Officials of two widely separated cities, both of which have names starting with the same word, have made major strides towards similar types of new emergency communications systems. New Orleans has signed a contract to provide for installation of a new, modern telephone-type of fire alarm system for that city and New Haven recently had unanimous approval by the Board of Finance for a plan which would give that city a centralized emergency telephone system serving both police and fire needs.

The New Orleans contract calls for installation of a 750-box emergency reporting system to be maintained by the telephone company and operated by the city fire alarm division. This new system will replace the city's present obsolete 385 boxes. To be installed in phases with the first phase of 350 boxes being ready for operation simultaneously with the completion of the city's new fire alarm headquarters in February 1957. The telephone company will complete the installation of remaining boxes during the year 1957. The new boxes provide for a device whereby the person reporting a fire, opens the door in the box and lifts the receiver which immediately sends an automatic signal identifying the box location without any further action on the part of the person lifting the receiver. The person may further make a voice report which may more specifically identify the type, nature and exact location of the fire or other emergency. The telephone system may also be used for emergency police reports and other accident reports. The cost to the city under the contract will be $150,000 per year rental. There will be a savings of about $35,000 a year now spent to maintain the municipally owned obsolete telegraph system. In addition it was pointed out that this contract will make it unnecessary for the city to purchase a fire-alarm system of its own which would necessitate a heavy capital outlay probably in excess of $1,000,000.

The spark that triggered the New Haven action was a request from the fire chief for $57,000 in the coming year for replacement of telegraph cable. No Board of Finance worthy of its name was going to accept that one at face value; it had to look behind it. These were the facts: maintenance on the existing system had long been neglected, major capital outlays were required to renew it. Based on the existing separate telegraph systems for each, the Fire Department and the Police Department, including; the needed first-year capital outlay, the total cost of the present system including operations,

_______________________________________

* From AMA Municipal News.

maintenance, and new capital equipment, it totaled during the next year—$198,000. Some thought was given to consolidation as a means of economy of the present systems combining police and fire into one. Under that system the cost on the same basis as renewing the present system would have totaled $170,000 or a saving of some $28,000. However, when the suggested telephone alarm system rather than telegraph came before the board and the total cost the first year including installation and rental was tabulated, the total came to $105,000.

When it was pointed out that only 13% of the fire alarms struck in the city during the last year were by the telegraph systems provided by the city, New England thrift was obviously challenged. In this situation the Board of Finance could do naught but vote unanimously for the new efficient, modern and much cheaper telephone system. The fact that the proposed system also carried with it specific advantages such as, (1) increased supervision by the police chief over police personnel; (2) dispatching of necessary equipment to handle emergency reports; (3) exact routing of equipment reducing hazard to public and city personnel; (4) reduced time of reporting emergency and dispatching equipment; (5) providing constant automatic tests of all boxes; (6)  relieves the city administration of financial burden of maintaining its communication system; (7) flexibility of system which allows for removal of stations which are not used; (8) flexibility of system allows for setting up short period emergency stations; (9) that it can be installed and operated thereafter for less money than will he required to rehabilitate and operate the telegraph system, also entered into the picture.