NEAFC 32nd Annual Conference.pdf - New England Association of ...

NEW ENGLAND ASSOCIATION O~ I~IRE - CHIEFS
for the telephones, would install conduit from each box to the-company’s
nearest cable terminal Or to some suitable point. Each telephone would be
connected by a separate pair of wires to a private branch exchange switchboard
at fire headquarters.
Any one wishing to report an emergency could open the door of a box
and remove the telephone hand-s_et, which faces the door. This, transmits a
signal directly to the Fire Department switchboard, without handling by telephone
company personnel.
The signal identifies the box by number, and appears on a special lockedin-lamp,,
so that even if the calling party is unable to talk intelligibly, or in
excitement, cannot talk at all, or replaces the telephone before the Fire Department
representative at the switchboard can answer, the attendant will know
the location from which the call is. made.
The switchboard would be operated continuously by an attendant. Calls
from emergency reporting telephones would be received at the switchboard,
and, in this respect, the ala~ns from telephone street boxes would be handled
in the same manner as. those now received from regular telephones.
As described previously, each emergency telephone would have its. own
circuit to the special Fire Department’s switchboard, so that the street location
is known independently o£ any voice message. If it is desired that there
be more than one point on the same premises from which an alarm can be
given, extension telephones could be added to that line. At a hospital, for
example, two telephones at different points near the building, could terminate
on the same lamp on the switchboard, thus indicating the hospital location,
regardless of the instrument used.
Normally, each .emergency telephone line will terminate on an individual
line lamp on the switchboard. Each emergency telephone will also be provided
with its own trouble lamp, associated with a continuous, test feature. The latter
will be wired to a major signal, in the telephone central office. The more common
troubles on any lines, s,uch as an open condition and some circuit grounds, will
operate the trouble lamp on that line at Fire Headquarters, and the major signal
in the telephone company central office. In such an event, telephone company
personnel w.ill check with the switchboard attendant at fire alarm headquarters
to determine the location of the telephone in trouble.
Another major signal.will operate in the telephone central o~ice, if there
is zCailur~ of either the commercial power supply or continuous test features at
fire headquarters.
A third type of trouble, comprising short circuits, and certain grounds
will cause a permanent signal on the line lamp similar to that caused by a
telephone off the hook.
In all probability, fire apparatus: would be dispatched to the call-box
location in every case where a line signal appears and no voice is heard by the
switchboard attendant.
It is recognized thatthis: condition will most freqi~ently arise because
some one lifts the telephone from the hook to give an alarm, but is, too excited
to speak or does not remain at the telephone to do so. A certain number
such signals may be false alarms., either because the telephone has been
~!maliciously removed or because of trouble on the lines, but it will be assumed
that all permanent signals represen_t attempts to report a fire.
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