Some historic info. I pulled from the City website at:
https://www.portlandoregon.gov/fire/article/384861
"In 1928, Fire Alarm Dispatch (FAD) was constructed solely for use as a communications headquarters at NE 21st and Pacific Avenue. By 1930, 752 pull boxes alerted 16 fire stations throughout the City, using 48 circuits that connected everything to the Central Fire Station."
"February 1993 was a nostalgic day for Portland firefighters and the beloved Fire Alarm Dispatch. Built in 1928, the walls in the stone building had heard millions of cries for help from citizens of Portland, and alerted firefighters to respond with its electronic circuits and underground cables. Now civilian dispatchers at a new Emergency Communications facility in Southeast Portland were the voice behind the call to 9-1-1."
Also, apparently during the WPA days back in 1941, a lengthy paper titled "History of the Portland Fire Alarm System" was written. The PDF is available here:
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdo...92BAE59?doi=10.1.1.582.5630&rep=rep1&type=pdf