Define a box alarm in fire dispatch.

• A. A manual alert to dispatch only one unit.
• B. A predefined alert that automatically assigns a set of units to a potential incident at a particular location.
• C. A notification that the incident is canceled.
• D. A temporary signal to slow units due to traffic.

Answer: (B)

A box alarm is a predefined alert that automatically assigns a set of units to a potential incident at a specific location. In the dispatch system, the box for that location is programmed to trigger a coordinated response, sending the designated engines, ladders, and possibly other units without needing a dispatcher to select each one individually. This ensures a rapid, consistent deployment to locations that routinely require a multi-unit response or have known risk, even before the incident is confirmed.

This isn’t about a single unit being sent manually, nor about canceling an incident, nor about slowing units for traffic. It’s specifically about an automatic, location-based dispatch pattern that activates a predefined team to handle a probable incident at that site.