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.

Call Box Status: Out of Service Total Increases

Update: 3:00pm within last paragraph

Ok, it can definitely be said I am beating the issue of Roosevelt Island's "Temporarily Out of Order" fire /police call boxes to a bloody pulp but regarding a safety issue I have no problem doing so.

As of this morning there are 9 boxes "temporarily out of order", 4 stumps, and only 7 working boxes. I actually have no idea if they are working I just know there are no posted notices they are not working.

All boxes South of Capobianco Field (not counting the box just behind the infield backstop) down to Southpoint Park's gate are out of service or have been reduced to a stump. As I stated in earlier posts it appears the City is in the process of decommissioning the box system, per discussion threads on NYCFire.net. If this is true so the chances of these boxes coming back online is slim.

Again I believe this is a loss of services to the community and I just wanted folks to know of this loss. I called 311 as suggested within the comments and was told to contact the FDNY with the number they provided. I will provide an update after I call tomorrow during business hours.

Are We Manhattan or Queens for Fire Emergencies?

When reporting a fire or other emergencies time is always precious but apparently whoever put the above signs forgot that Queens is assigned all Roosevelt Island emergencies requiring the dispatch of emergency personnel. Box 1915 says to call Manhattan yet Box 1924 says to call Queens. I am not sure yet what borough Box 1948 says to call.

We may be Manhattan for voting and schools but if its a fire Engine 260 and Ladder 116 are our assigned first response units and they are based in Queens, LIC to be exact. So ignore the sign to call Manhattan. Call the Queens Dispatch Center at 999 - 5555. It is more direct than 911 for fire emergencies.

Now Three Fire Call Boxes Out in a Row: Reason for Concern ?

As of this morning three Roosevelt Island Fire Call Boxes are out in a row. Perhaps more but I have seen only three. Yesterday I posted about Box 1915 and now Box 1948, just North of 1915 and which was pictured at the bottom of yesterday's post has a "temporariy out of order" sign. Box 1948 lies on the edge of Rivercross Lawn facing South.

And as pictured above Box 1924 which faces the Tram plaza with its back to new Riverwalk building 405 Main Street has been tagged as well as out of order. It is thought that the issue may be the telecommunications circuit that may connect all three causing the problem. This is not confirmed.

With all three boxes out that means there are no street call boxes from the Tram up through Blackwell House with the first working box being across from 504 Main Street, where PSD currently has their temporary offices.

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.

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.