The history of the box alarm: Friendship Fire Association gives tour of Fire Museum

[@MaddMaxx2012]

I just bought one at an antiques flea market to use as a decoration in my home bar. Didn't understand how the mechanism worked or where it was used. Now I know! Thanks for the explanation! very cool!

[@garypalmer9876]

Thank you, Jimmy, for your countless hours of dedication to preserving DC Fire Department's history. The museum is staffed by volunteers who donate countless hours of their time for the preservation of DCFD history. If it wasn't for their commitment many of the relics and pieces of history would of never made it to the museum for all to enjoy.

[@DigitalAndInnovation]

They were servicing the alarms in my building- The main automatic pull station in the lobby was open and seemed to have the mechanism for tapping out the code! I guess Boston still uses the Game Well system! (1:44)

[@Lilysirens1000]

I just recently purchased a Randix fire call box with a phone inside! Very interesting!

[@ScannerJunkie]

Nice run cards

[@HobbyOrganist]

I have a number of Gamewell boxes as well as some from NY City which had custom-made boxes and pedestals made for them. The most beautiful box is the "VF" pedestal from the 1920s, I have one from Brooklyn dated on it's base 1929, the guy in charge back the Victor Fine overhauled the system and these massive pedestals were placed all over the city, they stand 7 feet high and weigh 900 pounds! I have a video of it on youtube, just add this to the base url; watch?v=4ZD6HV-oU5

[@brandonseyfried1251]

Very cool.