doug_e

I took a ride in a Fairview engine a couple of years back that had just been delivered. It had headsets in all positions. All had mics, only the driver and officer had radio b'cast capability. The driver could unplug from the cab and plug into the pump panel on the scene.

E93 in Briarcliff had headsets when the rig was new but have since been disconnected. We still have 'em and think, sometimes, that we might reinstall them. Many people don't like them but I personally think they're useful for intra-rig comms.

We've been looking at an adapter to connect the drivers portable to a headset for on-scene comms.

It's a shame what's going on in MV. A department with a rich and proud history that's been decimated by special interests and polititians.

Lively discussion here....

As I say about alot of things I see in emergency services:

"100 years of tradition, unimpeded by progress"

I believe that from an ICS (IMS) perspective it would be helpful knowing what types of apparatus you have at a scene by their designators. I like the Rockland/Putnam style of designation but would expand on it.

Department ID followed by apparatus type.

100 series for cars and utilities

200 series for pumpers

300 series for Ladders

Assigning numbers this way allows for unlimited growth, even for the largest department. I don't think even Yonkers will grow to 99 Engines, etc.

An interesting way to set up department designators is to assign lowest to highest from left to right, south to north:

1 = Yonkers

2 = Mt.V

3 = Pelham

4 = PManor

5 = NR

And so on left to right up the county so that if you know there are 58 departments in the county and you hear a working fire in department 36 you know immediately that the department is roughly in the mid to upper county.

Example:

If you have a dual response Millwood and BM on the Taconic it might be deparments 25 and 26 rather than department 6 and 25.

Geographically rather than alphabetically which indicates the approximate location of the department and that they are neighboring departments.

The department designation number is arbitrary and therefore should/could mean something (other than alphabetically), as it does with the apparatus. If you develop a system that everyone must re-learn, then, why not make it as comprehensive as possible.

You could get sick with it and go as far as dividing to apparatus classification to reveal more information such as:

201 - 209 = Pumpers with less than 500 gallons on board

210 - 219 = Pumpers with 500 to 1000 gallons

220 - 229 = Pumpers with 1000 to 2000 gallons

230 - 239 = CAFS

250 - 259 = Tankers < 3000 gallons

260 - 269 = Tankers > 3000 gal.

301 - 309 = Straight sticks < 100'

310 - 319 = Straight sticks > 100'

320 - 329 = TL's < 100'

330 - 339 = TL's > 100'

340 - 349 = Quints . . .

501 - 509 = Rescues

510 - 519 = Heavy Rescues

520 - 529 = ReHab Units

75% of the time the information wouldn't be necessary. But if it helps dispatchers, IC's, officers, members, and buffs keep order and glean as much info as possible, quickly, then it's worth the effort.

I asked them if they had a TL designation for L1 and they realized that they didn't and decided to ask for one. And to have some consistency they settled on 16 as the opposite of 61. They still retain 61 as reserved.

Stay low.....

PDT_Armataz_50 Is it safe to come up?

Let's take it from the top - It is FDMV and has never been MVFD. Only here...

I'm just relaying information. Don't act on it. Sit back, take a deep breath and when the DES updates the apparatus designators for 2005 check the Tower Ladder Section to see if FDMV has TL16 assigned to it. Right now it's reserved.

As to whether there should be differing designators for arial types I could be convinced that there shouldn't be. However, at present, there is.

As for the FDMV apparatus designations here on EMTBRAVO all I'm saying is that we're looking at incidents from a Countywide perspective and the FDMV numbering scheme is from Mt. Vernon's perspective.

PDT_Armataz_23 I'll be in my foxhole if you need me.

While discussing this offline it was uncovered that FDMV L1 (a tower ladder) didn't have a WC designator as such. One was chosen - TL16 is now assigned to FDMV Ladder 1.

They are the only department that doesn't use WCDES numbering convention. Maybe we should use their county numbers for IA listing...

E 201 thru 207 (Spare)

L 61 thru 63 although L1 is a Tower

R 2

This way FDMV E5(205) won't be confused with PFD E5(5)...etc.

Thoughts? ](*,)

NRFD called FDMV for an Engine but cancelled them enroute. FDMV apparatus never left the city.

Date: 1/11/05

Time: 0902

Location: Box 1232 - 109 S First Ave. X E Second St.

City/County: Mt. Vernon

Agencies:

FDMV,

Eastchester (EFD),

Pelham (PFD),

Pelham Manor (PMFD)

UNITS: FDMV - E2, 3, 4, 5, 6 - L2, 3 - R1 - B4

EFD E31

PFD E5

PMFD TL3

Frequency: 154.145 (FDMV) 46.26 (Mutual Aid)

Description:

3 Story, Frame, 25X40, OMD

0904 - Units on Scene - Report Heavy Smoke

0905 - 2nd Alarm

0908 - 3rd Alarm

0945 - PWH

1001 - UC

Heavy Fire 2nd, 3rd fl. One civilian injury.

Date: 1/11/05

Time: 0902

Location: Mt. Vernon Box 1232 - 109 S First Ave. X E Second St.

Frequency: 154.145 (FDMV) 46.26 (Mutual Aid)

UNITS:

FDMV - E2, 3, 4, 5, 6 - L2, 3 - R1 - B4

EFD E31

PFD E5

PMFD TL31

Description:

3 Story, Frame, 25X40, OMD

0904 - Units on Scene - Report Heavy Smoke

0905 - 2nd Alarm

0908 - 3rd Alarm

0945 - PWH

1001 - UC

Heavy Fire 2nd, 3rd fl. One civilian injury.

My name is Doug Cacciola, I signed up after the tanker fire earlier in the month in Briarcliff. I'm the current Captain of the Briarcliff Fire Company.

The e in my screen name is for "empty" - Not my head! - I ran an ambulance out of fuel on the SMRP returning from a transport to Albany a few years back. So Doug-E was bestowed as a result. Maybe it is my head... #-o

I'm involved in the fire service for 31 years. '73 - '90 a volunteer with the FDMV. (Those were the days 8) )Former Captain of Eng. Co. 6, '76 to '77. With the BMFD since '94. Between '90 and '94 I had no FD affiliation as the volunteer service was phased out in Mt. V. PDT_Armataz_25

I always lose hours on this site. Tons of good stuff.

By the way, I have pictures of all BMFD apparatus. I'll send it on shortly.

"Go slow; stay low"