Telegraph alarm systems

[IzzyEng4 427]

I'm just wondering what departments still use the old "Gamewell" telegraph alarm box systems. My home department still uses them and we currently have a Dictaphone horn and a siren in each section of town to "sound out" the box numbers. Each firehouse in town also has a tape punch and alarm bell hooked up to the system. I know of several towns in CT that utilize this system in one way or another.

Also if your department once had the old Gamewell system, when was it placed out of service.

Though it is old technology and is expensive to maintain, in my opinion it is still a great system to have in place. Look at NYC during the most recent blackout. The areas that still had manual pull boxes were well covered for responses.

Just though this would be an interesting topic to discuss.

[KC2OBW 1]

I know the City Of Poughkeepsie used to have them, do not know exactly when it was taken out of service. I love the look of the Gamewell Boxes.

[cas2383 22]

Port Chester still used ours until about 2004 when it stopped working, repairs proved too costly I believe.

[RWC130 594]

Gamewell Diaphone Horn

Horn (In Use)

Gamewell Fire Alarm Register Tape

"Tapper" (In Use)

I have a large collection of Gamewell Fire Alarm Boxes and some information

on the history of Gamewell Fire Alarm Boxes, Horns, Etc.

PM me if you like.

[antiquefirelt 994]

We still have a Municipal Fire Alarm system with Gamewell boxes, but are in the process of determining their future. Over the years we've slowly taken out the street boxes so very few remain, and 85% of the system are on private buildings connected to the fire alarm or sprinkler systems. The cost of keeping up the municipal system is pretty high for a FD with no fire alarm division or city electrical persons.

We're currently exploring three options: maintain the system and require better funding to ensure reliability; replace the wired boxes with remote radio boxes; or dismantle completely requiring businesses who require FD notification to utilize a private alarm system.

[spin_the_wheel 460]

Izzy My Brother good thread, my Dept. had the largest Gamewell System in Nassau County at one time 285 street and Master boxes. 15 sirens and 1 diaphone horn at our Fire Alarm building that would blast the box #. The audibles were turned off in 1983. The Gamewell boxes were pulled in 1986 and replaced with King fisher radio boxes on main streets only and Master radio boxes for buildings. Belmont Race Track still has Game well boxes on the barns but the system is converted to the King Fisher type transmitter. The box # will transmit to the dispatcher all at once no waiting for the tape punch. As of 1-1-09 Belmont Race Track security monitors all the boxes in the track and notifies the Elmont dispatcher (Nassau Firecom) if a box call has to be transmitted. We have about 17 street and Master boxes left that are monitored at Nassau Firecom.

Some interesting stories, years back 60's early 70's when you became a Chief, if you wanted, the fire alarm division would install a small siren on a pole near your home so you would hear the audibles better! There were stories of 1 company reading, say box 172 and another company reading it backwards thanks to a probie as 271 and passing each other on the Tpke! And the last good one, years back on the midnight shift there would be a dispatcher who would balance soda cans (at least that's what he said heheh) on the game well tape punch, lean them against the tape and the wall, this way if he fell asleep on the overnight, if a box kicked in the falling cans would wake him! Some good old school memories for sure.

In Nassau County the only Gamewell systems still in place are Bellerose village, Bellerose Terrace and New Hyde Park. Elmont has some King Fisher radio boxes, but thats all. As far as I know, there are none left in Suffolk county of any sort.

Edited May 1, 2009 by spin_the_wheel

[moggie6 54]

I believe it was a few years ago the city of poughkeepsie took their gamewell system out due to technical issues. I know in Wayne County PA they still have a gamewell system and it works well for them. So does the City of Newburgh NY.

[FFPCogs 863]

Joe,

Good topic. I remember the horn alerting me on many occasions to a call up there in Ansonia, many times it allowed us to get rigs rolling before the tones dropped too. Eagles has that beautiful Gamewell control station upstairs. What a spectacular antique.

As for Stamford if I remember correctly we took out the box system in the late 80's when the 911 center opened. In Belltown we had already made adjustments to our horn sounding because of a condo development that was built directly behind the firehouse and now it is only tested once a day at noon, sounded for a working fire or used if we are without power for a long duration.

Being the dinosaur that I am I would love a return of the Gamewell box system because of it's reliability and believe it or not even with all the modern technology that red box on the corner does add a measure of security in the public's mind. And hey sometimes I just long for the "good ole days" because newer is not always better.

Cogs

[sklov5949 23]

I believe it was a few years ago the city of poughkeepsie took their gamewell system out due to technical issues.

The "technical" issue was MONEY.

[Billy 68]

Gamewell Diaphone Horn

Horn (In Use)

Gamewell Fire Alarm Register Tape

"Tapper" (In Use)

I have a large collection of Gamewell Fire Alarm Boxes and some information

on the history of Gamewell Fire Alarm Boxes, Horns, Etc.

PM me if you like.

Eastchester FD used one of those horns at the Chester Heights Station. I remember it well since I lived right around the corner! That Youtube video brings back some memories! I think the other Eastchester Stations had them too. Thanks for the link.

[IzzyEng4 427]

Cogs, the controller is still lactated on the truck floor at Eagles and still uses a back up generator off FD-10 during power outages!!!! LOL! Also too were you still around for the Latex Foam fire when box 34 and the Dictaphones on the building gave their last dirge when the compressor let go?? Can you say “BLAHHHHHhhhhhhhhh!”

Rob, the video that you posted of the tape punch and bell is the exact sound that echoes on my truck floor. You can actually hear the bell all the way down the street with the doors closes in the barn. Cogs could attest to that.