If you follow our updates, you may have noticed we use terms like “Box Alarm” or “2nd Alarm” fire. There’s meaning behind those words. The Friendship Fire Association has a collection of historic box alarms that tell the story. Watch and learn as we celebrate #DCsBravest150 years all year long. | DC Fire And EMS

Before skyscrapers and sirens, Chicago had only one way to fight fire: ringing a church bell. In this episode, we uncover how that simple sound evolved into one of the most advanced fire alarm systems of the 19th century—and how its failure helped fuel one of the greatest disasters in American history. You’ll explore the forgotten world of fire boxes, telegraph wires, and early dispatchers who worked from the rooftops. From the chaos of the Great Chicago Fire to a city rebuilding with undergroun