JFLYNN

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Posts posted by JFLYNN

  1. Posted

    We respond with what is requested, nothing more.

    Engine to scene or cover goes with a crew of 4, 3 interior qualified

    Tanker goes with with crew 2

    Tower goes with crew 5, two must be qualified driver/mpo , 3 interior qualified

    BFU/EUV - goes with minimum 4 [crew cab on brush truck]

    Rescue goes with crew 4

    Only one chief allowed to go out of town in POV/"Car". Second chief can go on a rig if needed. Still leaves us with 2 in town.

    No one allowed to go out of town on POV. No cadets [juniors] or probies allowed to go mutual aid.

    Town has 4 Engines, only two allowed out to go mutual aid.

    My compliments to your department. This sounds like an well thought out and commonsensical policy. Unfortunately you are more of an exception rather than the rule. It would be good policy for more departments to implement such procedures as you have.

    x635 likes this

  6. Posted

    That sums it up.

    The manpower is the single largest points portion of the rating.

    Barry, isn't water supply the most important factor = ( 40%)?

    Communications 10%?

    All other, which includes staffing, training, apparatus, equipment, apparatus location and deployment = 50%?

    And all this will be changing signifcantly in the near future as I understand?

    Congratulations Mamaroneck.

  7. Posted

    What is everyones feelings on "full PPE".

    I have always followed, if the equipment has been designed and issued, its more than likely made to protect you.

    We have a guy at our house who changes like the weather. He is like a real A$$ when it comes to telling him "your doing it wrong";

    i.e., no nomex hood when in a taxpayer live burn, or no nomex during car fires, not clasping helmet (and losing it coming down a ladder.

    And yet he is the first one to fight with everyone, if someone besides him does it.

    We use differant tools for differant jobs, firefighting, EMS, HAZMAT, CS, etc.

    But when it comesto PPE it can be life or death.

    Thank you and be safe.

    Is that a misprint or are you truly an Assistant Chief at between 21-24 years old?

    JohnnyOV and x129K like this

  11. Posted

    I am speechless. It's repulsive and going to get posted. It might as well be a volly to put it up.

    http://www.lohud.com...|text|Frontpage

    My initial take: It's a slap in the face to all of us. Punnish the perpetrators, not the town/community

    Yes, these alleged acts are about as repulsive as it gets.

    However, the town leaders do have a responsibility to be proactive and take whatever reasonable steps to ensure such incidents do not take place. Those town leaders who fail to truly lead, and who put their heads in the sand about known or suspected problems in emergency services, (whether career or volunteer) should be held accountable as well when the inevitable major problems occur.

    BFD1054 likes this

  12. Posted

    I am going to get flack for saying this but stop the cfr program. It does not work. All it does is stop the clock. Have the firefighters go back to performing fire duties. If you take out the ems runs the call volume for the fire side will cut in half. Then you can close the 20 companies with out a problem. In all honesty the Mayor would rather spend billions on water front property and bike lanes instead essential services. These projects and entitlement programs should be cut first. But that will never happen.

    I rarely stick my 2 cents in on NYC issues as I feel there are many on this board more qualified to comment than I am, however, I must chime in here...

    I am shocked that you could make this statement. You are a paramedic working in NYC and you are stating that the FDNY CFR program does not work and should be stopped?

    You also state that if the CFR program was stopped "20 fire companies could be closed without a problem".

    What did you smoke before typing??????

    Bnechis, M' Ave, Danger and 1 other like this

  13. Posted

    I'll bite, and tell you about the UK.

    The UK doesn't have fire departments; they have fire brigades, and a brigade doesn't cover an area smaller than a county. Some have amalgamated and cover more than one county. So, no local fire departments in the American sense. This has been the case for a very long time - certainly from the second world war, when all existing firefighting resources were, in effect, nationalized, and there was a single National Fire Service for the duration of the war. This big difference, that during the war the North American continent never came under direct attack, whilst the UK was bombed heavily, is mostly responsible for the organizational differences.

    Are there volunteers? Yes, there are a very few areas - mostly very remote rural areas with exceedingly low call volumes - in the brigades where 'first aid' fire cover is provided by pure volunteers. Usually they don't have apparatus or SCBA, perhaps just a trailer with basic equipment, maybe some buckets, a portable pump & hose etc.

    For the vast, vast majority of the country, the firefighters are not volunteers; they are 'wholetime' or 'retained'.

    'Wholetime' means what we would call 'career' - exactly the same as here.

    'Retained' firefighters operate a bit like our volunteers - they have day jobs and carry pagers. When the tones drop, they respond to the fire station and get the apparatus out. But they're paid. They're paid an annual bounty or 'retainer' - hence 'retained' - and they're paid at union hourly rates for time spent training and responding to calls. And they have specific duty hours when they're contractually obliged to respond to all calls; they 'clock in' and 'clock out' of their duty hours by cellphone or computer.

    They're more like part-time career firefighters, and they can and do join the union. Training is similar for both. So it's more than just 'paid per call'.

    Obviously big cities are staffed entirely by 'wholetime' firefighters, and 'retained' firefighters are in smaller towns and rural areas. As far as I know, there are no mixed crews of retained & wholetime firefighters on the same apparatus - so no combo departments as we would think of them. What you do sometimes get is a fire station with a wholetime dayshift and a retained nightshift, for instance.

    Oh, and UK firefighters do not do EMS; the ambulance/paramedic service is entirely separate, run by the NHS.

    Hope that helps.

    Mike

    Yes, I've heard about this before. Sounds like a great system. Too bad for many of the younger members of the volunteer fire service here in the U.S. that their seniors will never fight for such a system here...imagine if we took all the money spent (wasted) in the volunteer fire service on mega-over duplication of apparatus, fire stations, and equipment, LOSAP, tax breaks, education and recruitment incentives, workers comp and liability insurance, lavish social events, etc.. We could have a truly professional and accountable fire service throughout NYS, and many of the younger members of the volunteer fire service would have a better opportunity to make a few bucks and have access to quality training, someday maybe leading to a fulltime career.

    Instead, the myth of how much savings to the taxpayers is provided by volunteer firefighters will continue to be perpetuated by their leaders. Wake up young guys and shake things up a bit!

    KFIYL2000, JohnnyOV, efermann and 1 other like this

  14. Posted · Edited by JFLYNN

    While I am no longer a parade person any longer I do recall seeing a career dept 3/4 million dollar ladder on the opposite side of the county for a parade with its vollies, being driven by a career member. So it may be practiced alot more by volunteer departments but is not exclusive to volunteer departments.

    This is a ridiculous statement. What you are referring to is a combination department, not a career department. The career member in question was almost certainly directed to drive the apparatus to the parade by his volunteer "superiors", who very probably refer to him (with intent and purpose) as "driver", not "Firefighter".

    Kudos to the many level headed, volunteers who care about their community and have had the courage to criticize in this thread the disgraceful practice of taking apparatus out of their district for a parade.

    I do have an agenda about lots of issues. One of my issues (concerns) is the ridiculous and hypocritical practice of bringing apparatus to parades outside of the district. I hear constantly about the need for funding and incentives to recruit to fill the diminishing ranks of volunteer firefighters who will "save the community the enormous cost of a paid fire department" (btw always using the word "paid" as opposed to "career"...this too is done with intent and purpose)...It is also incessantly and inanely regurgitated that "volunteers and career guys are the same and provide the same level of service"...The practice of bringing apparatus and a large percentage of members to parades outside district flies directly in the face of these statements.

    It is apparent that this is a legitimate issue and it is not unfair basing of volunteer by career members. Many volunteer firefighters are ethical and have common sense enough to realize that this archaic practice no longer has a place in the fire service if "we", yes "we" (career and volunteer) take the oaths we have sworn to our community's seriously. Many volunteer firefighters have stated so in this thread and in other threads previously...

    Are we beating a dead horse? Absolutely not! The problem still exists! Any avenue available to expose this problem for what it is should be taken. Many people outside of the fire service are unaware of this situation and many inside of the fire service are complacent and / or resistant to change. So, those of us who have an agenda will repeat our mantra...most others will remain on the sidelines, some may feel inspired to join in and speak up for positive change, and of course we will always have those individuals who will rationalize, attack the messenger, or blame shift.

    Eventually though, apparatus in out of district parades will go the way of horse drawn engines, wooden ladders, and pullup rubber boots (Lord, how I miss those!)

    Hopefully, the discarding of this practice will happen as the result of rational, forward thinking fire service leaders and not as a consequence of a high- profile tragedy.

    Dinosaur, efermann, Mark Z and 4 others like this

  15. Posted · Edited by JFLYNN

    <BR>Those collars were fabricated by a YFD member.<BR><BR>

    Fabricated by Firefighter Dave Maxwell, former senior man of TL-71, great truckman, talented fabricator, Vietnam combat veteran, who is now deceased.<BR><BR>Unfortunately, he did not live to enjoy the long retirement which he deserved.<BR><BR><BR><BR>Absolutely. As mentioned in the original post, the agencies involved all contributed to a succesful outcome!<BR>

  18. Posted

    Westchester departments would have responded the same and would have done fine.

    I find it funny that leo's responding to this thread have been very critical of westchester ff departments. I could post in the Leo threads within emtbravo and list all the negatives but I don't because it's unprofessional and I'm not a cop and butting in makes no sense, so please show some courtesy and respect.

    When I applied to become a VFF in Westchester no one especiqlly the instructors teaching Fire 1 in Valhalla ever said anything like 30 volunteer FF = 1 Career FF.

    Whether you are career or volunteer FF, when arriving on scene we are striving for the same goals.

    When I sing in the shower each morning I am striving for the same goals as is Bono from U2...when I shoot hoops in my driveway I am striving for the same goals as Larry Byrd did in his time...when I decide where to invest in my extremely meager retirement accounts I am striving for the same goals as Warren Buffet...so far despite all my striving and good intentions, my results have not been the equivalent of theirs...

    PEMO3, efdcapt115, helicopper and 1 other like this

  19. Posted

    what are the run totals for a Village of 6500 as of 2000 ? Isnt there a possibility that the Village cant afford to maintain what is has. Was there a need for a career dept ( serious question) and if so does the career end need to man the firehouse 24 hours a day.

    I live in a Village of 12,000 and we are strictly volunteers with 450 runs a year with a budget of $375,000 with $150,000 of that going to United Water , I would love some of Pelhams budget

    Where in Westchester are you? An annual budget of $375,000 seems low compared to what I have seen elsewhere for similar sized communities in Westchester? Does this figure include LOSAP (if applicable), workers comp, health care (if applicable), apparatus, fuel, maintenance, facilities and equipment, training, etc.? Also, any tax credits or rebates given to members if applicable should be factored in to the total budget.

  20. Posted

    So to sum up this and just about every other thread:

    Volunteer: Black

    Career: White

    Volunteer: Up

    Career: Down

    Volunteer: Dog

    Career: Cat

    Volunteer: Left

    Career: Right

    Volunteer: All firefighters are Brothers

    Career: Only career firefighters are Brothers, volunteers are untrained, uncertified, unmotivated, uneducated scabs

    Volunteers: We all face the same risks when the bell hits

    Career: Only career firefighters face risks, volunteers are untrained, uncertified, unmotivated, uneducated scabs

    Volunteers: We are professional in the performance of our duty

    Career: Only career firefighters are professional, volunteers are untrained, uncertified, unmotivated, uneducated scabs

    Volunteer: We want to work together

    Career: Only career firefighters can work together, volunteers are untrained, uncertified, unmotivated, uneducated scabs

    Volunteer: We meet the standards required

    Career: Only career firefighters meet standards, volunteers are untrained, uncertified, unmotivated, uneducated scabs

    Volunteers: We should be indemnified because we risk our lives to help others

    Career: Volunteers shouldn't be indemnified, volunteers are untrained, uncertified, unmotivated, uneducated scabs

    Volunteer: I'm better than you because I don't get a paycheck

    Career: I'm better than you because I get a paycheck, volunteers are untrained, uncertified, unmotivated, uneducated scabs

    I think you get the point.

    Cogs

    Making blanket, all encompassing statements about groups of people is almost always wrong, as it obviously is in this case. I hope nobody takes the bait and drinks this guys poison, on either side of this issue.

  21. Posted · Edited by JFLYNN

    Chief, Let's talk about the impressionable young guys out there, my beef with you is your obvious disdain for the Volunteer firefighter. Post after post, whenever you get the chance to knock the service you do. Now you are arguing the word "professional" and that a true Volunteer does not ask for anything. Come on now give it a rest. The only thing the "silent majority" realize is how you go out of your way to knock whatever you can. Again I know the whole qtip thing, but it's the way you feel you need to bring up certain things when you argue your case. The way you use the term "Hobby" or bring up Volunteer firefighters as arsonists. If you really felt you had to do bring that up, you should have at least mentioned the Nations worst serial arsonist was a career firefighter from Ca. Just so the impressionable young guys know the facts. You could have argued your point without bringing that up. What YOU DO convey is that you have no use for Volunteer firefighters. Hey if this is your way to "grab" the reader so be it.

    How do you think some of these young guys will feel if they ever had to take a class you were teaching? Sure you can give a line of "malarkey" at the start of the class about how you view all firefighters equal, but as someone else here noted what you say here can come back to haunt you. The younger guys here see how you go out of your way to knock THEM, because most of the impressionable younger guys are Volunteers.

    Be safe.

    7011 out.

    I'm done responding directly to this guy as it's hopeless IMO. However, I will continue to respond whenever he posts inaccurate or misleading information, which is often...he continues to quote me out of context in his attempts to slander and discredit...so, follow the threads all the way through and make your own judgements.

    As far as there being a serious issue in the volunteer fire service in relation to members commiting arson, well I did bring it up as part of a response to a post and not as slander. In fact, I intentionally only made a brief mention of it since I felt it was relevant, yet I was trying to be as "gentle" as possible in making my point. Since this individual has chosen to dispute my statement, I will elaborate on what many of us on this forum already know...it is correct stating that a career firefighter was the worst serial arsonist on record. There have been other cases of career firefighters commiting arson also. However, the vast, overwhelming majority of firefighter arsonists are indisputedly volunteer firefighters. I'm busy right now and I don't really see the need to harp on this issue.However, If this fact is disputed further, I am happy to provide compelling evidence .

    All that being said, I will also state that (obviously) the vast, overwhelming majority of volunteer firefighters are not arsonists and are in fact, good, community minded people. This disclaimer is made in advance of what I anticipate to be another post by the above individual who will attempt to twist my words.

  22. Posted

    There have been a lot of good points and observations made here by some obviously knowledgeable individuals. A few of the posts have brought out some things I missed. A few I have a difference of opinion. Too tired to get into it right now but I will later. Didn't want you to think I made an "Irish exit" on this one...

  23. Posted

    :huh:

    While this may be true according to Websters the fact is the law says differently when defining a volunteer...and it is the law not Webster's definition that matters. The very same reasons that are often cited for the lack of volunteers or their "standards" cuts both ways. If we are to require considerably more training, certification ect from our members we need to offset that committment somehow for the impostion those requirements put upon them and their families. Or do you feel this is an unfair arrangement? If so I would find that somewhat hypocritical since it's no different than a union bargaining for conditions over and above their base salary for hours worked in order to "look out" for their members. Do you honestly believe that a VFD should not do all it legally can to "look out" for it's members? Well again if so please practice what you preach and stick to negotiating salaries for hours worked, because as a taxpayer I don't want to pay (nor should I have to) for your sick leave, vacation, overtime, health benefits, training, minimum staffing or any other item or compensation beyond your base salary that you negotiated and recieve to do your job.

    Cogs

    You don't want to use the Webster's definition for volunteer but rather what you claim is the legal definition?. However, you would definitely want to use the Webster's definition for "professional" as you would relate this word to volunteer and career firefighters, right? At least that is what I have read many times on here before. Why not use the legal definition for professional firefighter then, ok? In any courtroom, if an attorney were to refer to a Firefighter as "professional" he would undoubdetly be making the distinction between career and volunteer. You can't have it both ways, no? Funny thing is, I really don't care if a volunteer wants to share the term professional with us career guys...I get the argument...I just wanted to point out the hypocrisy in your argument.

    The rest of your argument is specious and not necessary to reply to but thanks for exposing yourself still further as to your feelings vis a vis career firefighters.

  24. Posted

    Please let me reiterate what I've actually said here: I cannot see why the municipal or other governmental body would provide indemnification when they have no control over hiring, training, and discipline.

    So to spell that out, it really only applies to truly private departments whom are not part of the taxing entity. As I see it, the community that "hires" you as paid call or otherwise compensated firefighters should provide you with the same protections as career guys. Now, if the state is going to grant this, I'd think they'd want to set a standard of minimum requirements, for both the entity(FD) and for the individuals(firefighters). Should the state indemnify candy stripers at the hospital? How about members of the Rotary and Kiwanis? They do good things for the community, no? Hell if they'd indemnify volunteer cops, I might join up to carry a gun. To me the issue is not whether volunteers have earned indemnification, but the responsibility to the citizens at large for such a responsibility. Clearly, requiring equal minimum requirements would go along way.

    Nice post. It is a shame that many times it is necessary to have to reiterate what you actually say on here isn't it? As I mentioned earlier, oftentimes those who don't have a good argument based on facts will attempt to distract by attacking another issue, or by misstating what was actually said by someone on the other side of the issue.

    Chief, you obviously realize that the only appropriate tactic when faced with this type of attack is to stick to the issues, keep it honest, not resort to personal attack, and repeat the message as much as necessary,using examples, humor, and whatever "teaching" skill may grab the attention of the reader, or listener.

    Most of the silent majority realize this already also and can clearly see things as they truly are, same as in real life.

    For many of the younger , more impressionable guys out there maybe reading these recent posts with all the unnecessary drama can serve as a valuable life lesson. Repetition breeds retention and the best response to false rumor and slander is to stay calm and patiently state and restate your case as necessary.

  25. Posted

    On behalf of social service, religious organization and government employees that various volunteer activities displace, I ask why so many insist on parading around with this self-righteous volunteerism? Whatever job opportunities a persons selfish sense of satisfaction compels them to deny others is work that a person could otherwise be gainfully employed at.

    Soup kitchen? I'm sure professional food industry workers would like to make a living doing that work.

    Animal shelter? City and county animal control employees must be thankful for the bread taken from their tables.

    Big Brothers/Sisters? Social services and school district guidance workers frown on such self-righteous interference in their critical efforts.

    Missionary work? This persistent interference in the functioning of local government perpetuates the very dysfunction it espouse to alleviate. The deplorable conditions in many third world countries continues because no locally derived reforms can gain traction in the face of free handouts and interference from the well-meaning but short sighted wealthy foreigners.

    Elder care? The nursing home industry is already besot with impenetrable cost structures and lack of funding; unfair competition by rogue organizations operated with "free" and untrained staffing further degrades care for the elderly and may indeed result in sub-standard care throughout the field.

    The fact is that every activity undertaken as an act of charity is, in effect, taking the food fro mthe tables of those who have chosen that work as a profession. Furthermore, handouts and "charity" only serve to foster dependence. It also gives government agencies the false sense that their taxpayer supported services are adequate to actual needs, preventign the opening of living wage jobs that are, in fact, needed.

    I am uncomfortable that an amateur, with an unknown background in whatever specious activities they engage in, could interfere in the provision of critical humanitarian services otherwise provided by credentialed and screened professionals. It has been said before that the only tool good enough to do a job is the tool paid for at the highest possible cost. Anything less is shortchanging the customer.

    That some of these do-gooders have decided to rightfully accept personal liability for any potential malpractice, injury or omission while embarking in this "wild west" world of doing the jobs of others for free is our only solace. Work without compensation in any arena is an affront to order and capitalism and those miscreants who perpetuate it should face all the risk of their antisocial freelancing. The most compassionate effort any true American can make is to ensure that no work is done without payment and that all contracts are are honored at dire risk of exorbitant civil or criminal penalty.

    And, yes, QTIP

    I will give you and A for effort and originality. It was also refreshing to see a poster on the other side of this issue make a gramatically correct post with no spelling errors and no personal attacks. Good for you! You obvously realize that humor and deflection are excellent tactics to use in a debate when the facts are just not on your side.

    However, the point still remains...a true volunteer does not ask for or receive compensation for the services provided.