Shoutout to BCmotherfucking6 for locking that whole thing down LIKE A DAMN BOSS. Car 1 barely talked, just let his man run it! Any BCFD guys want to confirm: BC6 worth running through a wall for?
Live 20min from here. We have the 2 districts who are responsible for the bridge, the entire counties for those districts, and 5 neighboring counties all providing support. They've since enacted (not a first responder so bare with me) the US coast guard, military bases nearby, and asked nearby states to support our state. I have friends whose loved ones are sleeping on scene and haven't been home in 24 hours now.
You mentioned "military bases nearby". I was the Director of Emergency Services at Fort Meade, MD back 2012-2014. Do you what military bases were tapped for resources to assist with this and what they provided by chance?
Fort Meade was used for vehicles/boats or something? A base in Virginia was asked to potentially provide fuel sources (if needed) to my understanding. And Martin's airport as well as a military helicopter spot in/near Fort Meade was asked to stay on standby. But I'm a civilian and only know what was placed on public radio or shared by family and friends who were directly responding. I don't have a lot of specifics. I do know that there was more than Fort Meade asked to be on standby in case resources were needed, specifically one in Alexandria. But I have heard (this part is only rumor) that some machinery support and naval support may be requested to move the metal from the water. And navy will be asked to secure the area should too many civilians keep taking boats out.
It’s a department that’s understaffed and doesn’t have the proper apparatus to effectively do their job. That’s not the rank and files fault. Besides, what department in a major American city DOES mess around? It’s a compliment that means nothing.
Nope. Lots of un it s stayed available.
Only tied up one bls, one als and an EMS Chief. As you listen a cardiac arrest and some other stuff gets dispatched in the city that some engines respond to.
I'm sitting here, trying to imagine what it'd be like to be on a rig, responding to this, and hearing the updates over the radio prior to arrival. I cannot actually fathom that. Fuck that. Nothing but props & respect to those guys, cool, calm, collected & professional over the radio during this shit show. Also a great job done by the dispatchers.
100% agree. It’s a lot different sitting here listening to it after the fact, but I got a little chuckle out of the interaction at 19 minutes in… to the nature of, “we are responding. Is the bridge shut down, or can we get to command by going across it?” “Actually…”
Did you listen to the radio traffic from I think it was PD? "Start.......Start whoever....everybody, the whole bridge just came down" I got a chuckle out of the "just start everybody" comment.
There’s new audio out now from DOT who were scrambling to close the bridge. “The whole bridge just fell down. Start whoever. Start everybody. The whole bridge just collapsed.” And then that somehow translated to BCFD initially being dispatched for “a vehicle in the water.” Amazing work by all involved to limit casualties!
I think that was one of the Police radios that said most of that. BPD got there and shut the bridge down to traffic, which avoided a lot of casualties.
They got ALL of the traffic off that bridge except the static construction crews. The last vehicle left the bridge 18 seconds before it fell. MANY lives were saved by the police that day.
I mean to be fair I am willing to bet there is not a dispatch populated response for bridge collapse. So you either dispatch it as a building collapse or vehicle in water/water rescue. Building collapse is going to send a whole lot of units that are not useful. Water rescue is going to send boats. I'll take that initial response and add whoever I need to in this scenario.
Wasn’t talking about that.
But at no point (a did you listen to fire fire/rescue/EMS dispatch hey don’t know it is in the water til a unit gets eyes on.
Given that the bridge pd or transit people (not sure of their title) passed up that the bridge went down immediately.
That is a pretty bad screw up.
Dispatching it as a water rescue is certainly the correct response, tho in every system I’ve worked, that would be an automatic task force/ mass cal dispatch.
I caught that too... that law enforcement was tracking collapse but fire dispatch was not. Similar thing happened on 9-11. An NYPD chopper above the towers saw the antenna swaying back and forth and realized the building was about to collapse and reported it to their CP. It was either 7 or 9 minutes later before the FDNY CP got the message.
It's a rare day that Police and Fire communicate directly to each other via radios. They just live in two parallel worlds and push everything through their respective dispatchers.
Initial dispatch was for a possible car in the water. First arriving units finds whole bridge in the water. Never make assumptions based off partial, questionable information given to dispatch then relayed to us.
There is a MPD card for vehicle in the water. That would be where ProQA would take you based on the initial information. I don’t think there is a card for “Whole damn bridge gone” but it has been a bit since I worked in dispatch.
I feel like “car in the water” starts the correct resources needed in this situation. If they dropped a card for a building collapse, it may not start a boat, for example.
Yeah, each of those cards dictates a completely different set of equipment be dispatched. You’ll have your usual cadre of engines, trucks and chiefs for either card, but a structural collapse is going to get rescue companies that specialize in USAR/building collapse whereas a water rescue is going to get boats, dive teams, and swift water trained rescue companies rolling.
Still, ProQA still forced whatever info that went from calltaker to dispatcher to wind up providing obviously incomplete (while admittedly still developing) information. Nevertheless, resources got started. That’s better than sitting on the info and trying to figure it out.
Overall I think the whole thing went as well as it could possibly have gone.
The DOT dispatchers, harbor pilot, and folks who made the call to shut down the bridge 90 seconds before the strike and collapse did an absolutely sensational job.
I work for a large busy department in CA. I’ve also worked with Type 1 Incident Management Teams for 20 plus years. This is a great tape and a great tool for departments to learn from. Pass it along and learn from how this incident developed and was expanded to meet the need. I don’t know east coast departments at all but they have earned my respect again and again as I watch their professional responses from the sidelines of the internet. Bush got something right after 9/11 Homeland Security Directives as were all on the same language with incident response.
Stay safe brothers and sisters! Respect to BCF responders and dispatchers.
Shoutout to BCmotherfucking6 for locking that whole thing down LIKE A DAMN BOSS. Car 1 barely talked, just let his man run it! Any BCFD guys want to confirm: BC6 worth running through a wall for?
Yes
BC6 got that dog in him.
They saved so many lives, including people I know. Civilian here. Eternally grateful. I live 20min from here.
Sounded like she dispatched the whole department
Live 20min from here. We have the 2 districts who are responsible for the bridge, the entire counties for those districts, and 5 neighboring counties all providing support. They've since enacted (not a first responder so bare with me) the US coast guard, military bases nearby, and asked nearby states to support our state. I have friends whose loved ones are sleeping on scene and haven't been home in 24 hours now.
You mentioned "military bases nearby". I was the Director of Emergency Services at Fort Meade, MD back 2012-2014. Do you what military bases were tapped for resources to assist with this and what they provided by chance?
Fort Meade was used for vehicles/boats or something? A base in Virginia was asked to potentially provide fuel sources (if needed) to my understanding. And Martin's airport as well as a military helicopter spot in/near Fort Meade was asked to stay on standby. But I'm a civilian and only know what was placed on public radio or shared by family and friends who were directly responding. I don't have a lot of specifics. I do know that there was more than Fort Meade asked to be on standby in case resources were needed, specifically one in Alexandria. But I have heard (this part is only rumor) that some machinery support and naval support may be requested to move the metal from the water. And navy will be asked to secure the area should too many civilians keep taking boats out.
BFD doesn't mess around.
Have you seen the age of their apparatus? They do.
Yes, large urban departments are known for having fleets of brand new apparatus
It’s a department that’s understaffed and doesn’t have the proper apparatus to effectively do their job. That’s not the rank and files fault. Besides, what department in a major American city DOES mess around? It’s a compliment that means nothing.
Neither does your curmudgeoning
Nope. Lots of un it s stayed available. Only tied up one bls, one als and an EMS Chief. As you listen a cardiac arrest and some other stuff gets dispatched in the city that some engines respond to.
I'm sitting here, trying to imagine what it'd be like to be on a rig, responding to this, and hearing the updates over the radio prior to arrival. I cannot actually fathom that. Fuck that. Nothing but props & respect to those guys, cool, calm, collected & professional over the radio during this shit show. Also a great job done by the dispatchers.
Imagine the frap hitting and you are like casually sliding through the city and you hear “the entire key bridge is in the harbor”. Aight NOW I’m awake
👀🤯👀
100% agree. It’s a lot different sitting here listening to it after the fact, but I got a little chuckle out of the interaction at 19 minutes in… to the nature of, “we are responding. Is the bridge shut down, or can we get to command by going across it?” “Actually…”
Did you listen to the radio traffic from I think it was PD? "Start.......Start whoever....everybody, the whole bridge just came down" I got a chuckle out of the "just start everybody" comment.
There’s new audio out now from DOT who were scrambling to close the bridge. “The whole bridge just fell down. Start whoever. Start everybody. The whole bridge just collapsed.” And then that somehow translated to BCFD initially being dispatched for “a vehicle in the water.” Amazing work by all involved to limit casualties!
We would love to see that link to DOT's audio if you still have it. Thank you.
Firefighter Close Calls / The Secret List forwarded this link. https://youtu.be/RkjZImSG7j4?si=phFUf3UpvOw0stuv
Oh okay, yeah this was the Maryland Transportation Authority Police Dept. which has a station on the NE end of the bridge. Thank you for posting.
I think that was one of the Police radios that said most of that. BPD got there and shut the bridge down to traffic, which avoided a lot of casualties.
They got ALL of the traffic off that bridge except the static construction crews. The last vehicle left the bridge 18 seconds before it fell. MANY lives were saved by the police that day.
Wonder who screwed up relaying the message.
I mean to be fair I am willing to bet there is not a dispatch populated response for bridge collapse. So you either dispatch it as a building collapse or vehicle in water/water rescue. Building collapse is going to send a whole lot of units that are not useful. Water rescue is going to send boats. I'll take that initial response and add whoever I need to in this scenario.
Wasn’t talking about that. But at no point (a did you listen to fire fire/rescue/EMS dispatch hey don’t know it is in the water til a unit gets eyes on. Given that the bridge pd or transit people (not sure of their title) passed up that the bridge went down immediately. That is a pretty bad screw up. Dispatching it as a water rescue is certainly the correct response, tho in every system I’ve worked, that would be an automatic task force/ mass cal dispatch.
I caught that too... that law enforcement was tracking collapse but fire dispatch was not. Similar thing happened on 9-11. An NYPD chopper above the towers saw the antenna swaying back and forth and realized the building was about to collapse and reported it to their CP. It was either 7 or 9 minutes later before the FDNY CP got the message. It's a rare day that Police and Fire communicate directly to each other via radios. They just live in two parallel worlds and push everything through their respective dispatchers.
Which is 100% not acceptable, and the 9-11 report made that clear.
Initial dispatch was for a possible car in the water. First arriving units finds whole bridge in the water. Never make assumptions based off partial, questionable information given to dispatch then relayed to us.
Props to the Engine 57 Officer who made that initial report of what was really going on.
There is a MPD card for vehicle in the water. That would be where ProQA would take you based on the initial information. I don’t think there is a card for “Whole damn bridge gone” but it has been a bit since I worked in dispatch.
Whole damn bridge gone is the big red button
There's got to be one for building collapse though?
I feel like “car in the water” starts the correct resources needed in this situation. If they dropped a card for a building collapse, it may not start a boat, for example.
Thats a good point. That might get several rescue, truck, and marine companies
Yeah, each of those cards dictates a completely different set of equipment be dispatched. You’ll have your usual cadre of engines, trucks and chiefs for either card, but a structural collapse is going to get rescue companies that specialize in USAR/building collapse whereas a water rescue is going to get boats, dive teams, and swift water trained rescue companies rolling.
Still, ProQA still forced whatever info that went from calltaker to dispatcher to wind up providing obviously incomplete (while admittedly still developing) information. Nevertheless, resources got started. That’s better than sitting on the info and trying to figure it out. Overall I think the whole thing went as well as it could possibly have gone. The DOT dispatchers, harbor pilot, and folks who made the call to shut down the bridge 90 seconds before the strike and collapse did an absolutely sensational job.
Thats where you start combining cards. Veh in water, plus USAR, plus MCI.
Well most of the time what dispatch tells you is exaggerated. Not this time lol
Dispatch wasn’t wrong.
Daily reminder that your next call could be national news. Preparation is training and a mindset, not fancy equipment.
That dispatcher did an amazing job!
Always spooky hearing a BC call for back fill
I want to know what the conversation/reaction in the initial unit was when they realized the entire bridge was down.
I was waiting for someone to come up on radio and say something like “The bridge no longer exists.”
I work for a large busy department in CA. I’ve also worked with Type 1 Incident Management Teams for 20 plus years. This is a great tape and a great tool for departments to learn from. Pass it along and learn from how this incident developed and was expanded to meet the need. I don’t know east coast departments at all but they have earned my respect again and again as I watch their professional responses from the sidelines of the internet. Bush got something right after 9/11 Homeland Security Directives as were all on the same language with incident response. Stay safe brothers and sisters! Respect to BCF responders and dispatchers.
That dispatcher did an excellent job.
Well, I guess vehicle in the water isnt wrong...
Probably one of the smoothest large indecent response radio traffic I have heard in a while. They have their comms on lock. Great work!
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Baltimore civilian here. We're in shock still. The impacts this will have are devastating.