overseas. Fair enough. The invitation was very casual, and there were no strings attached, though the Department_knew 1 write a syndicated column. But I could have gone to Ger- many, spent three days in a beerhall, writ- ten nothing, and no questions asked. I chose to do otherwise. Thus. I had a quick. but enlightening look at that comparatively recent hybrid, the Canadian Armed Forces, the rather pallid name chosen by Paul Hellyer, when, as Minister of Defence, he integrated the Royal Canadian Navy, the Canadian Army. and the Royal Canadian Air Force. That was a bitter time for those in the service, as each branch had its special pride and traditions, and foresaw these being swept away in the 'integration pro- cess. Many of them were, and the bitter- ness has not completely dissolved. But it probably made sense. There is only one uniform now, a reasonably attrac- tive dark green. There are no more Group Captains or Lieutenant-Comman- ders. Army litles are used throughout. Al any rate, these were the people I got tangled with for a few days which 1 thoroughly enjoyed. I talked with all ranks from corpo- ral to Brigadier-General. I couldn't find a private, and still wonder if there are any left in the service. Generally, I found them friendly. courteous, reasonably happy in the forces, and keen on their jobs. It was quite a change from the 'rude and licentious soldiery™ of wartime, with its constant grousing and grumbling. I began my pilgrimage as a VUP (Very Unimportant Person), just my usual self. Up at 7:30 and a long, cold boring bus ride to Trenton. Hours to wait for my flight. Nothing to do. Tired already. Blizzard outside. Everything fairly typical, in other words. Serice In despair. I asked a couple of ladies 'at an information desk if there were any- where I could lie down for a whilé. One of them -- she must have been my fairy godmother -- said there was a VIP lounge. I went into it, expecting to be thrown out, and a handsome young pilot in there looked a bit surprised, but pleasantly asked if I'd like some coffee. We ex- changed a few remarks. I told him who I was and where I was going. And suddenly, to my utter incredulity. I discovered that-I was a VIP. This Captain Hanberg, who turned out to be the Duty Officer for the day, looked at my letter of confirmation for the flight and went into high gear. Carried my bag, took me to the officer's mess. got me a room for a lie-down, showed me where the bar was, lined up dinner, drove me back to the terminal, checked my bag and ushered me through the blizzard right onto the plane and to my seat. This went on for the next four days, and I'll never be the same again. ' Crossing was pleasant enough, though exhausting. The Forces use large Boeing 707s (I believe they have five of them) to shuttle personnel, baggage, mail and whatever to Germany, Cyrpus, Egypt, and back and forth across Canada. They're fast and comfortable. No drinks and no movies, but excellent service from two young ladies. with food and coffee and snacks. Can't sleep on planes, so spent the time exchanging horror stories with two vete- rans of Dieppe who were going to a Dieppe reunion. Tottered off the plane at Lahr, the Canadian base in Germany, in the Black Forest region. Walked into the terminal and an officer walked up: "Are you Bill Smiley? "I admitted as how I was. He was Lieutenant - Colonel Hopkins, the chief padre. His wife was with him. they both went to the same high school 1 did. years ago. My kid brother had asked them to meet the plane. "'Hoppie" calls himself the Vicar of Lahr. They offered all hospitality. With them was a Captain, who took charge of me, showed me around the town. got my brother on the phone. took me to a bank to change dollars for marks, and took me to a hotel room he had organized. I met this same unfailing courtesy in all forces people I encountered, both Canadian and American. Staggared into bed at 4 p.m. German time, just 27 hours and no sleep after I'd started out. Left a message to be called at 6:30 the next morning. With typical Ger- man efficiency, the maid called me at 6:30 the same evening. Horrors. Back to bed and died until 5 a.m. More next week from Gullible's Travels. Ty ee ---- -- le " wr or . «Ff REMEMBER 5% WHEN 50 YEARS AGO Thursday. April 24, 1924 Dr. Wygle, Nova Scotia, gave an interesting address on "The Romance of the mind," at the annual Good Friday meeting of Union Church's W.M.S. in Black- stock. ' Mr. John Warren, Prince Albert, has nearly comple- ted his new house with the exception of painting and graining. Mrs. Bell, Port Perry, has sold her residence to Mr. Madison Williams, Lindsay, and the Williams will now be returning to Port Perry Mr. Morley Moose had purchased a new Chevrolet Superior from Beare Bros., Port Perry. 25 YEARS AGO Thursday, April 21, 1949 The wedding of Russell Shaw and Rosetta Smith took placé recently in the Prince Albert Unitedg } -Church. " Nearly every business building on the two blocks on Queen Street has been modernized or is in the process of alterations, the latest.improvement being in the new premises of Caw- ker's Butcher Shop. Part of the Purdy Block, recently vacated by Bert MacGregor has been Cawker premises and ren- ovated also. Carnegie Hardware built an addition to their store, making a larger household display area; and H.R. Archer Motors are making alterations to their show- room and office. 15 YEARS AGO A | Thursday, April 23. 1959 The first * Lion's Club Daughter and 'Son Banquet was held at their last regu- lar meeting, with Mrs. Nel- son Williams providing an enjoyable meal. The ice went out of Lake Scugog Sunday morning, April 19. The earliest date of its disappearance was®, March 20th, 1878 and the latest date was April 26, 1872. (continued on page 17) added to the @ *