1915 Fire Reporting in DeKalb, Ill.: Early 911, Nipping It in the Bud

From the Dec. 29, 2015, MidWeek "Looking Back."

From Dec. 23, 1915, 100 years ago.

"The chief of the fire department asks The Chronicle to inform the people of the city that in case there is a fire to report that they do not take time to call the fire department headquarters on the telephone but just tell the operator 'fire call.'

"There is a special fire circuit by means of which the operator can send in an alarm without using the regular phone to the station and by this doing away with the calling of the number and letting the firemen realize instantly that a fire awaits them, several seconds can be saved which may mean the difference between a costly fire and one nipped in the bud."

--Coot911er