CHAPTER III, SECTIONS 4 and 5
Assignment of this equipment was as follows:
On Eniwetok Atoll the Maxim, LaFrance
and Bean High Pressure units were retained at
site Elmer where the principal warehousing,
shop, office and User facilities indicated the

upon volunteers recruited from other Departments.

Since the principal storage, shop and User

facilities were located on Elmer site, arrangements were made for members of the guard

GPM unit waslocated at site Ursula.

force on night duty to make three inspections
nightly of the inside of the storage and shop

At site Fred (Eniwetok Island), coverage
was provided for all Operations by the Military
fire organization.

locations with the exception that available per-

need of the most equipment. One Chevrolet 500

At Bikini Atoll, under Contractor operation, Chevrolet, Ford and GMC 500 GPM units
and a Chevrolet 100 GPM unit were assigned
for coverage at the four camps, with the specific
responsibility for allocation of apparatus to each

site being delegated to the Fire Chief in charge

at that atoll. In addition to the above, a Mili-

tary organization, with equipment, was furnished for coverage of the airstrip at Bikini. This
group was coordinated with the Holmes & Narver camp Fire Department for joint help in
event of emergency. Water for fire protection
at sites Charlie, Fox and Tare was supplied
from the elevated storage tanks and at Nan
from a 300 GPM pumpatthe distillation plant.

While these sources of supply were limited, they
were found to be sufficient for the needs that
arose. After the individual tests, Fire Depart-

ment apparatus and manpower were used to
great advantage in decontamination operations.

At site Elmer a perforated casing type well
was adopted at the Assembly Area after the
buried cube type proved unsatisfactory. Water

for future camps and storage areas can be eco-

nomically obtained through the use of this type
well,
With the withdrawal of equipment from the

Bikini location to site Elmer at Eniwetok, action
was initiated for the renovation and return of

apparatus on loan from the Military.

The maximum number of professional firefighers during the Operation reached a total
of seven, which included two chiefs and five

firefighters. While this figure was not constant,
it did remain at a level which permitted assign-

ment of one trained employee to each camp as
it was established, and two at the main location
on site Elmer. Manpower, in addition to the
fireman for manning equipment, was dependent

buildings, and to maintain a watch for incipient fires while on jeep patrol through the
area. Similar practice was followed at the Bikini

sonnel did not permit coverage by patrol during
the later part of the night. Guards were instructed in the proper use of hand extinguishers.
The water supply for fire fighting was

adequate for normal demands, and fire hydrants
were regularily tested. Because the Marine Department had fire hazards peculiar to their
operations, a close liaison was maintained with
the resultant safe operation of sea craft.

In view of the high valuation of equipment
and material involved in the Pacific Proving
Ground operations, an exceptionally small total
fire loss was experienced.
SANITATION
The control of insects on both Atolls was
a continuing program. Changes in spray schedules and composition of the spray formula were
made as required to overcome recurring insect
infestation and to provide better coverage. Regular spray applications were maintained at all
sites using fog smoke for entire coverage of each

site and a liquid residual spray to critical areas.
Hand spraying was routine in the mess halls
and other buildings.
Additional clearing of
ground cover served to reduce a serious gnat
infestion originally found prevalent at Bikini
sites.

Small rodent problems were normally con-

trolled by the use of traps, but on a few occa-

sions it was necessary to use a rigidly supervised

supplementary program of poisoned bait.

Periodic routine sanitation inspections were
made and sub-standard conditions and practices

were immediately referred to functional organizations with recommendations as to corrective
action. Periodic checks of swimming areas were
made by the use of dye markers and water
sample analyses to make certain there was no
contamination by sewerage.

SECTION 5
PROCUREMENT AND SUPPLY
Procurement procedures at the beginning of

Operation CASTLE were, in essence a carryPage 3-20

over from Operation IVY, and no immediate
increase in procurement personnel was necessary

Select target paragraph3