Pull Boxes

[bifd09 0]

In the pre-cell phone era our station had a pull box out front which was a direct line to dispatch. When the station was renovated, the pull box was removed. With the recent failure of land lines AND cell towers during the recent storm, is it time to reconsider this decision? Is there still a need for a pull box?

[Newburgher 241]

Absolutely! I am a fan of pullboxes. As I have said in other threads, sometimes all we get is a single pullbox to notify us of an incident. The activation starts our response immediately, saving a minute or more sometimes.

[sfrd18 360]

Is there still a need for a pull box?

YES!

There's proof in many cases, including many instances in New York, such as the last blackout, etc. Also, look as Mass. Practically the whole state uses them, especially Boston.

[antiquefirelt 994]

Our City finally pulled the final plug last week on our City Box system. While there seems to be some potential, given the ever increasing maintenance of the system, and the fact that the last actual reported emergency from a street box was 10+ years ago, they determined to require private alarm monitoring of required systems and discontinuance. I can see the reasons to keep them in larger urban areas where there's a fire alarm division, but in a small municipality that can't afford a F/A Div and uses trained firefighter to do much of the work, this is a blessing.

[wraftery 1,275]

Didja Know:

When wired correctly (many are not) a Gamewell Box system has these features:

When several boxes are pulled they will get in line and wait their turn to transmit.

The box will wait for the beginning of a round to transmit, never in the middle.

The box will try 26 times to gain access to a busy circuit and then take over the circuit before its spring winds down.

If a wire is broken, the box will transmit thru the ground.

Boxes have a telegraph key for two way communiation.

Even in a place like the Bronx, as busy as they were in the 60's, boxes gave the quickest response times. Companies knew by the first two digits whether the box was theirs or not.

There are only three certainties in this world-Death, Taxes, and if you pull that red box, firemen show up in three minutes.

[spin_the_wheel 460]

The city of Central Falls RI has claimed bankruptcy. They are selling off their Gamewell boxes on Ebay...really.

[Anthony Tester 13]

Here was the reasoning in NYC:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/16/nyregion/city-is-ordered-to-keep-emergency-help-boxes.html?_r=1

[x129K 1,393]

I sure miss them in Poughkeepsie....we would be good for a street box to trip in...then a phone call in frantic spanish..."Fill out the box...10-75!"

[bifd09 0]

So, what is a suburban department to do for back-up communication when conventional means fail?

[Newburgher 241]

So, what is a suburban department to do for back-up communication when conventional means fail?

How about putting up fire towers and issuing binoculars and signal mirrors?

Seriously though, what do they do now?

[wraftery 1,275]

How about putting up fire towers and issuing binoculars and signal mirrors?

Seriously though, what do they do now?

Try going to a main intersection and waiting. Eventually you will see it from there.

[antiquefirelt 994]

So, what is a suburban department to do for back-up communication when conventional means fail?

You mean how will people report fires, when hardline phones, cell phones and texting fail? Our F/A system was failing on a far more regular basis than any one, nevermind three of those systems. Ultimately it was the taxpayers choice: continue to pay for the system or rely more heavily on new technology, understanding that a total infrastructure collapse which could occur, however unlikely, might allow fires or other emergencies to be difficult to report. On the other hand, frequent system failures that took a few elderly housing complexes or hotels offline posed a huge liability to our City's Attorney and insurance carriers.

[Bnechis 3,961]

For those who have been pro pull box, your argument of speed & reliability is reasonable. Those against point to the expense of maintenance and the high number of false calls is also reasonable.

What system works when all else fails? Sometimes the box, but without maintenance which most systems appear to lake, they maybe just as unreliable.

What no one wants to acknowledge is the main reason that they are being removed & or not upgraded/replaced is budget. If you are the chief and your budget choice is keep your manning, close a station or ditch the box system (which has high false #s) which do you pick?

No one is saying that back up system are bad, but it is a budget choice

[gamewell45 258]

So, what is a suburban department to do for back-up communication when conventional means fail?

Smoke signals???

[Future Fireman 4]

YES!

There's proof in many cases, including many instances in New York, such as the last blackout, etc. Also, look as Mass. Practically the whole state uses them, especially Boston.

Sorry, but no.

Most departments have phased out the pull boxes. Boston's pretty much the only one left.

No one to my knowledge in all of Central Mass uses a pull box at all. Worcester's the biggest city in the area, and they've never had any in the 19 years I've been a city resident.

Springfield may of had some but out west, it gets rural really quick, defeating the purpose of them.