Wichita Fire School - In January of 1922 Chief Brownewell accompanied by his clerk Fireman Burt Furnas, went to Chicago to attend fire school where, according to the Chief, they were to study hygiene, chemistry, gases, building materials and physical culture. In the Chief's absence, Assistant Chief Schauner was left in charge of the department. During their stay in Chicago, Chief Brownewell worked with the fire department there, and made as many as thirteen alarms in a single night. He and Fireman Furnas were featured in a fire magazine which showed them performing various drills. In a news article the Chief was quoted as stating that, "upon his return to Wichita, he would establish a school for firemen with Fireman Furnas as his instructor." This school was to be at Central Station, where the old fire tower was to be put into commission for fire drill work. The latest methods of firefighting were to be taught to the men and on days when there were no big fires, the exercises on the tower would keep them in perfect physical condition. When the Chief returned, he recommended to the City Manager that the tower be remodeled, and that a standpipe, stairway fire escape, ladder and a net be installed. This particular program of training intitated by Chief Brownewell is still being used today, and is probably responsible for much of the effectiveness of the department over the years. In addition to the change in training techniques, another change was made, the Assistant Chief Schauner was retired, and Fireman Furnas became the Assistant Chief, and put in charge of the fire school. The newspaper reported that the men were being taught rope sliding, ladder hoisting, and knot tying. The men were said to be so enthusiastic, that after sliding the rope from the fifth floor some of them climbed back up the rope to the second floor. Fortunately, this latter practice was short lived.

The new fire school was an instant success and the word spread quickly to neighboring towns. Requests from other fire departments for schooling were turned down at first so that all Wichita firemen could be trained in the new skills, thirty-four evolutions in all. A second tower was built on the station roof to use in the drills and word was that the fire school in Wichita was the best in the Southwest. Even with the school being a success, a rumor reached the ear of City Manager Elliott that the men thought of the new drills as a fad which soon would wear out. At the Manager's request, Chief Brownewell posted a bulletin to the effect that the drill sessions were a part of the daily regular work and from then on the rumors ceased.

The Underwriters Arrive - In 1921, the National Board of Fire Underwriters issued a warning to Wichita concerning needed improvements in its fire protection. More firemen were needed, a new station in Riverside would be required, and the installation of an approved fire alarm system would have to be made. The fire alarm telegraph system formerly in use had been disconttinued in 1914, and since that time all fire calls had been made through the telephone compny. This warning was acted upon by the commissioners with the allocation of $60,000 for an alarm system, and in 1922, a new station No. 7 was built in Riverside. This station was considered to be the latest in design and was a bungalow-style building that matched its residential neighbors. The Chicago Fire Department sent representatives to look at the new station, which was a radical departure from most exisiting fire stations. Shortly after the new Gamewell Alarm System had been installed, the Underwriters came to Wichita to reinspect the fire department.

They looked at everything from the water supply to the rules and regulations of the department. One part of the inspection, included having each fire company perform certain evolutions, such as making test runs to the nearest hydrant, running lines of hose, coupling up the engine and starting water. The men were naturally nervous and each company hoped to really shine when their turn came to perform.

Company No. 4 was able to take a standing start, lay 500 feet of hose, cut in the pump and have water flowing in one minute and forty-three seconds. Everything didn't work out however, because one company went through the evolution and as water was turned into the line, the poor fireman who had been holding the nozzle like a broom handle suddenly caught a 100 pounds of pressure and took flight. By the time the driver was able to shut down the line, the man had been dragged, and rolled up and down the street by the trashing serpent of a hoseline. Undoubedtly, the onlookers were shouting encouragement from the sidelines to "hold on to it, that a boy, don't let go," and then a lot of them especially his buddies, were probably near hysteria at the sight.

After the inspection came the recommendation. The report stated, that although the citizens growth had been rapid in recent years, conditions in Wichita were as a whole "good."  Fire losses from 1918-1923 were moderate, average number of fires, 299 annually, $439,000 average loss, loss per capita, $1.82. Then came the important part, "The Fire Department is considered to be inadequate." The Underwriters found, too little equipment, not enough training for the men (who lacked teamwork) and were undermanned. In all there were thirty-four recommendations of which the following seemed the most important. Additional water supplies and hydrants, thirty additional men, appointment to the department by civil service exam, better record keeping, more training on a more frequent basis, adoption of a new building and fire prevention codes (adopted in 1887 and revised only slightly), prohibition against combustible roofing and explosives inside the city limits. The City was commended for the new alarm system and the excellent work of the Chamber of Commerce Fire Prevention Committee. The result of this inspection and the threat of increased insurance rates served to expeditate changes for the Fire Department which were long overdue. In addition, the annual 1923 fire statistics may have spurred the commissioners a little, since the biggest fire loss in a decade was recorded for that year, 659 fires, $450,000 loss and 13 lives lost.

On February 5, 1923, Wichita had experienced one of the most tragic fires since the Masonic Home Fire in 1916. The Getto Building located at 235 North Main burned with a loss of nine lives, and $80,000 building loss. Wichita firemen carried thirty citizens to safety during the height of the blaze. The next day another fire occurred, this time in the Eaton Hotel, fortunately no lives were lost and the loss was limited to $80,000.

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