Call Boxes to Return to Service Possibly Today

After trading e-mails with a member of the FDNY Communications unit we can expect to see the call boxes return to service possibly as early as today. It appears the issue was a faulty circuit and there is no plan to phase out the boxes that exist today on Roosevelt Island.

As this issue has now been cleared up I will now keep my keyboard quiet regarding this issue. Thank you for indulging me.

For those readers that can appreciate anything that yells vintage old New York check out Call Box 1914 which sits just East of the gate into Southpoint Park as well as Call Box 1913 which sits across from Goldwater Hospital on the grassy divide between the street and the promenade.

Our Street Fire Boxes: A Vanishing Necessity ?

For some reason since I moved to Roosevelt Island I have been fascinated with our street Fire Call Boxes. It probably has to do with the fact that years ago I survived a fire in the brownstone I lived within while living in Brooklyn. That's another story. Anyway yesterday I noticed that Box 1915 which sits almost behind 465 Main Street, facing Manhattan and the East River, has been tagged as "temporarily out of service".

Last year when I traded emails with Public Safety Director Keith Guerra about the three stumps of former fire boxes, that sit in front of 415 - 475 Main Street, Southtown, he confirmed that usually when boxes go out of order tat they are removed. Per e-mail discussion threads on NYCFire.net I learned that the "stumps" are kept as the circuits run through them on their way to working boxes so the stumps remain.

It would appear then that 1915, which in addition to being on of the few boxes on that side of Riverwalk, may be headed for partial removal. I always iked this box as it was the classic design as opposed to the ugly grey boxes we have further up Main Street. Putting the aesthetics aside I do believe these boxes still serve a purpose. Even though cell phones are virtually everywhere there are still instances where individuals don't have one and these individuals may find themselves needing to report an incident, fire or otherwise, and these boxes are a link to our emergency services on and off the island.

RI Bridge Closure 4/15-17 & 4/21-22: Emergency Preparedness

Double Click Image to Enlarge.

Times affected 12:30 am to 5:30 am

------Original Message------

From: Steve Shane

To: Roosevelt Island 360
To: Roosevelt Islander
To: Dick Lutz / The Main Street WIRE
Cc: Fernando Martinez
Cc: Keith Guerra
Cc: Tom Turcic

Sent: Apr 7, 2009 5:26 PM

Subject: Bridge Closure

You have all received a copy of the DOT Notice of Bridge Closure.

1. It is absolutely necessary.

2. The Fire Department will station an engine (pumper) and a ladder truck on the Island during the outage to respond to any emergencies. In addition, there will be a fireboat available to deliver additional personnel if a big emergency occurs. An engine company (with 5 firemen) will be at the Vernon Ave. end of the Bridge to provide additional bodies as needed.

3. The Fire Dept. (EMS) will station an ambulance on the Island and an ambulance at the Vernon Ave end of the bridge. In the event of a medical emergency, the victim will be treated and taken to the RI end of the bridge and conveyed on a gurney to the other side where the other ambulance will be waiting to transport. In addition to the 4 EMS persons, there will be the 5 firemen there to assist. If the bridge is completely impassable (one of the procedures will require it to be 6'-8' above the connecting streets), then transport will have to be by Tram to a waiting ambulance on Manhattan side.

4. RIOC will run the Tram all night on 1/2 hour intervals (except in emergency) with the Red bus to match up. The Subway (F Train) should be available.

5.Only 2 nights are needed, and if the weather permits, the later nights will not be required. Steelworkers union contract and OSHA rules do not permit workers on exposed iron surfaces at heights when it is raining.

6. NYPD is also likely to station a squad car on the Island to assist.

We have coordinated all of this with NYPD, NYFD, EMS, DOT, HHC, etc. A necessary evil, but we should get through it. Please try to quell the hysterics.

Stephen H. Shane
President & CEO
Roosevelt Island Operating Corp.

Video: Tram Rescue Drills on Flickr

While walking across the Queensboro Bridge, photog DDC95 caught this past weekend's Roosevelt Island Tram rescue drills and posted them onto Flickr.

They are posted in three one minute segments 1, 2, and 3. The below photo is its original size can be found HERE.

EMS Bases Ambulance on Roosevelt Island

As reported earlier today by the Roosevelt Islander, Emergency Medical Sevices has decided to base an ambulance EMT unit on the island. THe unit will be housed during normal business hours at the RIOC bus depot and at other hours the ambulance will be stationed across the street from the Public Safety office on Main Street. NY1 broke the story earlier today. For more watch the video by linking HERE.

The video includes interviews with both Steve Shane, President of the Roosevelt island operating Corporation and Keith Guerra, Public Safety Director.

Gondola Ride Over Bronx Zoo Stuck for Hours

Tonight the various news outlets are reportng on the story that the gondola "Skyfari" ride at the Bronx Zoo was stuck for a number of hours stranding 37 individuals in mid-air reminiscent of the 2006 outage that struck the Roosevelt Island Tram.

The difference from what I read in the NY Times article, pictured above, was this incident involved a wheel of one gondola actually coming off the cable where the Roosevelt Island stoppage was power related and at no time were either of the Tram cabins detached from their cables in any form.

As resident of Roosevelt Island who travels via our Trams almost daily I have to admit when I first started riding them I felt somewhat uneasy during the experience but over the years have grown accustomed to the ride and no longer have any fears. But when I ride the Skyfari ride at the Zoo the old feelings return which I attribute to the small size of their cabins. I can't imagine the feelings that must have gone through those riders this evening as they waited much less for the three family members that were in the affected cabin.

One additional comment is in regard to the following quote from the article:

"Firefighters at the scene said they could not recall a time in the last 15 years when they were called out to the zoo to respond to an emergency on the Skyfari. They added that they do not regularly train to make high-angle rescues on the ride. Firefighters do, however, train to do rescues on another tramlike cable car ride in the zoo that crosses the Bronx River because it hovers over water. "

As resident I feel very comfortable knowing that the FDNY, along with our Tram staff and the local PSD train periodically to deal with tram stoppages and making if needed emergency rescues so visitors and residents alike should take comfort in that knowledge. All I can say for these individuals in "Thank G-d" for Bay Crane.

UPDATE 945 am Thurs. July 10

This morning Greg, oe of Tram operators recounted his learning of the Bronx Zoo stoppage. He was watching TV and saw a news scroll across the screen and saw the words "cable car stuck" and he just waited and breathed a bit easier when he saw it was not on Roosevelt Island. He also clarified for me that the wheels at the Bronx Zoo could not have come off the cables as their system does not operate that way. He indicated theirs is a single cable system. The same cable that pulls the car also carries the car.

The wheels are merely there for the operators do at ski resorts to pull the car around for new passengers to get in the car. Those of you that have taken the Skyfari ride will recall this. Greg is guessing the system stopped when a "brake" finally was tripped open either at the end stations or at the car in question.

Fire / Police Call Boxes : Existing and Former

There are many items on the Roosevelt Island landscape that tend to blend into the background as we go about our daily lives. Much of our street furniture such as the FDNY / NYPD Call Boxes fall into that category. They tend to simply exist unless you need them and then they become all important.

Most of these boxes these days tend to be of the grey steel variety that blend exceedingly well into the background on actual streets. Walking home from the Tram last night I noticed what appear to be two "stumps" and I began to wonder what the requirements are for such boxes relative to population growth. I know that building laws require that new construction include fire control centers in each residential building so I am sure the Riverwalk buildings have built in call boxes within their lobbies etc but it still seemed strange that the City would remove existing boxes from the street where there are still plans to build even more structures.

The "stumps" I noticed were along Main Street / East Road across the street from the line of Riverwalk buildings. One is directly across from 465 Main Street and the other is also on the soccer field side of the street across from approximately the 415 / 425 Main Street buildings. These two stumps must have appeared like the Red FDNY box pictured below.

It's strange what you sometimes notice and think about. But as a local blogger I am always intrigued by what I see on our streets.

UPDATE:

According to RIOC Public Safety Director Keith Guerra the boxes are taken off line by the City as each box no longer functions. Meaning a box is not replaced once it stops working. Boxes were added to our streets at a time when cell phones were not common and this allowed the public to report a fire or the need for the police in a free and expedient manner.

Sequence of FDNY Response to Southpoint Brush Fire

"Roosevelt Island, Manhattan, NY, 3/22/08

Location: South end of Roosevelt Island

Phone Box 8156 - Multiple calls reporting a brush fire
Engs. 260, 262, 263
L116, TL117
Battalion 45"

Closest street box (just South of Goldwater Hospital):

"14:56 hours
Marine 6 added to assignment with 5 minute ETA and outbound tide

15:05 hours
Battalion 45 reports we have what may be 2 brush fires at the southern tip, investigating at this time.

7-5-8156 - 15:10 hours
BC45: We are pulling back land units. Marine 6 is going to open up from the water. Using All-Hands, no additional companies required.

15:23 hours - Duration 39 minutes
BC45: All visible fire has been extinguished, fire is under control. Units will go 10-8 as they become available. "

For pictures of many of the other responding units link HERE.