Fire Alarm Codes

The box alarm or fire whistle codes system (PDF) is an integral part of the Carlisle Fire Department's alerting system for the department as well to the citizens of the town. It is one of two ways the dispatcher on duty alerts the Fire department of a fire call, a mutual aid fire call, and a delayed opening or no school announcement for the public. This system or whistle has been in place since the 1930s. The whistle is located atop the Carlisle Fire station.

The whistle system or box alarm codes listed below provide a definite reference for each time the whistle blows an alarm number code. Each alarm code number refers to a certain street or part of a street or a certain mutual aid town, a specific warning or a public announcement. Many of the buildings in and near the Carlisle Center are connected directly to this Fire Alarm System. Each time their alarm system is “tripped” or goes off, it sends a signal to the Fire Department dispatcher and the firefighters, through the fire whistle coded alarm signal to tell her/him where the alarm originated.

When the whistle blows, count the numb er of blows in each round. For example, if you hear the whistle blow three consecutive blows then a pause, then one blow, then another pause, then one more blow, that would signify BOX CODE Number 311 (1 round), which would indicate a box alarm at the Carlisle Fire Station. This code would blow four times with a long er pause in between each round of 311 that is blown. In the Fire Service this is sometimes referred to as a “Box Alarm.” After the end of most Fire Department Box Alarms, or when the incident is mitigated, you will hear Box Alarm Code Number 2 which means “ All Out.”