Here's all the information you want/need...
Ok, here's the scoop on Teaneck... I've been listening to them for years as my dad has been on the job for almost 14 years and I will be taking the next available test.
The only response levels you will ever hear is Level 2 or Level 3. These have to do with personnel levels for the tour on duty.
A Response Level 2 consists of 16 firefighters where a full response (Signal 5) will get 2 engines (3 FF's), a truck (2 FF's), and a rescue (2 FF's) (I will go into signals in a minute). HQ on Teaneck Rd. will have 7 firefighters assigned to apparatus, 3 on the engine, 2 on the truck, and 2 on the rescue. Station 2 on Cedar Ln., Station 3 on DeGraw Ave., and Station 4 on Windsor Rd. will have 3 firefighters per engine.
A response Level 3 consists of either 14 or 15 firefighters where a Signal 5 will get 3 engines (3 FF's) and a truck (2 or 3 FF's) depending on if they have 14 or 15 firefighters on duty. HQ on Teaneck Rd. will have 3 on the engine, either 2 or 3 on the truck and the rescue will not be manned [directly]. Station 2 on Cedar Ln., Station 3 on DeGraw Ave., and Station 4 on Windsor Rd. will have 3 firefighters per engine.
Signals however, are a completely different discussion. To start on basics, there are
Signal 3's, 4's, 5's, 5-5's, 11's, 12's, 13's, and 9-9's.
A Signal 3 is a low-priority response such as a house or car lock-out which receives either the 1st due engine company on a Response Level 3 or if the rescue is unavailable, or the rescue if a Response Level 2. There is also a signal 3-B which is also a lower priority response mostly consisting of motor vehicle accidents or medical emergencies where the volunteer ambulance corps reuqests assistance from on scene or a BLS unit is unavailable at the time the call is received. Signal 3-B's receive the 1st due engine and rescue on a Response Level 2. On a Response Level 3, a signal 3-B where Engine 1 is the 1st due engine for a call in their 1st due district, that 3-man crew rides the rescue and the 2nd due engine is dispatched as the assisting engine company.
A Signal 4 is another type of lower priority call such as a car, brush, or wire fire. Car fires normally receive an engine and a rescue on a Level 2 Response and 2 engine companies on a Level 3 Response. Brush and wire fires receive 1 engine company.
A Signal 5 is considered a full response which is dispatched for any report of smoke or fire, a fire or water flow alarm, or any signal 4 with exposure problems. On a Response Level 2, a signal 5 receives 2 engines, a truck, and a rescue. On a Response Level 3, it receives 3 engines and a truck.
A Signal 5-A receives the 1st due engine to that area and is used for investigations such as problems with fire or carbon monoxide alarms.
A Signal 5-5 receives the unit requested by incident command and is their signal for "special call".
A Signal 11 is the signal for change of tour... kind of. The Signal 11 is transmitted at 0800 hours and 1800 hours; which was the change of tour prior to the department receiving their long-wanted 24-hour shifts. The Signal 11 is still transmitted at these times due to simple familiarity with those times. Once the Signal 11 is transmitted at 0800 and 1800, the Response Level will be broadcast and all portables are switched to channel 16 for a fireground radio test. Ten minutes after the 1800 hour time signal is the only time the Box 54, the canteen/rehab unit, that serves primarily Bergen and Passaic County, but will many times go out of county.
A Signal 12 is simply an informational broadcast, such as change of Response Level or change of Deputy Chief (1 through 5, 5 being the floating deputy since there are only 4 tours).
Signal 13 is only pertinent to Fire Headquarters (1231 Teaneck Rd.). This tells the operator to turn the traffic light outside HQ to red and open the specified door for that apparatus.
Signal 9-9 is simply a request for mutual aid and the unit dispatched depends on the unit requested.
Chris Saraceno
