question about listening to firefighting dispatch

[glassjaw1704]

Hey guys, when listening to firefighting dispatch the dispatcher usually says the engine, what the call is about then something with a box number. Example ( engine 5 brush fire AFD box 10 123 rainy street). Does anyone know what the "box" means? Is this like a grid on a map or something else? Is this normal protocol for most cities? I am in Austin Texas by the way.

 

[KB1UAM]

It varies from city to city but typically it is a nearby building or a street box where someone can pull the box and it sends out a specific number. My department has both street and building boxes aka master alarms. Street boxes in my city are 3 digits and any building that has a master box has 4 digits

 

[nd5y]

It depends on the department. A box is usually a small geographic area that in the past was served by an alarm pull box on a street corner. The dispatcher has a list of 1st up, 2nd up, etc. companies for each box.

 

[ecps92]

Box - something many cities No Longer have

Fire alarm call box - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia has a list of Cities with OPERATING Box systems [Needs a major over-haul, Circa 2010 now]

Hey guys, when listening to firefighting dispatch the dispatcher usually says the engine, what the call is about then something with a box number. Example ( engine 5 brush fire AFD box 10 123 rainy street). Does anyone know what the "box" means? Is this like a grid on a map or something else? Is this normal protocol for most cities? I am in Austin Texas by the way.

 

[reconrider8]

either that pull box OR its a box on their map that they have in the station to get a more specific general area of the road and fire

 

[fredva]

In the last couple of years, a 911 center near me has begun using the box reference when dispatching fire and EMS. The first digits of the box number given corresponds to the number of the fire station located within that geographic "box". For example, a box number beginning with "09" is a call located near Station 9.

 

[ecps92]

In my home-town the first two digits are the Voting Ward and Precinct

In the last couple of years, a 911 center near me has begun using the box reference when dispatching fire and EMS. The first digits of the box number given corresponds to the number of the fire station located within that geographic "box". For example, a box number beginning with "09" is a call located near Station 9.

 

[redhelmet13]

Back in the days before radio, there was the Gamewell system. as already mentioned pull boxes were assigned a number. The Fire Alarm Office had receiving equipment to get these alarm signals. In each station they had a machine that received the signals from the alarm office. A 1 alarm fire could be sent out as . . . .. . .... (1 1 1 2 2 1 4) Box 2214 at Main and Easy street. Box cards or running cards are the product of the pre radio era. Look up the Gamewell fire box system, very interesting stuff!!!

 

[lynxrufus]

fire alarm box - an outdoor device mounted on a pole and used to notify the fire department of a fire. The system, manufactured by Gamewell, pre-dated the telephone and used a spring-loaded mechanism to tap out a signal identifying the box number that went over a telegraph wire connected directly to the fire department. Boxes in some cities remained in use long after the system became obsolete and removal of the boxes has been blocked by courts in some cases.

The Gamewell system was last used in St. Louis in 1977.

Today I think the terms 'box card' or 'running card' have a meaning similar to 'map page.'

 

[RBMTS]

"Box" can also refer to the type of run the call is and what type of equipment response would be going. Some departments refer to a "Box Alarm" (or box xxxx) or they might say "Still Alarm". A box alarm would mean more equipment is to respond (potentially a larger event possibly needing more equipment). A "Still" would be a smaller response (perhaps even just one engine / truck) perhaps for a smaller fire, fire alarm, or investigation. Something along those lines.

Perhaps you can ask your question in the specific state that you live in. Someone in that area might have more info for you.

 

[ecps92]

Running Cards, typically contain who is to respond to the Box based on Normal assignments. Also who to contact for Mutual Aid as the fire progresses [Alarm Assignments] and which Fire-House they Cover or go to the Scene.

fire alarm box - an outdoor device mounted on a pole and used to notify the fire department of a fire. The system, manufactured by Gamewell, pre-dated the telephone and used a spring-loaded mechanism to tap out a signal identifying the box number that went over a telegraph wire connected directly to the fire department. Boxes in some cities remained in use long after the system became obsolete and removal of the boxes has been blocked by courts in some cases.

The Gamewell system was last used in St. Louis in 1977.

Today I think the terms 'box card' or 'running card' have a meaning similar to 'map page.'

 

[treydawgmt]

It's interesting how things are different in different parts of the country. Here in Illinois (and Southern WI and Northern IN), boxes can mean two things.

The first, and most common, is a "Box Card" that is tied to MABAS (Mutual Aid Box Alarm System). MABAS is an organization that provides aid to departments from other departments. If Dept A has a fire, Dept B, C, D, etc, will go with the understanding if Dept B has a fire, the others will go there too.

A typical fire works this way in IL/WI/IN. The initial report of a fire is a "Still Alarm/Full Still Alarm/Still & Box Alarm/Working Fire/Firebox" or some similar terminology. These are typically one or two department responses consisting of between 1 and 3 engines, 1 and 3 trucks, a commander or three, and maybe an ambulance or two. This is all done without activating the MABAS system. When that initial response is on scene and determines additional resources are needed, they request a MABAS alarm. MABAS alarms are the Box, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th levels. They are all dispatched on the same frequency, and worded exactly or very similarly to this - "This is MABAS Division X to all locals, the Nice Fire Department has requested MABAS Box 123 to the 3rd level for a structure fire at 123 Rainy St. Staging is at Rainy & Sunny. The following departments are due to the scene. (list them). The following departments are due change of quarters."

The other way it is used, and this is mainly Chicago, but a few other areas as well. Every fire alarm in buildings in Chicago has a box number. Rigs are dispatched to the "Box Alarm" on box 12345. This is correlates to a specific address. Or you often hear, "Main from Engine 89, we're going to be pulling box 12345 at Some School." This for fire drills.

Just how it works here!

 

[n5ims]

A "Box Alarm" is a type of call that the Fire Department responds to. It generally indicates a more severe incident like a structure fire where a "Full Response" is warranted. There may be several types of "Boxes" defined for a department and the quantity and type of units dispatched may be different for the various types.

For example, a standard structure fire may be box type 1 and a highrise structure fire may be box type 2. For a type 1 box, they may dispatch 3 engines, 1 truck, and 1 command car. For a type 2 box (where more people may be affected), they may dispatch 3 engines, 2 trucks, and 2 command cars.

The term "Box" is a historic term when departments had a row of boxes where they kept track of who was assigned to incidents. When a unit was assigned to box "A", a card indicating that unit was placed into the box "A". When a unit is released from an incident, the card for that unit was removed from that incident's box ("A" in my example) and placed back into the "In Service" location.

 

[ecps92]

Nice Web Page with Google Earth of Boston Box Locations
Boston Fire Box Locations and Detailed Maps of Area | BostonFireBox.com

Boston Fire Box Locations
Boston Fire Historical Society
Emba�s Fire Page - Quick Box List Lookup/Area Locator


alarms

Circa 1900 Box list
http://bostonfirehistory.org/firealarmboxlocations1900.pdf

Running Card
http://ts2.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4725225137243737&pid=15.1

 

[DickH]

Running Cards, typically contain who is to respond to the Box based on Normal assignments. Also who to contact for Mutual Aid as the fire progresses [Alarm Assignments] and which Fire-House they Cover or go to the Scene.

Here is a Boston running card from the 1920's, similar to today's running cards.
It looks as if they went up to 6 alarms. Back when I was there they had 5-alarm cards and today they have 9-alarm cards.

Zenfolio | Dick Harris Photography | boston | BFD Running Card - 1920s?