Bill R - thanks for your reply. I worded my reply poorly - so maybe it is best to start at the beginning.
Boston Fire dispatches 3 Engines, 2 Ladders, and 1 Rescue to a first alarm. Also - 1 Engine from the 2nd alarm assignment is sent as the RIT Engine. Also, in certain neighborhoods, several units are sent to cover vacant fire stations. (E37 / L26 to Brighton / Allston - E8 / L1 to East Boston - etc). For a HighRise box, W25 (Air Supply) , Tac Com, and additional Chiefs are sent. (you could call this a Heavy Box or Augmented Box). For a Subway Box, they send a Highrise or Augmented box plus 1 Chief to T HQ. If the dispatcher is sure there is a real fire, or if a unit reports smoke or fire showing, then a RIT Ladder and a RIT Chief are sent. The "working fire" signal / designation is no longer used by BFD. (This change happened maybe 2 or 3 years ago). A "Second Alarm" will get the "balance" of the 2nd alarm. For example, on the 9 alarmer, since 1 E + 1 L from the preplanned 2nd alarm assignment had already been sent as a RIT, therefore the 2nd alarm response was reduced to 2 E + 1 L. I am not sure if BFD still has running cards at the Fire Dispatch / "Fire Alarm" Office. I am sure that 99% of the time, the CAD system tells them which units to send. Running cards might exist as a paper printout of the CAD data base to be used in case the CAD crashes. I always thought that BFD running cards showed 3 Engines on the first, second, and third alarms. Therefore, any RIT or cover companies for a First Alarm have to be derived from the 2nd alarm listings. I think that the first, second, and third alarm companies are listed in order of increasing distance (or travel time) from the box location. This allows a dispatcher to find the 5th closest unit if there are 5 still alarms in 1 neighborhood at the same time - or some such situation. Please - correct me if I am wrong. Peter Sz -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "massfire" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/massfire?hl=en.
