Radios Proposed for New York Fireboats

Radios Proposed for New York Fireboats

Fire Commissioner Thomas J. Drennan of New York City is contemplating asking the board of estimate and apportionment for an appropriation with which to equip the ten New York City fireboats with radio receiving outfits. Mr. Drennan became imbued with the idea on a recent vacation he had to Honduras. He listened to the radiophone on shipboard, heard orders and messages sent and received and therefore thinks now that such a contrivance on the fireboats would be a time and money saver. The New York boats respond to many alarms of fire along the water front. In almost every instance two boats are due on the first alarm. Very often the services of neither of them are required and in such an event headquarters, upon receiving a preliminary report from the first due chief’s driver, could then by wireless communicate to the boat officers the instructions to turn about and return to the berth. Such a pro cedure would save fuel and reduce the time the marine company would otherwise be out of touch with the telegraph bureau. Frequently the New York boats are called to go down the hay to meet incoming ocean liners, some of which have been afire for a few days at sea. The fireboats often lay-to awaiting the arrival of the steamer with the fire in her hold. The radiophone in such a case could he used to give the fireboat the exact location of the incoming steamer and the probable time she will enter the lower bay of the port of New York.

As it is, many New York fire houses now have the raidophone more as a pastime than anything else. It keeps the men well occupied as well as amused and the fire force in New York has generally taken a keen interest in this latter day development. The fire telegraph dispatchers have also taken it up and it is more than likely that the new fire alarm telegraph central operating station in New York will have an aerial strung up on a mast to be erected in the park near the station on the 79th Street transverse road.