sfrd18

Date: 09-19-11 Time: 12:11hrs. Box: 1841 Area: Dorchester Location: 8 Romsey St.(Bing Maps) Frequency: Boston Fireground Weather Conditions: Cool Description Of Incident: Heavy fire through the roof of a 2-story wood-frame OMD. Numerous L/S/O's w/ladder companies opening up. 3 & 2 S/C. on the 2nd Alarm by Command. All searches negative w/no injuries reported. Reporters: Writer: sfrd18 Units Operating: BFD; BPD; BEMS Box Assignment: Engine 21, Engine 39, Engine 14 Ladder 7, Ladder 18 Rescue 2 District 7(Ops.) R.I.T./Rehab. Assignment: Engine 3(R.I.T.) Ladder 4(R.I.T.) District 9(R.I.T.) W25(Rehab. Unit) 2nd Alarm Assignment: Engine 24, Engine 2, Engine 17(S/C), Engine 18(S/C), Engine 28(S/C) Ladder 23, Tower Ladder 17, Ladder 26(S/C), Ladder 29(S/C) District 4, District 8(Act.) Division 2(C7-DC-Comm.) H1(Safety Officer) W12(Air Unit) 12:11hrs. - Assignment for Box 1841 transmitted by Fire Alarm for Dorchester Ave. x Victoria St. Companies found fire at 8 Romsey St. R.I.T./Rehab. Assignment also transmitted by Fire Alarm. 12:23hrs. - 2nd Alarm transmitted by District 7. 12:25hrs. - 2 & 1 S/C on the 2nd Alarm by District 7. 12:54hrs. - 1 & 1 S/C by Division 2(C7-DC). 13:39hrs. - All Companies Out. 14:34hrs. - Command terminating detail.

Congrats man! And, great shots!

Date: 09-17-11 Time: 17:45hrs.(Approx.) Area: Post Road Location: 221 Old Gate Ln.(Bing Maps) Frequency: Milford Fireground Weather Conditions: Cool and Cloudy Description Of Incident: Tower 1 o/s w/smoke showing from a single-story pre-fab. recycling disposal plant. Car 4(Shift Commander) o/s confirming heavy smoke showing. Originally dispatched as a smoke investigation next to Lowes at 311 Old Gate Ln. Command reporting large trash fire on the "C" side of the building. Numerous L/S/O's w/tower ladder master stream in operation. All searches negative w/no injuries reported. Reporters: Writer: sfrd18 Units Operating: MFD; MPD; AMR Structure Fire Assignment: Engine 1, Engine 6, Engine 5, Engine 7 Tower 1 Rescue 1(Ambulance) Car 4(Shift Commander) 18:35hrs. - Command reporting bulk of fire is k/d. Companies remaining o/s for extensive overhaul.

They don't even come close!

Date: 09-16-11 Time: 23:45hrs.(Approx.) Area: Pemberwick Location: 25 Almira Dr.(Bing Maps) Frequency: Greenwich Fireground Weather Conditions: Cool and Clear Description Of Incident: Companies o/s w/fire showing from the 1st floor of a 2-story wood-frame P/D. 2 L/S/O's w/quick k/d. All searches negative w/no injuries reported. Reporters: Writer: sfrd18 Units Operating: GFD; GPD; GEMS Medic 1 Structure Fire Assignment: Engine 3, Engine 4, Engine 1, Engine 2(R.I.T.) Tower 1 Car 5(DC)

Great shots again! That Hahn is in great condition. If I'm not mistaken, it looks like Rye's old Engine 194 out of the Milton Point Firehouse. Also, I see Syosset, L.I.'s old Tech. Rescue.

Awesome shots! That stick is awesome! Congrats FDMV! On a side note, I've never seen the aaa photo of Mt. Vernon's lettered M.S.U. before. Pretty cool. Also, Seth, they received two twin pumpers, both Arrow XT's, to replace Engines 5 and 6. More pics are available here.

Date: 09-16-11 Time: 12:50hrs.(Approx.) Area: Asylum Hill Location: 967 Asylum Ave.(Bing Maps) Frequency: Hartford Fire Incident # 1(Hartford Trunked) Weather Conditions: Cool and Clear Description Of Incident: Engine 5 o/s w/smoke showing from the 8th floor of a 12-story high-rise OMD. District 2 transmitting a 1-1-2(2nd Alarm) Assignment(High-Rise Protocol). Originally reported as a kitchen fire on the 9th floor. Numerous L/S/O's w/standpipe in operation. Quick k/d. 1-1-2(2nd Alarm) Assignment canceled upon arrival. Incident occured at the same time as three Box Alarms. All searches negative w/no injuries reported. Reporters: Writer: sfrd18 Units Operating: HFD; HPD; AMR Box Assignment: Engine 5, Engine 14, Engine 11, Engine 2(S/C) Ladder 4, Ladder 5 Tac. 1 District 2 1-1-2(2nd Alarm) Assignment: Engine 8, Engine 16, Engine 15, Engine 1(S/C) Ladder 3 District 1(DC) Car 1(Chief of Department), Car 5(Training/Rehab.) Rehab. Unit 13:03hrs. - District 1(DC) reporting fire is k/d. Canceling 1-1-2(2nd Alarm).

Haha, my bad . Searching would be the easy part. You'd be done in ten minutes, while hugging the wall the whole time . I should have phrased it as "firefighting in general". Small houses can be a double-edged sword, mainly because of cramped working conditions in the interior. While small size might make searching and some other fireground operations easy, because of it's small size and wooden structure, a house like Skinny House could go up quick, with extension and problems to exposure tenements, which cramp the North End area. Plus, finding a small fire while in a cramped space might not be so easy, especially with a line stretched(of course, there's always the can) and in full gear with tools. For anyone whose interested, the building does, in fact, back up to a common alleyway with another exit down the block, sort of like in the movie Rear Window, so it isn't competely surrounded.

It can be a mystery. I've seen a lot of buildings like this, particularly in older or tight cities, or in towns/cities with "main street"-like storefronts. It can be confusing to a first responder. Speaking of narrow houses, here's what's supposed to be the "narrowest house in Boston", known locally as Skinny House. The house is ten feet at it's widest! Try doing primary and secondary searches in a house with interior walls being at the most nine feet wide and the narrowest space at six feet. Plus, there is no entrance facing the street, only via an alleyway about five feet wide on the "B" side, with exposure tenements on either side and a tight street out front. Sometimes, I don't know how companies in places in America's tightest and most compact cities, like New York, Philly, Baltimore, D.C., and Boston can do it. Good topic mstrang1.

Heather, that, I'd say, was definitely something to add. Thank you for posting this, and thank you to all who are always there for us in our times of need: the firefighters, police officers, EMTs/paramedics, the dispatchers, all other first responders, and in our country's times of need, the military. nfd2004 said it best: we can't live without them. They are people you can always count on, everyday, 24/7, 365. Thank you again, Heather!

Date: 09-13-11 Time: 08:50hrs.(Approx.) Area: West Side Location: Mountain Grove St. x Fairfield Ave.(Bing Maps) Frequency: Bridgeport Fireground - Channel # 2(153.700) Weather Conditions: Clear Description Of Incident: Ladder 11 o/s reporting smoke showing from the roof of a 1-story commercial building and requesting the Box Assignment be filled out. Battalion 1 arriving and confirming smoke showing. Fire in the roof. Originally dispatched as an AFA. Numerous L/S/O's w/quick k/d. All searches negative w/no injuries reported. Reporters: Writer: sfrd18 Units Operating: BFD; BPD; AMR AFA Assignment: Engine 3 Ladder 11 Box Assignment: Engine 7, Engine 4, Engine 1(R.I.T.) Ladder 5 Battalion 1 Safety Officer 1 08:55hrs. - Recall of Alarm. Command reporting fire is u/c.

Date: 09-11-11 Time: 06:00hrs. First Due: Engine 68/Ambulance 82 Area: Cragin Location: 5614 W. Grand Ave.(Bing Maps) Frequency: Chicago Fireground Weather Conditions: Cloudy Description Of Incident: Heavy fire throughout a 1-story brick 75x100 auto body shop w/extension to Sector 2 Exposure. Exposure building a 1-story brick 25x100 commercial building also fully-involved. Command transmitting a 2-11(2nd Alarm) above the Box Alarm for heavy fire conditions. Numerous L/S/O's w/master streams in operation. All searches negative w/no injuries reported. Reporters: Writer: sfrd18 Units Operating: CFD; CPD ChicagoAreaFire.com Article

Happy birthday x129K! Have a good one bro!

Good question x635. The Tactical Support Units(T.S.U.'s) are most definitely still in service. I believe that they respond on either every 2nd or 3rd Alarm fire, or by special call/request. The Rescues and Squads usually go on the 10-75(Working Fire) and the Collapse Rescue Units mainly go on collapse rescue incidents, 10-60's(Major Emergencies), 10-66's(Injured, Missing, Trapped, or Lost Firefighters), and upon special call/request. I'm not sure how they are staffed, but they don't get a lot of wear and tear, so they most likely won't see replacement for at least a few years. The Mask Service Units(M.S.U.'s) respond on all 10-76's(High-Rise Office/Hotel Fires) and upon special call/request, and possibly on a certain alarm level. I'd imagine that they probably won't be replaced soon, as they aren't used a lot, and certainly not as much as the non-special unit fleet(engines, ladders, squads, rescues, battalions, divisions, etc.). The High-Rise Units(H.R.U.'s) are still in operation, with High-Rise Unit 1 at Engine 3/Ladder 12/Battalion 7 and High-Rise Unit 2 at Engine 39/Ladder 16, all of which are in Midtown/Uptown Manhattan. They go out on all 10-76's and 10-77's(High-Rise M/D Fires), or, again, upon special call/request. The High-Rise units are both 2002 Mack MR/Saulsbury's and again, like the Mask Service Units and the T.S.U.'s, probably won't get replaced for a while as they don't see a heck of a lot of work or wear and tear. The Field Communications(FieldComm.) Unit is staffed by a firefighter and an officer(possibly a captain) and responds on a certain alarm level(either 3rd or 4th I think), or upon special call/request. Hope this helps. Maybe another member can help you out with how each unit is staffed, etc.

Thanks for posting this pictures. God bless all those who died on 9/11. To the innocent firefighters, police officers, EMTs/paramedics, and civilians who were killed, we will never forget you.

Correct. The new rigs will be assigned to Engine 5, Engine 6, and Ladder 3. Both Ferraras will stay where they are. Not sure where the former rigs will go.

Fairfield had 3 jobs. The first at around 03:10hrs. this morning at 1300 N. Benson Rd., the second at around 03:20hrs. at 321 Woodbridge Ave.(Origianlly Bridgeport's job), and the last at 53 Cornell Rd. at around 03:40hrs. All of Fairfield went on the first job, with Bridgeport, Westport, and Easton covering. The second job was handled by Bridgeport Engine 3 and Ladder 11 and Fairfield, as it was near the town/city line. However, Fairfield Engine 3 and Engine 5 cleared from the first job and headed over there, as did the Shift Commander. The last job was a vacant house fire near Fairfield Station # 3 and was reported by the Stratfield Volunteers of Rescue 15. The job was handled by 4 & 1 from Fairfield, with a truck coming in from Norwalk. Lots of M/A coming in for the three jobs. The Fairfield FM believes that the fires could be linked to arson. CT Post Article

I thought it might be an interesting topic as a sort of history lesson, also to see if any other fire dept. uses a system similar. Below, I have some information regarding response assginments, radio codes/lingo, and some information about the fire dept. that protects Connecticut's largest city: the Bridgeport Fire Department. Because it was unfamiliar to me as to whether or not any other cities, particularly in New England or in the New York Metro area use a similar system when assigning companies on a "Box" for a structure fire, I decided to post some interesting info on Bridgeport. At one time, Bridgeport had 15 Engine Companies, 6 Trucks(Including 1 Quad), and 1 Squad in 2 Battalions, quartered in 13 Fire Stations. They covered an area of 16 sq. mi.'s with a population of 156,000. Today, after budget cuts during the last 35-40 years, which are typical in New England and around New York, the Bridgeport Fire Department was cut to 9 Engines(Including 1 Quint), 4 Ladders, and 1 Rescue in 2 Battalions, in the same area with a population of 144,000. Up until a few years ago, the BFD used a system when dispatching companies in conjunction with the alphabet. At it's peak, each of the 15 Engine Companies' first due district was given a letter of the alphabet, that corresponded with, or pretty close to, the number of the Engine Co. The BFD used this system when transmitting Box Alarms, or, as they are called there, a Signal 29(Alarm of Fire). Each district was given a name to go with the letter, i.e., "Adam". Thus, Engine 1's first due district would be "Adam", as "A" is the first letter in the alphabet. Each Box Assignment or Signal 29 for each district would be 2 Engines, 1 Truck, the Rescue(or Squad as it was called), and 1 Battalion Chief. If a Working Fire was called, 2 more Engines(1 for R.I.T.), and 1 additional Truck would be added to the Box. Now, it's always 4 & 2 on a Box. However, if a company was on another call or out of service, the assignment would change to the next closest company. For example, and Adam 1 assignment would be the 1st and 2nd due Engines and the 1st due Truck. If one unit was on another call or out of service, an Adam 2 assignment would be transmitted, for example, the 1st and 3rd due(as opposed to the 2nd due) Engines would go out. The assignment would be transmitted over the radio in this way: Adam 1 Assignment - Engine 1's first due district - Downtown. "Signal 29, Signal 29...The Assignment for this fire is Adam 1. Report of smoke in a building at # 900 Main St., between Bank St. and State St...The following companies respond: Battalion 1, Engine 1, Engine 3, Truck 5, and Squad 5."(Repeated) *Note - Assignments, such as Adam 1 are only mentioned at the 1st Alarm level. Here's how the letters went: Adam - Engine 1. Baker - Engine 2(Closed). Charlie - Engine 3. David - Engine 4. Edward - Engine 5(Closed). Frank - Engine 6. George - Engine 7. Henry - Engine 8(Closed). No District name for Engine 9(Only in service for a short time)(Closed). John - Engine 10. King - Engine 11(Closed). Lewis - Engine 12. No Engine 13. Mary - Engine 14(Closed). Nancy - Engine 15. Otto - Engine 16. Peter - Sikorsky Airport ARFF(Peter 1 Assignment was on Airport Property/Peter 2 was off). Over the years, when companies closed, their district would be merged into another company's. Thus, as Engine's 2, and 5 closed, their districts would be joined into Engine 1's. So, Engine 1 would respond to Boxes in Adam, Baker, and Edward Districts. I know it's a little confusing, but I just thought I'd post it, so just let me know if anyone has questions/comments. If anyone knows of another department that uses a system like this, I would be very interested to know.

Interesting info about the pull-boxes. A lot has changed in the Park City over the last 40-50 years. Those stories about the other war years are pretty cool and very inspiring to upcoming firefighters. What can I say, they're great! You're welcome about the rundowns. Glad they're appreciated. I try to catch whatever I can. Again, not as many jobs as there were back then, but still a decent amount. Interesting how there's so much news coverage about jobs down there these days, and way back when, it had to be one heck of a job to even get a newspaper story.

The Bridgeport Fire Department operates a 26' aluminum fireboat, as well as two smaller zodiacs. During the winter months, Marine/Marine Rescue 1 is stored at Fire Station # 10(Engine 10/Ladder 10) on the city's East Side. During the summer, it's at Captain's Cove, a local marina. Marine Rescue 2 is at Fire Headquarters(Engine 1/Ladder 5/Rescue 5/Battalion 1/Deputy 1) in Downtown and Marine Rescue 3 is at Fire Station # 6(Engine 6/Ladder 6/Battalion 2) in the city's East End(Below the East Side). I'm not sure as to whether or not Engine 3 staffs the boat. Marine/Marine Rescue 1 is definately a big improvement from the smaller boats and skiffs they used to run. Back in the day, it was mostly urban inner-city firefighting in Bridgeport, according to nfd2004, so the city didn't have a really impressive Marine Division, not to my knowledge anyway. The large amount of fires occured on land, and were common-place in not only Bridgeport, but also other cities, which gave these fires the name similar to that made famous by FDNY: The War Years, only these could be considered as "The Other War Years". In Bridgeport, the time period from the '60's through the '80's and '90's could be considered to be "Bridgeport's War Years". As for Sikorsky, the Airport is in Stratford but is protected by both the Stratford and Bridgeport FD's, with a Box Assignment from Bridgeport responding to calls there, as well as 2 ARFF crash trucks cross-staffed by members of the BFD at night and airport employees during the day at an Airport Station there. Sikorsky does not, however, operate an industrial fire department at the South Side plant, only at the main plant.

Best of luck to the brothers of the FDMV with their new rigs! Can't say they don't deserve them. The second engine's going to Engine 5 with the New Ladder 3.

nfd2004, Thanks. If you're from around the area, it's easier to understand. I grew up near and live a few miles away from the Park City myself, and a few of the younger guys from my volunteer FD go down and buff down there. Not as many fires as during the Bridgeport War Years, but they still see work, and a lot of it as of late. What year did Bridgeport remove the street boxes? Also, I neglected to mention some of the BFD's codes, aside from a Signal 29(Alarm of Fire): Signal(Code) 7 - Requesting Fire Marshal. Signal 21 - In Service. Signal 24 - Off the Air/In Quarters. Signal 30 - 2nd Alarm. Signal 31 - 3rd Alarm. *Note - Signal's 30 and 31 are possibly defunct. And that's true, Engine's 10, 11, and 12 all ran with Quads for a time. I think 12 was the last quad to go. By the way, on a Signal 29, was it 2 & 1 w/Squad 5 for the most part, and the consecutive alarms also 2 & 1? Anyhow, I've read your War Stories on ctfire-ems.com and Nycfire.net and they're fantastic. Many sound just like something out of Report from Engine Co. 82[i/]. You should post them here on EMTBravo. I think a lot of guys on here would really appreciate them. Many members, especially the younger guys, don't realize how many cities were buring throughout the Mid-Atlantic/New England areas, aside from places like the South Bronx, Bed-Stuy, the Lower East Side, etc. that are the most popular. That's how firefighting was back then, especially in inner cities. From Newark to Yonkers, and from Bridgeport to Providence and to Boston. Catching a job a night(and sometimes more) was the norm, with and without cutbacks and company closures.

YES! There's proof in many cases, including many instances in New York, such as the last blackout, etc. Also, look as Mass. Practically the whole state uses them, especially Boston.

State: New York County: Westchester City/Town/Municipality/Dept: Mt. Vernon Fire Department Unit designation/identifier: Ladder 3 Chassis & Body (or Aerial) Manufacturer and model: Pierce Arrow XT Pump size, tank size (water/foam) aerial type & length: 105' RMA Status: Delivered