Listening to NJFFS scanner online and SEAT operations

I spent some time last week listening to the NJ Forest Fire Service (NJFFS), Division B radio scanners, available online through Radio Reference. As I understand it, the NJFFS Div B scanner feed through Radio Reference covers all or most of NJFFS Division B (Central NJ) and some frequencies in NJFFS (Division A) including some of the frequencies used in air to ground communications. Go here to see a map of the three divisions in NJ as used by the NJFFS.

While I would hardly consider myself an expert at listening to scanner, I found that I was able to pick more than I did when I first started listening to the scanner feed a year or so ago. As I understand it, many first reports of smoke come from one of the NJFFS fire towers. I have an idea about Division A fire towers v Division B fire towers, and when I am uncertain I have a list I can consult. So, assuming that the smoke is indeed located in the same Division as the reporting fire tower then I know if the fire is in Division A or B. Of course, there are times when the smoke is outside the Division, as was the case one day last week when I may  have heard a fire tower report a smoke somewhere in Pennsylvania with a discussion about where in PA the smoke might be. It stands to reason that the NJFFS will notify the appropriate agency in PA to report the smoke. With this in mind, it also stands to reason that a given NJFFS tower may be able to see a smoke in another Division.

In Division A, I am more familiar with the geography, so a might have an idea of where the smoke and/or fire being discussed is located. I continue listening and will hear ground resources (NJFFS engines manned by firefighters) are deployed to the fire. Engines assigned to Division A start with the letter "A" and so forth.

Last Friday afternoon, I was listening to the scanner about fire activity in Division A. I knew this because I recognized the location of a fire tower and recognizing some of the towns and nearby roads. At some point I heard references to airplanes, followed by what I thought were two unmistakeable references.

The first was referring to Alpha-2 being loaded and on the ramp (Grumman AgCat biplane currently assigned to the NJFFS Air Attack Base at Aeroflex-Andover (Sussex County, NJ). A short time later, I heard

"Alpha-2 is launched."

At the same time, there were references to Alpha-3 (2nd Grumman AgCat), but the specifics of the Alpha-3 reference was not clear to me. That happens to me sometimes when I am listening the online scanners.

As I sometimes do after or while listening to the online scanner, After listening to the references about some smoke and/or wildfires I went to the media to see if any media were reporting on wildfires in Division A. I continued to do so through out that evening and so no reports.

I did want to write this article about listening to the NJFFS Division B scanner online, but first I wanted to confirm that I did indeed hear correctly, that Alpha 2 was launched on Friday afternoon, and find out whether or not she did indeed make a drop on a fire. So, over the weekend, I sent an e-mail to my friend at Downstown Aero who confirmed that Alpha 2 made one drop on a small fire in Division A Friday afternoon. Alpha-3 was launched but did make a drop.

As I went to post this and was checking out my links, I see that there is 50-acre fire at the Picitinny Arsenal in northern NJ, Alpha-2 and Alpha-3 are reported to by flying that fire. I'd like to thank the NJFFS Section B-10 website for this report. As I was using my internet connection most of the afternoon to update the software on one of my computers, I was unable to listen to the NJFFS Div B online scanner feed.