Although a four alarm fire is assumed to be a big fire, four people could report a small fire, or one person could report a big fire. So why does the news media always mention the number of alarms?
It indicates the number of fire stations that responded to the fire, not how many people reported it. A “four alarm” fire indicates that the nearest fire station couldn’t handle it, and had to bring in three neighboring ones to help.
In other words, the alarm rings at four different stations to get fire fighters to the scene.
Actually, an “alarm” has to do with a set group of fire apparatus that respond to a fire call. Maybe it used to be the number of stations that responded, but that’s probably obsolete, since many stations have multiple pieces of equipment that respond to the same call.
Back when I was a teenager, I had a scanner that was on all the time. Using Baltimore County, MD, as an example, I can vividly recall that an “alarm box” was 4 engines, 1 ladder truck, and the battalion chief (and a rescue squad or search light unit at night.) If the fire went to two alarms, the “second alarm box” included 4 more engines, another ladder truck, a medic unit, a paramedic lieutenant, an air unit (for refilling air tanks), a heavy rescue squad, an assistant chief, and the refreshment wagon. For additional alarms, the same basic equipment went out - just more of it.
There are also different types of “boxes.” A “medical box” is a medic unit, paramedic supervisor/lieutenant, and an engine. A “rescue box” is an engine, ladder truck, heavy rescue squad, battalion chief, medic unit(s), and paramedic supervisor/lieutenant.
Wow - I can’t believe I remember all that. Then again, there was no internet back then, so all I had was the old scanner.
…Both my father and his father were (a total of 65 years duty between them), and I used to listen to them both talk quite a bit about the job. I even entertained the notion of becoming one myself. At least in this area of the country (they both were on the department in Louisville, KY), the number of alarms WAS an indication of how many different houses responded to the alarm. Around here, all incoming fire alarms are relayed to the fire alarm office, who then dispatches the closest fire house. If any additional houses are required to help control the fire, then an additional alarm is sent out for the assistance. The more alarms that are sent out, the more fire houses respond. Hence, a 4-alarm fire would utilize four different fire houses.
Somehow, when I answered this, I knew we’d get into a discussion of the detailed mechanism of dispatching fire alarms in addition to just providing an adequate answer to the OP that the number of alarms didn’t correspond to citizens phoning in, but to a measure of the required response.
I was pondering this while eating lunch, and something just doesn’t make sense to me. A four-alarmer takes alot of equipment; probably at least 10 engines, several ladder trucks, rescue squad, etc. I think what you wrote, superdude, would mean that each station would have to have at least three full engine crews and at least one full truck crew at all times. Some (dare I say most) fire stations in urban areas have only one or two pieces of equipment. This would mean that a one alarmer here, in Baltimore City, would consist of one piece of equipment, so according to your way of thinking everything would be at least a 4 or 5 alarmer.
…Nope. Not what I meant at all. Different pieces of equipment are kept at the various houses. In the urban area here, most houses include a pumper, a hook and ladder (the big one with the guy that drives the back end), and sometimes a snorkel. Anytime that one fire house, and one ONLY responds to a fire, it’s one alarm. If another fire house has to be called in, that’s the second alarm. Follow this example:
There’s a warehouse fire, and Dept A is sent to put it out. Once they get there, hook the pumper into the hydrant, and start dousing the flame, they realize that they don’t have enough manpower and equipment to see this through. They call the Fire Alarm Office, who dispatches Dept B to assist. Dept B is the 2nd alarm, because they were not the original house called in. They arrive at the scene, and the ground crews go inside to make sure no one is there, and to do what they can from the inside. Between the two pumpers (pumpers also carry a supply of water in them) and the ground crew, that should be enough. If not, another fire house (Dept C) is called in. Let’s say that this additional house called in is enough to put the fire out. This is classified as a 3-alarm fire, because at different points, three different fire houses were sent to put the fire out. Fire houses operate in districts, meaning that each is assigned a specific area in which they are the first to respond. If they need additional assistance, the next closest is called in, unless they are also on a run. When a fire occurs, and a squad is dispatched to fight it, all the other houses automatically increase their own area in case another fire occurs in that same district.
I don’t say this because of my family history of having my dad and grandfather as firefighters, but IMHO, these people are vastly underpaid and underappreciated.
That’s the difference between your area and mine. It’s pretty rare that one piece will be called. Usually, in areas that have a high rate of false alarms, two engines and a truck will be dispatched for a fire call or street alarm. The equipment comes from different houses, so that’s why Baltimore’s definition of an alarm is different than yours.
BTW, there are two “superhouses” in Baltimore that have a couple engines, a truck, some medics, and the specialty units (like the heavy rescue). The other houses scattered through the city may have as much as a truck, engine, and medic, or as little as one engine (!)
Damn straight!!
Most departments use either a 5 or 9 alarm response system, more commonly the 5 alarm system (the Boston area uses a 9 alarm system, FDNY uses 5 alarms, etc). The alarm level indicates the amount of apparatus at the scene. As an example, we’ll use my department’s levels (keep in mind, we have 4 stations, 1 has 2 engines and a ladder, another has 1 engine and 1 rescue, and the other two have one engine each (not counting brush and marine equipment)):
Still alarm: 3 engines, 1 ladder, 1 rescue, 1 ambulance
1st Alarm: Still plus 1 engine, 1 ladder (total on scene: 4E, 2L)
2nd Alarm: 3 engines, 1 ladder (total on scene, 7E, 3L)
3rd Alarm: 3 engines, 1 ladder (total on scene, 10E, 4L)
4th Alarm: 3 engines, 1 ladder (total on scene, 13E, 5L)
5th Alarm: County task force activation (structural task force is 4 or 6 engines, 2 ladders; multiple task forces may be requested)
So, for a 5th alarm fire in our community, 17 engines and 7 ladders may be on scene. This doesn’t include mutual aid apparatus covering our empty stations.
For a great explanation of the 9 alarm system (and how the Metro Boston area handles incidents), go here: http://www.massmetrofire.org/
In short, the number of alarms struck does not indicate the number of stations that responded (although it may in some places), its the number of apparatus that were called to the scene.
Great info on this thread. Thanks.
Now, downtown NYC is pretty much always on terrorist alert these days. And that means a very big response if there is an alarm at a key location.
A stupid trash fire on an escalator at the World Trade Center drew 26 trucks and who knows how many supervisors, etc. Add to that the NYPD, ATF and others.
But only about one truck worth of stuff actually got used putting out the fire.
When they add up the totals at the end of the year, is that going to show as a multi-alarm fire even though an alert security guard could have put it out with a large Coke?
Or do they catagorize the fires by how much equipment gets used, as opposed to sent?
Manny;
Since I’m not as keen on NYC’s operations as I should be, I can’t answer with 100% certainty what’s being sent specifically to WTC on a first alarm. I can, however, give you this (generic to all of FDNY):
High-rise building fire:
5 engines, 5 ladders, 4 battalion chiefs, 1 deputy, 1 rescue, Mask Service Unit, Hi-Rise Unit, Field Communications Unit, a Squad, a Tactical Support unit, a RAC unit, the Special Operations battalion chief, the Safety Operating battalion chief, a safety coordinator, and a command post engine company
High-rise multiple dwelling fire:
5 engines, 5 ladders, 3 battalion chiefs, 1 deputy, 1 rescue, 1 squad, the Special Operations battalion chief, a safety coordinator, and the Safety Operating battalion chief
Thats what’s sent on a “working fire” at a high rise. The term “working fire” is a response that brings a few more resources than a first alarm, but less than a 2nd alarm would bring. If the equipment on scene for the “working” isn’t enough, then the second alarm will be sent. If the second alarm resources still aren’t enough, then a third is transmitted, and so on. The incident commander (the poor soul in charge) won’t bring in additional equipment unless its going to get used. So if greater alarms (anything greater than a first alarm) are requested, the incoming companies are going to work. Once the incident is declared under control, 99.9% of the time no further alarms are transmitted. Additional apparatus can be called in, but they aren’t considered to be more alarms.
To make a long post short, if you hear on the news its a 2nd or greater alarm, everyone who got called in was used. If its a 1st alarm (or less than a 1st alarm, commonly called a “still alarm” or a “special signal,” depending on where you’re from), anything from that cup of Coke to 4 engines and 3 ladders could be used to put the fire out. At the end of the year, the general totals show numbers of each alarm level.
For New York City’s totals, click here: http://members.aol.com/fd347/rnwindex.htm
If you want, I can tell you about the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) that gives minute details about every call that a fire department unit responds to. NFIRS will tell what the method of extingishment is, and has everything from self extinguished to fire extinguisher to hand held hoselines to master streams (big ol’ nozzles). Basically, you can tell anything you want to know from an NFIRS report.
Whew.
Knighted Vorpal Sword wrote, in his/her signature block:
[QUOTE]
“He took his vorpal sword in hand,
long time the manxome foe he sought . . .”
[QUOTE]
And then he rolled a natural “20” which instantly decapitated his opponent, no saving throw. 
Thanks for all of that, KCB. It’s good to know who’s showing up all the time (we’ve had two semi-serious building fires in the past three years).