POTTSVILLE, SCHUYLKILL COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — For over 130 years, a city in Schuylkill County has relied on a rather unique, but essential, emergency response system to help protect residents against fires and other emergencies.
But the firebox system is getting old and it’s in dire need of repairs and replacement.
First responders in Pottsville are helping to keep the old-school fireboxes up and running.
“The initial system was installed in 1890 with a handful of boxes and obviously grew rapidly as the city progressed,” American Hose Company Firefighter Andrew Gudinas stated.
“Pull down the face and it’s a pull-down hook that activates a clock mechanism, per say, and it rotates a cog that will transmit via telegraph the number corresponding with the box, and then the number on the box will correspond with the list that we have posted either here or at the 911 center,” Gudinas explained.
“I’ve lived in the city for well over 20 years. I’ve seen it work, and I know it needs to be fixed, and the funds just aren’t there,” Schuylkill EMS Paramedic Jackie Ginther said.
“So it still holds value. It’s definitely a fail-safe. There were large-scale cell phone outages and internet outages where people were literally not able to call 911. Not because their device wouldn’t work, but because servers over at the 911 centers would not work. Whereas here, you would walk up to a corner, you pull a box. It takes 30 seconds for one round to go through and the fire department shows up,” Gudinas continued.
Pottsville first responders plan on setting up a non-profit in the near future.
You could donate to their active GoFundMe to help restore and maintain the historic fireboxes.
