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Not being to familiar with YFD Ops & alarm assignments I have a few questions.First I noticed that the 1st alarm assignment was a 4 and 2 plus specialty response. Is this standard or was there dispatch info, e.g. multiple calls, confirmation from PD,etc, that dictated a large first alarm assignment? Next, I noticed that YFD pressed a large number of "reserve" units into service. Are these trucks manned by recall personnel? Definitely an advantage to having a large reserve fleet.

I can't say specifically for Yonkers, but when I was dispatching in Maryland, the response to a reported structure fire was

4 engines, 3 special service (ladder or rescue, 1 must be a ladder), 2 ambulances, 1 batallion chief, 1 EMS officer, 1 safety officer

a "task force response" which was intermediate between 1st and 2nd alarms got (I believe)

2 engines, 1 special service, 1 ambulance, 1 bataillion chief and maybe a fire investigator

So there are places out there which send big responses on 1st alarm.

Even my town's volunteer department here in NY sends at minimum on the 1st alarm 2 engines, 1 truck, 1 rescue and 1 tanker. Normally all 3 engines go.

I believe the difference is this: Fire Protection Districts are essentially private entities that sign a contract with a town for fire service. They are under the town's control as the town board can refuse to renew the contract when it is up.

Fire Districts are government agencies that have a board of commissioners with the power to raise taxes for themselves.

I was just wondering? Why is the chief officer of a fire department called "Chief", but the chief officer of most ambulance corps called "Captain"

Also how come in most fire and EMS agencies there are no NCO (sergeant) ranks and it goes right from firefighter/emt to lieutenant and up

I don't know for sure. I wouldn't think JCMC ambulance would shut down, as they probably would still be needed for IFT's and things of that nature; especially if like you said they are keeping the ALS portion

If I worked for the state EMS agency in that state. I would shut them down upon hearing that. The patient comes first.

Orange County will be giving their basic class starting on January 29th, 2014 and ending on June 19th, 2014

I do see both sides of the argument.

Having trainings and certifications is important, and elections are in many cases a popularity contest. However, there are plenty of people out there who are very book-smart and can amass binders full of certificates and take tests well, but who have zero business being in any kind of leadership role, either because of their inability to apply their knowledge in the field or because of their personalities.

Wouldn't an officer who took all of the required classes and passed any required tests, but has no "street-smarts" and doesn't have the respect of his subordinates be just as bad as the situation we have today.

I passed the written and typing for the dispatcher exam. Still haven't received a list number.

Our fire department has training requirements. I'm not exactly sure what they are, but I know we have them

It won't be the first or the last, but it should give pause to those who think that privatization is the cure all for budget ills.

I know in my town at least that extends to EMS as well. Would this program satisfy the ACA requirements

Where the police are aware that an attorney has appeared in a case before the chemical breath test begins, they must make reasonable efforts to inform the motorist of counsel’s appearance if such notification will not substantially interfere with the timely administration of the test.

It does not appear that is the case here, but that is only a guess based on the few specifics outlined in the article.

What does it mean when an attorney has appeared in a case before? Does that mean if the person has previously spoken with an attorney about the same case? and does that apply if an attorney is requested, or only if they actually spoke to one

Does anyone else's department offer them insurance through the town. I know in my agency members who are uninsured or self employed can get insurance through the town.

I thought, in NYS at least that volunteers were already considered employees for the purposes of workman's comp and OSHA laws.

I know that the Orange County 911 center allows or at one time allowed dispatchers to leave from work or come in late for structure fires or HAZ-MAT incidents

The only thing I wonder about is how do you know why an incident is bad. I think it is pretty hard to determine that from looking at after action pictures or videos, because they don't show the conditions upon arrival, or show why you are seeing what you are seeing.

Also, I think a fine line needs to make sure that having honest critiques doesn't turn into having to find something negative on every as that would ruin morale very quickly

I think for some, everyone in the emergency services organization going home safe counts.

Other than that, short of a few situations (rescuing someone from a fire, a CPR save, catching violent criminals in the act) it is hard to measure outcomes, because the incident started before emergency services arrived.

For example, if someone's house is on fire and does $10,000 worth of damage, that is pretty bad; but if you are able to contain it to a room and contents, save the overall structure, protect exposures, get the pets out safe and manage to not get hurt yourself, I think that qualifies. You could also look at how "smoothly" the incident went and if all procedures were followed.

Also, what do you mean that emergency services don't have critiques outside of EMS. After most major incidents most agencies do hold after-action reviews and tactical debriefings.

As 16Fire5 said, a lot of places now have it in protocols to operate in the warm zone.

Right now I think that is the best option. The only ways I can see to improve on this are either:

1. Try to change police tactics to include doing something for the victims; even if it is throwing a CAT TK or a Quick-Clot ® bandage at them

2. Arm at least certain EMS personnel and qualify them to operate in the hot zone

3. Fully cross-trained PD/EMS personnel.

Two of those options have zero chance of happening, one maybe a little better chance

Either MTA or NYPD/NYTF-1 I would say. Looks like a USAR type vehicle.

Also, I wonder what that 150 number includes? Not only the relief crews and things like that, but I'm willing to bet that number includes safety officers, staging area managers, fire police, cause and origin team, department photographers, fire department run EMS, and a bunch of other people wearing turnout gear or some other uniform saying "Fire Department" on it, regardless if they are actually performing a suppression function

Our fire department actually has 3 levels

First you have the company level of which there are 4 and each company has civil officers (President, VP, Secretary, Treasurer) and line officers (Captain, 1st Lieutenant, 2nd Lieutenant)

Next you have the department which also has civil officers (Pres., VP, Secretary, Treasurer) and line officers (Chief, 1st Assistant Chief, 2nd Assistant Chief)

Then finally you have the district which has a board of commissioners which oversee the tax district, and own the vehicles, insurance policies and certain other things

I'm not sure this is a hard and fast rule, but I believe the lemon law is harder to apply to commercial/emergency vehicles.

I hope they do get their money refunded though, especially with it being out of service for about 90% of a year

I have seen countywide dispatch go one of two ways:

Really, really good (i.e. the system I was involved with in Maryland and most of the others).

Really, really bad (i.e. the system I am in here in New York, unfortunately) (low pay, high turnover, forcing their own policies on participating agencies without their consent, just really questionable dispatching like not listening when officers tell them to standby on sensitive data, mis-assigning calls and I can go on)

I know people on here said that FDNY*EMS wasn't a career track position but isn't it?

I mean you can promote EMT->Paramedic->EMS LT.->EMS Capt. etc... and there are special units like HAZ-TAC, Rescue Medics, Dignitary Protection Unit etc.

I understand that, my point is that if the level of training is so low they would be killed using a simulator, should they be allowed into live fire conditions on real calls? The answer should be no, but...