Brannulukker

Brannulukker is a historical term from Norwegian usage referring to a fire signaling device used to warn occupants and summon assistance during a fire. The term roughly translates to “fire bells” and encompasses several types of mechanical or early electrical alarms that served as a practical means of alert in buildings and public facilities.

Historically, brannulukker appeared in the 19th and early 20th centuries as part of urban fire safety networks. They were commonly installed in schools, factories, apartment buildings, and municipal structures. Activation was typically manual, and signals were produced by bells, horns, or gongs that could be heard over a wide area, thereby directing occupants to evacuate and notifying local fire brigades.

Technically, brannulukker systems varied in complexity. Some used simple hand-activated devices connected to a network of bells, while others integrated with early electrical conductors to trigger multiple sound sources or a central horn. The primary function was audible alert, often supplemented by visual cues or chain of command instructions for evacuations and emergency response.

Today, brannulukker are largely obsolete in modern fire safety practice, having been superseded by standardized electronic fire alarm systems, sirens, and centralized alert networks. In many historic buildings, original brannulukker have been preserved as cultural heritage or restored for museum or educational purposes.

See also: fire alarm, bells and horns, manual call point, historical fire safety devices.