TELECOM Emergency Call Boxes still in use

[h***@bbs.cpcn.com]

At one time all cities had emergency fire boxes on major
streetcorners. Someone in need of help would pull a lever in the box,
which would send a coded signal to the dispatcher and fire station
indicating the location. (Pulling the lever activated a clockwork in
the box which propelled a tape with punchings to give it a code.)

Many cities have removed those boxes because they were expensive to
maintain and obsolete in a day with universal home telephone service
and cell phones. However, some cities have found them to be still
useful and keep them in service. They have the advtg of being very
reliable which cell phones are not, the person does not need to speak
English, and give the exact location which might not be known.

An article in the NYT describes this. See:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/11/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/11alarmsnj.html?ref=nyregionspecial2

[public replies, please]

[T]

Post by h***@bbs.cpcn.com
At one time all cities had emergency fire boxes on major
streetcorners. Someone in need of help would pull a lever in the box,
which would send a coded signal to the dispatcher and fire station
indicating the location. (Pulling the lever activated a clockwork in
the box which propelled a tape with punchings to give it a code.)
Many cities have removed those boxes because they were expensive to
maintain and obsolete in a day with universal home telephone service
and cell phones. However, some cities have found them to be still
useful and keep them in service. They have the advtg of being very
reliable which cell phones are not, the person does not need to speak
English, and give the exact location which might not be known.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/11/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/11alarmsnj.html?ref=nyregionspecial2
[public replies, please]

There was an episode of the British series "The I.T. Crowd" where the
I.T. office had a fire. Moss emailed emergency services.

Hell, they should be on IM too.

[Rich Piehl]

Post by h***@bbs.cpcn.com
At one time all cities had emergency fire boxes on major
streetcorners. Someone in need of help would pull a lever in the box,
which would send a coded signal to the dispatcher and fire station
indicating the location. (Pulling the lever activated a clockwork in
the box which propelled a tape with punchings to give it a code.)
Many cities have removed those boxes because they were expensive to
maintain and obsolete in a day with universal home telephone service
and cell phones. However, some cities have found them to be still
useful and keep them in service. They have the advtg of being very
reliable which cell phones are not, the person does not need to speak
English, and give the exact location which might not be known.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/11/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/11alarmsnj.html?ref=nyregionspecial2
[public replies, please]

In grade school we had one of the call boxes just outside the school.
We were instructed when and how to use it and when not to. But the more
fascinating part is when we got the tour of the local fire house and saw
the other end of the system. I'm sure it wasn't thing big, but as an 8
year old the wall where the alarm indicators were located seemed 20 feet
tall and just and fully covered.

Take care,
Rich

God bless the USA

[h***@bbs.cpcn.com]

On Nov 13, 4:17 pm, Rich Piehl

Post by Rich Piehl
In grade school we had one of the call boxes just outside the school.
We were instructed when and how to use it and when not to. But the more
fascinating part is when we got the tour of the local fire house and saw
the other end of the system. I'm sure it wasn't thing big, but as an 8
year old the wall where the alarm indicators were located seemed 20 feet
tall and just and fully covered.

In 1972 I had a tour of the city's fire alarm dispatcher. Almost all
calls came by callbox, only a few by phone. No one knew the listed
number, everybody just dialed zero and asked for the fire or police
dept, as the phone company instructed people to do. (The police dept
came out with an easy to remember 7 digit number which was used for a
while).

The callbox signals caused a very loud harsh buzzer to sound for each
dot. A call came in it seemed fairly regularly. The dispatcher had a
manual switchboard in which they called the appropriate fire house,
but apparently they had a parallel of the box for their district and
knew it already. Somehow the police were notified too as they
responded to all fire calls.

As kids, we were instructed to wait at the callbox until the fire
truck arrived so we could direct it to the particular house.

Even years ago false alarms were a major problem.

One of the features of the original 911 (and presumably if someone
dialed zero) was that the truck would be seized until the dispatcher
released it. This way if the caller hung up they could call back to
confirm.

In the 1960s some cities replaced telegraph call boxes with
telephones, that is, the box had a phone inside which was answered by
the dispatcher. NYC put intercoms on its call box stands which I
think are still available for use. Many college have "blue light"
stands with an emergency intercom available.


The city had an enormous private communications network thorughout the
city for fire alarms and voice traffic between key city agencies such
as police stations. Police stations would have Bell sets and an old
AE set too.

[T]

Post by h***@bbs.cpcn.com
On Nov 13, 4:17 pm, Rich Piehl

Post by Rich Piehl
In grade school we had one of the call boxes just outside the school.
We were instructed when and how to use it and when not to. But the more
fascinating part is when we got the tour of the local fire house and saw
the other end of the system. I'm sure it wasn't thing big, but as an 8
year old the wall where the alarm indicators were located seemed 20 feet
tall and just and fully covered.

In 1972 I had a tour of the city's fire alarm dispatcher. Almost all
calls came by callbox, only a few by phone. No one knew the listed
number, everybody just dialed zero and asked for the fire or police
dept, as the phone company instructed people to do. (The police dept
came out with an easy to remember 7 digit number which was used for a
while).

The Providence, RI police department still has 401-272-1111 as an
emergency number. But we're all E-911 now so nobody really dials the
seven digit number.

Post by h***@bbs.cpcn.com
One of the features of the original 911 (and presumably if someone
dialed zero) was that the truck would be seized until the dispatcher
released it. This way if the caller hung up they could call back to
confirm.

Yep, they can seize the trunk and hold up the line if need be.

Post by h***@bbs.cpcn.com
In the 1960s some cities replaced telegraph call boxes with
telephones, that is, the box had a phone inside which was answered by
the dispatcher. NYC put intercoms on its call box stands which I
think are still available for use. Many college have "blue light"
stands with an emergency intercom available.
The city had an enormous private communications network thorughout the
city for fire alarms and voice traffic between key city agencies such
as police stations. Police stations would have Bell sets and an old
AE set too.

Now it's all T1's etc. When I worked for the RISOS (Sec of State) we had
T1's and fractional T1's that tied our phone system together among 3
locations.

[Dik T. Winter]

Post by h***@bbs.cpcn.com
At one time all cities had emergency fire boxes on major
streetcorners. Someone in need of help would pull a lever in the box,
which would send a coded signal to the dispatcher and fire station
indicating the location. (Pulling the lever activated a clockwork in
the box which propelled a tape with punchings to give it a code.)

I am now living already some fifty years in a city, and never have seen
one. I think you should be more specific, like, perhaps, all cities in
the USA.

[Rich Piehl]

Post by Dik T. Winter

Post by h***@bbs.cpcn.com
At one time all cities had emergency fire boxes on major
streetcorners. Someone in need of help would pull a lever in the box,
which would send a coded signal to the dispatcher and fire station
indicating the location. (Pulling the lever activated a clockwork in
the box which propelled a tape with punchings to give it a code.)

I am now living already some fifty years in a city, and never have seen
one. I think you should be more specific, like, perhaps, all cities in
the USA.

Here's a link to ones in NYC. We had similar ones in STL

http://www.forgotten-ny.com/STREET%20SCENES/Fire%20Alarms%20page/Alarms.html

Take care,
Rich

God bless the USA

[Eric Tappert]

In Philadelphia the fire call box in front of Independence Hall was
number 1776. When that number sounded, there was lots of attention in
fire stations all over the city....

E. Tappert