NewHavenFirefighter.org
The next time a fire engine passes by with sirens blazing, you can flip on your computer and figure out what’s going on.
That’s one main feature of the city fire union’s new website, NewHavenFirefighter.org.
The site includes an audio feed, piped in from Radio Reference.com, that broadcasts the radio communications between firefighters on the job. You can hear the dispatches in real-time, with just a 15-second delay, said Lt. Frank Ricci, union vice president and treasurer.
Ricci said the union launched the site as part of a public information campaign to let citizens know what firefighters do and their importance to the city.
“We felt we needed a way to get positive information out about the service,” Ricci said.
The site also includes one-page PDF downloads on safety issues like carbon monoxide poisoning. There’s also a special section with educational games for kids, and a “report it” feature, where citizens can send in photos of firefighters in action. All photos will be reviewed before they’re posted.
The site was put together by firefighters Justin McCarthy and Aaron Brantley, Lt. Ricci and union President Jimmy Kottage.