Box Abbreviations-What do the numbers mean?

[Guest]

FDNY uses box numbers to indicate the location of the fire. I was wondering in light of recent occurrences. What does the numbers preceeding the box mean

IE: 66-33-2787

Also for the fire with the two LODD's what is the proper number insignia that should be struck out for those two fallen brothers

[IzzyEng4 427]

66 a preliminary / simultaniuios / notification signal for the Bronx and Manhattan

33 is the third alarm signal

2787 is the box number (Manhattan and Bronx box numbers run together)

These signals were tapped out on the old bell system in FDNY to alert the stations of alarms or messages.

If the bell signal 6-5-2 was struck over the system and no box number after, it was the signal for the deskman or station to listen to the radio.

If a ladder company and an engine company were needed only to respond to box 715 then 7-5-715 would be struck (hence the 7-5 signal used on the radio today)

Now using box 2787 in the Bronx, 66-33-2787 was the signal for Bronx / Manhattan third alarm call. If units from Queens were requested to respond on a fourht alarm the bell system in Queens would hear 99-44-66-2787 (Queens to rspond fourth alarm into Manhattan / Bronx Box 2787)

For the LODD I beleive it would be struck 66-33-2787-5-5-5-5

(dashes are longer pauses between numbers, no spaces are shorter pauses)

Here is the Fire Bell club's bell signal page for more info.

http://www.firebellclub.org/signals.html

Edited August 30, 2006 by IzzyEng4

[IzzyEng4 427]

I made a mistake 7-5 then the box number is a full first alarm assignment.

5-7 is one engine and one ladder only. My bad.

Edited August 30, 2006 by IzzyEng4

[res6cue 67]

5-7 signal is for a 1 and 1 response.

[mfc2257 464]

Outside NYC when you hear a box card read over the air today most often it will include the company #, followed by the geographic area the alarm is in, followed by any special notations.... For example a common format in the DC, Baltimore, PA, MD, VA metro areas might be

Tones followed by.... "In box 20-8-30 at 43 County Line Road for a resported structure fire in a single family dwelling.... Company twenty is due, also alterted to fill the box, Engine 1-1, Quint-1, Carroll County Truck-5, Medic 28, Engine-Tanker 21, Tanker 14, Tanker 2 in place of Caroll County Tanker-6"

All of this becomes very easy to identify on a map..... The call in in Company 20's first due, in thier box area #8. Now the last number would indicate anything... in this case the "30" indicates that the address is in an un-hydranted location. if it were down town in a hotel the 30 might be replaced by 70 to indicate that it's a high occupancy building. Finally, the list of apparatus is what the dispatcher sees that the chief has indicated his first alarm structure fire assignment is for box 20-8-30.... In addition, Tanker 2 is not on the first alarm assignment rather it is the first tanker on the 2nd alarm assignment and has been dispatched in place of Caroll County Tanker-6 which is either on another call or OOS.

The amount of info that can be contained in a single box card on a CAD or simple filing system is limitless.

Edited August 30, 2006 by mfc2257

[Guest]

Thanks For the info. Very helpful

[JBE 328]

6-6 Preliminary for Manhattan and the Bronx

7-7 Brooklyn

8-8 SI

9-9 Queens

The 5-5-5-5 was just to signify that there was a LODD and the flag should be lowered to half mast. There were no other signals transmitted over the bells for where it occurred that I know of.

The whole thing with the bells can be summed up in three words for NYC, "What Where and Who" when it came to units.

5-1563-59 S/C Engine 59 to Box 1563.

15-273-64 Relocate Engine 64 to 273.

Or "Where, What, Where"

99-22-1782 Queens 2nd Alarm, Box 1782.

3-Special building box, still used today for Private Fire Alarms.

4-S/C BC

5-S/C Engine

5-7-Engine and Truck Response

6-S/C Marine Co.

7-S/C Ladder

7-5-All Hands Operating

8-S/C Squad

9-S/C Special Unit they used to use other numbers for each special unit, but when we go manual now, we just write down the unit.

10-S/C Rescue

1-1-Transmit the Box(3 and 2 to respond with BC)

14,15,16,17 Relocate Chief,Engine, Boat, Truck.

Edited August 31, 2006 by JBE

[CAM502 6]

6-6 Preliminary for Manhattan and the Bronx

7-7 Brooklyn

8-8 SI

9-9 Queens

The 5-5-5-5 was just to signify that there was a LODD and the flag should be lowered to half mast. There were no other signals transmitted over the bells for where it occurred that I know of.

The whole thing with the bells can be summed up in three words for NYC, "What Where and Who" when it came to units.

5-1563-59 S/C Engine 59 to Box 1563.

15-273-64 Relocate Engine 64 to 273.

Or "Where, What, Where"

99-22-1782 Queens 2nd Alarm, Box 1782.

3-Special building box, still used today for Private Fire Alarms.

4-S/C BC

5-S/C Engine

5-7-Engine and Truck Response

6-S/C Marine Co.

7-S/C Ladder

7-5-All Hands Operating

8-S/C Squad

9-S/C Special Unit they used to use other numbers for each special unit, but when we go manual now, we just write down the unit.

10-S/C Rescue

1-1-Transmit the Box(3 and 2 to respond with BC)

14,15,16,17 Relocate Chief,Engine, Boat, Truck.

←

Show off....lol.

[JBE 328]

I can top it....hee hee!!!

[Billy 68]

6-6 Preliminary for Manhattan and the Bronx

7-7 Brooklyn

8-8 SI

9-9 Queens

The 5-5-5-5 was just to signify that there was a LODD and the flag should be lowered to half mast. There were no other signals transmitted over the bells for where it occurred that I know of.

The whole thing with the bells can be summed up in three words for NYC, "What Where and Who" when it came to units.

5-1563-59 S/C Engine 59 to Box 1563.

15-273-64 Relocate Engine 64 to 273.

Or "Where, What, Where"

99-22-1782 Queens 2nd Alarm, Box 1782.

3-Special building box, still used today for Private Fire Alarms.

4-S/C BC

5-S/C Engine

5-7-Engine and Truck Response

6-S/C Marine Co.

7-S/C Ladder

7-5-All Hands Operating

8-S/C Squad

9-S/C Special Unit they used to use other numbers for each special unit, but when we go manual now, we just write down the unit.

10-S/C Rescue

1-1-Transmit the Box(3 and 2 to respond with BC)

14,15,16,17 Relocate Chief,Engine, Boat, Truck.

←

Anyone ever seen the full Box assignment like this for 9/11? It must fill a few pages!

[JBE 328]

Believe it or not, The first two boxes for each tower took up one page of the CAD summary screen. Each Tower was a 5th Alarm assignment plus numerous special calls. Followed by some of the other boxes in the area, that was on the second page. Then beyond that were the boxes that were out in that particular boroughs.

If you look at Box numbers in Manhattan and Da Bronx, with the exception of a few anomolies, they go higher as you go further north. However, with the other boroughs, Bronx included, you can listen to a Box number, and can tell what neighborhood it's in.

[IzzyEng4 427]

Believe it or not, The first two boxes for each tower took up one page of the CAD summary screen. Each Tower was a 5th Alarm assignment plus numerous special calls. Followed by some of the other boxes in the area, that was on the second page. Then beyond that were the boxes that were out in that particular boroughs.

If you look at Box numbers in Manhattan and Da Bronx, with the exception of a few anomolies, they go higher as you go further north.  However, with the other boroughs, Bronx included, you can listen to a Box number, and can tell what neighborhood it's in.

←

It was also the first time since the 80's or 70's that NYC did a brough call also if I remember correctly. Frank Raffa's web site has a lot of info on it about the old brough calls.