Charlie Fineran’s Photo of the Week is a Tower of Power! Here, Eric Weber, a Forest Fire Observer for the NJ Forest Fire Service, looking through an alidade, “an ancient instrument used to determine the location of distant objects.”

Many of my various visits and trips lead me to pass by this tower, BUT, on this particular day, I was very fortunate, it was in operation and I took advantage of an opportunity!!  Here is that story.

Arriving at the Tower, I notice, there is someone in it!  There is a sign saying stay off, I call up and identify myself, mentioning that I am a volunteer for the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area as a Site Photographer and any chance of a visit and some photos??  “Come on up” Arriving atop the 60 foot tower built in 1922,  I introduce myself and meet Eric Weber, his title is Forest Fire Observer for the NJ Forest Fire Service under NJ Parks, Forestry and DEP.

My visit was actually very enjoyable and interesting, Eric took the time to show how he and the other towers locate problem sites, co-ordinate the locations and actually get within a very close range of the area in question.  The towers have phones and radios for communications.  I mentioned I was retired with the NJ State Police and Eric asked if the voice on the radio sounded familiar, he asked if I knew Stanley Dutkus,  I said yes, he was the Senior Man at Newton Barracks when I was a recruit there!

Small world isn’t it!  There are a series of photos showing how they pinpoint a trouble spot.  Photo 173 if you look along the closest ridge line you will notice a white area just below that is a small group of pine trees, that white area is the beach at Swartswood State Park.  The next photo shows Eric looking through a device that he lines up with the site, he then looks at the degrees on the edge of the equipment and gets a reading.  Then we go to the maps and extend the string out to the site.  Another tower does the same procedure and they can triangulate the location.  The one photo with the smoke, was a controlled burn up at Layton being done by the Federal Park.  The Forests are very dry this year and there has been no leaf compaction due to no snow, this makes the forest floor much more dangerous for potential fires!!

What an informative and pleasant visit!!  I would like to thank Eric Weber for taking the time to give me such an interesting tour!  It is very obvious to me from my visit that he is a real credit to the NJ Forest Service and I would again like to thank both him personally and the Forest Service for all their hard work and diligence keeping our forests safe from fires!

Please visit my Flickr site for your photo tour – https://www.flickr.com/photos/charliefineran/albums/72157666815568367

Interesting facts about Catfish Fire Tower: Location – 1.1 miles south of Millbrook Road parking area & 10 miles north of the Delaware Water Gap – sited on the famous Appalachian Trail in DWGNRA; Construction – Built in 1922, one of New Jersey’s oldest fire towers.  It is on the National Historic Lookout Register with a designation – US 247, NJ 9; Dimensions – The tower is 60 feet tall, there are other taller NJ towers, however, at 1555 feet of elevation, it is the highest in elevation!; Operation – With the naked eyes, can scan 360 degrees.  If smoke detected, an alidade, an ancient instrument used to determine the location of distant objects; Range of accuracy – Accurately ID the location of fires for 10 miles covering 100 square miles.

Enjoy Your Open Space, Charlie Fineran