ajsbear

I know many in my department would have signed up but we were told many times we are not a Westchester dept. The WCTC is much easier to get to than Putnams. Many of us would rather go down there but after many of us have been bumped from classes or told we could not attend we have given up on the WCTC

I'll be there with 2 of my cars.

The fire department knows in advance the routes that the motorcades will take and the times for the "frozen zones" and respond accordingly/

Congrats to all who won, the brother firefighters, Police officers and the civillians as well. Its always an honor to be singled out for an award. It's got to make you feel good.

If you have to hide with multiple names on this board.........

I thought your always considered "The Probie" until a new probie arrives. Good luck, now that your in. Remember listen to the older guys and TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN like your life depends on it 'cause it does.

I think he needs to grow up. I was in an accident in 2002 and totaled my car. I walked away with just a bruse on my shoulder nothing else. I drive a firetruck and make sure before I pull out of the firehouse that everyone has a seatbelt on. I am responsable for everyone on my rig. If someone gets hurt in route or back its my fault. If you don't want to wear it, get off my rig.

Amen to that. You are given a birthdate and a date of death, those are finite. It's what you do during the dash in between that makes you what you are.

Everyone is correct here. We had no warning of the terrorist attacks. When they happened, New York did not sit back and wait for outside or Federal help. The Mayor and took control of the situation, had the Governer's full support. The original estamite to clean up the site 18 months was completed in 9 1/2. The site design has changed several times because of safety concerns due to future terrorist attempts. Some redesign issues about the memorial and the transportation links/center to be built below the buildings and coordinating all of these projects into one big picture. One building is already up on the site, 7 WTC has been structually completed. Temporary train stations below ground have been completed. A lot has been done. Nagin should check his facts before he ingages his mouth. The original WTC site took over 5 years to design before building began back in the 60's. You don't go to sleep one night and 7 sky scrapers appear. You're looking at creating over 1 million square feet of office space plus retail.

301, Is that the same department where one of the Lt's is 18?

It's also a case of 1" people don't care" and 2 "people don't want to get stuck behind a fire truck." As someone who mostly drives these days, pulling out of the firehouse parking lot onto a road with traffic on it is impossible. I know they see us. There is a clear view of our exit ramp for over 500 ft. They just fly by, our lights are on, airhorn, sirens etc. A few weeks ago I had a motorcycle in front of me for 2 miles and Ihis rider saw and heard me but the biker ( a Harley) refused to move over for the engine.

Just so everyone knows Camp Smith covers over 2,000 acres. :est than 25% is used so it isn't a matter of they need the space. They don't want everyone up there, they want to cxlose it to outsiders. 2 years ago they removed the FD substation up there and had the covering FD remove the engine they kept there for Camp protection. They have made it harder to go into the camp over the years and now there is a new base comander and from my understanding it's his wishes. We could have moved to another part of the camp or he could build the facilities he is having added someplace else on the property but ......... Anyone who knows the camp knows how much property they have.

The Camp Smith facility has close to 2,500 acres. Most of this is unused and wooded. There is a new guy running the camp as Col. Jenkins retired. I wonder if this has anything to do with it? I do know up until now the training center at the camp was not used as much as was hoped.

Have not seen this, just looked at the OFPC website and they still list classes through the end of the year. Anyone else see or hear of this?

In a major incident with members responding to the scene you have to remember the area you are going into. One thing that comes to mind, several years ago on LI the Avianca plane that went down in the town of Oyster Bay. The area was way up north and the roads were narrow and clogged with POV's and police vehicles to the point fire and EMS rigs could not get close to the scene. In many area's of Westchester and the surrounding counties the roads are narrow, unpaved and wooded. POV's in these areas would just get in the way. Some of these areas have no water supply so tankers are needed to get in and out as quick and easily as possible. POV's parked on the road may get in the way. I agree with Andy. If you missed the rigs and you are needed at the scene the IC will figure a way to get you there. Keep your POV away from the scene.

Sounds good, short, to the point and catchy.

Monty brings up a good point. Besides clogging the roads around a scene, acountability. Unless everyone entering the scene reports to the IC or Accountability officer to give his or her tags how do you know who;s there? If you evacuate a building, is everyone out? If an officer sees you before you get a chance to report in and you now have a task but you never reported in personally to the IC what happens if the job goes to s&^#t? Only 1 or 2 people know your there. I know several departments who admit to accountability problems with responding members to the scene.

Years ago I was living on LI and was at the Nassau Training Center when the plane from AVIANCA went down in the Oyster Bay area. Those are narrow roads and with all the POV's that went directly to the scene and the police cars as well it was extremely dificult to get the rigs and ambulances close to the scene where they were needed. I know a couple of the parked vehicles were cliped by the rigs. While the amount of help there was great the cars hindered the approches. Many of our response areas have narrow and still worse dirt roads with no place to pull off out of the way. Yes there are driveways but many times we need these to turn rigs around. If the incident is large enough and you have to dirve directly, park away from the area and walk in. I'm sure with all the rigs coming in one of them can make room.

TBendick is right. If you have the right person life will be great. Of cause then come the children. As the proud dad of now 4, fro 25 to 18 and now a 3 week old. its all worth it. Good Luck JBE. Have a great honeymoon and join the ranks. Try to enjoy a little married life till the kids start coming.

Life is not done 'till a man is married then life is FINISHED. Good luck JBE

This is all the more reason for local and county gov'ts to open their eyes. The big trama center in the 4 county area WCMC which takes patients from Westchester, Rockland, Orange and Putnam needs 4 county support and doesn't get it. Wait until the day it starts turning people away or closing its doors to Trama on a temp basics because of staff cuts it cannot handle the volumn. We all need to wake up. With the recient hospital closing in Port Chester it should have sent a wakeup call. Everyone hit the Snooze button.

Read that Oliver Stone is doing it and most of it is not shot in NY.

We must not forget someone was killed in the recient past when a tree fell on a moving car. Then they trimed back some of the trees. Look at the Bx River Parkway. It's listed as one of the most dangerous in the US. Some areas have no guard rail. With the oversized SUV's there are areas that you cannot get 2 vehicles next to each other. Look at areas on 9A. Many of our roads are in sad shape. They were not designed for the ampunt of traffic on them today or some of the monster size vehicles. It's time the DOT revised their rebuilding plans. Just putting new blacktop down is not the answer. In addition we all knowif they even start today on the Saw Mill it would probably take 2, 3 maybe 4 years before its finished.

While I did not know Ron I have met his wife and even attended a barbeque at her home in Tuckahoe. She is a wonderfull person and with everything she told me about her husband so was he. I think this is a great tribute and hope the house passes the bill. We should all attend the ceremony for the rededication.

What ever happened to our state officials who said they would cap the state gas tax based on 1.75 a gallon? What about the county tax? The amount of money the state and county are getting in additional revenue should wipe out any deficits. How about reducing the state and county tax? Look at the NJ prices. I'm in St Louis right now on business and the price here averages at 2.75.