JBE

Actually, it goes back to the old telegraph bells from back in the day. Dispatchers used to tap the bells out for boxes, special calls, signals, out of borough multiples, borough calls, etc. Here's an example. I'm working in Manhattan, and Queens transmits a 3rd alarm for Box 5260. I would go to the tapper, pull a switch to transmit borough wide, and tap in 99 33 5260. The zero would be ten bells. (Quote)Phrase: "JIZEET?" Meaning: "Have you partaken in your meal yet?" (Quote) I think they also do that down south as well.

I'm likin the PBG.

It'll look better to me as 313, but that's another story for another time.

83% Kill me now.

They say primarily, "You want us to take it in??" Which means "You want us to respond??" The Bell signal for a Squad is 8 Bells, Rescue is 10 Bells. Ever wonder why our Reserve Apparatus is numbered Engine 50X or Ladder 70X?? Or, Squad 800?? That's why.

Up until a few months ago, BI and AFID, or AFRD were pretty much interchangeable. Building Inspection, Apparatus Field Inspection/Re-Inspection Duty morphed into the Building Inspection Safety Program. They also added an additional day of BI to the unit schedule. Instead of 2 days of BI per week, they are now doing 3. FAT Engine, wow. That disappeared before I got on the job. That goes back to the late 80's I think. That was the pre-cursor to the FAST Truck. The one major change that I did see in my career with that was the FAST Truck being sent on the 10-75, as opposed to sending it on the All Hands. I remember a number of my friends on the other side of the radio clamoring for that one. That's another one I think is FDNY Specific. All Hands Operating, or All Hands going to work. This is when you have 3 Engines, 2 Ladders operating at an incident. Or, 2 Engines, 2 Ladders and a Squad(Operating as an Engine). Bell signals are still used on the teleprinter tickets,and manual dispatch forms, such as Signal 4(Battalion) 5(Engine) 6(Marine Company) 7(Ladder) 9(Special Unit, not Rescue,or Squad). 7-5(All Hands). If I remember right from dealings with some of my cohorts out in Long Beach California, Alpha, Bravo, Charlie Responses coincide with the severity of the incident. FDNY*EMS has what are called segments, which I think are approximately the same thing. It's prioritizing of incidents.

Take a Mark means taking credit for the run, if you've been returned to service, and recording it in the housewatch journal. It also means making any entry in the journal, or recording of information on various types of paperwork.

I really hope you guys get it. We(FDNY Fire Dispatchers) have had it for about 8 years now.

Looks like someone beat me to it. Side note, I worked with Frank when I was a probie, and again after he got promoted to Supervisor. I'll throw in a few. Collyers Mansion. Named after the Collyer Brothers of Harlem. Rich and notorious pack rats. Stacked their home to the ceilings with various knick knacks over the years, including booby traps. One brother was disabled and confined to a wheelchair. The other was killed by a booby trap, the other died of starvation. It took them weeks to empty out the apartment building. The rest fast: Holding all units not operating at the ready. Multiversal is another word for monitor. You may hear Stang as well, that's usually the deck gun on an engine. Taking a blow: Back in the days of leather lunging it. This is how you cleared out your nasal passages. It now means to take a break. Snotty: A hot and smoky fire, where those who leather lunged it were treated to lots of dark colored mucous. Take up: To take up your hoses and leave the scene. Hairbag, (Slang term for oral treats), and Skell: A person of questionable personality, and/or morality. Skell is actually derived from either a Danish or European word for scoundrel. Used more for some of the less fortunate folk, and was coined more by NYPD, but used commonly by all the NYC Emergency type folk. Most of these words are modifed with the F word. Such as, "That Guy?? He's a F'ing (Slang term for oral treats)!!!!" R and R the Box. This is a request by the dispatcher for the first arriving unit to Reset and Rewind a mechanical box. Most boxes come in four to eight rounds after being pulled. Sometimes they continue until they wind down and the circuit is left open. Open circuit=no other boxes coming in. Class 3: Our term for any Private Fire Alarm, montiored by a central station. Verbal: Any time an alarm is received from a unit in the field. Some places call it still alarms, EMS and PD I believe call it, "Getting Flagged". Tap Out: To call in sick, or go sick. Not one you hear too often on the radio. Tap In, or Tap yourself in: Telling a unit to put themselves back in service on the Firehouse Teleprinter upon completion of their duties. Only heard rarely oin the radio. Loops and Circuits: Both are pretty much the same, however Loops correspond to ERS boxes, and Circuits are for Pull Boxes. Mills and Volts: readings of electricity on the aforementioned Loops and Circuits. Battery: Placement of a ground on a specific side of the loop or circuit. The type of ground is opposite of the battery. Example: Negative Battery=Ground on the Positive Side of the Circuit. And my personal favorite.... 'F'shop: Not a good place to work, for whatever reasons. PS Speaking of CIDS, and FAST Units, we are now required to notify the FAST Unit of the particulars of an incident they are responding to, and the CIDS information, if any. I don't know why, I will eventually find out, but I already don't like it. Perfect example. 10-75 gets transmitted. The dispatcher makes the announcement, gives the IC his rundown. Reads out the CIDS. Gets the FAST Truck on the air advises them what the situation is and then gives them the CIDS. UNNECESSARY!!!! All this guy had to do was, "Queens announcing CIDS Information for Box 5133..ETC," Queens to Ladder 155, K. 155, K Ladder 155, you are the FAST Truck, Fire is on the top floor of a 3 Frame Private Dwelling, did you get the CIDS, K??? Ladder 155, 10-4. Done...

Stupidity, it's also known as job security.

Well, I get a phone call this morning that we were getting some company in the newly renovated Bronx Dispatchers Office. Namely our first due Engine and Truck. I remembered I had the camera in the car, so I decided to have a little fun. First up, as they backed into the parking lot, Tower Ladder 58. I really wish the Captain would cave and either make those numbers on the door silver or in the flag pattern, like on the ladderboard. Next up, 45 Engine, one of the sharpest looking rigs in the job. Being as how the house borders Vyse Avenue, this is a nice touch.. Ever hear the Comm Trucks on the radio?? Ever wonder what they look like?? Wonder no more my friends... And they fix these... Yes, we still have them. Yes, 90% of them actually work. Yes, the civilian box testers come out every day between 1430 and 1600 telling us various parts of their anatomy are ablaze, usually centered around the genitalia and buttock region. BTW, this is Box 4612.

Ummm, no. BIG scandal, about 3 years ago. Not too long after the incident, all decals referring to the Animal House were removed. Incidentally, I liked their old rig better with the designs of the decals.

I learned how to do that about 5 years ago. I won't reveal my secrets. Years of watching Gene Simmons do it kinda helped. I may eventually get the professional stuff.

75 doesn't look as good since the "incident".

The tower was replaced about 2 years ago. Never sheared off, but the old one and new tower have both been struck by lightning on numerous occasions. As far as the Q is concerned, it gets removed when they go to the shops, or the shops takes it.

It gets a little trippy here.. A new added extra to all FDNY Engines....I was amazed when I saw this. And as an extra bonus, we have yours truly in the super secret classified, newly renovated platform. Ya think I got enough screens in front of me?? And as we wave good bye to the 2 Train as it rumbles out of the station... We also see our friendly neighborhood Supervising Dispatcher practicing one of his less practical hobbies. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!!! I AM A SLIGHTLY TRAINED PROFESSIONAL!!!!!

Self-censored, actually.

I remember BRR. I was working in the Bronx and we had a brush fire going on the Amtrak line right by the office on Tremont Avenue. One of our big bosses, who at the time lived right by the BRR fire called and asked if we had something going. Inside of a few hours we got the mutual aid request. I remember giving companies directions to originally relocate up to E-313/L-73 and then giving other companies directions right into the job. Wasn't too hard, right up Webster Avenue and keep going, you'll run right into it. I'm going to see if I can remember the assignment we sent off the top of my head. Engines 62,63,75,69(should have been a relocator, but that's another story) Ladders:39,41,51,30(Same thing as 69, but Lt. Mc Cluskey was happy) Rescue 3, Sq-61, E-72/Sat-2 (Who had 5 inch stretched along Nereid Avenue supplying 63) Field Comm, Battalion 19,15 and Division 7. If I remember right this fire went up a dumbwaiter shaft into the ****loft. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. There were also MA units up the wazoo from Westchester.

Box 861 @1422 Engines 8,21,65 Ladders 2,4 Bn-8, R-1, L-25/RC-1 1424 R-4, L-116/RC-4, TAC-1, SB-1 FC-1, HM-1 Filling out 1425 Div-3 L-7 (SSL) HB-1 1426 10-60, 2-2 by E-8 Engines 39,23,54,16 Ladders 21(FAST) 16,35(to fill out 2nd) 1(SSL) Squad 1 w/TRV, Sq-18, E-9/SAT-1,E-233/Mobile Command 1(MC-2 OOS) SOC Liason, SOC Compressor, Battalions 4(Staging),7,6(RUL),9,10(Safety Officer),33(Air Recon) Cars 1,1D,3(COD),4(COO),12A,14C,23D,23F,36A 1449 R-3 Sq-288 S/C 1450 3-3 By Div-3 Engines:44,1,40,22 Ladders: 24,12 BN-2, Mask Service 1519 Rescue 5 relocated to Rescue 1, Div 11 relocated to Division 1, Car 422(Reserve Comand Chief) Activated, Div 13 Out of Service 1521 4-4 by Div 3 Engines 3,5,74,33 Ladders 9,3 Car 16A(Director of Fire Dispatch Ops) ER to Manhattan CO. 1522 Division 3 reports 4 DOA's, numerous injuries. 1530: Ladders 13 and 5 S/C as additional FAST Trucks. 1642: RAC-4 S/C Searches continue and reliefs being made every three hours. Extended operation.

AHHHH The one that sounds like a cow being slaughtered!!!

4th Alarm, 10-60. Looks like the crane toppled backwards, struck one building, snapped, and the remaining pieces got thrown over 51st and 50th streets. I'll have the full rundown tomorrow.

Just out of curiosity, what happened to the siren that Lake Carmel had??

Used to be I could hear Carmel, Lake Carmel, and Kent's sirens from my house. Now I can hear West Hamilton Beach on a good day. Used to spend my summers about a block from the Somers siren in Shenorock by the lake. Used to scare the crap out of me. I don't think they have outlived their usefulness. As far as the neighbors are concerned, I would say the same thing I say to the locals who complain about apparatus sirens. It's always better to hear that siren and know help's on the way.

That's a negative, pal. Anything on the highway gets 2, 2, and a chief. Any reported EMS incident gets the same. It all depends on how EMS codes it. MVAINJ we don't get, (which is also nonsense, but I don't make policy) anything else that falls under CFR protocols is turned out.

Actually, there is. Check the Fire Bell Club Website. You may find a link there.