Fire Alarm Box History

E

entropychaser

Joined
Jun 27, 2017
Messages
1,179
Darrell said:
Three questions, the Fire Brigade (well the early version of it) was founded January 1, 1833, it really took them 67 years to put bells into the Fire Stations? How we're the Companies alerted to fires pre 1900? Also, why would they get rid of the alarm boxes, we're most of them damaged during the Blitz or did London County Council just not like the boxes?
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After further research:

In 1895 the penalty for sending a false alarm-25 pounds and three months in prison.

In 1896 there were 520 "points" (boxes) in London rented from the Post Office

It was noted that false alarms usually happened at "going home" times- schools and pubs

In 1939 95% of all street alarms were false. It was at this time that the Post Office was developing "999" for telephone reports

During World War II, the Post Office disconnected street alarm "points" and no maintenance was performed.

After the war London was broke- NFS Regional Fire Commander Sir Frederick Delve decided that the "points" service not be resumed.

In 1989 the London Fire Brigade received 400 false alarms per week via"999"
 
Darrell

Darrell

Joined
Mar 30, 2023
Messages
705
entropychaser said:
After further research:

In 1895 the penalty for sending a false alarm-25 pounds and three months in prison.

In 1896 there were 520 "points" (boxes) in London rented from the Post Office

It was noted that false alarms usually happened at "going home" times- schools and pubs

In 1939 95% of all street alarms were false. It was at this time that the Post Office was developing "999" for telephone reports

During World War II, the Post Office disconnected street alarm "points" and no maintenance was performed.

After the war London was broke- NFS Regional Fire Commander Sir Frederick Delve decided that the "points" service not be resumed.

In 1989 the London Fire Brigade received 400 false alarms per week via"999"
Click to expand...
95%??? London must have not been getting much fire work.
 
Darrell

Darrell

Joined
Mar 30, 2023
Messages
705
E

entropychaser

Joined
Jun 27, 2017
Messages
1,179
No one is going back to 90 volt direct current circuits.

As I recall, Houston got rid of their street boxes by the early 1980's. At it's peak boxes probably covered only a third of the city. Most firehouses weren't wired for telegraph alarms. In fact, even the Voice Alarm system only went up to Station 35 (about 70 stations then)- everybody else had microwave or the old Motorola Quick-Call.

I used to buff old Station 8 in the early 1970's at Polk and LaBranch Streets downtown- now center court at the Toyoda Center where the Rockets play. Housewatch had the old joker circuit with the tape on the take-up reel: on the joker stand of course. But it wasn't connected to any bells. Three rounds of a box alarm (mostly dummy or phantom numbers) were sounded; with one round of the tap out signal 7-1 and the box number. Other than rewinding the tension springs on the device, no one paid the least attention to it. I would wager that if an alarm came in on the telegraph circuit without a radio or Voice Alarm transmission (which turned on the house lights and house speakers), the guy on watch would have just gone back to sleep.

Eight's hot spot was Box 2156 Polk and Austen Streets- left turn and one block down; always false.

At the end, they left a few boxes around City Hall for a while. When pulled, the engine officer had to tell Fire Alarm to have a City of Houston electrician to R & R the box.
 
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