FDNY: Frequently Asked Questions

[gr3enfly]

Hello all,

I had find a new response to few my previous questions. I would like to ask a few other questions, if you allow.

* Sunday, there are two 2nd alarm fire  in Brooklyn, near one of the other. This brings me this question : how many "safety batallion" car has FDNY ? I know that the "safety battalion" is in Brooklyn... So I guess he quartered at the Metrotech Headquarters, but how many apparatus (GMC, Ford, ...) we find in the "safety battalion", to respond at several fires at the same time ?

* I know the HTCU is, maybe, an Hat-Tac Condition Officer, with Haz-Mat training. Someone could confirme this ?

* How many "OEM physician" and "OMA physician" car's are quartered in the Metrotech Center ? I knowledge just one, but just to be sure.

* Which vehicles/unit has a "jump bag", for suicidal people, and jumpers in case of fire ?

* I know the FDNY has 174 fire marshal. Could you tell me how many "fire marshal" apparatus / car's we find in the department, in addition to the single fire scene unit ?

* In case of transport of obese patient, I know the firefighters help the EMT/paramedic to loading obese patient in the ambulance. I know too the FDNY don't have special ambulance for this. So, my question is : the FDNY ambulances has special stretcher for obese patient ? In Belgium, our normal ambulances have only a stretcher can loading maximum  160 kg (352 pounds). For obese patient, we have a special ambulances with specific stretcher (model strycker or ferno), she's cover an large area.

Thanks a lot, in advance.

Have a good day.

Gr3enfly

 

[XPFD3]

I know that each Division and Battalion have a Firefighter assigned as the Aide to the Chief.  How does it work with the Command Chief?  Are there specific Firefighters assigned as the Aide to the Command Chief or do the individual Chief's bring a Firefighter with them when it is their turn in the rotation?  Thanks!

 

[lifeguard91]

Quick question: Where does the term "Take a mark, remain in service" Come from?

 

[68jk09]

It means your services are not required at a box but you still have to take mark for the run on return to your quarters.

 

[lifeguard91]

thank you 68jk09. when you say take mark for the run, is that a mark on a form or does that go back to before the MDT?

 

[68jk09]

The mark is taken back in qtrs afterward for record keeping purposes on a form....you use the MDT to enter your 10-8 status.

 

[lifeguard91]

Thank you very much

 

[Highroller85]

What does the letter "M" stand for in registration numbers? For example on a Ford Battalion (FM03001) I know the first letter means Ford or on a GMC Battalion (GM09001) G stands for GMC but what is the M?

 

[raybrag]

I'm guessing it stands for "Miscellaneous", or something like that.  The reason I say this is because of the various rigs that carry that designation, including:

Battalion Chief's Rigs
Thawing Units
TSU's
RAC's
Field Comm
HazMat Tenders (assigned to Squads)
Squads (!!!!!!!) 
BFUs

and more . . .

 

[memory master]

The FM03001 is the shops registry number.....FM is Ford Motors, 03 means a 2003 model year and the 001 is #1 in a series of however many they bought that year, i.e. FM03001 possibly up to FM03120 etc.

SP03001 would be a 2003 Seagrave pumper, #1 in a series of however many they bought

All FDNY rigs have a "shop registry" number

Hope that helps, if I can be of any further assistance let me know

 

[raybrag]

Memory Master:

His question was on the meaning of the "M" in FM03001.  It's the unit type designator.  For example:

P = pumper
L = ladder
T = tower ladder
R = rescue
H = hazmat
M = ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

As I said in my earlier post, I think it means "Miscellaneous" or something similar.

 

[memory master]

The "M" in this instance is for Motors as it is an SUV. If it were FS03001 it would be a Ford sedan. The old Chevy Caprices would have been ex: GS03018. The Chevy 2500 suburbans were GM99137. I hope that helps and sorry for the confusion.

 

[guitarman314]

In the past there were extra letters on some "new at the time" apparatus like the first dual axle tower ladders and rearmounts had the letter "D" at the end, eg: MT8203T or SL8414D

 

[HCO]

The second letter on FDNY registration numbers stands for the type of rig and NOT Motors, such as Ford Motors. M is used for Miscellaneous and includes SUVs, Brush Fire Units, Field Comms, HazMat tenders, Mask Service Units, Purple K Units, RAC Units, Tactical Support Units, SOC Compressor, Thawing Units, etc.

The first letter in the designation stands for the manufacturer. Mack, when it was still building vehicles for FDNY was the prominent M, such as MP for Mack pumper, MT for Mack tower ladder. There are still several MFs, which are the Mack pumpers that are now retrofitted as Foam Carriers.

 

[Highroller85]

Thanks for the info.

I have two more questions . If the first letter is the manufacturer (Seagrave, Ferrara, Ford etc.) what about these vehicles:

1, A "Press Office? Chevrolet Impala has a reg. number with GS0902x http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2639/3760092907_7818f9fc91_z.jpg . As memory master said the S stands for sedan, thats clear, but why it is GS instead of CS (Chevrolet Sedan)?  And its the same for the old Chevy Suburban Battalions, they are GM instead of CM.

2, I know that the "Ceremonial Unit? has a Freightliner Sprinter with a registration number #CM10004. It starts with C but why not with F=Freightliner? Or if the C stands for "Ceremonial? why it isn?t FC10004 - Fregihtliner Ceremonial 2010 #4?

 

[MJ101]

Firstly I have to thank Catry for posting such an informative guide which answers most questions you could ever hope to have! However I do have a few more of my own!

1. Regarding the airport crash boxes, why do they mandate an automatic second alarm? If the aircraft lands or crashes on the airport property then the airport fire service should, by law, have enough apparatus to deal with any such incident involving the largest aircraft that can land there, and if it crashes outside of the airport (like the Hudson crash landing) then a different box would be transmitted. On a similar note, do these boxes being transmitted also mandate a similar response from EMS, and if a plane crashes on the runway would this still require a 10-60? Also, does anyone have any figures on how many times a year these boxes get transmitted?

2. If the 10-60 and a second alarm are both transmitted, do both field comm. trucks get dispatched or just the one? If this applies to any other special unit that would be called under two separate signals and both are transmitted, do more than one of that unit respond or just the one?

3. If the ladder trucks carry Hurst tools or other cutting equipment, why does the Rescue need to be special called when someone is pinned in a car crash?

4. Do any engines carry a small quantity of foam in addition to water, like some European engines do, or in the event of foam being required does a 10-86 always have to be transmitted?

5. Why does the FDNY respond to wash down oil slicks and such in the road? Surely this would be a job for the sanitation or public works departments as long as there is no fire or crash.

 

[68jk09]

My answers.....1-PAPD who mans the Fire equipment on the airport grounds (for now ) has limited manpower & limited foam & no provision to set up a water relay w/o FDNY just a rapid initial attempt to knockdown the fire w/on board supplies. ....also no Aerial or TL to access the fuselage.........2- 10-60 is not used in connection w/a crash box like 269 at JFK or 37 at LAG since the assignment is very large already.....3-Rescue carries much, much more specialized equiptment that may be needed....4- ENGs normally carry only three 5 gallon containers of foam.......5- if FD did not respond who would determine where the slick came from ?  most times it would be from an accident that would have other issues to address also....the FD response is within minutes ...any other agency might take hours.

 

[sandero]

In photos of the pump panels of FDNY HP engines, there appear to be 3 large master gauges; why 3 instead of 2?

 

[116ff60]

High pressure engines have 3 stage pumps. The third gauge is used when the engine is being used for high pressure pumping at high rise fires.

 

[sandero]

Thanks!