An alarm dispatching system has been developed using the alert tone
to designate the type of call using a given number of beeps as the code. This
breakdown is as follows:
One Beep- Local Alarms - Trash, grass, brush, wires, poles, vehicles,
washdowns, fire reported out, dumpsters, other confirmed emergencies such
as unknown fire or natural gas leak, alarm systems, investigations, stuck
elevators.
Rescue Box - Auto extrications, building collapse, domestic or industrial
accident, vehicle into a building. Response will be the local engine company
and one rescue company unless otherwise noted.
Chiefs Investigation - Will be at the written request of the chief of the
department. Calls will be dispatched according to special assignment. If no
officers respond within four minutes, a local response will be dispatched.
Marine Box - Any call requiring a person to be rescued from water, or boat in
distress will be dispatched as a marine box.
Two Beeps - Tactical Box - One or two family dwellings, chimney or
appliance, scattered small businesses and industrial occupancies, farm and
out buildings, plane crash and hazardous material incident.
Three Beeps - Box Alarms - Industrial buildings, schools, hospitals, nursing
homes, high rise buildings, housing for the elderly, other high life hazard or
large fire potential buildings, office buildings, mercantiles and industrial
occupancies or train, bus, or mass land transportation incident.
One Beep - Special Assignments - Any special response that would alter from
normal dispatching terminology as outlined such as "assist police," "assist
squad", "assist the fire marshal", etc.
On these special assignments, the local station will be dispatched only. The
first officer responding will be advised of the situation. Local standard
operating procedures will dictate the response.
0600-1800 Dispatch
Recognizing the decrease in firefighting manpower during the daytime
hours, the following procedure has been established:
Companies may add additional apparatus to assignments between 0600 and 1800 hours, Monday through Friday.
