"Brooklyn to..."

[nfd2004]

"Disp 51" you certainly are correct. Yes, the times have changed both for dispatchers and firefighters. And its not only in the FDNY. I retired from a small 60 man dept in Connecticut. Years ago, we, as firefighters did the dispatching, now civilians do it. We didn't wear air packs, now we wouldn't think of fighting a fire without an air pack. If gasoline, antifreeze, or oil spilled on the roadway we would just wash it down the storm drain. There was no D.E.P. just as no R.A.C. or FAST Co. We would watch the ambulance go a block up the street, but it wasn't our job to play doctor and go on medical calls. But if the trash can was burning in front of that house, a few hundred thousand dollar Engine with three firefighters would go.
  Times have changed for the fire service. It was just a Great time to be a part of it. But for the most part, it just couldn't stay the same. If the Busy War Years fires had kept going, I don't think there'd be much left of NYC today. Just as we can still enjoy the music of the Doo Wop Era today, we can still enjoy telling stories of those great FDNY years that past us by. But it just will never be the same as it was then. Same as Today will never be the same as Tomorrow.
 

[fdce54]

People don't realize the job the dispatcher has to do. People in the field see their piece of the puzzle and think that's the only problem there is but the dispatcher sees all the pieces of the puzzle and has to make all these pieces fit somehow and utilize his resources accordingly. Imagine what this was like during the busy times.

[68jk09]

To  answer the question regarding ENG*232/BMA......this was their nickname that they coined themselves.....they were a very strong UNION house  (& an excellent Firefighting unit in a busy area) .....it stood for "Brother My Ass".......I had the pleasure of covering some vacations there before they were disbanded.........also some above mentioned Herb Eysser.....a Dispatching legend & lifelong FireBuff who i have known since before i was on the JOB......Herb & his brother George (Ret. B.C.) also a big buff & Fire Dept historian were both at my retirement party last April (pictures on "firstonscenephotos" website in FDNY Gallery)  they are both gentlemen.....their Dad was a career member of the N.Y. Fire Patrol.

[vbcapt]

Nice to hear about Herb Eysser, the first dispatcher I ever met. A friend and I showed up at the Manhattan CO about 20 years ago and he welcomed us in, gave us the grand tour and allowed us to hang out for quite some time.

[nfd2004]

Thank you for the info on Eng 232 and "BMA". As I remember, it was a pretty sneaky way that E232 got closed down. And its nice to know that some Great dispatchers are finally getting the credit due them.

[baileyjeff]

Brooklyn to Tally Ho is Ladder 114.

[Bigandy]

Hey thanks guys for all of the information!

[FDNY150]

We can occasionally slip with a 3 and a Quarter, or a 2 and a Quarter, but that's about it. Like Frank said, we get spanked otherwise.
As far as the gent with the Roman Numerals is concerned, as was stated before, the challenges we face today are much different than the challenges faced 35-40 years ago.

Back then, you had to scramble to see if anyone was available. Now, we have to scramble to make sure we're sending the right units to emergencies via the SOC Matrix, or that CIDS is read to the FAST Truck on a 10-75, or that all notifications are made on a 10-45. If you could see the mounds of paperwork promulgated by those "Greatest Dispatchers" who are still in the job from back then, and some of their predecessors, it would make your head spin.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing but the utmost respect for those who came before me. I would have loved to have either been alive during those days, just to experience it first hand, or, been a fly on the wall in a few other situations.