gpeifer

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Posts posted by gpeifer

  2. Posted

    To clarify. The County did not refuse to dispatch the METU. I requested it and was advised through the proper dispatch procedure that the vehicle was not yet placed in service and that it was not available. This is no different than any other fire apparatus or ambulance. The County did coordinate the dispatch of two Bee Line buses in its place. Many of you need to climb out of your glass house and visit the real world. Stop posting and spreading rumors before knowing the facts.

    CFI609D, SageVigiles, aviator70 and 13 others like this

  7. Posted

    Even having been taught the old school methods of overhaul (i.e. take your mask off, a little smoke won't hurt you), I'm a proponent of wearing SCBA until CO levels have diminished well below the toxic level. This should also be the case for cyanide levels, as cyanide poisoning occurs more often as a result of today's technological advances. Just look at all of your electronic devices. When the burn, they give off hydrogen cyanide, the same gas used in gas chambers! A single breathe can be deadly.

    WEAR YOUR SCBA! BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY!

    As for Cyanokits, it's not a bad idea for EMS and fire agencies to carry them. You have no idea when or where someone may need it. It should be like carry Epipens, or a CPR mask.

    Absolutely wear SCBA. Another thought would be to utilize positive pressure ventilation during overhaul to ensure continuous flw of fresh air and toxic gas removal....yet we hardly see them being used.

    dwcfireman likes this

  9. Posted

    Does any department around the NYC metro area monitor cyanide levels of firefighters during rehab?

    And do any EMS agencies carry Cynokits?

    We monitor cyanide during overhaul. During rehab we monitor pulse cooximetry for elevated CO. Assume elevated levels of CO have cyanide present...they are the toxic twins. Cyanokits will be available shortly in Yonkers.

    Disaster_Guy and dwcfireman like this

  10. Posted

    While I can't say that working EMS is going to be my career, I can say that I love being a part of EMS and will be staying active no matter what as at ;east a vollie. My ultimate career goal is to get into a PD ESU unit, and most of the ESUs I know are at least ALS capable, so that would be the primary reason for getting my Medic. The problem is now, that as a recent college graduate, I need to find a job that pays me enough, or will get me state reimbursement, and allows me a flexible enough schedule that I have enough time to get to the class (the closest one is 45 minutes away) and take it, since the course is now almost 1400 hours.

    Other than White Plains, what other ESU is ALS capable?

  11. Posted

    EMT-I no longer exists, it is now AEMT. CC is a NY certification and both are only recognized in Regions that allow them. You would have to complete an entire medic class as an AEMT or CC unless the CIC offers advanced standing based on pre-entry testing. CC's do not learn nearly as much as medics. My experience with CC's coming to medic class is that he/she needs to take entire course.

  14. Posted

    If you are a Critical Care Techncian in NYS (will Westchester be pushed into having them?) then the new protocols suit you well. Paramedics should take a hard, close look, compare them to the old protocols, and then come to a conclusion. You will be calling a doctor many, many, more times than you have in the past. ACLS? Dont bother...they dont follow the algorythms. They are great for the "I'm barely a medic" providers that live in the protocol book and cannot make an educated patient care decision on their own. Just my two cents.....

    ryguy12fd, Ga-Lin and Jybehofd like this

  15. Posted

    Maybe I am just wrong - it's often the case :)

    But, I don't believe there are very many departments in NY, (at least Westchester area) that have the capability to go out on the ice. On the other hand, most of the departments in Connecticut seem to have ice rescue capability. My department has 2 suits (see below), noodle, rope bags, life vests (and some other items) on our 3 front line apparatus.

    This past weekend I heard a page for one of the departments (Montrose maybe) ice rescue team being put on standby. In this case, I'm not sure anything more came of it. How much time is it going to take to get them where they're needed?

    I would think for a still body of water (ie not a river), that with some basic training, proper PPE, this is a low risk, medium frequency type of event that more departments should be able to do.

    You have suits etc...but do you have training to perform a rescue without injuring yourselves. 2suits? Not enough. Maybe to run out onto the ice but what happens when their is a need for someone else to come get you?

    We have 12 suits on 3 trained companies, 12 more at our Special Operations Division, as well as Ocean ID boats designed for water rescue, including ice emergencies.

    Just wondering .....

    NRS_Mustang_Ice_Commander_Rescue_Suit_90

  16. Posted

    @firnatime....Are you volly or career? Just curious because your profile is vague. Maybe if we knew who you were your post might be more meaniful. Bnechis is respected fire officer in a career department and im sure has seen more fire than you have. If we all had 5 man engine companies (like FDNY) or put 50 FF on a first alarm (like FDNY) than none of this would be a concern. We don't and can't. I think you need to take a look at FDNY history. Reverse stretch is not done because its better at every job, it's done to make room for the trucks because space is an issue.

    Dinosaur, JM15 and Bnechis like this

  18. Posted

    How did this post, originally about a great job done by all, including the rescue of ten people in below freezing temperatures become a diatribe about everything except the job. I was surprised to even see a post about a yonkers fire since the incident alert section has not posted many of our jobs the past few months.

    TimesUp, jd783, Bnechis and 3 others like this

  21. Posted

    Had a funny occurence related to having your name out there and web forums. I made some negative comments about the NYSP Air Medical program a few years back on another web forum. They were not inaccurate, but they were pointed and direct. I basically told a former co-worker of mine (and the whole forum) that I felt that it was long past time for the MEDICAL side of the program to get with industry standards or get out of the business completely. I felt that they were advertising a service that they didn't provide, and thus doing a dis-service to everyone. My, my, did I ruffle his feathers. He told me that I had pissed off the entire NYSP police force, and if I managed to get myself pulled over while driving in NY I should watch out. Yikes! We haven't spoken since.

    Sounds like a threat and abuse of authority. A phone call to his commanding officer should have been made. And didn't the NYSP stop doing Medevac in Dutchess?

    markmets415 likes this

  22. Posted

    Looking at your post above and going to your profile all we see is that you're a male from Yonkers, so what's your beef if you're not even doing what you've stated above?

    My name is my screen name and my agency was listed in my profile. I have since updated it so feel free to view.

    CFI609D likes this