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- Jun 27, 2017
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At the dawn of the twentieth century, FDNY was busy incorporating the other boroughs into the organization. At that time, mass transit had not reached the mainland, apparatus fuel was coal and oats, and their power was one, two , or three horsepower. The department had telephones, but "ran off the bells" of telegraphy. I believe the Bronx initially used the Manhattan fire alarm office on East 67th Street on the sixth floor of headquarters.
A brief primer: alarm signals centered on the box number (transmitted on the primary and secondary alarm circuits). Any signal that precedes the box number is termed a preliminary signal. Examples would be 2-2 (second alarm) or 5 (engine company). Any signal that succeeds a box number is a terminal signal (usually a company number that correlates with the preliminary signal).
In 1900, Manhattan boxes numbered 12 to 998. Bronx boxes numbered 121 to 998 (evidently,FDNY did not know that four digit numbers existed in nature).
The fire alarm office on East 67th St. used the following preliminary signals to dispatch alarms in Manhattan and the Bronx
1- signal stations (fire alarm boxes) south and west of the Harlem River
2- signal stations north and east of the Harlem River
3- special building boxes
4-automatic (1st series) boxes
5- engine company
6- call for reserve assignment
7- hook and ladder company
8- automatic (2d series) boxes
9- water tower
10- pneumatic boxes
11- test
12- fire patrol
Special building boxes were also numbered from 121 to 998 (most were schools and in Manhattan). I assume they were privately maintained manual pull stations. Examples were 3-189-Seventh Regiment Armory...Lex to Park, 66 &67th (E39,44,L16,BC10,8). 3-312 Residence of C, Vanderbilt...NW Cor 57th St &5th Ave. (E 8,23,65 L2,4 BC9,8), 3-860 Lebanon Hospital Westchester and Cauldwell Aves, (E73,41,50 L19, BC 14).
I assume automatic alarms were water flow or valve alarms from sprinklered buildings The 1st & 2d series both started at box 121. I assume that pneumatic alarms were rate of rise heat detectors. They started at box 12.
With this in mind, one can see how the non-redundant box numbering system evolved in Manhattan and the Bronx. This, in turn, allowed the need for only one borough preliminary signal (6-6) (started in 1906).
The Bronx Fire Alarm Office opened in the quarters of Engine Company 46 located at 715-717 (now 451-453) East 176th St. in 1902 (Ladder 27 came in 1904).
I have several unknowns. First, How did these private alarms find their way to the firehouse? Private supervisory alarm companies likely received these signals by telegraph (simple, cheap, automatic). Did they then retransmit these by phone or telegraph? Or did the fire alarm office receive these directly? Or both?
Secondly, how did companies responding to signal 3,4,8, or 10 alarms communicate with the office? Did these boxes have telegraph keys?
Thirdly, the special building boxes have listed only a first alarm assignment. What if a second alarm was needed? Dispatchers must have switched to using a nearby street box. That would explain the evolution to the subsequent telegraph arrangement. And, it would have made preliminary signals 4,8,10 available.
Lastly, I don't know when the term Class 3 came into use. As of 1950 the signal 3 was used as it is now. That is, 3 plus the closest street box plus the terminal signal of the special building identifier. In the regulations, there is no mention of the phrase Class 3.
A brief primer: alarm signals centered on the box number (transmitted on the primary and secondary alarm circuits). Any signal that precedes the box number is termed a preliminary signal. Examples would be 2-2 (second alarm) or 5 (engine company). Any signal that succeeds a box number is a terminal signal (usually a company number that correlates with the preliminary signal).
In 1900, Manhattan boxes numbered 12 to 998. Bronx boxes numbered 121 to 998 (evidently,FDNY did not know that four digit numbers existed in nature).
The fire alarm office on East 67th St. used the following preliminary signals to dispatch alarms in Manhattan and the Bronx
1- signal stations (fire alarm boxes) south and west of the Harlem River
2- signal stations north and east of the Harlem River
3- special building boxes
4-automatic (1st series) boxes
5- engine company
6- call for reserve assignment
7- hook and ladder company
8- automatic (2d series) boxes
9- water tower
10- pneumatic boxes
11- test
12- fire patrol
Special building boxes were also numbered from 121 to 998 (most were schools and in Manhattan). I assume they were privately maintained manual pull stations. Examples were 3-189-Seventh Regiment Armory...Lex to Park, 66 &67th (E39,44,L16,BC10,8). 3-312 Residence of C, Vanderbilt...NW Cor 57th St &5th Ave. (E 8,23,65 L2,4 BC9,8), 3-860 Lebanon Hospital Westchester and Cauldwell Aves, (E73,41,50 L19, BC 14).
I assume automatic alarms were water flow or valve alarms from sprinklered buildings The 1st & 2d series both started at box 121. I assume that pneumatic alarms were rate of rise heat detectors. They started at box 12.
With this in mind, one can see how the non-redundant box numbering system evolved in Manhattan and the Bronx. This, in turn, allowed the need for only one borough preliminary signal (6-6) (started in 1906).
The Bronx Fire Alarm Office opened in the quarters of Engine Company 46 located at 715-717 (now 451-453) East 176th St. in 1902 (Ladder 27 came in 1904).
I have several unknowns. First, How did these private alarms find their way to the firehouse? Private supervisory alarm companies likely received these signals by telegraph (simple, cheap, automatic). Did they then retransmit these by phone or telegraph? Or did the fire alarm office receive these directly? Or both?
Secondly, how did companies responding to signal 3,4,8, or 10 alarms communicate with the office? Did these boxes have telegraph keys?
Thirdly, the special building boxes have listed only a first alarm assignment. What if a second alarm was needed? Dispatchers must have switched to using a nearby street box. That would explain the evolution to the subsequent telegraph arrangement. And, it would have made preliminary signals 4,8,10 available.
Lastly, I don't know when the term Class 3 came into use. As of 1950 the signal 3 was used as it is now. That is, 3 plus the closest street box plus the terminal signal of the special building identifier. In the regulations, there is no mention of the phrase Class 3.
