He fiddles with the controls and through a riot of static he is shocked to discover that his still-young father is on the other end of the line. The two are truly on the same wavelength, and suddenly he has a chance to undo the tragedy of his father's early death. The phenomenon all has something to do with solar winds, sunspots and a spectacular aurora borealis shimmering above Queens. Not that the pseudo-science behind the phenomenon makes any sense or matters much, for in its heart, Toby Emmerich's script is about the bond between father and son. And the Miracle Mets.
Baseball fulfills a major role in the mechanics of the film.
When it turns out John is right, Frank takes his warning seriously and fights fire with a new methodology. Now that he's prevented Frank's death, he'll at least have those memories. Never mind the new catastrophes that arise. It's more like filler. Braugher has no trouble working this precinct.