ajsbear

We have people in our area who refuse to acknowledge that we can be hit by coastal storms (nor'easter, tropical storm, or hurricane) so their planning for those is inadequate. Do you think they're really going to plan for a tsunami?

We'd have better luck getting them to plan for Godzilla or the blob.

You are right Chris but with the frequency of earthquakes the last few years, even in areas that do not get them as bad as they have been it can happen and the likelyhood keeps going up as more and more natural disaster occur.

Here is a question. Could we handle a tsunami of these proportions on the east coast?

Train that was running along the coast is also missing.

This is something we all need to have in the back of our minds when approaching any incident. With what goes on today you never never know so do not take it for granted that anything is routine anymore.

At least this time they are getting something for one of their old trucks. Not like the old Rescue.

You are correct at 200 calls per year you can't justify career, but you also can't justify multiple fire stations, 3 engines, ladders, rescues, special teams, etc. And when you take out the automatic alarms and the minor calls you end up with 1 or 2 working fires per year, which is not enough to gain experience so as to be efficient and effective.

Now whats interesting is other states and even other countries manage to cover these areas better than we do. Some with volunteers, some career and some combo. And they pay less in taxes, because they spread the burden out over a larger tax base.

But this is not the case in Westchester.

You are correct its economics, so tell me how do regional departments throughout the country manage to do it for less than here, with better responses, and with better insurance ratings, which saves the community 2 x 4 times what it costs to provide better fire protection?

Last year I did a little research into what different departments spent on a per capita basis in Westchester and was very surprised to fine that the taxpayers in my city pay less per capita than those in about 1/2 the volunteer communities (and I stopped looking when I got to 1/2), and that includes paying for hydrants (and 30-40% less in insurance). How about this Yonkers with better staffing than NR spends less per capita and FDNY spends even less.

Barry I agree with you. There is way too much equipment in Westchester and Putnam. More than anyplace else except maybe LI. Look at per square mile or by population. Each town, Look at all the departments in the town of Ossining, Greenburg, Cortlandt, North Castle or any of the other towns. Why does each department in a given town need a ladder and a rescue? At 1/2 million plus each why are we replacing many of them? I see a whole new argument starting.

This thread has become a sound off for Career vs Volunteer. Many communities just cannot afford a career department and the amount of runs just cannot justify the cost. A department with under 200 runs a year just cannot justify 50 career members plus officers. The further north you go into the rural areas the poorer some of hte departments are and some barely keep up with keeping equipment running, and have no where near the latest and greatest. A lot is a mater of economics. Yes if it was a perfect world, everyone would have the same training, same equipment etc. We all have to make due and the faster some people accept that the better. I for one do not want to pay any more taxes and have thought many times to pack it in and leave NY. Look at what the average home owner pays in taxes. Not just property but sales tax but every other little tax. Home heating oil. 3% more that Putnam just in a tax, the list goes on. So where does it end...Economics.

First of the lawsuit's I understand have already been served. Probably more to come. I guess being almost twice the legal limit on alcohol and driving with a cop as a hood ornament is OK.

Let's face it, politicians are just a bunch of blood suckers out for their own preservation. They will mostly do whatever they have to so they look good before the general public. Cut pensions, cut budgets to emergency services etc.

It's tough to file a lawsuit with a company that has suddenly gone out of business..

Tough buy not impossible. These people committed fraud. The changed the materials from the spec to a non spec material. While the company went belly up they may be able to hold the officers of the company liable.

Side posts are bolted in so you cannot use this tool. Good old fashioned 3/8 or 1/2 works with most of those.

Battery Terminal Puller

About $15

Thanks Barry, I was looking for a picture and could not find one. If the weather wasn't so bad I would have gone to the firehouse and taken a picture of the one in my gear.

Socket set or open-ended wrench?

Special tool similar but obviously smaller used to pull flywheels etc.

There is an inexpensive tool you can buy at any auto supply store that can be used to put around the battery terminal then tightened so it pulls the cable off the post of the battery therefore not destroying anything and the battery can be easily reconnected if need be.

Even after you disconnect the battery it is always good to cover the terminals, duct tape works fine, cheep and you can carry it on your rescue with the tool kit.

While the police get pressure from their bosses to get the roads open as fast as possible safety has to come first. One only has to look at pictures of the 3 rigs in Connecticut that were hit over the last few months on I 95. 3 rigs, at least 1.5 million dollars worth of rigs totaled. Still cheaper than a life. If the cop is creating an unsafe condition, pull all the men out, call for a Sgt. and wait. Firefighter safety comes first. Any of the state courses all say that.

You want to let the bartender know how pissed you were. Get a large group, go down there and have a party, build up a big tab and make him work hard then stiff him on his tip. Don't not give him a tip but give him .01, that's right, one cent. That will get your message across.

I believe that an additional 994 first responders, FD and PD have died since.

[#10349] You do not have permission to vote in this poll.

Would say Westchester if the system would have allowed me to vote. Northwest or central.

I think you're aware, civil service has come up with a way for people that do work like firefighting to prove they're competent to be promoted and lead. It's called the focused "competitive exam." Not having a college degree sometimes means people went straight into the workforce. Some of us were employed with civil service as young as 21. College didn't show me how to operate the pumps, the fire academy did. My officers showed me how to be one; and I tried my best to be as good as some of them were.

The "inside joke" is one city fire chief.

Would that be a current city chief how took classes in "how to be a chief in 3 easy lessens?"

Watch out for the guy sitting in at meetings with the fake glasses and mustache,

With the loss of an engine, what will happen to the department's ISO rating? Will insurance rates go up along with the taxes? If I owned a business in Newburgh, I'd sure be concerned....

You can bet that insurance costs will go up once the insurance companies learn the ISO ratings will change and not for the better. As for neighboring VFD, I would respond when it is announced there is a life in danger. If it is a vacant, no. The brothers of NFD need to be reassured that everyone in the area has their backs. Once the life issue is dealt with, take a defensive posture band pack up. you don't need 200 guys to man a few deck guns. building and contents will suffer. In the areas where the buildings are close together, evacuate the entire city block for safety sake. Lost a block and lets see what the city council does.

If the city going to do a recall of off duty personnel for major fires?

Put Eng 3 back in service to cover the city?

Great job Ralph.

Always stay on the MPO's good side.

Thank you.....and,.....Amen !

Well said.