doug_e

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Posts posted by doug_e

  2. Posted

    I've got a 5 and find it OK. One thing that bothered me was the battery kept slipping out until I found that the lock wasn't fully engaged. Otherwise it has been working fine. Not very sensitive, though. Nothing like the 2's were.

    I've found that when agencies keyed up at the same time the resultant hectrodyne caused my pager to unlock (multiple times) with a solid tone, not the usual pulsating tone. I've heard from quite a few of our members complaining about this issue.

    Recently I've been using an ICOM IC-F60 UHF transciver. It is an alerting two-way radio that isn't too much larger that the Minitor 5. I've got it programmed with BMFD's crossband repeater, BMFD Ops talk-around and repeater, and BMFD EMS Ops T/A and R. So far so good. It's not a bad radio with a few annoying exceptions.

    1. There is no keylock feature programmed and the buttons on the front can accidently get pushed which can take you out of the alert mode.

    2. The alarm is too short and too low. I think that can be reprogrammed, though.

    3. The volume is too sensitive and is either too loud or very low and the alarm is dependant on the set volume. Also the knob is very easily turned raising or lowering the volume by rubbing against clothing when on your belt.

    In case you wanted to know... :D

  6. Posted

    Engine 6 was located, for many years, on S. 3rd. Ave., between 1st and 2nd Streets. I believe the firehouse was located mid block on the east side of 3rd. Ave. The building was torn down years ago.

    Personally I think:

    Of all the firehouses the coolest traditional firehouse was Truck 1 on S. 6th Ave. A very comfortable FH.

    211, always felt like a city firehouse. Oak St. had a similar feeling. All houses had poles with the exception of 470.

    S. Fulton always felt like a Catholic School, to me. It felt too modern for my taste. However, good sized and laid out well considering it's age. There are interesting ghost stories about that house.

    HQ, 470, was the country club of firehouses in MV. Formerly a mansion and private home it had a huge lounge and kitchen in the basement with wavy walls of 1/2 round wood slats with lit display boxes built into the walls, very unique design. It had a solarium off the meeting room on the main floor, 20' X 40' covered patio in the rear off the solarium. The apparatus floor left alot to be desired though.

    Here's a question: Which houses had "horns"?

  13. Posted · Edited by doug_e

    That's confusing...

    As a former member and Captain of Eng. Co. 6 in the FDMV I see that the pic of it shows E6 assigned a Mack C. From 1970 through the early eighties E6 was assigned a 1970 Mack CF. The C's were assigned to E1, 2, and 3. E4 and E6 were 1970 CF's and E5 was an open cab B from the fifties.

    I wouldn't be surprised if the two apparatus shown were flipped with each others numbers. In the eighties apparatus were shifted to load balance the fleet. Hence the flip-floping of numbers.

    Notice the turnout gear on the engines. The tail end of the volly days in the FDMV. Also the "back-step' straps... (I miss riding the backstep :o )

    The picture of Snorkle 1 was in front of Ladder 3's bay on the S. Fulton Ave. firehouse. In the beginning Snorkle 1 replaced Ladder 1.

  15. Posted

    Just a mention on how timely EMTBRAVO is. I've been testing a new radio/pager and didn't recieve the 60 Control transmission of this alarm and the alarm was not rebroadcast by our dispatchers.

    I happened to be looking at x635's LA trip photos and when done I looked at the recent posts and saw Millwood/Briarcliff Extrication...

    I scratched my head for a few seconds and then realized that it was a current/ongoing call. So out the door I flew - I hate missin' stuff!!!

    Anyway, way to go EMTBRAVO and community!

  16. Posted

    Briarcliff had an alarm early in the storm with a bolt of lightning striking a tree going to ground through the underground electric service to the house. This popped, and fried, a couple of breakers and left a strong burning odor throughout the house. We investigated and returned to quarters.

    Twenty minutes later we got called back to the house when outlets in the walls started to arc. After we resolved that issue we returned to quarters again and another twenty minutes later we were dispatched to a different address for a working house fire that turned out to be a storage shed. Fully involved upon arrival it must have been burning for close to an hour before anyone spotted it.

    The funny thing was that this same shed burned five years ago from the same thing, a lightning strike. Who says lightning doesn't strike twice....

    That was about the extent of our activity last night...

  18. Posted

    I agree with the comments I've read in this thread. My take on it is that the Juniors should be held out of FF1 until after one year of active service in the department. This will separate the wheat from the chaff. During this 1st year the junior FF should be introduced to the department and firefighting by a mentor who'll guide him/her through their indoctrination. This mentor should be responsible for getting the junior a slot in FF1 after he/she completed an "in department" basic training curriculum. Also, the mentor can continue to advise the junior during the class to augment and enhance the learning experience. During their tenure as juniors their school record should be reviewed and their parents consulted regularly to insure that "the department" isn't too distracting.

    This will keep the enthusiasm up, cultivate a supportive learning environment, bring the family and the department closer. This approach will insure that the juniors attending FF1 will have a better command of the basic concepts so the training will be more meaningful. Not just kewl... 8)

    Also, the IFSTA manual should be part of the orientation package every new member gets on the night they're sworn in.