In a fire that killed a man and his two baby children in Brooklyn yesterday, the Fire Department response time was three minutes, nine seconds from the time dispatch routed the alarm to the particular division. And you know what? The FD is still pissed that they might have lost seconds due to their new dispatch system.
Three minutes, nine seconds. Only a fireman would argue the potential for having gotten there faster. Only a fireman would hoard the seconds like they were little nuggets of gold in a miser's pocket. Only a fireman understands, at a gut and lung level, how precious even one second is to the fatality of a fire.
Representatives from the union are bitterly complaining about a new alarm system, saying, "...the new dispatch system does not work." Spokespeople from the city, ostensibly the Fire Department but -- get real -- the press office works for the city, argue that firefighters have to give it a chance.
Why? Why do they have to give it a chance? They've said, on numerous occasions since the new system was put in place, that they are losing precious time and that it doesn't work. I'm in. If the FD tells me something doesn't work, you better believe I'm listening.
Why isn't the city?
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/nyregion/19fire.html
Three minutes, nine seconds. Only a fireman would argue the potential for having gotten there faster. Only a fireman would hoard the seconds like they were little nuggets of gold in a miser's pocket. Only a fireman understands, at a gut and lung level, how precious even one second is to the fatality of a fire.
Representatives from the union are bitterly complaining about a new alarm system, saying, "...the new dispatch system does not work." Spokespeople from the city, ostensibly the Fire Department but -- get real -- the press office works for the city, argue that firefighters have to give it a chance.
Why? Why do they have to give it a chance? They've said, on numerous occasions since the new system was put in place, that they are losing precious time and that it doesn't work. I'm in. If the FD tells me something doesn't work, you better believe I'm listening.
Why isn't the city?
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/nyregion/19fire.html
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