Automatic
boxes were later installed in some locations, and over time
proved to be more effective. Automatic boxes consist of a lever
that a person simply has to pull down to sound the alarm. If
the wires were in good shape, there was very little room for
error. In the crank boxes, however, many times people would
get overexcited and turn the crank too quickly or the wrong
way, disregarding the instructions above. This would send a
muddled single to the fire department, and the officers would
have to wait until the alarm was sounded again to act. Although
it was a rare occurrence, if two crank boxes came on at the
same time, the officers were unable to decipher which alarm
came from which box. The crank boxes provided room for human
error, and the fire department eventually opted for all automatic
boxes.
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