FDNY radio operations

[TFiq]

I've listened to FDNY radio a little bit lately and I never hear them go en route, call out on the scene or go back in service. I was wondering how they did all of this in the FDNY. I know that they have MDT's but I don't know if that has anything to do with it. Any response is appreciated.

 

[TFiq]

I was thinking after I posted and I had another question also. When they are dispatched in the station do the dispatchers give them the call and units responding then or how are the informed on location, units, etc.

 

[fdnysiny]

The firehouse is dispatched through there telepromter. its a printer that the housewatch ( the man on duty to take all calls) takes in.  An alram rings in the house  either 2 bells or three depending on who is taking the call engine or truck or  batt etc...The fdny does not air all calls over the air( for those who are listening on scanners) MDTs are the computer way of sending a message      10-8 inservice  10-84 on scene. Most of the information is passed through mdts are there  so there is less radio traffic unless urgent  (10-75s, mdts are down messages andything urgent or not able to be send through code) Alot of the information passed is through code  most of the stuff on air are al phone alrams or co alarms, a ems first responmder situation  ( person having trouble breathing etc) would not be aired

 

[tbendick]

Runs which are Engine only and Ladder only don't go over the air.  They will announce anything with a Engine, Ladder and Battalion over the air about a minute or so after the units are dispatched via computer.

 

[JuniorBuff88]

I never heard anything ever like that in my life ~FDNY has a very very confusing dispatch ~ And the other thing is that there are not the only department that does this. If anyone know where White Plains in Westchester County is. They use the same type of dispatch protocal.

 

[fdnyrules92]

Basically you receive the call on the computer in the firehouse... you tell the dispatcher by the computer 10-4.... 1for example 10-4 eng 92. stating that ur responding from the house... and then about a minute when your enroute ... the dispatcher goes over the air..phone alarm box 2345 the adress and what its for say "fire in apt 5 adam" and then everything else is done by the MDT except if its a job or u need more info on the box.

 

[FDNYE54]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n7h9-v38mE

This should give you an idea.

 

[FDNY 6012]

This is what happens if you are in quarters, the tones go off and the run info comes in on the computer in the housewatch, whoever is doing ''the watch'' reads the run info over the firehouse PA,(example, Engine goes Truck goes first dues, 1234 maple street, for a report of smoke in the hallway), then the guy who has the watch would 10-4 the run on the teleprinter and ring out the bells for whoever is going. Then whem the company's are en-route they get info via the MDTs, such as wich company is 10-84, if the box was 10-75'd or maybe second sources that came in and information on the buillding or structure etc.

 

[pat255]

Do you yuus have silent nights? Is there always a floor watch 24 hours a day. Alarms that come in to the floor watch, are they sounded by the person on floor watch or is it selective by company?

 

[vbcapt]

The tone alert that you hear in the video goes off only for a Company that is dispatched. There is a housewatch 24 hours a day and he activates the house bell as previously stated and makes an annoucement by intercom. Generally, you do not hear any radio traffic throughout the firehouse day or night (perpetual silence) unless you're at the housewatch desk or if the fellas have a scanner in one of the rooms.

 

[tl-ff]

The tone alert that you hear in the video goes off only for a Company that is dispatched. There is a housewatch 24 hours a day and he activates the house bell as previously stated and makes an annoucement by intercom. Generally, you do not hear any radio traffic throughout the firehouse day or night (perpetual silence) unless you're at the housewatch desk or if the fellas have a scanner in one of the rooms.

Sometimes the dispatchers will announce jobs over the voice alarm. They also will anounce multiple alarms in the other boros over the voice alarm.

 

[Yff3110]

The tone alert that you hear in the video goes off only for a Company that is dispatched. There is a housewatch 24 hours a day and he activates the house bell as previously stated and makes an annoucement by intercom. Generally, you do not hear any radio traffic throughout the firehouse day or night (perpetual silence) unless you're at the housewatch desk or if the fellas have a scanner in one of the rooms.

Sometimes the dispatchers will announce jobs over the voice alarm. They also will announce multiple alarms in the other boros over the voice alarm.

Gene would the house watch man send informative messages on multiple alarms  through the intercom that if it goes higher the company/ies would know know the basics of the incident?

Dan

 

[tl-ff]

The tone alert that you hear in the video goes off only for a Company that is dispatched. There is a housewatch 24 hours a day and he activates the house bell as previously stated and makes an annoucement by intercom. Generally, you do not hear any radio traffic throughout the firehouse day or night (perpetual silence) unless you're at the housewatch desk or if the fellas have a scanner in one of the rooms.

Sometimes the dispatchers will announce jobs over the voice alarm. They also will announce multiple alarms in the other boros over the voice alarm.

Gene would the house watch man send informative messages on multiple alarms  through the intercom that if it goes higher the company/ies would know know the basics of the incident?

Dan

Most of the times no it is not announcd in-house.

 

[bklyndisp54]

Are alarm assignment cards still kept at every housewatch desk?

 

[vbcapt]

When I was up in January, I didn't see any at the houses I visited. I think they still have them at the CO's  ???

 

[tl-ff]

Are alarm assignment cards still kept at every housewatch desk?

My house still has them, but they probably haven't been updated in a loooooong time. We have a card showing our Engine 3rd due to 215 & 238. E-215 Was disbanded in the 70's I believe. And then there's cards for the truck being 1st or 2nd due, but now we might get lucky and respond 1st due on the 2nd alarm thanks to a few Queens companies coming over the bridges.

 

[bklyndisp54]

My house still has them, but they probably haven't been updated in a loooooong time.

Thanks.  Kind of what I guessed.  Since response assignments can change from moment to moment as the 0's and 1's fly around inside the computer, it's probably now pointless for the housewatch to call out what his company is "on the card" to do should a greater alarm be xmitted, and why it's no longer done.

 

[FD347]

The last set of AA cards was printed in 1992.

 

[bklyndisp54]

The last set of AA cards was printed in 1992.

Collector's items in the making!  Keep an eye peeled for the Dep't. Order saying to toss them in the trash, then grab, grab, grab!  8)