Fire Dispatchers’ Conversation

At 12:59 p.m. Sunday, a dispatcher from the San Diego Fire Department called a dispatcher with the California Department of Forestry in El Cajon to request that aerial tankers be sent to help battle the fire in Normal Heights. This is the text of their 38-second conversation:

SD dispatcher (in calm voice): Hi, this is San Diego Fire.

CDF dispatcher: Yeah.

SD: Ah . . . We are, ah, ah . . . Incident commander calling for air drops on this fire in Mission Valley. Can you guys give us a hand on that?

CDF: Well, we have nothing to . . . We, ah, the two air tankers we have are committed.

SD: That’s what I thought.

CDF: OK, I can ask and uh, if you . . . Why? Are you losing structures?

SD: Yup.

CDF: OK. I’ll uh, I’ll let ‘em know here.

SD: OK. Can you call me back when you get some idea?

CDF: Yeah, I don’t believe we’ll . . . I’ve asked for four more air tankers and I haven’t got an answer.

SD: Where are you guys working?

CDF: Right here in Monte Vista--Highway 94 and Steel Canyon.

SD: OK. Is that fire still going?

CDF: Yeah.

SD: OK, real good.

CDF: Fine.

SD: Thanks.

(End of conversation)