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L.W. Bills provides fire alarm and security systems installation and service. Our life safety solutions will give you peace of mind for your business and home! LW Bills Fire alarm and security systems for your business and home. Our passion for this industry drives us. We are proud of our history and expertise, and we look forward to the future of safety innovation. Here at LW Bills, we have a commitment to excellence. We strive to provide the highest quality of service to you. We are here to support you. Big or small, your business is important to us. You can rely on LW Bills for professionalism and life safety solutions. Celebrating 100 Years of L.W. Bills Company! "The best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." -Theodore Roosevelt At LW Bills, we take safety seriously. We offer a range of services including sales, fire and security systems installation, servicing, monitoring, and inspections. Our municipal, commercial, and residential fire alarm systems and security systems are top-of-the-line. Click below to learn more about how we can help you protect your people and property with our life safety solutions. LEARN MORE Contact Us Today GET IN TOUCH

Purchase Christmas Tree Keys, Master Box Shells, and Rural C Wire from the L.W. Bills store! Shopping Cart Now available online! Christmas Tree Key Price From $29.00 View Details Multiple key options available Master Box Shell Price From $1,757.00 View Details IMSA 29-3 Red Rural C Wire Click for pricing

Our museum offers a glance at the history of the life safety industry, from vintage posters, Gamewell master boxes, and so much more. ​ Visit our museum Visiting Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm Student groups are welcome but must be scheduled in advance. Call to schedule your visit! (978) 352-6660 Museum History 1967 - 2025 L.W. Bills Company was founded in 1925, but the museum itself was founded in 1967 by Harold Roeder. Harold and his family had a history of firefighting, with his grandfather serving in the Boston Fire Department and his father being a Lexington firefighter, and later, Fire Commissioner. Harold himself served as a firefighter for 44 years, including 36 years in the Georgetown Fire Department, eventually becoming Chief. When he first started collecting firefighting memorabilia, Edward Brass from B&B Engineering in Norwood, MA provided great help. He donated various pieces such as transmitters, electronic gongs, and firebox movements. As with any hobby, Harold soon found himself wanting more pieces and began attending auctions. He found that collecting firefighting memorabilia was not just a personal interest, but also helped preserve the history of firefighting and allowed others to see the progression of the industry. The museum has also been fortunate enough to receive old equipment from fire departments that have upgraded their systems. For instance, when the department in San Francisco, CA upgraded their fire alarm system, we acquired one of their old municipal fire alarm panels. More recently, the museum has worked with the Georgetown Fire Department to host school groups and educate children about firefighting. Even Smokey the Bear has made an appearance to help teach kids about fire safety. We look forward to visitors of all ages experiencing this incredible history. Our Collection

In this episodic series of blog posts, we will take a walk through the L.W. Bills fire alarm museum. Our wide assortment of antiques and artifacts is unmatched, and each one tells a story in the rich history of fire alarm systems. From the mid-19 th  century to the present, we have a range of items that would be any collector or enthusiast’s dream. Call us at 978-352-6660 to schedule your free tour today! Fire Alarm Telegraph Receiving Board    First up is the Gamewell Fire Alarm Telegraph Receiving Board  or Indicator Panel , an early ancestor of today’s dispatch technology. It is a multi-functional piece of equipment that was invaluable to firefighters in the late 1800s, providing visual and auditory alerts in the case of fire emergencies. Here is the flow of how the indicator panel worked: Someone pulls a fire alarm box. A telegraph signal indicating the box number is sent across wire to a fire station or communications center. The box number is displayed behind the colored lenses along the top of the unit. The bell is struck multiple times, also indicating the box number. Relays retransmit the signal to other circuits which vary in use according to the station’s needs. The dispatchers or firefighters use the labeled levers to issue controls, such as alarm reset. Telegraph Repeater Next, we have the Telegraph Repeater , manufactured in the 1940s-1960s by Bliss, a division of Gamewell. Although quite different in appearance, it bears much similarity to the previous item in terms on functionality. The gauges on the top-left and -right of the machine indicate the circuit’s voltage and current, respectively. The amber lamps between the meters signal activity, alarms, or faults in the circuit’s operation. Each column of switches provides controls including manually opening or closing a circuit and enabling or disabling the retransmission of received signals. The telegraph repeater indicates a major technological shift in dispatch and fire alerting, as it moved us into an era of electronically-controlled indicators. Whistle Blowing Machine Gear Train As seen on the label, this is a gear train  for a whistle blowing machine , and it dates back to circa 1850-1890. It literally puts the “whistle” in “bells and whistles.” This gear-controlled contraption takes telegraph input and uses it to sound a large steam- or air-powered whistle, usually placed in a focal point of a municipality. They might be mounted on towers, government buildings, or power plants, to give a few examples. Like the bells, the whistle machine blows in code. So, for box 313, it blasts three times in a row, pauses, then once, pauses again, and then three more times. It provides the advantage of long-range alerting rather than local alerting that is audible only in a fire station or dispatch center. Wall of Master Boxes The last entry in today’s perusal of the museum is our Wall of Master Boxes . These boxes come from throughout the ages, each one capturing a particular moment in time. If you want to pull their levers, open their doors, and examine their internal machinery, there’s no better time to visit the L.W. Bills museum for a free tour. A picture can’t do it justice. Reach out at 978-352-6660 or office@lwbills.com if you would like to come by.

As temperatures climb, summer can go from fun to frustrating. Whether you're working outside or just trying to stay comfortable at home, knowing how to stay cool and safe during the hottest months is essential. Here are some practical ways to beat the heat this summer. 1. Hydration Is Non-Negotiable It might seem obvious, but dehydration is one of the biggest risks during summer. Drink water regularly, even if you’re not thirsty. Avoid sugary or alcoholic drinks—they actually dehydrate you. For those working outdoors, consider electrolyte-replenishing drinks to replace lost minerals. 2. Cool Your Space Efficiently Whether at home or at work, air conditioning isn’t your only option. Use fans strategically. Place them near windows in the evening to bring in cooler air. Block direct sunlight with curtains or blinds. Switch to LED lighting. LED lights produce far less heat (and consume less electricity) than traditional, incandescent bulbs. 3. Dress Smart Clothing makes a big difference in how your body handles heat. Choose lightweight, breathable fabrics like cotton or moisture-wicking materials. Stick to light colors, which reflect sunlight instead of absorbing it. For outdoor workers: wear a wide-brimmed hat and UV-protective clothing. 4. Keep Equipment Cool, Including Fire Systems High temperatures can affect more than just people. They can have an adverse effect on hardware and equipment critical to life safety. Test fire alarm systems and backup batteries. Heat can reduce their lifespan. Ensure that server rooms, electrical panels, and security systems are well-ventilated. Schedule routine maintenance checks to detect heat-related malfunctions. 5. Time It Right If you have to be active during the day, plan around the heat. Early mornings and late evenings are the coolest parts of the day. Take breaks in shaded or air-conditioned spaces every 20-30 minutes if you’re outside. Schedule heavy-duty work for cooler days if possible. 6. Know the Signs of Heat Illness Stay alert to symptoms of heat-related health issues: Heat exhaustion: headache, nausea, excessive sweating, dizziness Heat stroke (a medical emergency): confusion, dry skin, rapid heartbeat, fainting If someone is overheating, get them to a cool place immediately, offer water, and call for medical help if symptoms persist or worsen. Stay Cool, Stay Safe Summer should be enjoyable, not dangerous. By taking a few simple precautions, you can protect yourself, your team, and your equipment from the heat. If your facility needs help maintaining safe conditions, especially for fire and life safety systems, L.W. Bills is here to help.

Can you tell me about the master box reconditioning process from start to finish?   We get them in from municipalities and schools whose boxes have been decommissioned. And at that point, we check for any issues with the box, any problems as far as imperfections, broken parts, to see if the box is actually salvageable and can be restored to proper function. And then we can move on to the breaking-down process, which I and Dave G. will do. And that's prior to reconditioning the master box or street box itself. At that point, we can begin the sandblasting process. I like to have plenty of stock on the shelves, because we move quite a few of these, especially in the last year. First, I will use the Scotch-Brite pad to clean the shells, doors, and back plate, and then use an oil-based paint thinner to clean up the box and prepare it for priming. After that, the priming process begins. The process of painting is roughly a week per box, because you have to paint it on either side, wait a 24-hour period, paint the other side, and then you can do the lettering on the shell itself. And then I can start the assembly of the box itself, which includes pull-down doors, pull hooks, chimneys, gaskets, and retaining bars for pull hooks on some of the boxes that need it.   So you start building them at that point?   Yes, I'll start building them, with all the parts that were reconditioned. Everything that goes back in the box is a refinished product. And then I'll start the process of making the box up, putting all the parts back together, and then it's ready for the next level: either it's a street box or a master box, and that moves on to John, who creates the code wheel, and then Freeman, who assembles the movements.    You mentioned that you have some coworkers that you work together with on the reconditioning process. So what's that like?   It's excellent. I've learned quite a bit in the two and a half years I've been here. That’s thanks to John downstairs. And Dave G., he’s been a huge help. He's been here 20 years, so he has quite a bit of knowledge. And also Freeman and Bobby. Those guys were all instrumental in allowing me to learn this process, and to get to where I am today.   Aside from reconditioning, what other tasks do you take on at L.W. Bills?   I’m responsible for the shipping and receiving, picking up stock for certain jobs from suppliers, groundskeeping of the property, service and maintenance of all the trucks. I do what's needed around the building. And I also go out and support the techs if they need somebody for either an inspection or an installation. In addition to the master boxes, I recondition the pedestals, inner cases, and ATBs (auxiliary terminal blocks).