jack10562

While something needs to be done, an assault on The Constitution and The Bill of Rights for LEGAL GUN OWNERS is not the answer.
We all know Gov.Cuomo is aspiring for a future presidential run, and (IMO) this is nothing more than a hot-button topic for him to ride on.
For a snapshot of the effect that the toughest gun laws in the nation are capable of, all one needs to do is take a look at ChIcago, the guns-down, murder capitol of the country.
Is this what you want for NY, too, Mr Governor?

Now this is funny!
http://youtu.be/xVrJ8DxECbg
More info: http://blog.ctnews.com/hottopics/2013/01/09/drive-thru-prank-leaves-victims-speechless/

I'd really like to know what happened, just what Uncle Sam is doing with all the flood insurance policy premiums that "insured" are paying every month/year for their flood insurance, that now needs a bill passed by (a totally inept and polarized) congress in order to borrow money to pay legitimate claims?????

My take on the wording of the comments made by the YFD website regarding Empress is they are taking a public jab at Empress and their response time, for whatever their reason.
Unnecessary and unprofessional, in my humble opinion.

My take on the wording of the comments made by the YFD website regarding Empress is they are taking a public jab at Empress and their response time, for whatever their reason.
Unnecessary and unprofessional, in my humble opinion.

Hold that thought....You might be on to something, there, Joe!

What's next? Obese people suing fast food companies for making them overwieght or speeders suing the car companies for allowing the cars to go over the speed limit?

Maybe he had some business to tend to with a Dept. nearby, and ran in to do some shopping on the way home.
We've beaten this horse to death in the past a number of times, already. I honestly don't believe we'll cover any new ground here.

The current Incident Alert template format has been in use for a while and we think it's time to review if there is a need for any improvements.
We are inviting our members to provide suggestions for updating our incident alert template. You are the ones who use it so it's important for us to get everyone's feedback.
For those interested, please submit your suggested version of an upgraded template.
Once we get a number of entries, we will then open a poll thread for our members to select which would be the best one for posting of future incidents.
Thanks in advance for participating!

Happy birthday to our forum guru, our always on top of things, hard-working EMTBravo Community Manager Jack (aka jack10562)!

Happy Birthday Jack!! Hope you enjoyed all that snow that you got these last few days!

Happy birthday Jack !

The good news is Seth was (once again) able to repair the server issue that caused another site outage.
:angry: The bad news is the server memory got maxed out.
The good news is we are getting closer to our year-end operating expense fundraising goal.
The bad news is the remaining money needed is still out there in your pockets.
On behalf of the EMTBravo staff I want to thank everyone for their contributions, both by actively participating in forum discussions, as well as for their generous financial support.
Let's continue to make our web community the number one destination to share knowledge and remain a source of enjoyment.

The current Incident Alert template format has been in use for a while and we think it's time to review if there is a need for any improvements.
We are inviting our members to provide suggestions for updating our incident alert template. You are the ones who use it so it's important for us to get everyone's feedback.
For those interested, please submit your suggested version of an upgraded template.
Once we get a number of entries, we will then open a poll thread for our members to select which would be the best one for posting of future incidents.
Thanks in advance for participating!

The current Incident Alert template format has been in use for a while and we think it's time to review if there is a need for any improvements.
We are inviting our members to provide suggestions for updating our incident alert template. You are the ones who use it so it's important for us to get everyone's feedback.
For those interested, please submit your suggested version of an upgraded template.
Once we get a number of entries, we will then open a poll thread for our members to select which would be the best one for posting of future incidents.
Thanks in advance for participating!

My take on the wording of the comments made by the YFD website regarding Empress is they are taking a public jab at Empress and their response time, for whatever their reason.
Unnecessary and unprofessional, in my humble opinion.

Just wanted to wish everybody a very Merry Christmas, and I hope Santa brought you exactly what you wanted!
I know, it's been a crappy Christmas season this year, with numerous sad and tragic events in the past few weeks....but it is still Christmas, and a time to be thankful, a time to give, and honor those we lost by keeping them in our thoughts and prayers, after all, they are in heaven looking down on us and wanting us to still have a merry Christmas..

Seeing Santa riding on a fire truck is a age old tradition in many areas, that kids of all ages can enjoy experiencing this time of year!
I will agree that it does have it's dangers, but by exercising some common sense, injuries to participants can be avoided.
The apparatus driver has a good amount of responsibility over avoiding certain potential "obstacles" to Santa riding on top. For example If there were low hanging tree branches (s)he should slow down and drift away from the branches, conditions permitting, Or in the case of a low traffic signal, instead of passing directly right under it, a minor course correction to the left or right can give sufficient overhead clearance.
Communication between the driver and riders by an obstacle spotter is extremely important.
It's simply a matter of situational awareness.

There are lots of age old traditions that we no longer do because we realize we should no longer be doing them.
Again we are back to "common sense"........does that not mean we should not do it?
You are correct, its the drivers responsability. We teach our drivers that its there responsability (legally and morally) to not drive until all riders are buckled up.
There is a Fire Service Attorny out of Texas who specializes in emergency vehicle accidents (he works nationally and will represent either side, based on who go to him 1st). I have heard him speak a couple of times and he talks about how he makes a lot of money from the drivers, officers and departments who do not follow national standards. He says if he is against you he will question you as to why you did not follow your dept policies, national standards and state laws and when an award comes in against you he gets all your stuff.
Lack of responsability = liability.

Well I'm not trying to start a war with anyone...I didn't mean to offend anyone. It is my opinion that's it. I can't afford anymore taxes and I am blessed that I reside in Ossining where I am protected by a 100% Volunteer fire department that responds almost immediately when called 24/7. I'm also blessed that we have such a great EMS provider in Ossining VAC who still try to respond with volunteers. The sheer volumn of calls cannot be covered by all volunteers anymore but we have a great organization and dedicated people. I apologize to anyone from Somers who may be offended. I would support a COUNTY fire department to be able to respond from a central location or two to supplement those villages and towns who don't have enough volunteers to protect their districts as long as those districts are willing to foot the bill. Consolidation may be an answer. But getting back to the original thread...Nobody said the chiefs car was a perk....but I still can't understand why all of you are so concerned with the issue of a chief being 20 minutes away from his district using it to go to a mall. As to the question of "he should have left the car in the district" okay great..now suppose he comes upon an accident or fire...do you want him to just DRIVE BY...or take action! He is a professional who could save a life with what is carried in his car.

Just a couple of things to toss into the ring:
When the YFD began the CFR program, I did see a memo posted on YFD letterhead that said they would stop sending folks on EMS runs when 6 or more companies were being used elsewhere. That was 20 years ago and may have changed. Since I think YFD sends 4 engines, two ladders and a rescue, (4+2+1=....7!) that would mean that any time there was a fire call going on that no one had freed up from, EMS ops would stop. I beleive that for some fire calls in SFR's they send less. As a guy on the street, whether FD comes or not is a total mystery. I can do two identical calls back to back, one gets FD the other not.
Sometimes the local engines are on runs or the call is near a posted ambulance, and the ambulance is way ahead of the engine. Some calls are walk-ins to firehouses and the amulance is coming from a distance. With (I think) 10 fixed engine stations, engines tend to be closer, just since there are a lot of them.
PLEASE don't frame this as a union fight. I am a steward in the IAEP Local 20. We have no dog in this fight. My guys jobs are not in danger, as EMS cal volume is always climbing and will continue to do so for the forseeable future. Additional trends- like taking pt's to thier hospital of origin, even if it is far away, working arrests on scene for longer and such means lots of work for us.
Regarding the poster c/o bad numbers from Empress: can you tell us what numbers and what they were, and what you think the real numbers are? Are we talking abut call numbers, units available, times? Maybe I can help.
About the poster c/o single responder: That is life in EMS. It is done in Eastchester, Cortlandt, Greenburgh, Yonkers, Pelham and Yorktown and many others. The FD in some of those areas sends a BLS truck with one FF on it. Many PD sectors in East Yonkers run 1 man cars, BTW.
For the guy that asked about a YFD EMS: Always possible. It would take a while to get the papers done- like a year I figure. But if you staffed it with Firemen, they cost about $150,00/year each after pay, pensions, medical etc are figured in. It takes 5 guys to have 1 guy on 24X7. So one ambulance = 10 guys. so $1.5 million/year for staffing a single ambulance. I think Yonkers would need 4-5. Then you have to send the guys to medic class, which has about 30% drop-out rate. It takes a year, and they would not be doing many fire OR ambulance calls during that time. And they guys would want more $$ for being medics. YFD I believe pays their guys who become EMT's a $3000/year stipend (corrections welcome). So figure a FF who becomes a medic would get about $10,000 more? THEN you have lawsuits. Empress indemnifies Yonkers (covers) for those. You would have to budget for lawyers and the occasional loss of a suit or a high priced settlement. Oh- and 5 $40,000 cardiac monitors and 1/2 dozen ambulances and a mechanic. THEN since you are only doing 911 calls, there would be many hours that every one of those guys and trucks would be doing nothing but soaking up payroll. AND since the NYS legislature has not moved on allowing FD's to bill since George Pataki introduced it 20 years ago, there is no way to off-set this new $10 million annual cost that by the way, will not put out a single fire- just answer EMS calls.

John - I re-read this whole thread, including my own comments, and I want to clarify - I was not bashing the YFD or it's men..although reading my posts it would seem otherwise. Not my intention.
I have always had the greatest respect and ADMIRATION for the YFD, as many know..I have seen some of the ballsiest firefighting, and most compansionate caregiving from your members duiring my tenure at Empress..I would love to one day go back, but as you posted, so many of us move on...But the YFD is nothing but professional. The first responder program has saved countless lives, no doubt, and I hope it does not go away...the residents of Yonkers are blessed to have it. I always enjoyed calls i would do where Roone, or Eddie R., or so many others were on scene, because I LEARNED from them.
I have an in-law who is retired from your job, and I love BS'ing with him about the 80's and 90's in Yonkers, even if I cant understand his hispanic accent when we have a few cold ones and he really gets going..LOL
Thanks for taking the time and energy to post the information you did - I know there are things you would rather be doing, but it shows your pride in your men, and the JOB.
Merry Christmas to you and the entire YFD...stay safe.

Part 2- Now, to some of the misinformation that has been posted on this site in regard to the YFD First Responder Program.
Misinformation response # 1. This work constitutes a large majority of our responses, or our overall work. This is not accurate. First Responder runs account for approximately 55 % of our incidents. However, each of these incidents requires the response of only one Engine Company, and the Engine Company is generally back in service in 20 minutes or less, sometimes longer of course. Obviously to anyone familiar with the Fire Service, the typical incident any Fire Department responds to (the other approximately 45% ) involves many more apparatus and personnel for significantly longer periods of time. A First Responder run with utilizing one apparatue and 4 Firefighters for 15 minutes is one incident. A 3 Alarm Fire utilizing 14 apparatus, other vehicles, and a total of 63 or so Firefighters for six or seven hours is also one incident, kapeesh?? Furthermore, the "workload" of a Fire Department is not only responses, but also the necessary training, inspections, cleaning, maintenance of vehicles, equipment, etc.
Misinformation response # 1a. Therefore, although the rumored elimination of the First Responder Program may (not my area of expertise) allow certain contractual minimum personnel levels to no longer be adhered to, it will not obviate the necessity to have adequate Fire Companies and personnel available for Firefighting and other emergencies. Sure, no FD is as busy as twenty years ago with fire duty, and certainly not as busy as 30 or 40 years ago. Nonetheless, fires do still occur, and adequate personnel and equipment is necessary for this. There is a very valid reason that similar sized city FD's all over the U.S., and in fact the industrialized world conduct First Responder Programs- the very nature of a Fire Department requires Firefighters and their equipment to be readily available for guess what, fires! However, this ready availability of individuals who are trained to handle emergencies and have apparatus to quickly respond allows city sized Fire Departments to have personnel available to supplement the primary EMS response with First Response capability. This supplementation is able to be done by Firefighters who, for the most part, will need to be there, available, anyway! The Firefighters do not get tied up with transport (generally), transfer to the medical facility, PCR's, cleaning the ambulance, etc. So, they are able to go right back into service as soon as the patient has been placed in the ambulance, or in many cases, sooner, right?
Misinformation response # 2. Oh, here's an easy one- we have 4 Firefighters per apparatus (3 Firefighters and a Company Officer), not 5. That is the manning we have had per apparatus for over 30 years. It's hard to understand how any individual who would purport to understand the situation in Yonkers could state that this is all about reducing manning from 5 to 4 per apparatus, or words to that effect.
Misinformation response # 3. The majority of these runs are nuisance runs. Well, that depends on what you consider a nusiance run. The fact is that if we know in advance the situation is not a true medical emergency, then neither the Fire Department nor the emergency ambulance service shoud respond, right? The problem, which has been studied at the highest levels for many years, is how to deduce from the initial phone call what is and what isn't a "nuisance call"..I don't know how to quantify how many of these runs that YFD (and Empress) responds to are not true medical emergencies, but admittedly the number is significant, as it is in EMS systems almost everywhere. No one wants to respond on any type of alarm where we are not needed, and as soon as someone can find out how to deduce true emergency from nuisance run every time, please let us know!
END OF PART 2 TO BE CONTINUED

Great post my Brother, whoever you are, lol- please let me know your identity if you don't mind. Thanks to you and Capt. Smith for the informative posts and to all of our members for not discrediting ourselves or our department by engaging in name calling and nasty, unprofessional language. Of course I would never expect our guys to sink to the level that some others on this thread have sunk to, but thanks nonetheless...
I will add a bit from my perspective- please bear with me as I am exhausted and pressed for time do I will bang this out quickly and it may be a bit rough around the edges....
I am nearing the end of my career, and frankly, I don't really think I will be personally affected if in fact the YFD First Responder Program did end, although I sincerely doubt that will happen for long, if at all, and I will explain why below. In fact, I certainly have more to lose by posting on this topic rather than remaining silent as this will likely piss some people off...oh well...
I have been a member of YFD for almost 25 years, since before we had a First Responder Program. As a very junior Firefighter I was a member of the committee which some at the time said "ruined the job" by convincing first, Local 628, and later, with the backing of L-628, helped to convince the City Fathers that this program was a good idea. The union did not come up with the idea of this program or push for it at first. You see, years ago, YFD only responded on medical runs when there was a confirmed cardiac arrest and Empress Ambulance either was not available at all, or did not have enough personnel available to perform good CPR. We responded on those fairly often. We had only very basic first aid training and CPR. There were numerous times when we performed CPR for very long periods of time before the arrival of the ambulance. Sometimes a Paramedic fly car would arrive and we would wait, and wait....sometimes not even the fly car. The Empress employees were almost always professional, dedicated, and we had a great working relationship. It sure wasn't their fault that the number of ambulances available didn't meet the need at that moment. One day, at Engine 306 where I worked, a family ran in with a baby in respiratory distress who had actually turned blue. A senior man /EMT opened the airway and started Oxygen. The baby wound up being ok. The family was irate that they had called over 20 minutes before and we had not responded (we checked the times and this was accurate). We explained that FD did not get sent to these type of calls unless it was a cardiac arrest and Empress requested us. It was very upsetting to me/us to know that people who we were sworn to protect, particularly children, could be having a life threatening medical emergency that we would be able to assist with, yet we would not be called.
I really never wanted to do emergency medical work back then- I thought of myself as a Firefighter and my idea of a Firefighter was different than what it is today. Nonetheless, because of situations such as I have described above, I agreed with some other Firefighters who advocated for us to go on these runs more regularly as was being done in other parts of the country, and seemingly very successfully. It took a couple of years, but eventually the program began. At the time, approximately 22 years ago, it is my understanding that Empress was charging the City of Yonkers a flat 1 Million per year for their services plus the ability to recoup from billing. Almost as soon as we began the First Responder Program that ccontract was re-negotiated and Empress then waived this 1 Million dollar fee. Also, there was no minimum number of ambulances that were required to be dedicated to City of Yonkers- almost as soon as YFD began going on these runs,it was noticed how very bad Empress' response times were- not due to any fault of the overworked Empress EMT's and Medics, but again, because of a lack of appropriate resources. So, very shortly because of YFD complaints, Empress agreed to keep a minimum number of ALS and BLS units in the city and this was put into their contract. I also think that it was at this time that a certain maximum average response time for Empress BLS and ALS units was placed into Empress' contract which improved things dramatically. I guess if prior to YFD involvement no one was really paying attention to ressponse times, why bother having a lot of ambulances available- the number of billable patients was not dependent on response time- they would all wait as long as it took for the ambulance so why incur the expense if no one was complaining, right?
Admittedly, I haven't gone on a First Responder rum for almost 7 years now, but I did respond on very many over the years. Almost always, I found Empress employees to be fantastic and I thought we had a great working relationship, even if there was a bit of uncomfortability at times- egos and jealousy and just basic human misunderstanding on both sides creeps in of course, however in my opinion we were mostly all regular working people who enjoyed the adrenaline rush and especially, helping people. During the approximately 15 years that I went on First Responder runs with YFD there were very many times that we arrived significantly before Empress ambulance. The large majority of time we arrived at least a couple of minutes before Empress, and often, especially when I worked on the East side of Yonkers, more than 10 minutes prior to Empress. As Captain Smith was, I was involved in 2 successful childbirths (the Moms did basically all of the work of course but they were sure glad that we were there nonetheless) before Empress arrived (not the same ones), and I and my crew initiated CPR COUNTLESS TIMES before Empress' arrival. END OF PART 1 TO BE CONTINUED

To those of us who celebrate the holiday, happy Festivus!
Wish you all well in your airing of greivances and feats of strength!
Festivus for the rest of us! Hope you all have your aluminum Festivus pole up.