In today’s world of cellphones and instant messaging, it is interesting to a look back to a time in Willimantic when other forms of communication kept people in touch with happenings in the community. How many people today are old enough to remember the small, square boxes with orange lens that were mounted on utility poles along Main Street and Valley Street?  Before the days of radio communication, they were one way of alerting the police who were on patrol that there was a message for them. If the lights were on, the policeman on the beat would then go to the pole where the light was and use a phone attached to the same pole in order to communicate with headquarters. The Gamewell fire alarm boxes have all but disappeared from city streets. Through the 1970s there were almost a hundred of these boxes along streets and on buildings throughout the city. Each box was numbered and the fire horn or, before that, the fire bell would ring the appropriate number. Many residents had cards that showed the numbers and the locations and would check them to determine the approximate location of the fire. Prior to 1887 when the Fire Department’s “Bank Street Headquarters” was built, the bell of the Baptist Church was used to alert people to a fire. It was replaced by the new fire bell on the headquarters building and was rung for the first time on September 1, 1887. A newspaper article said that, “it had a fine, clear tone that attracted peoples’ attention. The borough is now favored with excellent fire departments and facilities for giving fire alarms.” Besides the bell on the firehouse, several other smaller scale alarm bells were installed at several businesses along Main Street, in the caretaker’s room at the State Armory and in the homes of several department officers. All of these were linked to the “Fire Department Telegraph” system. There were ten boxes hooked to the system by 1890. Specific instructions on how to use these new boxes were printed in local newspapers. “1) Go to the box nearest the fire; 2) to give an alarm, pull the hook to the bottom of the slot once and let go; 3) be particular to remain at the box until the arrival of an officer of the fire department; 4) before ringing the alarm be sure that a fire actually exists.” The fire bell (and later, the horn) were also used to convey other messages. One stroke called the chief; 1-1 (two strokes, slowly) signaled that the fire was under control; 2-2 (a favorite among children) at 8 A.M. and/or 11:30 A.M. announced no school in the morning and/or afternoon.  2-2-2 called a platoon to headquarters; 3-3-3 called both Engine Company 1 and Truck Company 1 to headquarters; 4-4-4 was a general alarm. Finally, ten strokes in a row called the National Guard Company to report at the Armory. When alarms came in, Valley Street was one of the main streets used by fire apparatus answering calls. On several corners along Valley Street, from Windham Street to Jackson Street there were sirens and red lights mounted on the fire alarm box stanchions. They were set off by the firefighter at the dispatch center in order to warn traffic and pedestrians that apparatus would soon be approaching.    But what if you lived in South Windham or Lebanon or Columbia for example. How would you alert your firefighters? Fortunately, there was a mutual aid compact. Prior to 1952, small town residents would make a phone call to a person designated to receive the calls and alert the fire department. But on August 1, 1952, the Willimantic Area switchboard was activated. By calling 3-2525, a person reached the switchboard operator who would then activate the siren(s) of the town in which the call originated. The first volunteer member to reach the firehouse then called the dispatch center for the location of the fire. Finally, speaking of sirens, you may remember the CD tests of the 1950s. Willimantic and the other fire departments associated with the switchboard would hold regular siren tests and CD drills. And if you remember the CD drills, you probably remember what was taught about recognizing the signals. A three to five minute “blast” of the siren was the alert signal. The “wailing” siren was the “attack/take cover” signal. Finally, the “all clear” signal was another long blast of the siren. The photo shows the bell being removed from the tower prior to the razing of the old Bank Street Headquarters.