Town Traditions: Tolland's Electronic Town Crier

TOLLAND, CT — It's only been around for a couple of years, but the electronic message board at the Tolland Fire Department headquarters has become a town tradition.

Patch and T-Mobile are teaming up to feature such traditions not only in Connecticut, but nationwide.

Tolland's message board is a modern version of the old town crier. It was installed in August 2021 in what is probably the busiest area of town — outside the Tolland Fire Department's Station 240 and its headquarters and training center on Merrow Road.

That's on state Route 195.

This sign is designed to offer "important safety information, news, and announcements," emergency management officials said. Monday's messages included brush fire information and the winter guidelines for those who have fire hydrants in their snow clearing areas.

The sign was funded by private donations and no tax dollars were used, local officials said.