Newburgher

Like what, a Prius? What are they going to use that can still carry their gear, prisoners, pursue bad guys, and not give the officer clausterphobia?

Like what, a Prius? What are they going to use that can still carry their gear, prisoners, pursue bad guys, and not give the officer clausterphobia?

Like what, a Prius? What are they going to use that can still carry their gear, prisoners, pursue bad guys, and not give the officer clausterphobia?

My department is trying this new thing where if a Hydrant is OOS we will ban fires of all types (brush, structure, vehicle, ect...) within a 1,000' radius of that hydrant. .....So far so good!

I've removed Incident Alerts from the "Recent Topics" list found on the Board Index, since the can now be found in the Shoutbox.
This is due to some members flooding the Recent Topics list with IA's, which distracts from other threads and pushes other topics out of the way.
This is a trial only right now.

Many good points in this post but the one thing I'm going to jump on is agreeing about not sending unnecessary apparatus to calls. Sending two engines and a truck to every car accident is overkill. If there's a fire, send an extra engine. If extrication is required, send the appropriate rescue vehicle. Just sending 2 and 1 to be "standard" is a waste.
As for your other points, all valid and good things to ask. The problem is nobody asks at Department meetings. They ask here and other forums where they vent and commiserate about the problems. Who's actually fixing the problems?
We need one single standard for FF in NYS and we have to stop calling those who aren't qualified, "firefighter" until they are.

Why should I send my truck to a car accident if it does not carry extrication equipment? Standardize response based on manpower,equipment capability, and training. Let's go back to basics. What does your Dept require to be interior qualified (NYS training classes)? Do you require annual physicals? Do you require annual training? Do you require annual attendance? Do you require older members to update their outdated training certs, or do you grandfather them in? I would rather call in a Dept with 3-4 trained FF's that is 10 minutes away than call in a neighbor who will show up with a driver and 2 exterior firefighters in 4 minutes.
Before you respond to this, think long and hard about which Dept you belong to.

Vehicle fires 101? The very second that video started the first thing that pops to mind is: significant downward slope and you don't anticipate a flow of fuel? This might hurt.
When I first red this in the hard copy magazine I was dismayed by the feeble justification for not donning PPE for any alarm:"Fire crews typically will not don turnout gear on such “nuisance” calls as, more often than not, the alarm company calls back with a disregard."
While the article shows the one Capt. wouldn't accept a lackadaisical attitude, it sort of shows that the "rest" of the department and it's admin do. Maybe it's a little difficult to find fault with crews dressing down, when the admin drops alarm calls to single engine non-emergency responses.
"The South Bend, IN, Fire Department, in the interest of preventing potential injuries and fatalities that are risked by sending multiple rigs from several stations with full lights and sirens, decided to change the response policy several years ago to send only the nearest pump company, without their lights and sirens."
These guys are starting way behind the "8 ball" with a poorly staffed (like so many of us) single engine responding to an activated fire alarm, to then have to gear up on arrival is amateur in my view. Anyway, good for Capt. Severeid who despite what appears to be everyone else accepting mediocrity, required his crew to perform professionally on every call.
It's foolish at best that some people are totally surprised and caught off guard when they are called out for a fire alarm and actually find a fire.

So, by handling it this way, they certified you could what, drive the biggest rig?
How about knowing preventative maintenance procedures, tools and equipment carried, where they are carried, and how to set up and operate all tools? How about knowing capacities and limitations of each rig, OAH &OAL? How about amount and types of hosed carried, fittings, etc? Ground ladder lengths and types? Controls in the cabs, troubleshooting?
Any of this stuff seem important?
Even identical rigs can have something different, depending on what Company has it, and the neihborhoods it serves as first due.

It wasn't criticism. It was disbelief that you would be automatically qualified on a Freightliner/Pierce Engine just by getting qualified on a 105' Pierce quint. 2 different animals, not to mention the other rigs you listed. If you want us to picture what you are telling us, how about finishing the picture. I re-read your post, and that is what I gather from what you are telling us.

So, by handling it this way, they certified you could what, drive the biggest rig?
How about knowing preventative maintenance procedures, tools and equipment carried, where they are carried, and how to set up and operate all tools? How about knowing capacities and limitations of each rig, OAH &OAL? How about amount and types of hosed carried, fittings, etc? Ground ladder lengths and types? Controls in the cabs, troubleshooting?
Any of this stuff seem important?
Even identical rigs can have something different, depending on what Company has it, and the neihborhoods it serves as first due.

Next three obvious questions:
1. What will happen with all of their apparatus?
2. What will happen with all of their money?
3. Where will they pop up next?

Violence is so routine anymore, most of the stuff isn't even reported in the local papers.

Plattekill and Coldenham both cover part of the town too. It's a ton of equipment, and every department needs mutual aid to handle even an automatic alarm. Millions in apparatus, and annual budgets, and no guarrantee that a fire truck will come to help if you call for one. Same all over it seems. I understaand noone wants to be the first to give up control, but there is no other way that I see other than consolidation.

Plattekill and Coldenham both cover part of the town too. It's a ton of equipment, and every department needs mutual aid to handle even an automatic alarm. Millions in apparatus, and annual budgets, and no guarrantee that a fire truck will come to help if you call for one. Same all over it seems. I understaand noone wants to be the first to give up control, but there is no other way that I see other than consolidation.

Please don't ever say it's ok to stick the nozzle of a dry chem extinguisher or anyone extinguisher near a car fire without the proper gear. Most times it can be held in check with a dry chem. But whats the point..ITS A CAR...and the one time you think it's ok is going to be the time you get hurt because something unforseen happens! There are many components which pop and blow in a car and sometimes, small fires escalates quickly, and thats when guys get hurt. What happens when you're up on the car trying to knock it with a dry chem and you don't notice the gas line is burning and now your shoes are on fire?

Plattekill and Coldenham both cover part of the town too. It's a ton of equipment, and every department needs mutual aid to handle even an automatic alarm. Millions in apparatus, and annual budgets, and no guarrantee that a fire truck will come to help if you call for one. Same all over it seems. I understaand noone wants to be the first to give up control, but there is no other way that I see other than consolidation.

Plattekill and Coldenham both cover part of the town too. It's a ton of equipment, and every department needs mutual aid to handle even an automatic alarm. Millions in apparatus, and annual budgets, and no guarrantee that a fire truck will come to help if you call for one. Same all over it seems. I understaand noone wants to be the first to give up control, but there is no other way that I see other than consolidation.

I didn't see anything in any above post that was insulting or telling Fairview how to proceed. What has you set off exactly?

Plattekill and Coldenham both cover part of the town too. It's a ton of equipment, and every department needs mutual aid to handle even an automatic alarm. Millions in apparatus, and annual budgets, and no guarrantee that a fire truck will come to help if you call for one. Same all over it seems. I understaand noone wants to be the first to give up control, but there is no other way that I see other than consolidation.

http://www.midhudson...ol-14Mar12.html
I know this has been discussed before, but here is another group considering consolidation.

I didn't see anything in any above post that was insulting or telling Fairview how to proceed. What has you set off exactly?

I didn't see anything in any above post that was insulting or telling Fairview how to proceed. What has you set off exactly?