Fire alarms have been a feature on NYC streets since the late 1800s, and methods of marking them, first to passing horse-drawn coaches and pedestrians up to moving vehicles has evolved over the years. At first, alarms themselves had tall shafts topped by electric bulbs covered by red globe illuminators.
As time went on this method persisted, but NYC also began to mount the indicator lamps on nearby lampposts and telephone poles. The red globe lights were mounted on short ornamental brackets or scrolled masts. Glass proved breakable and fragile, and beginning in the 1940s, the bulbs shone through orange plastic reflectors that later evolved into cylinder-shaped orange reflectors.
When octagonal-shafted lampposts appeared on the scene in the 1950s, the ornamental brackets evolved into simple J-shaped pipes that retained the somewhat lengthy orange cylinders. I was inspired to write about this today because of the above sample on Columbus Avenue, which shows a rare variant of the lengthy orange shaft, a shallow, pale yellow version. These remained relatively rare until all were decommissioned in the early 2000s.
Here’s an up-close look at a former alarm lamp bracket at Broadway and 31st Street, Astoria, and its replacement, a thin cylinder with a small red light. They’re usually mounted on the streetlamp fixture, but the DOT had to get a little creative under the elevated train and put it at the top of the shaft.
A little too much information, but I do this so no one else has to in this, your Forgotten New York.
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2/1/19
6 comments
I think the current fire alarm lights are ridiculous. What is the point in having them seated directly above a light where you aren’t able to distinctly spot it? What a waste in taxpayers money. The brain surgeons in the city should have left well enough alone. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the previous fixtures.
Agreed, but perhaps it was too costly to maintain two separate lamps on the same pole.
i agree with both of you. They should have posted the new alarm lights in the place of the old alarm lights.
I believe there was two reasons for discontinuing the fire alarm lights. The low mounting height of the globes caused a
maintenance problem because of vandalism. The availability of highly efficient, very long lived red leds also saved on maintenance costs. The existing fire alarm lights were using 7 watt compact fluorescent lamps that lasted 2 -3 years ( better than the 32 watt incandescent bulbs used until 1982 that had to be group replaced every 6 months). The new led fire alarm lites
were easily installed by unplugging the photoelectric control, plugging in the led tube, and then plugging the photoelectric control
Into the top of the led tube.
The current fire alarm lights look like shit. There was nothing wrong the orange ones that was mounted on the side of the lamp posts. Plus i feel that the previous ones looked much better. Too many morons in charge have messed up the looks and culture of this once great city that was original
do away with most if not all fire alarm boxes as cell phones are so pervasice in society, if dont have one o street borrow someone whi has one in ceratina cases you may not hVE A CELL but tenpeople neasr you do. getting rid of boxes which dint seem to be used thst often now cuts iut all sirts of maintenat whether a box or a boxon a stanchion. also innpolaces like statenisalnd therestill is an abundance of the old style arm up pull down handle types not even retrotited for poice or fire but strictly alarm box to sned call but no interactionnother thna that at all. noboxes no lights equalsno maintenance no vandalism no boxes that are old out of serice alotwhich means box looks nice but thaats it.