NEWARK FIRE DEPARTMENT HISTORY
Working Fire Radio Transcript
March
22, 1980
The following is a transcript of actual radio transmissions that occurred on March 22, 1980, for a fire at 611 High Street, at Morton Street. The fire went to a Signal 11, with an additional Signal 9. Tour 2 was on duty.
NOTE: The entries highlighted in yellow are field transmissions.
(3 Tones) Attention Engines 10, 6, Truck 1, and Battalion 4; Respond on telephone alarm, Signal 9, Box 4126; 611 High Street, 17th or 18th floors. A telephone alarm, Signal 9, Box 4126; 611 High Street, on the 17th or on the 18th floor. 8:47, Dispatcher 7-2.
Battalion 4 responding.
Okay, Battalion 4.
Engine 10 on the scene.
Okay, Engine 10.
Battalion 4 on the scene, nothin’ showin’, make it a 308.
Okay, Battalion 4; Signal 308 on Box 4126; Battalion 4 is out of service.
Engine 6 to Battalion 4.
You want this shut off?
Engine 6 to Headquarters.
Engine 6 to Headquarters.
Engine 6.
We’re committed here. Our people are in the building. Hold us out for a little while.
Okay, Engine 6. Engine 6 we received a telephone call from the police. Would you check apartment 18J?
6 Received.
Supposed to be people trapped in the apartment.
Engine 6 to Battalion 4.
Battalion 4 to Headquarters, make it a 309. 6 will be involved, too.
Okay, Battalion 4; a Signal 309; time 8:53.
Battalion 4.
Two injured in the hall.
Engine 6; what’s your message, chief?
Police Emergency on their way up, too, as a back-up, chief.
Truck 1 to Battalion 4.
Chief, we’re up here on the 13th floor. We have a fire in the, uh, electrical room. We need a CO2, if one’s comin’ up.
We have a fire in the electrical room. If you can send up some CO2s.
The cables are burning.
Truck 7 to Headquarters.
Last unit, come in.
Truck 7.
Truck 7, come in.
Truck 7 to Headquarters.
Truck 7, come in.
Truck 7 to Headquarters.
Truck 7.
Truck 7’s available.
Okay, Truck 7.
(3 Tones) Attention Engines 13, 9, Truck 6, and Battalion 3; respond on a box alarm, Signal 9, Box 3825. Broadway School; 659 Broadway. That’s a box alarm, Signal 9, Box 3825. Broadway School; 659 Broadway. Time 09:00 hours, Dispatcher 7-2.
Battalion 3 responding to Broadway School.
Okay, Battalion 3.
Battalion 4 to Headquarters.
Battalion 4, come in.
We have a smoke condition on the upper floors of this building; send a Signal 10; have the companies come in with masks, search the upper floors, open up the roof, and check out the apartments.
Received.
Battalion 3, Engine 13 on the scene.
0-9-0-2
(3 Tones) Attention Engine Companies 1, 12, Truck 5, Deputy 1; Signal 10 on 4126; 611 High Street. That’s a Signal 10 on 4126; 611 High Street. 0-9-0-2, Dispatcher 7-1.
Battalion 3 to Headquarters.
Battalion 3.
Broadway School; a Signal 305 for Engine 13; malfunction. Battalion 3’s available.
Received. You got Battalion 4 and Deputy 1 out of service.
13 Engine to Headquarters, 13’s available.
Okay, Engine 13.
Truck 6 available.
Okay, Truck 6.
Attention all units on that Signal 10 on 4126, search the upper floors, open the roof, check all the apartments on the upper floors.
Engine 15 to ‘quarters.
15.
15’s available.
Okay, 15.
Headquarters to Battalion 4.
Battalion 4.
Battalion 4, you, you did say the, uh, Signal 10 companies to open the roof, correct?
There’s no need for the roof. Just check the apartments on the upper floors.
Okay.
Responding to 611 High Street.
Tactical 1’s responding to 611 High.
Okay, Tac 1.
Deputy 1 to Battalion 4.
(Tone) Headquarters to Battalion 5.
Deputy 1 to Battalion 4.
Deputy 1 to Battalion 4.
Battalion 4.
What’s your location now?
Repeat your message?
12th floor?
The 20th floor. The 20th floor is clear.
Deputy 1 to Battalion 4.
Battalion 4.
…shut off… What do you want shut off?
Battalion 4, I can’t…
Deputy 1 to Battalion 4.
Battalion 4.
What is your situation now? The electricity is off. What have you up there now?
Battalion 4 to Deputy 1; Repeat; I can’t understand you, you’re breakin’ up.
Headquarters to Deputy 1.
Deputy 1.
We’ll relay that message to Battalion 4, What do you wanna know?
…up on the, uh, upper floors. We have all the people here in the lobby. We have the electricity shut off in the east wing of the building. Eh, it’s being caused by a roof leak. I don’t know just what his situation is up there.
Okay. Headquarters to Battalion 4.
Battalion 4.
Deputy 1 wants to know, uh, what’s your situation up there now. They have a lot of people down in the lobby, and the electricity is shut off.
The upper floors ain’t bad. It’s the, like the 14th, 15th and 16th that are heavy with smoke, and the 17th, maybe.
Okay. Uh, Deputy 1, did you receive that?
I’m receiving him broken up. What did he say?
He said the upper floors are not bad, it’s just the, uh, 14th, 15th, 16th, and maybe the 17th floors, that’s pretty bad.
Well, just how bad is it here? It, eh, will people be able to get up there or not?
Stand by. Headquarters to Battalion 4.
Battalion 4.
Will people be able to get back up to those floors? How bad is it?
Repeat.
Will the people come back up to those floors? Just how bad is the situation there?
Have them wait and remain downstairs in the lobby. No one is to come back up to their rooms.
Okay. You receive that Deputy 1?
No, I didn’t receive that.
Yeah, have the people remain down in the lobby. No one is to come back up to their rooms.
Headquarters to Battalion 4.
Battalion 4.
Can you check apartment 17U for kids?
17U?
17U.
We’ll check it out.
Okay.
Deputy 1 to Headquarters.
Deputy 1.
Uh, have P.S., uh, electric respond here.
Okay.
Headquarters to Battalion 4.
Battalion 4.
P.S. electric is responding.
Okay.
Headquarters calling Deputy 1.
Deputy 1 to Headquarters, ask him if he needs any more help; I’ll get more help.
Uh, Deputy 1, they found another fire on the 17th floor. He needs a line up there. It’s in the same place -- at the electrical bank. Can you get a line up to the 17th floor?
Deputy 1 to Headquarters.
Deputy 1, come in.
Send me a Signal 9 on this.
Okay.
(3 Tones) Attention Engines 14, 4, Truck 2, and Battalion 2; respond on a radio alarm, Signal 9, Box 4126; 611 High Street; that’s at Morton Street. A radio alarm, Signal 9. Box 4126; 611 High Street, at Morton Street. The time is 9:27, Dispatcher 7-2.
Battalion 2 responding, 611 High.
Okay, Battalion 2.
Headquarters 23 to Headquarters.
Headquarters 23.
Battalion Coordinator avail… in service as Battalion 2.
Okay.
(Tone) Battalion Coordinator is in service as Battalion 2. The following chiefs are out of service; Battalion 4 and Deputy 1. Time, 9:28
Battalion 4 to Headquarters.
Battalion 4.
Have one of the first-due companies on the Signal 9 come to the 19th floor with their standpipe equipment, with a length of inch-and-a-half.
Okay, uh, Deputy 1.
This is Deputy 1, uh, to Headquarters. What was that message from Battalion 4?
He wants one of the companies from the, uh, Signal 9 we just sent, to come to the 19th floor for standpipe equipment, with an inch-and-a-half.
(Tone) Headquarters to Engine 14.
14.
Uh, respond to the 19th floor when you get there, with standpipe equipment and inch-and-a-half.
Battalion 2 at the scene.
Time is 9:29.
Unit calling, go ahead.
Deputy 1 to Battalion 4.
…14 can stand by.
Keep in touch with me, too. I’ll have them stand by here, but let me know… give me a progress report.
We have fire on 18…
Headquarters to Engine 14
14,
Are you gonna take the 19th floor on that?
NO!
Headquarters to Engine 4.
4.
Respond to the 19th floor at 611 High Street for standpipe equipment. They want you to use an inch-and-a-half.
Uh, received.
Okay, time 9:30.
Rescue 1 to Deputy 1.
Deputy 1 to Rescue 1.
Chief, we set up that aid station on the 14th floor. We’re gonna send down three people. Have the elevator come up to 14.
Headquarters to Deputy 1.
Deputy 1 to Headquarters.
Are you receiving Rescue 1?
… please repeat the message.
They’re sending you down three people, so have the, uh, elevator come up to 14.
Deputy 1?
Rescue 1B to Headquarters.
Deputy 1B.
Notify Deputy 1 we seem to have everything under control.
Okay. Headquarters to Deputy 1.
Rescue 1B to Deputy 1.
Battalion 2 to Deputy 1.
Battalion 2, what’s your message for Deputy 1?
I’m on the 17th floor with these people and they’re alright. As soon as I get an elevator I’ll send them down to the main floor.
Okay. Headquarters to Deputy 1.
Headquarters calling Deputy 1.
(3 Tones) Attention Engines 18, 7, Truck 9, and Battalion 1; respond on a box alarm, Signal 9, Box 4221; 17th Avenue and Lillie Street. Respond on a box alarm, Signal 9, Box 4221; 17th Avenue and Lillie Street. Time 9:38, Dispatcher 7-2.
Truck 8 to ‘quarters.
Truck 8, come in.
Have a police car respond to Prospect and Lafayette to block off the street.
Okay, Truck 8.
Battalion 1 is responding, 17th Avenue and Lillie Street.
Okay, Battalion 1.
Engine 18 to ‘quarters.
18.
Report of a fire in the projects. We’re checking it out.
Received, 09:42
…17th and Lillie
Deputy 1 to Headquarters.
Deputy 1, come in.
We’ve got this situation under control now.
Okay, Deputy 1. Time 9:43.
Battalion 1 to ‘quarters.
Battalion 1, come in.
317 17th Avenue, make it a… 308… incinerator.
Okay. Was that a 308?
Affirmative.
Okay. Attention on Box 4221, Battalion 1 reports a Signal 308, holding 18, Truck 9, and Battalion 1 out of service. Time is 9:44.
Battalion 1 to ‘quarters.
Battalion 1.
Battalion 1 available.
Okay, Battalion 1.
14 to Headquarters.
Engine 14.
14 available.
Okay, Engine 14.
Engine 6 to Deputy 1.
Engine 6 to Deputy 1.
Headquarters calling Deputy 1.
Deputy 1.
Engine 6 is trying to contact you. Stand by…
We have Public Service electric here. You want us to meet you at the front door?
This is Deputy 1 to 6 Engine. Are you tryin’ to get me about Public Service? Have ‘em contact the superintendent of the building.
Engine 6 received.
Deputy 1 to Headquarters.
Deputy 1, come in.
We’re ordering all companies up except 6 and 10, and Truck 1.
Okay, Deputy 1.
Tactical 1 to ‘quarters.
Tac 1, come in.
Tactical 1’s available from 611 High Street.
Okay, Tac 1. Time is 9:51.