FIRE ALARM SURVIVOR

by Kevin Walsh

This fire alarm at Fulton and Church Streets across from St. Paul’s Church and Cemetery has been here for at least a few decades — the 1920s, probably — and withstood the destruction of the World Trade Center, which was across the street until 9/11/2001.

5 comments

Ed Findlay April 19, 2012 - 1:50 pm

The chipped paint and some of the dust on it look like battle scars from that day…

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Tal Barzilai April 19, 2012 - 8:08 pm

Does it still work or is it just for show these days?

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Kevin Walsh April 20, 2012 - 8:55 am

It’s got the police and FDNY buttons – it works

Reply
Steve Spiwak April 20, 2012 - 10:12 am

I recently photographed one of these on the street near my job. There are 2 or 3 of them here on Liberty Avenue in S. Richmond Hill between 120th and 130th streets. My local firehouse in Lindenhurst LI has one out in front that they must have bought and restored with shiny red paint. The bottoms seem to vary slightly. Real throwbacks. In this age of cell phones I’m sure their days are numbered. They’ll vanish like payphones.

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Greg April 23, 2012 - 11:48 am

I wish the City would go on a campaign and refurbish all of those fire alarms. They are lovely to look at when in good shape and look to be very sturdy.

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