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If Mayor Bloomy could bill for emergency services, he'd have credit card swipers in all patrol cars and fire engines faster than you can say Bloomberg News Corporation.

In my opinion a "simple" fire would be a room and contents involved in fire, in an unoccupied, single story, type 3 or 5, private dwelling, with no extension, and no water supply issues.
Before I retired, to my knowledge my job never as a practice put a FAST company, particularly a mutual-aid FAST to work, unless as required for a firefighter in distress. It should be illegal (even though it is a violation of the Standard, it doesn't have the teeth it should) to put a FAST company to work for other than FAST purposes with no other company on scene to IMMEDIATELY take it's place. If a firefighter is killed or injured because no FAST is available, the lawyers are going to feast on the IC, and the department. Just my opinion.

Yes, thanks for sharing that website. The crew-cab K-Whopper looks just like the one I designed on the eztruck designer!

That's a pretty neat site. I drove tractor-trailers, and always wanted to see Kenworth cabbed fire engines.

In my opinion a "simple" fire would be a room and contents involved in fire, in an unoccupied, single story, type 3 or 5, private dwelling, with no extension, and no water supply issues.
Before I retired, to my knowledge my job never as a practice put a FAST company, particularly a mutual-aid FAST to work, unless as required for a firefighter in distress. It should be illegal (even though it is a violation of the Standard, it doesn't have the teeth it should) to put a FAST company to work for other than FAST purposes with no other company on scene to IMMEDIATELY take it's place. If a firefighter is killed or injured because no FAST is available, the lawyers are going to feast on the IC, and the department. Just my opinion.

Mutual aid is a luxury not a right. What would of happened if the surrounding departments were not available? Would the fire department just stand there while the house burns to the ground? Departments should look at themselves and determine whether or not they can handle a standard single family house fire by themselves. This is not to say that mutual aid should never be called in 99 percent of incidents it should. Mutual aid is a great thing and should be utilized but if the department is relying on other departments to pick up the slack then there are serious issues that need to be addressed.

You cannot bill for F.D. services. It's just that simple. That cost of fire operations is expensive, too expensive to bill on an occurrence by occurrence basis. People pay taxes to have this essential service available to them should they need it, even though most never will.
It's like insurance. The public safety sector is the best and cheapest insurance you can buy. In NYC, Fire/EMS is valued at about $300.00 per person. Not bad. What do you pay in car insurance?

Sounds kind of retro, billing for fire services. Maybe they should study their history a bit and learn about the fiascos that occured regularly when "Fire Insurance Wall Plaques" determined who might or might stop at your working fire to extinguish it!

If you look at the IA it again appears the FAST was again put to work without another FAST on scene. I know I sound like a broken record on this but this will work fine until someone is injured or killed. The IC that is ignoring 2 in 2 out is opening up themselves and the district to tremendous liability. I know that Mohegan was cited in the past year by PESH but I'm not sure of the particulars. It is a shame that the safety of the firefighters (paid or volunteer) is being sacraficed because of daytime manpower problems in Mohegan.

Mike updated again with another page...........
http://fdnysbravest.com/page7.htm

"Yes sir we are. When you said the steel tanks, it just brought me back to when I joined thr fire service in my Volly Department in Dutchess, we had 2A's with steel tanks. We then upgraded to 2.2 masks in the mid 90's. We now use 4.5's pak
For some of the younger members' edification, the Scott air pack has indeed come a long way. The 4.5 was a big improvement for the fire service. NASA got involved in creating the design. It removed the regulator (that used to be mounted on your chest with a low pressure hose connecting to the face piece on the model Don is talking about) and placed it on the newly designed facepiece. The facepiece afforded much more visability than the previous models, and this helped make it feel less claustrophobic."
This is the Scott the good EFD Capt was talking about. I used to wear that tank? No wonder my back hurts. Note the steel back plate...bulletproof. Also note that it was kept in that suitcase looking box on the ground. I do believe that is a rubber turnout coat judging by the crimp at the waist. Take away the old guys and the old equipment and look real hard...the fire's the same as 2010. Believe it or not, those guys put it out.

Thank you and thank you for clarifying, I was taking a shot at the dark as I know Mount Vernon sometimes jumps on with FDNY bids...
Thanks again.

bump

Unlike many of the new fire engine photos that grace the pages of emtbravo, this series shows an engine actually pumping at a working fire. We can read a lot into these photos, it's amazing what a rig can reflect about a department if you have some knowledge of that dept.
Good luck brothers of the FDMV!

Not to toss a negative into an otherwise positive thread, but I feel this warrants a word of caution. I'd be highly skeptical of using a dog leash or anything "clipped" to another person. If something happens to the partner with the loop like falling into a hole the FF with the clipped on end will not be able to release it. Similarly if there was a localized collapse between the two of you. A similar tactic can be to use a piece of webbing/line that each of you holds the end of. I'd be very careful clipping anything that could not be immediately released, under emergency conditions. At 5-6 ft. I think I 'd prefer to verbally communicate, as anything of any weight, even a coffee table or kitchen chair, will slow you up as you are forced to come together and figure out how to pass. There are times when "buddy lines" should be used and others where they can be trouble.

Good Thread Capt Benz
Here's a post I put out on a seemingly good thread that died rapidly. I thought it fit this thread as a fireground tip. Hpoefully, you are in a FD thata allows anyone to make this kind of call, and not have to wait for a Chief.
"Having not answered your initial questions. let me at least share a rule of thumb told to me many years ago by a FDNY DC. He called it the 20-minute rule and has always worked for me.

When do you call for a 2nd Alarm On Arrival?
More than 2 Windows
More than one floor
More than 20 min.
The 20 min Rule briefly explained:
More than 2 windows: For the most part, a single room will have one or two windows. Fire showing beyond that indicates that this might be more than your 1 alarm room and contents job.
More than 1 floor: Obviously, this fire is on the move and will require more resources than you have on hand.
More than 20 min: If you don't believe that the fire can be completely put out in under 20 min, transmit the 2nd. Why 20 min? Because that's how long a SCBA (and the hardworking person wearing it) will last. Without incoming manpower, you would have to stop work on thf firefight to rehab/refill.
And, while I'm at it, heres my own rule of thumb on SOP's, SOG's, and other rules of thumb:
1. Keep it simple. If it's simple, you might remember it under pressure. If it's complicated you won't.
2.Keep it flexible. Or else it won't fit your next incident"

I am asking for input for this topic. What I am looking for is a list of tips that we cant find in the books that work on the fireground. this could help everybody at sometime in thier career. No particular order at this point, if you have something share it with the rest of the crowd.
GROUND LADDERS
All ground ladders should be marked at the balance point for one man carries
Whoever has the Butt / foot of the ladder in a 2 man carry should anounce it so as you are approaching the building there is no confusion as to where it should be placed, and also so it cant get put upside down. That could never happen lol

Unlike many of the new fire engine photos that grace the pages of emtbravo, this series shows an engine actually pumping at a working fire. We can read a lot into these photos, it's amazing what a rig can reflect about a department if you have some knowledge of that dept.
Good luck brothers of the FDMV!

105 views so far...I bet I can double that at least...

Thanks everyone for the input, and don't stop please! Several people have mentioned Dragon Rescue, including a few PM's, so I have a few different routes to go, thanks again everyone I do appreciate it.
Most likely I am going to take what people have written and provided here and try and use as much as possible to help me get better aquainted, and the others in my company, thanks again!

I've only viewed the one PP but it looks great, thanks!

The latter, an occupied elevator that is not operational, those on a floor, in between, forcing or opening the doors, alternative exits other than the door, etc.
Thank you for helping me clarify!

One quick one before the second half of OSHA...
If your nozzles have pistol grips, get used to being the lineman without using the pistol grip, and extending the nozzle an arms length away from you, but not too far so that you cannot operate the bale. A lot of people will say that is the proper way to handle a hose, some will disagree, just my .02.
Everyone stay safe!
Oh, and inspect your nozzles, they are just as important as SCBA and other equipment, but often are passed over for frequent inspection.

It seems like every day another new feature is being introduced on this site. Personally, I think the site is greatly improved. The favorite feature I like is when someone makes a new post the site will update to reflect it. It has to have taken a lot of effort on the part of the administration to make these improvements.
I've noticed the fundraising goal has been fairly stagnant as of late. If a majority of the "active" posters on the site would just step up and help the site reach it's very reasonable goal of a few thousand dollars, it would be a good thing. It would be doing the right thing imho. After all, we all participate here, get good information, share our thoughts and opinions, and for me being retired, it's a way to stay connected to the fire service.
Tis the season, and I encourage my fellow emtbravo members to help the site meet it's fundraising goal.

I know somebody other than me who watched the video is thinking this, so I'm going to pose the question:
For a.....DOG in the water?
While I give full credit to the members' performance at this alarm, I must ask; where is the "risk/reward" assesment for this type of response and subsequent rescue? I can understand the concern about civilians attempting an amateur rescue attempt, and putting their lives and thefore LAFD/PD members potentially at risk.
But what about a sniper with a tranquilizer-dart gun and a net deployed a hundred or two yards down river? C'mon people, use your imagination here. What else could have been done?
The brother who actually made the grab got multiple puncture wounds and bites from the animal. That was the hardest part of the video to watch. I was wondering if he had some extra protective gear on to prevent the dog from biting him; aside from his regular rescue gear. Guess not.
*What if the dog is rabid?
*What would critics be saying if the helo had a tragic accident during the rescue attempt? Do you think the Chief and other Commanders would be receiving any criticism/lawsuits from grieving familes/getting roasted in the press, etc?
*Helo rescues as routine as they might be for a place like the Los Angeles basin, are still some of the riskiest operations undertaken by emergency services, are they not?
Risk ALL OF THIS.....for a dog?
Conclusion: IMHO, If I was making decisions at this incident (based on the limited information received in the post and on the video), I would never have put the helo rescue into operation. Nor would I have risked injury (which did occur) to any one of the firefighters. You know it can be heartbreaking to sit by and just watch as an animal struggles. Human emotion takes over; everyone wants to do something. BUT, somebody has to evaluate what the risk/reward is; and at the end of the day no firefighter's life is worth risking for an animal. As cold as that may sound, that's what "Incident Commanders" are paid to do; take the emotion out of the equation and make decisions in the best interest of those you serve and protect, YOUR TROOPS.
~Just an opinion, and once again give credit to all the brothers/sisters who performed their duties as ordered!