firegui

I see a lot of people talking here and from what i see all are anonymous, Well I am not i am an ex chief past commissioner of the Somers F.D., residents both member and non members of the F.D, felt it was time for a change. Unfortunately the petition time was missed so we had to do a write in which is 100% legal and a voters right. The people who backed the candidate are tired of the way the Somers Fire District is doing things , You can speculate all you want here but unless you are in the department and live it you don't know.To say the upcoming Chief is not qualified is a bunch of crap!!! The person next in line to be chief holds all of the qualifications required by the SFD and then some. He is also a certified fire inspector and holds the qualifications to be a building inspector. He is currently, and no disrespected intended to the other two chiefs, the ONLY qualified INTERIOR firefighter " bailout certified" in the chiefs office. The qualification he lacks is butt kissing 101 as he stands up for the members and what he believes. The fire district has done some very questionable unethical things recently. Which is why it was time to change the board the person elected id the first in a long time non member of the / a fire department. So a different and open minded perspective can be brought in. I wish her the best of luck and will happily support her.

RIP

I didn't know him, sounds like my loss, as everyone here says what a great guy he was. I guess it is always the way the good lord takes the good ones first. Rest in Peace my thoughts and prayer go out to his family and brother firefighters and emt's.

Rest in Peace may her family take comfort in all the good she did as a trooper. And may god watch over her family and child.

When I was Chief we had a restaraunt in town who reset the alarm and did not evacuate prior to F.D. arrival. After numerous responses there was an alarm on Christmas Day as my fire department was just returing from a structure fire, the mutual aid department standnig by for us was dispatched to that restaraunt for an automatic alarm. I responeded and as usual the alarm was reset people were eating and we got the usual no alarm went off here. It didn't work this time I ordered the restaraunt evacuated and a proper search done. After that I had our Bureau of Fire prevention summons the restataunt not only for that alarm but the previous four in the last month. Needless to say after a hefty fine the condition was corrected. I agree with the thought you learn your district and apparatus placement and also agree alarms will go off and malfunction. However I also agree it's the home/business owners responsibilty to maintain their alarm. If it malfunctions have it SERVICED after all it is there to protect them not us. So I agree with fining offenders if they don't have their malfunctioning alarms serviced. Hey lets not forget the automatic carbon monoxide alarms which in my department, and I am sure we are not alone, if nonone answers the door or noone is home we MUST enter to make sure nonone is home and overcome by carbon monoxide.

Rest in Peace thoughts and prayers go out to his family the Briarcliff Volunteer Fire Department and Empress EMS

Jim and Gina you have Alot to be proud of as Victoria is a great person. She will be missed at the SVFD!! God Bless her and prayers for a safe return go out to her and your family.

You can order anything you want. Most manufacturers will build on any chassis. You see mostly cookie cutter apparatus on commercial chassis because they are built to keep the price down. But you can spec anything you like.

Hopefully they will some rehabilitation out of it since they are youths ione would hope we hvae not written them off yet. And no i am not a liberal when it comes to inmates.

The Preview:

Somers LOVED the SPH but due to height restrictions it would not fit in our firehouse

The question I believe didn't really revolve around the 95ft vs 100ft ladder as it was meant to ask why Somers didn't choose the SPH100 which has a bucket that doesn't hang as low in the back and allows for ground ladders to be stored through the rig as apposed to on the officers side of the rig. The SP95 does not have those options. It is essentially a two man job to get a ladder off of the SP95 where as one man can remove and throw ground ladders from the SPH100 by them selves.

I was happy to sign that. Being a Corrections Officer in the past when these skels go to jail or prison with a life sentence they have nothing to lose so if they kill again inside maybe a C/O what else can you do to them.

I believe the 50,000.00 plus in the add is to satisfy state law. The law states if a fire district is declaing surplus and selling anything with a value of more the 50,000.00 they must have a public vote to be able to sell it. Since they don't know how much they will get for it per the law the add is correct.

This is terrible both the fire and ems community have lost alot this week both with Laurie and John Gagliardi. John was a three time Past Chief of Goldens Bridge Fire Department and now Laurie of LVAC. My prayers go out to the Gagliardi family in this extremely difficult time.

Will lowering the age to become an EMT or interior firefighter increase recruitment? As many of you know, Connecticut requires EMTs to be at least 16 years old. And from what I can tell, it works well from them. So is it time for New York (and others) to consider lowering the minimum age? Will it have any effect on the system? What are the Pros and Cons?

We at Somers have and have had alot of great under 18 firefighters and ems only people. I believe they could be great emt's at 16 as they are fast learners and hard workers. The pride that flows from our under 18 people is immense i would say probably 50 percent judging from past practice stay local and become senior members. Most of them are firefighter 1 certified before they graduate high school. I am sure other departments have similar success. I know for a fact Yorktown F.D. does.

Thank you all for opinions. While I did not mean to be abrasive, I wanted to make a point here.

If the average expected life span of an American is 78.3. Then anytime a member under that age dies from (MVA, Drowning, Household accident, Cancer, Heart, Food poisoning, ETC) then they are entitled to a LODD funeral with full honors and multiple FDs like Mahopac VFD gave.  I would image that budgets and the precious time that volunteers give would soon be strained to the point of breaking. Volunteers complain about the amount of time training takes now, add another 5-6 hours a month for funeral detail. After all they are many more volunteers then paid. (As pointed out in another post)

During my time I have seen many nice, wonderful, great guys die before their time and did not get a LODD funeral. The FD if involved line up at the wake to pay tribute. Maybe sent an engine for flowers and lined up in front of station as the Hearst and family past. There are many FFs from paid FDs(including FDNY) that are members of Mahopac VFD that I am sure could have advised on them on protocol.

As for doing this for every member, time will tell. 25 or 60 year members we'll see, I believe time is on my side. As I don't live in the Mahopac fire district and as pointed out the public's opinion doesn't matter in this event.  The taxpayers may want to vote, with their opinions, in the future at the voting booth. Oh that is if the public ever can vote at the secret public fire district elections that take place during the month of December instead of during regular November elections. (but this is another matter)

Since this was not a LODD, I would hope that no taxpayer money was used for this funeral. If that is the case that full reimbursement from the Company for all District expenses is instituted.

Oh that is if the public ever can vote at the secret public fire district elections that take place during the month of December instead of during regular November elections. (but this is another matter)

This is STATE LAW not secret!!!

So when I worked in the HOUSE. I could date one of my coworkers Wives while I myself am still married. Get killed by that FF and get a LODD funeral. YEA RIGHT!!!

I witnessed this spectacle, Mahopac has forever cheapened the LODD funeral.

ARE YOU FOR REAL????? MAHOPAC DID AN EXCELLENT JOB GIVING RESPECT TO THEIR PRESIDENT. IT SHOWS THE BROTHERHOOD AND CORDERY THE FIRE SERVICE HAS. CAN ANYONE TELL ME THE DEFINITION OF A LINE OF DUTY FUNERAL?? AS OPPOSED TO A REGULAR ACTIVE FIRE FIGHTERS FUNERAL? NOT TO CHEAPEN ANYTHING THE FUNERAL IS WHAT THE DEPARTMENT DECIDES TO DO FOR THEIR PASSING MEMBERS. IT IS NOT MY INTENTION TO BRING CAREER OR VOLUNTEER INTO THIS BUT!! THIS MAN GAVE OF HIS LIFE AND TIME FOR FREE AND DESIERVES THE RESPECT OF HIS COMRADS AND THE RESIDENTS OF HIS TOWN.

Rest In Peace Bobby!!! Bobby was a great guy i worked with him at Empress in the 90's. My condolences to his wife, son and family.

Ours is done through our insurance company after the member signs a release form. No sign no drive and once they are a driver we have what is called the lens program which monitors their licenses daily.

Boy if you all came and joined Somers VOLUNTEER fire department we would have one hell of a department seeing as you all know what is best for us!!!!

Yes Somers is going with white cars. We have mdt's in the Chiefs Cars, Ambulances and Rescue. They are connected to dispatch and have the dispatch program, EPCR'S and the Hurst Extrication Program as well as the hazmat and other things.

Nice!

I take it Somers is going with white for their Chief cars now?

Also, does Somers use an MDT with the Toughbook, or is it for general use (internet, Hazmat guides, preplans, NIFRS, etc)?

Rest In Peace Brothers

While I definately believe those lost, be it firefighters, police officers, ems workers, the public working in those towers or those who have since lost thier lives due to illness from that terrible day, should never be forgotten. I personally don't need to see the planes flying into the towers or the towers falling every year. Rememberence is paramount but I fell reliving the days events can be detramental to the families of those lost. We need to see that those who perished on that tragic day are remembered for the heros they are. Just my two cents, and absolutely no DISRESPECT intended. GOD BLESS ALL WHO WERE LOST THAT DAY!! well except the terrorists may they burn in hell for eternity!!!!

congrats to john cullen he will do a fine job and is a true firefighter both paid and volunteer ,he is what the county needs .wish him the best,

IN the words of some great people i have known over the years " TIME WILL TELL "

Thanks for the info...will this a traditional wetdown ceremony or more of our new found "dry"down?

The final decision is no charged hand lines, deck guns or other. How ever super soakers water cans and such are good. PLease be safe with them and remember the tent area is a "SAFE ZONE"

The Somers F.D. went with the 95 ft because we replaced a 95 ft stuphen which worked very well for us.