vodoly

I guess my only question to all the Naysayers is what other option is there? I suppose you could call another county mutual aid for a tech-rescue team but that would take time. I don't know the financial status of Putnam County or it's towns, but it sounds like if they are going to hire career firefighters to cover even the basic calls because of lack of manpower they need to concentrate on the basic daily responses with the career staff before creating a tech-rescue team. 
 
So let's assume it's a horrible, terrible, dumb idea to create the tech-rescue team with volunteers from the departments within Putnam County. No-way, no-how!! They'll buy people cool t-shirts anyhow to appease the 75% of the people who are in it for that.  So there is nothing.
 
Now, let's take the example of the construction worker who is up to his neck in a collapsed trench. Time is an important factor here. The call goes out to the local department at 1pm on a Tuesday afternoon. The first-due engine pulls up and has 3 on-board (Joe who is retired truck driver, Tom who is Captain and works in the local deli, and Sue who is an EMT). None of these members have experience or training in any type of tech-rescue. So they walk up to the guy who's buried and do what? There is no Putnam County team to request, mutual aid tech-rescue is too far away to be of any good, and the engine crew is not up to the task. The captain tells the worker there's nothing they can do for them and the crew climbs back on the engine and returns to quarters. That, of course, is ludicrous!!!
 
If there were a tech-rescue team, this is probably an incident they could handle. Sure the response might not be immediate, but in the meantime another department could be called in mutual aid to the scene to have manpower there and perhaps at least stabilize the scene until tech-rescue shows up. I know nothing of tech-rescue, but perhaps boards could be built up around the worker so more dirt doesn't fall on him. Maybe the EMT could get close enough to slip an O2 mask on the guy. Maybe they could prepare the scene by moving dump trucks and other vehicles out of the immediate area to give the tech-rescue team clear access to the scene. Maybe they could lay out tools on a tarp which the tech-rescue team might need (shovels, pails, ropes, etc.). 
 
So I ask the people who are against this, what are the alternatives? Not go? Go but then return? Have Lawn-Chair 1 respond so they can put out lawn chairs and tables and serve lemonade and sandwiches while they watch the guy die?
 
Very simple solution which I stated before:
 
1) If it's a minor situation like a child has his hand stuck in a bicycle chain, the first due engine can most likely handle that.
 
2) If it's a more serious incident like a guy buried up to his neck in a trench, the first due engine assesses the situation, calls for the tech-team, calls a mutual aid engine and tries to at least stabilize the scene and cause no further harm.
 
3) If the tech-rescue team arrives on location and it's a guy down an abandoned 200 foot deep well that is caving in, the tech-rescue team may decide they need heavier equipment and call additional tech-rescue teams and call on the private industry who has the equipment to deal with this. Perhaps they would have to dig a hole 50 feet away and then tunnel in to get him out. A very extended operation. But, the first due engine identifies the problem and calls for help. They immediately cordon off the zone so no one else falls in or loosens anything else which will fall in. They ascertain the number of victim(s), age(s), medical condition(s), etc. When the tech-rescue team shows up they realize they will need help and call for another tech-rescue team and ABC Drilling & Well Company. Perhaps the tech-team can feed a camera with audio down the hole to see if the person(s) are conscious and evaluate the situation. Who knows, maybe they could even snake an O2 mask down to the victim(s). The tech-team realizes its going to be an extended operation (perhaps 24 hours) and they set up a Planning & Logistics section and create an operational period chart. They may even call in an Incident Management Team.
 
It comes down to common sense, training, experience and knowing when "this is bigger than we can handle" be it the first due engine or the tech-rescue team. To do nothing you might as well nail the doors shut on the firehouse and have everyone volunteer at the local food bank; which by the way offers cool t-shirts too!!  

Latest on Englewood Cliffs Pierce Velocity Pumper it will become EC1 & Its due by the end of the year The Hahn EC 3 is being traded in to Pierce

Jersey City has ordered a Pierce XT Heavy Rescue for Rescue 1 Finally going to replace that well used Lance 

Most importantly, the mayor and public safety commissioner have their names on the door ... LOL

I like it - sharp looking truck. I'm not crazy about politicians putting their names on vehicles.

Here's EMS 8 of  North Bergen EMS at Englewood Hospital ER today 2016 Chevy/Medix

don't have any idea Who built this Ambulance but here's Alert Ambulance  service  unit 7910 ( unsure what the partnership with Hackensack Meridian Health care is) Look like a 2017 Ford Transit though Parked out side Hospital ER this afternoon 

Bedford Hills & Mt Kisco Fds from last year 
Bill Tompkins photos - btfirephotos.com 

If anyone is interested contact 1 of the 3 photographers to have your apparatus pics taken
A disk with pictures of your rigs will be sent out to you for Free! 

 

Congratulations Goldens Bridge on your new rig - E138, a Spartan EV.  Looks really sharp, nice job done by the truck committee.  Best of luck with it and stay safe.

Here's Ridgefield Tankers 5 A 1988 International Tech weld  375 2200 tank This is a former Port Authority Tunnel washer unit acquired by Ridgefield & Converted to fire department use all work done by Dept members & was painted by the DPW unit is used on the NJ Turnpike & brush fires in area It's part of the Bergen County Tanker Task Force Credit to the photographer

I am by no means a seasoned veteran (run a lot of medical calls & fire alarms) but the volume, pressure, and thickness of smoke coming out of the building between the 11 & 12 minute mark is the heaviest I've ever seen!

Well the wait is over Finally got a chance to get pictures of the new FLA 3 It's one of 2 totally new units Built by PL Custom  2nd one is assigned to FLA 4  The 3 rd unit will be a remount of  FLA1's box on to a Ford F450 4WD Chassis   FLA 3 & 4 Feature White out privaticy window treatments new warning light set up plus Push Bar strip LED warning lighting These units mark a return to Pick up truck style chassised units since the late 70's when they operated 3 Chevy chassised  units

That Tiller from LaPlata has seen more work in its short time in Passaic than it did in its whole career! It seems like as soon as they got it, all h*ll broke loose!

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2017/07/24/passaic-new-jersey-fire/
 
 

 
Here's what I'm getting out of this statement:

If Putnam County is willing to share resources to obtain a grant, AND Westchester County is willing to share resources (to get a grant), AND Orange County is willing to share resources (to get a grant), are these counties setting themselves up to become a regional technical rescue response team?  In my mind, the sharing of resources cuts the cost to the taxpayers by setting up a system where this task force has this and that task force has that, and they share the resources based on what is needed where.  This is obviously in contrast to each county being set up exactly the same as the others.
 
Anyway, kudos to Putnam County on their progress in organizing such a specialized team!  It takes a lot of time, hard work, and resources to bring together such a project!

 

Garfield NJ Company 3 recently placed in service this 2017 Ferrara MVP 
 

Town of Cortlandt at it's finest.

Just going to leave this here...

If your staffed properly and everyone does their job you should be able to put the fire out and move before the ticket officer nabs you! Of course you'll have to leave all the overhaul to the truckies.

 

Caught Hackensack VAC At the ER    today Has It's a Frazier mounted on a Chevy Chassis