Fire Dept./house terminology.

[columbusfire]

I thought it might be fun to see what different departments, FDNY, of course, use as common terminology around the station. The ''housewatch'' thread made me think of it. The department that I retired from is Columbus, Ohio which is a mid-sized department. I'll start with housewatch. We call it ''the watch booth'' and the person assigned that day, the ''watchman''. Most watchbooths have a bed in them and back in the day, the watchman slept there. Some strict stations also made the watchman eat his meals in the booth. The 2 meals are called the ''mess'', pay the cook if you want to be in the mess. The cook could throw you out of the mess, if he wants too. Picky eaters, complainers, etc. When a member calls off sick it is a C.O.D. which means ''certified off duty''. A detail to another station is called a ''TT'', which means temporary transfer. When a civilian is in the station, someone gets on the PA and announces ''thirteen in the engine house'' which lets everyone know to watch their language, etc. I have no idea who came up with saying ''thirteen'' or why, it was just universally known at every station.

 

[FiremanWithoutAFire]

We call the individual on house watch duty the DOD. The "Dick On Duty". No idea when or how this got started but somehow it stuck.

Meal time is referred to as chow.

Recliner jockeys are referred to as the "Dads"

Slugs/Turds are folks who don't seem to have a real grasp on their job and are usually found standing around when there is work to be done.

 

[ta176]

Meal time was just yelled out "It's on the table". Beds were frowned upon at the housewatch, and back in 68 no TV's allowed in housewatch. My first firehouse had an open area with a desk on the apparatus floor. Company journal where runs were recorded, multiple alarms, people entering Quarters, Chief visits and any other important telephone communications. We also had bells to count for runs, special calls, relocations, and multiple alarms. When the voice alarm came in to FDNY in the mid 70's it was like coming out of the dark ages. When it got busy with the bells the alarm circuits became open and you counted every bell that seemed to come in non stop. Since we went on mostly 800, 1600 and some 1700 boxes if you didn't hear an 8 or 16 or 17 you ignored the bells.