LTNRFD

This is what is wrong with the step child of emergency services. When any municipality puts EMS out to bid you do not get stability in service. Over the years every system goes through a cycle. The lowest bidder. Now most of the current EMS employees of TransCare NR will be looking to switch over to Empress. Thus losing seniority and pay grade. This is no way to maintain quality EMS personal.
EMS must be part of the municipality just as Police and Fire is. EMS must be the third service.

There will never be stability in EMS when there is a profit to be made.

This is what is wrong with the step child of emergency services. When any municipality puts EMS out to bid you do not get stability in service. Over the years every system goes through a cycle. The lowest bidder. Now most of the current EMS employees of TransCare NR will be looking to switch over to Empress. Thus losing seniority and pay grade. This is no way to maintain quality EMS personal.
EMS must be part of the municipality just as Police and Fire is. EMS must be the third service.

There will never be stability in EMS when there is a profit to be made.

This is the 6th change of providers to the City of New Rochelle for ambulance coverage after N.R. Hospital discontinued ambulance service in 1975. Empress had the contract in the mid 1980's.

The smoke in the structure call was at the McDonalds next to Sta #3. If that was the unit assigned to stay #3, they would have had to move the ambulance so Eng 23 could respond. Thus putting them basically on the scene anyway.

This is what is wrong with the step child of emergency services. When any municipality puts EMS out to bid you do not get stability in service. Over the years every system goes through a cycle. The lowest bidder. Now most of the current EMS employees of TransCare NR will be looking to switch over to Empress. Thus losing seniority and pay grade. This is no way to maintain quality EMS personal.
EMS must be part of the municipality just as Police and Fire is. EMS must be the third service.

There will never be stability in EMS when there is a profit to be made.

This is what is wrong with the step child of emergency services. When any municipality puts EMS out to bid you do not get stability in service. Over the years every system goes through a cycle. The lowest bidder. Now most of the current EMS employees of TransCare NR will be looking to switch over to Empress. Thus losing seniority and pay grade. This is no way to maintain quality EMS personal.
EMS must be part of the municipality just as Police and Fire is. EMS must be the third service.

There will never be stability in EMS when there is a profit to be made.

This is what is wrong with the step child of emergency services. When any municipality puts EMS out to bid you do not get stability in service. Over the years every system goes through a cycle. The lowest bidder. Now most of the current EMS employees of TransCare NR will be looking to switch over to Empress. Thus losing seniority and pay grade. This is no way to maintain quality EMS personal.
EMS must be part of the municipality just as Police and Fire is. EMS must be the third service.

There will never be stability in EMS when there is a profit to be made.

This is what is wrong with the step child of emergency services. When any municipality puts EMS out to bid you do not get stability in service. Over the years every system goes through a cycle. The lowest bidder. Now most of the current EMS employees of TransCare NR will be looking to switch over to Empress. Thus losing seniority and pay grade. This is no way to maintain quality EMS personal.
EMS must be part of the municipality just as Police and Fire is. EMS must be the third service.

There will never be stability in EMS when there is a profit to be made.

Nor do you park over a storm drain or sewer cover.

This situation is a disgrace. The handling and management of resources in The Village of Lachmont is hollow. They are a career dept., which is understaffed. They have few volunteers and they've spent decades reducing the relevance and responsibility of that outfit. So, what you're left with, as with many of the local "combo" fire departments, is an illusion of safety. It's a great big gamble that the politicians typically win. Luck eventually runs out.
What has happened, twice, recently in Larchmont is an indicative of 2 problems:
1) Many FD's in Westchester lack any semblance of adequate staffing. This is a problem that some have tried to address through a regional consolidation plan....but no one has the stones to see it through, not to mention the fact that many are entrenched in guarding their own little fiefdom...
2) In this example, in this municipality, it appears that a serious lack of judgement was made. The residents of Larchmont pay some of the highest taxes in the NATION and they should expect the fire protection they pay for. What? Everyone was just so excited to go Yonkers they shut the lights and call the TMFD? This is gross-negligence in management. If someone died in a house fire in Larchmont, I would expect the LFD chief to go to jail. The LFD's first responsibility is to the residents of Larchmont. Mx aide is important to give and receive, but if you can't continue to perform your primary duties, you can't perform them for another municipality.

Have New Rochelle consolidate with who ??? Pelham ? Larchmont ? Scarsdale? How would New Rochelle get additional manpower by consolidating ?? New Rochelle needs to get the New Rochelle City Counsel agree to fund a minimum number of firefighters per shift. Back in the 1980's there were 31 firefighters per shift
5 engines X 4 firefighters = 20
3 ladders. X 3 firefighters = 9
D C and his aid = 2
_______
31 Total
NRFD needs to go back to this level of manning plus 1 additional firefighter on each ladder and 2 firefighters to man to rescue every shift. NRFD needs to be funded for a minimum of 36 firefighters per shift,

Have New Rochelle consolidate with who ??? Pelham ? Larchmont ? Scarsdale? How would New Rochelle get additional manpower by consolidating ?? New Rochelle needs to get the New Rochelle City Counsel agree to fund a minimum number of firefighters per shift. Back in the 1980's there were 31 firefighters per shift
5 engines X 4 firefighters = 20
3 ladders. X 3 firefighters = 9
D C and his aid = 2
_______
31 Total
NRFD needs to go back to this level of manning plus 1 additional firefighter on each ladder and 2 firefighters to man to rescue every shift. NRFD needs to be funded for a minimum of 36 firefighters per shift,

Have New Rochelle consolidate with who ??? Pelham ? Larchmont ? Scarsdale? How would New Rochelle get additional manpower by consolidating ?? New Rochelle needs to get the New Rochelle City Counsel agree to fund a minimum number of firefighters per shift. Back in the 1980's there were 31 firefighters per shift
5 engines X 4 firefighters = 20
3 ladders. X 3 firefighters = 9
D C and his aid = 2
_______
31 Total
NRFD needs to go back to this level of manning plus 1 additional firefighter on each ladder and 2 firefighters to man to rescue every shift. NRFD needs to be funded for a minimum of 36 firefighters per shift,

Have New Rochelle consolidate with who ??? Pelham ? Larchmont ? Scarsdale? How would New Rochelle get additional manpower by consolidating ?? New Rochelle needs to get the New Rochelle City Counsel agree to fund a minimum number of firefighters per shift. Back in the 1980's there were 31 firefighters per shift
5 engines X 4 firefighters = 20
3 ladders. X 3 firefighters = 9
D C and his aid = 2
_______
31 Total
NRFD needs to go back to this level of manning plus 1 additional firefighter on each ladder and 2 firefighters to man to rescue every shift. NRFD needs to be funded for a minimum of 36 firefighters per shift,

Have New Rochelle consolidate with who ??? Pelham ? Larchmont ? Scarsdale? How would New Rochelle get additional manpower by consolidating ?? New Rochelle needs to get the New Rochelle City Counsel agree to fund a minimum number of firefighters per shift. Back in the 1980's there were 31 firefighters per shift
5 engines X 4 firefighters = 20
3 ladders. X 3 firefighters = 9
D C and his aid = 2
_______
31 Total
NRFD needs to go back to this level of manning plus 1 additional firefighter on each ladder and 2 firefighters to man to rescue every shift. NRFD needs to be funded for a minimum of 36 firefighters per shift,

Have New Rochelle consolidate with who ??? Pelham ? Larchmont ? Scarsdale? How would New Rochelle get additional manpower by consolidating ?? New Rochelle needs to get the New Rochelle City Counsel agree to fund a minimum number of firefighters per shift. Back in the 1980's there were 31 firefighters per shift
5 engines X 4 firefighters = 20
3 ladders. X 3 firefighters = 9
D C and his aid = 2
_______
31 Total
NRFD needs to go back to this level of manning plus 1 additional firefighter on each ladder and 2 firefighters to man to rescue every shift. NRFD needs to be funded for a minimum of 36 firefighters per shift,

Have New Rochelle consolidate with who ??? Pelham ? Larchmont ? Scarsdale? How would New Rochelle get additional manpower by consolidating ?? New Rochelle needs to get the New Rochelle City Counsel agree to fund a minimum number of firefighters per shift. Back in the 1980's there were 31 firefighters per shift
5 engines X 4 firefighters = 20
3 ladders. X 3 firefighters = 9
D C and his aid = 2
_______
31 Total
NRFD needs to go back to this level of manning plus 1 additional firefighter on each ladder and 2 firefighters to man to rescue every shift. NRFD needs to be funded for a minimum of 36 firefighters per shift,

Have New Rochelle consolidate with who ??? Pelham ? Larchmont ? Scarsdale? How would New Rochelle get additional manpower by consolidating ?? New Rochelle needs to get the New Rochelle City Counsel agree to fund a minimum number of firefighters per shift. Back in the 1980's there were 31 firefighters per shift
5 engines X 4 firefighters = 20
3 ladders. X 3 firefighters = 9
D C and his aid = 2
_______
31 Total
NRFD needs to go back to this level of manning plus 1 additional firefighter on each ladder and 2 firefighters to man to rescue every shift. NRFD needs to be funded for a minimum of 36 firefighters per shift,

What do you do when you call for a department and they send ALL of the career staff on the engine, leaving no one to man the remaining apparatus. Then 5 minutes later a call comes in for their department. No one is in town to cover the call and the call gets given to the neighboring department. Should that department have been called in the first place ? Should they have refused to respond to the mutual aid fire ?

Barry the Town of Pelham is taking great strides to consolidate. Back in the late 70's the village of Pelham did absorb the Village of North Pelham's police department. Things can't happen overnight.

I have to admit I ran into the wall a few times.

Back in the 80's, NRFD was considered a, 2 fire, fire department. NRFD could handle 2 different room and content fires. Today NRFD can only handle 1 R&C fire before having to call for help. In NRFD case what has changed? 1 less man per engine? New rules on staffing? Lack of dedication? Harder fires to fight? Lack of understanding by management (city council ) as to the needs of a fire dept.? I think you asked a complex question and there is no easy answer.
As I said NRFD was a 2 fire fire dept. It has always been one of the best around, but today if there is a room and content fire in the north end what can I expect if I have a fire at my house 10 minutes later? A 1 & 1 response when the first fire gets a 4 & 2 response. Like I said there is no easy answer.

Back in the 80's, NRFD was considered a, 2 fire, fire department. NRFD could handle 2 different room and content fires. Today NRFD can only handle 1 R&C fire before having to call for help. In NRFD case what has changed? 1 less man per engine? New rules on staffing? Lack of dedication? Harder fires to fight? Lack of understanding by management (city council ) as to the needs of a fire dept.? I think you asked a complex question and there is no easy answer.
As I said NRFD was a 2 fire fire dept. It has always been one of the best around, but today if there is a room and content fire in the north end what can I expect if I have a fire at my house 10 minutes later? A 1 & 1 response when the first fire gets a 4 & 2 response. Like I said there is no easy answer.

Back in the 80's, NRFD was considered a, 2 fire, fire department. NRFD could handle 2 different room and content fires. Today NRFD can only handle 1 R&C fire before having to call for help. In NRFD case what has changed? 1 less man per engine? New rules on staffing? Lack of dedication? Harder fires to fight? Lack of understanding by management (city council ) as to the needs of a fire dept.? I think you asked a complex question and there is no easy answer.
As I said NRFD was a 2 fire fire dept. It has always been one of the best around, but today if there is a room and content fire in the north end what can I expect if I have a fire at my house 10 minutes later? A 1 & 1 response when the first fire gets a 4 & 2 response. Like I said there is no easy answer.

Retiring when you want to is a good thing. Stay healthy, wealthy and wise.