Local Terminology

[Box 2565]

Hi,

I'm listening to Denver, Colorado at the moment.  I've heard them dispatch a couple of building fires and I started thinking about how they phrased the dispatch.

For example, on a reported building fire at 1275 S. Steele Street, the assignment was: 16 as a pair; Engine 21, 24; Rescue; Truck 15; Chief 3 & 7.  The "16 as a pair" is what caught my attention.  Apparently this means both the engine and truck are assigned from the same station.

This was confirmed a minute or so later (in the same neighborhood as the first run, isn't Mapquest great!) when a box was struck at Colorado & Arkansas and the assignment was: 19 and 22 as a pair; Engine 11; Chief 2 & 4.  Apparently the standard assignment in Denver is 3 and 2 with 2 chiefs and the Rescue if available.

So, I'm sure many towns have thier own little phrases that they use on dispatch.  What terminology is distinctive to a department in your area?

Steve
 

[Box 2565]

While visiting Dallas, Texas back in 1987, just prior to striking a box the dispatcher announced "Get Ready to Roll"!  I don't know if that was common terminology or not...

 

[vodoly]

Here is one from Jeresy City NJ engine 15 ladder 9 start out for district 554 more later.  2 mins later we are filling the box for fire reported :lol:

[mwestbrook]

Dispatchers here in Charlotte are usually very specific when dispatching structure fires. We are never dispatched to "a structure fire", it is usually "a house", "a building", "an apartment".

If the caller is more specific or if the dispatcher is familiar with the address, they will dispatch something more specific, usually the occupancy of the structure; "a grocery store", "a laundrymat", or even "a car wash".

In the case of a house, they may even dispatch which room it is, like "a kitchen", or "a bedroom".

Perhaps the most unique radio trafiic occurs when someone retires. The dispatcher will open up the channel to all of the stations and the retiree will give a short speech and "sign off".

Listen in to us at http://www.carolinasfirepage.com

Matt Westbrook

[Box 2565]

As a hold over from the days of alarm boxes, Cincinnati still announces the outtap when a 1 alarm (or above) fire run has been completed.

"O.K. District 1, the outtap at 2612 Eden...."

[4everleatherhead]

Everyone around us is different, but Cumberland Co NJ is generally...

"Station 1, Station 2, Squad 3...123 Main Street, a dwelling.  Station 1, Station 2, Squad 3...123 Main Street, cross-street 1st Street, a dwelling.  1224 hours."

I know that Wake Co. NC used "pre-alert...sick call" or something similar before toning the EMS units for a particular call.  Not quite as cavalier as "get ready to roll" but it gets the job done.

[yfdgricker]

You always know when you are in Pittsburgh because you hear "7 engine, 3 engine, 26 engine, 7 ladder, 3 ladder, 1 rescue..." Then when a truck goes back in service, the dispatcher tones all stations and announces that company back in service. I've never heard a department dispatch quite that way.

Also in Kansas City, MO when I've been there and listened, after dispatching a call, the trucks mark in service (which is our equivilent around here as enroute). It took me a little while to realize they were responding and not clearing

[HmaximS]

This may or may not be something people hear, not sure. Nights and weekends (when radio etiquette isn't so necessary) and we want to have a little fun, instead of signing off "in quarters", we'll sign off "Engine 2 is back in the barn." Barn, being a reference to the horse drawn days. Some dispatchers like it, some don't...

[daysleeper47]

I've heard YFD Ladder 22 call back in quarters by saying "Double Duece back in the barn..." The dispatcher simply replied, "Copy."

[yfdgricker]

Warren City, before switching to their 800 system, use to open the PA system at the stations as the dispatcher was getting information on the structure fire, you would here the dispatcher on the phone asking questions like is their anyone still inside etc and confirm the address. then they would shut the PA off and 5 seconds later annouce the alarm. The guys would already be on their way to the apparatus or heading out the door. I don't know if they still do that or not.

In Youngstown, B-turn station 1 likes to use the "back in the barn" saying when returning to quarters. "Squad 33 back in the barn." I've got that audio clip somewhere, let me see if I can find it

[yfdgricker]

Here is an audio clip of 33 back in the barn

http://www.youngstownfire.com/multimedia/wavs/2005-03-21_19-57-08_YFD_scanner.wav

[frfghtr89]

someone mentioned wake co. nc does pre dispatches, i lived in that area about 20 years ago. i also ran with a neighboring parkwood fire/ems which is in durham co. just over the wake co. line. anyway back then wake co. didn't do that, i don't know exactly when they started doing it but you're right they do do it now. even city of raleigh fire dept does it now. anyway (again) my point to this whole thing is durham co. used to do the pre-dispatches like that back then. the nice thing about that is if you're monitoring the channel whether you're volunteer or on station paid, and you know your area it gives you a "jump" on the call. you would hear "fire report, structure fire, 123 main st" or "ems report, heart attack at 5432 east st." sometimes they would even give you the actual department  who was responsible for covering that area, such as "ems report, heart attack 5432 east st., parkwood" again this helped out alot if you were monitoring the channel.

[FPO D/800]

In the City of Erie PA, an engine company is sometimes refered to as a triple (triple combination).  It is neat to hear " Fire Comm, give me another triple in here".
 When a fire is declared under control, the IC will say something like "Put a control tap in on this fire"
  Some of the EMS companys refer to the ambulances as "Trucks"

In the pre incident command days, if a company had fire showing they would say "It's in the air".

[Hazguy]

A lot of times when Boardman tones out on a medical, the dispatcher will say  "District 4, medical emergency" ... then drop the tones and send 74 on a medical call.

[Box 2565]

Officers in Cincinnati would often report on scene stating something along the lines of "Engine 39 on the scene we've got a working fire on Woodburn".  In some cases that report might be "Engine 39 on the scene we've got a good working fire on Woodburn".  In rare instances the report would be "Engine 39 on the scene we've got a very good working fire on Woodburn".   It's been a while since I've heard those subtle differences used in describing a fire, but as I recall every time I heard the fire get that initial report of a "very good working fire" whatever was going ended up making it to at least a 2nd alarm.

When I received my first scanner as a Christmas gift in 1970 I just couldn't wait to start hearing all of the action on a regular basis.  After a week with the scanner I was still waiting to listen to the "big one" (my attendance at the "big one" was somewhat limited to the fact that I was at the advanced age of 13).  New Years Eve I was certain something is going to happen.  Midnight came and 1970 went.  It was after 2:00 a.m. and I decided that I would hold out until 3:00.  At 2:59 the dispatcher came on with (now remember I'm listening to the diapatcher repeat what the company has told him) "Go ahead with your emergency Truck 9".  "O.K. Truck 9 we'll transmit the Box at Madison & Hackberry (Quarters of Engine 23/Truck 9) you have a very good working fire in the church at Madison & Cleinview.  These times may not be exact but at 3:10 District 5 struck the 2nd and at 3:15 he asked for the 3rd.  The roof and steeple were destroyed but the church is still in use.  I was told that the firefighter on housewatch may have dozed off and was awakened to some pounding on the door of the station.  The person was hitting the window with one hand and simply pointed across the road towards the east end of the block with the other.  The firefighter immediately understood....