Fire Engines Photos

Oh my word, look at the size of the array on the roof of the fire house. I take it these guys are alerted via a central siren rather than pagers?

Added by Monkey Boy The 3rd on 06 January 2012.

I remember the days when the local retained crews were called out by former air raid sirens well into the 1970s. During the night (after 11pm I think until the early morning) the crews were called by having a bell in their houses. This was certainly true in the East Riding and sirens were used in County Durham if not also the bells.

Added by Martin A. Routledge on 07 January 2012.

That's my memory too Martin, called the DX system the station was alerted by air raid siren. I remember being on the roof of the distillery in South Queensferry, painting the siren (evidently a suitable job for a Junior Fireman), when the siren activated for a retained turnout. It is very, very noisy from a couple of feet away!

Added by Colin Foster on 07 January 2012.

The crew at this station (and I think a lot of other Fire crew in Alaska) are called by mobile radios.

Added by Marcel S on 07 January 2012.

Some of the old hands at my station had bells in their houses. I am happy to carry a small, discreet, alerter.

Marcel, I know very little about Alaskan mobilising and I would be grateful to hear more about the equipment the fire fighters carry. Also, what is the purpose of the speaker array atop this fire house?

Many thanks to you all.

Added by Monkey Boy The 3rd on 07 January 2012.

Yes Martin....County Durham also.......they could nominate one pub or working mens club to have a bell installed...in Newton Aycliffe it was the British Legion which was over the road from the fire station....the firemen always sat round one table close to the fire exit.....when the call bell rang the chairs went flying, the fire door clashed open and five or six firemen running over the road. Very exciting times !!!!!

Added by Barrie Green on 08 January 2012.

The infant school I started attending when I was 4 in 1967 was opposite (and still is) the Headland fire station and I have a clear memory of when the siren sounded the school caretaker running over the playground..over the fence and over the road to the station. I think this is where my interest in fire engines was first nurtured.I was only at the school one term but when we moved to the East Riding my dad knew the station officer at Preston fire station and he had a bell in his house. I have happy memories of hearing the siren and waiting by the road for the fire engine to appear....which it did usually in a very short period of time unless, of course the call was somewhere in the opposite direction!

Added by Martin Routledge on 09 January 2012.

Hi Martin! Bells in the house!I remember my childhood!I was living at the firestation, where my dad was working!On the wall in the bedroom, was a plate with 2 bells, and a lamp over them.My dad was always out of the aparment before the bells started to ring!Hi was up from the bed, then the first "pling" came!

Anders F. Sweden.

Added by Anders Fallström on 13 August 2014.

The alerting devices are for tsunamis, Seward was devastated in 1964 by the Great Alaska Earthquake, and suffered 12 killed.

Added by Warren W. Jenkins on 14 August 2014.

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