x635

Happy Birthday to TR54, and jcoppola, who are both celebrating their 39th birthday today! Next year it's the big four oh!

I realize that most people who can answer this question are out there operating the equipment right now, lol, but hopefully one of you knows or could provide me with more information. In my never ending quest to photograph the municipal apparatus that clears our roadways during snowstorms, this morning I went to a few local DPW yards in hopes of capturing some of the many trucks getting ready to roll this afternoon. One that stood out was Sleepy Hollow DPW. They have a great fleet, and I noticed that they had "winged" plows, which are typically used on highways and not found in many local DPW yards. I was under the impression that Route 9 and Route 117 were plowed by NYS DOT. I thought I knew all of Sleepy Hollow, but am I missing something? Doe SH-DPW plow these roads? Or do they use the "wing" technique to cover a two lane side street in one swoop? I'm always interested in DPW operations and an information junkie, so if anyone could fill me in I'd appreciate it!

Date: 12-12-07 (LATE ENTRY) Time: 1900hrs Location: West Hartsdale Ave @ Pinebrook Rd. Frequency: Units Operating: Greenburgh Police, Greenbugh Police EMS Description Of Incident: Police officer struck while directing traffic. Officer transported to WMC, where she was reportedly treated for unknown injuries and released. West Hartsdale Ave closed in both directions from Ridge Road to Hillcrest Rd. during incident. Greenburgh PD-EMS ALS Ambulance 79 (1 civilian Paramedic) with 64 car (PO-Paramedic) on board and GPD officer driving, and another escorting with GPD ALS Patrol Car 73. Writer: x635, Truck4, DFFD227

Rapid Fire Services is a sponsor of EMTBravo.com Being that we need sponsors now more then ever, please support our sponsors who make EMTBravo.com financially possible, and tell them you found out about them on EMTBravo.com Thanks!

Congrat to EMTBravo Alpha Member Jonesy368 on his new promotion from DPW to the Village of Cobleskill Deputy Codes Officer in charge of fire inspections in all multifamily residential and commercial occupancies effective January 1st 2008 Brian, I know you'll suceed at this job which has the potential to save a lot of lives.

Well, the snow has begun falling....fast! Large flakes accumulating quickly here in Hartsdale. If it keeps up like this, we're going to have a ton of snow!

Members, Over the past few weeks, some of you may have encountered issues when trying to view EMTBravo.com's main page. A tremendous growth in traffic to EMTBravo.com necessitated moving EMTBravo.com onto a new server with a different webhost. Most users (with a fast broadband connection) should now notice that EMTBravo.com loads faster and does not time out. However, this change may take up to 72 hours to take effect across the internet and some visitors may encounter temporary issues during this time. Please note if you sent email to the x635@EMTBravo.com or EMTBravo@EMTBravo.com email addresses within the past 24 hours, I may not have recieved it due to the switch. Please re-send the email, and I will answer it as promptly as I can. We apologize to our loyal visitors and members for the problems encountered over the past few weeks when visiting EMTBravo.com. The issue should now be resolved, and we hope that you will resume checking EMTBravo.com's main page at http://www.emtbravo.com frequently. -Seth AKA EMTBravo AKA x635 Founder & Administrator, EMTBravo.com http://www.emtbravo.com Email: EMTBravo@EMTBravo.com PLEASE do me a favor, visit http://www.emtbravo.com and then post on this thread how EMTBravo.com is loading at this point for you, and please let me know how fast (or slow) it loads if it does.

Stewie, thanks for the info!! I noticed that as well. I was going to post, but found it strange that it was sold directly from the factory, and on a budget chasis with a 1,000 gallon tank. But before I posted, I found out there is a Hastings, NY that is a suburb of Syracuse, a small rural town upstate.

OK, unfortunetly this issue is not over yet. According to the stats and webhost, EMTBravo.com is consuming a ton of resources on the server, and that will force us to upgrade to our own dedicated server, which is significantly more expensive then our current hosting plan. The reason why we're consuming a lot of resources on the server is because EMTBravo.com uses a lot of PHP scripts to provide real time updated content on the site, such as the Incident Alerts and other feeds. Coupled with a significant spike in traffic to the site, it's either remove or limit all the feeds from EMTBravo.com, which is not the path we want to take, or upgrade as described above. We're currently on a temporary server, and will be moving servers once I make a decision on how to proceed within the next 48 hours. When the move is made, the site may not be accesible until the new server address is transmitted across the internet. I also want to note due to the signifcant cost factor, I will be looking to take on more sponsors- if anyone can help recruit sponsors, please contact me at x635@EMTBravo.com. Also please note that this is consuming a lot of my time, so excuse any delay in communications with me over the next couple of days.

Yesterday, I had the oppurtunity to visit New Britain EMS, to photograph 2 pieces of their fleet. (I hope I can return to photograph their entire fleet more extensively) Now, at least the part I saw of it, the City Of New Britain doesn't seem to be economically thriving, and many areas appear to be run down. However, EMS appears extremly well funded, with a brand new spacious modern building, a brand new, nicely spec'd and maintained fleet, and ample equipment. Does anyone know how they do it? If they can have such a apparently top-notch EMS agency, how come other cities in the northeast can't follow their lead??? By the way, they have the sharpest EMS paint scheme I have ever seen. Medic 25, 2007 Ford F-450 Super Duty 4x4/Frazer (Frazer is a very unique ambulance, the entire module and emergency lighting are powered by a small generator, which takes a huge load of the engine and chasis. This results in colder air conditioning and warmer heating, brightly lit interior, and plenty of power. The inside of the module is built very rugged, for high volume EMS. These ambulances are popular in Texas, and I don't know of any agency that operates them in the Northeast. The only other time I have seen one was at the JEMS show in '05, when they were trying to make a push into the northeast. I had a chance to check one out then, and was very, very impressed. I'm suprised more agencies haven't loooked into Frazer. http://www.frazerbilt.com/flash.php ) New Britain, CT Medic 25 2007 Ford F-450 Super Duty 4x4/Frazer Medic 13, Duty Supervisor and Special Operations Vehicle 2007 Dodge 2500 Turbodiesel/Swab

I don't think I would mind kicking back with some hot choclate and watching the snow fall with some good movies playing this weekend (especially since I don't have to shovel at the current moment!) My camera's also reved up to shoot some DPW/Highway Trucks in action on Central Ave!

The issue should now be resolved for all members. If you need further assistance, please post on this thread or contact me via email at EMTBravo@EMTBravo.com

This is an awesome addition. However, it must suck for people traveling for business....since now they'll probaly be expected to be on email.

Paul Feiner could care less about the Police Department and it's EMS division. It's bad enough we have an EMS call in this town, and we lose two Police Officers off the street for a couple of hours, or a Paramedic when an officer makes an arrest, but now to reduce Police Services more? We can find $30 million to build a new super-library, in the INTERNET AGE, but there's no money to fund a 24/7 Greenburgh ESU unit, similar to those run by White Plains and Yonkers? (Only GPD's would have ALS ESU though!). Where are the Town's priorities? I have lived in Greenburgh for all of my 28 years, and I feel we have one of the better Police Departments. They provide a wide variety of specialized services, and I think there's many other ways to cut costs in this town besides losing Police Officers. It's bad enough I really don't even feel safe in my neighborhood walking at night-the cops are overworked as it is. I've emailed and talked to Paul Feiner about this, he really, really does not actually care about the service provided, I believe he only cares about how the service provided reflects on him. You can't even talk at a Town Meeting, you have to "register" in advance, wait, wait and wait, and then have a couple of minutes to speak- they literally have a timer like on a game show. And I can't even really say what I want to say due to my employer not realizing I also live in the Town I work in- so my real passion to tell the Town what I think is suppresed. Just more of a reason I'm trying to move out of this town........but I'll ALWAYS support GPD.

This should be a temporary issue that should resolve overnight for all users. However, here are some steps if you are trying to bring up EMTBravo.com and get the Lunarpages page: If you cannot view the site still please try the following: 1. clear all browser cookies, cache/temporary internet files, and history. 2. update all bookmarks related to the domain you are attempting to access. 3. reload the browser. 4. try accessing the domain(s) using http://www.megaproxy.com/freesurf/ 5. You may need to run the following command as well, to clear dns cache: Windows 2000: a. go to start > run b. type: cmd [enter] c. at the prompt type: ipconfig /dnsflush d. close the command prompt window. Windows XP: a. go to start > run b. type: cmd [enter] c. at the prompt type: ipconfig /flushdns d. close the command prompt window. MAC: a. open a terminal window b. type: lookupd -flushcache Windows 98/98SE/ME: there is no dns cache flush option on these operating systems. (restarting pc may help). If this does not help, restart your pc, and try again. If it is still not reachable, you may need to allow up to 6 hours for propagation time.

So, last night I picked my sister up from JFK airport. She is home for winter break. She is currently in graduate school on a full scholarship at Oxford in England. Anyways, she tells me a story on the way home that she was at a party (in England), and a friend slammed his finger in the door, and in the process literally amputated it off. So, he's bleeding profusely, she calls 999 (their 911) while another friend puts the fingertip on ice. The 999 operator says they'll send an ambulance, and hangs up. A few minutes later, the 999 operator calls back, and says there aren't any ambulances available, that they're all out at life-threatening emergencies and they'll have to figure out how to get to the hospital on their own. My sister informs the dispatcher that she's at a party with drunken college kids, this kid is bleeding a ton, in pain, and doesn't look good. The 999 dispatcher suggests someone drive him to the hospital. My sister again requests an ambulance be sent, and the dispatcher refused, saying there wasn't one ambulance within 45 miles that could take the call (in all of Oxfordshire County, which is pretty populated). She suggested they call a taxi (which where they were from experience would take a while and cost a lot), my sister asks them to send a police car, they say it isn't an emergency or police matter. She also informs the dispatcher that most of the kids are American and aren't familiar with where the proper hospital is, and the dispatcher says again to call a cab. So, finally my sister hangs up and finds one of their sober friends to come over, gets the kid, the finger, and brings him to the ED after having to call directory assistance because the dispatcher refused to provide hospital information. England has socialist health care. Although I did enjoy "Sicko", this wasn't the scenario portrayed by Michael Moore in his movie. Intresting story from my sister Danielle, just thought you all would find it interesting as well. Does anyone know who provides EMS in England in areas besides London?

When this unit was a demo before being purchased by Stamford Fire-Rescue, I saw it at the New England Chief's Confernce this past June. It was also demo'ing these reflective "dots", which fit easily into diamond plate without comprimising the tread, or into other locations. Many departments are placing chevrons on the rear of apparatus, these "dots" are a different take on the traditional way of doing it. Also seem very easy to apply. I wish I remembered the company's name or website. Here are some photos I got:

Wow. Quite dramatic the way the story was written.

I've been trying to find out for years where Ardsley's old Engine 165 is currently, if it even still exists? I've asked this question periodically on this forum, and no one knows. Ardsley sold it to my current FD, Hartsdale, in 1998, when they took delivery of their current Engine 165, a 1998 Spartan Gladiator/Saulsbury Rescue pumper. No one in Hartsdale or Ardsley knows exactly where it went after Hartsdale replaced it with their Pierce twins in 2000. Engine 165 holds a special place in my heart, as it was the first fire engine I ever rode on as an Explorer in Ardsley FD at 14 years old. Many fond memories with "165". Several members of this forum have ridden with me on the hosebed bench. Does anyone here know what happened to it? (My photo scanner is currently malfunctioning, this photo is the best I could do right now. 165 is the Engine all the way on the left- for those too young to know what a CF looks like!)

I have a correction to make after my sister pointed this out.....the 999 dispatcher called back 10 minutes AFTER my sister made the call to say the ambulance wasn't available. So they were waiting for an ambulance for 10 minutes BEFORE finding out that one wasn't coming. And the party was mostly British kids, not American.

Yesterday, November 30th 2007, Ardsley FD moved into their brand new firehouse, on the site of their former firehouse, at 507 Ashford Ave in Ardsley, C/S American Legion Drive and Route 9A (Saw Mill River Road). They were temporarily operating out of a former gas station and large garage while the new firehouse was being built. Although there are still a lot of unpacking and setting up to do, and still some ongoing construction, I was awestruck. I got the grand tour this AM (and got to be there for the first call), and was AMAZED! It's HUGE, modern, and laid out very nicely. I was a volunteer in Ardsley when the FD, PD and Village Hall all shared one building, that was built originally as a small schoolhouse in 1896, and renovated/expanded numerous times since then. In the end, Ardsley FD was operating out of a building that was 110+ years old, with portions of the building that were condemed. It was a obsolete, falling apart, extremly unsafe and a dump-although I loved it. Here's Ardsley's old firehouse: And here's the new firehouse (almost finished-this photo was taken two weeks ago) It has too many new features to list, I'll try to point out some of the highlights. Plymovent Exhaust removal system, 3 bottle cascade system, gear washer and dryer, 3 front bays- two of those bays are double deep, and one of those bays in the rear is a seperate, sealed garage for the department's 1928 Seagrave ("Old Betsy"). There's a nice commercial kitchen, and gear room with gear lockers. So much more. Beautful building as well. I'll have more photos once everything is complete. And the temporary firehouse that Ardsley was operating from: Ardsley also has a new 2007 Chevrolet Suburban for Car 2011 to be delivered next week. I'm also hearing rumors that Ardsley's looking to replace Ladder 50, a 1988 Hahn/LTI 75' RM Quint

Photos of Engine 6, almost ready to go into service, are posted on EMTBravo.com at the following link: http://www.emtbravophotos.com/NewDeliverie...amfordE607.html

So, based on the fact that I'll hopefully be living just a little north of the area sometime soon (grrr on the housing market), I took the Jones Family Farm reccomendation. We went to get our tree this afternoon. It was AWESOME! I couldn't believe the amount of trees they still had-rolling hills with hundreds of acres of beautiful trees. A very busy but very organized operation. I hope this place stays around for a while, and no greedy developer gets his hand on it. If it wasn't for this board, I would have never knew this place existed....and this will be the official Christmas Tree place from now on! I couldn't imagine NOT cutting down a tree ourselves! Thanks guys! And, coming up on the Merritt Parkway, one out of every 5 cars had a tree almost guarenteed from this place on their roof. Jones Family Farms, Shelton CT- HIGHLY RECCOMENDED!!!! http://www.jonesfamilyfarms.com/ (P.S. Joe (Izzy) I really want to check out Derby, Ansonia, and Shelton some more....seems like really cool towns) Here's me with the tree, right before I take it's life so it can sit in my living room for a month and then get tossed out....but I guess it's good in a way, it keeps money in agriculture and the tree usually reused somehow benefical. Plus, it's pretty and smells nice and puts me in the Christmas spirit.

Here's a comparison shot of the two paint schemes I got today. I'll post a couple more later.

I photographed Engine 6 today. Special thanks to all those involved. The complete set of photos will be posted on http://www.emtbravo.com later this weekend, here's a teaser.