# The Fire Wire App vs NYC PBA

The clearest difference is rating: The Fire Wire App at 3.5 against NYC PBA's 2.3. The Fire Wire App also leads on review sentiment (37% vs 20%) and ratings volume (110 vs 15). NYC PBA's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (14.0.0 vs 17.4). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Fire Wire App sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $5.99 per month. NYC PBA asks for nothing beyond the download.

The Fire Wire App holds the better App Store score, 3.5 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Fire Wire App has 110 ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 37% of The Fire Wire App's written reviews are positive against 20% of NYC PBA's.

The Fire Wire App ships an update monthly, NYC PBA every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Fire Wire App | NYC PBA |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.5 (110 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-fire-wire-app/id980572369/reviews)** | [2.3 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nyc-pba/id6502008338/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **110** | 15 |
| Positive reviews | **36.7% of reviews** | 20.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 43 MB | 69 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.4 | **14.0.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [NYC Fire Wire Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/983274802) | [Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York, INC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1744205355) |

## What reviewers say

### The Fire Wire App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-fire-wire-app/id980572369)

Stay informed about live fire, EMS, and 911 alerts with an interactive incident map and scanner audio. Receive instant notifications for emergencies worldwide, track incidents, and access historical data. Premium features offer an ad-free experience, background audio, and advanced filtering.

**Highlights:** Live incident map, Instant push alerts, Incident feed and archive, Scanner audio, Favorites and bookmarking, Precision filters, Custom alert tones

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Monthly Subscription | $5.99 | per month |


### NYC PBA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nyc-pba/id6502008338)

This official union app provides members with PBA news, event updates, and a convenient way to submit paperwork electronically. It serves as a central resource for all essential membership information.

**Highlights:** PBA news and event updates, Electronic paperwork submission, Membership information resource, Official union communication

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Fire Wire App free?

The Fire Wire App is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is NYC PBA free?

NYC PBA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, The Fire Wire App or NYC PBA?

The Fire Wire App is rated higher. The Fire Wire App averages 3.5 out of 5 from 110 ratings, while NYC PBA averages 2.3 from 15 ratings.

### Do The Fire Wire App or NYC PBA have ads?

Neither The Fire Wire App nor NYC PBA shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Fire Wire App or NYC PBA?

The Fire Wire App ships an update monthly, and NYC PBA every 2 months. Most recently, The Fire Wire App was updated on November 1, 2026 and NYC PBA on October 6, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*