About Us

Like most companies, we started small — in fact, when we began, we weren’t even a company at all. Our story started when my daughter was a senior on her water polo team and wanted to do something special for her teammates. So my wife and I made each player a custom bag tag. Before long, people started asking about them — other teams, other players — and just like that, Box Alarm Ink was born.

As a firefighter, I began creating products on my off days — starting with custom locker plates, turnout gear nameplates, and eventually firefighter helmet shields. What began as a small family project has grown into a trusted source for custom firefighter gifts and personalized gear made with pride in the USA.

Whether it’s a helmet shield, bag tag, or nameplate, every product we make honors the dedication, brotherhood, and spirit of the fire service. We believe every firefighter and every customer deserves gear that shows pride, dedication, and craftsmanship.

Box Alarm Ink — Built by a firefighter, for firefighters.

 

 

Why "Box Alarm Ink"

Originally, in the 1800s and early 1900s, cities used fire alarm boxes mounted on street corners. These boxes were part of a telegraph-based alarm system.

When someone saw a fire, they would pull the lever on the alarm box, which sent a coded signal (using a series of bell strikes) to the fire department’s central dispatch office. The code told firefighters which box was activated — and therefore the location of the fire.

For example:

Box 123 might correspond to Main Street and 5th Avenue.

When that alarm came in, dispatchers would say, “Box Alarm 123”, meaning “respond to the fire reported at Box 123.”

Over time, the term “Box Alarm” became synonymous with a fire response or assignment of companies. Even though modern systems are computerized, firefighters still use the phrase out of tradition and pride.

So today, when firefighters say a Box Alarm, it means:

A specific level of fire response (for example, a full assignment of engines, trucks, and chiefs), and

A nod to the heritage and brotherhood of the fire service.

We added the "ink" in reference to the sublimation ink we use to create our products.