dwcfireman

When I was a volunteer upstate I used my blue lights to respond to every call, and I would say about 95% of other drivers would give way to me. When I moved to Westchester, that number dropped to around 50%. Where I am now, I only use my lights maybe a few times per year (between other drivers not watching, heavy traffic, and more than half my drive to the fire house is outside of my district). I honestly just keep the lights plugged in in the rare event that I come across an accident. I can say without a doubt that the culture of the blue/green light is entirely different from upstate and the lower Hudson valley. And I don't know why so many volunteers, especially some of the younger generations, feel like that have to drive a million miles per hour to the fire house (or the scene if they're allowed). I don't find it worth causing an accident because I want to shave 15 seconds off my response time. If it's the big one, it's more than likely to be still on fire if I get there a little later.

Would it not make sense to have a cash reserve or some sort of reserve fund in the event that something like this happens? Whether you need to pay the bills, pay the employees, or make an emergency repair/purchase, it makes sense to me to have a reserve fund for when you need it (i.e. Rainy Day Money!). And wouldn't the actions of a company that consistently took out loans have a negative effect on the company's credit rating? I can understand it in the short term, especially when the loans are paid back on time and in full, but a consistent stream of loans to make every day expenses seems too risky to me. But, what really irks me is the fact that, "it's not if they'll get paid, it's when..." is what the employees are being old. I don't know about you, but I can't go without a paycheck for an indefinite amount of time. I work, they give me a check; or at least that's how it's supposed to work. Has his been a problem with other private EMS agencies in the past (or present)? And why is this becoming a problem? I know most EMT's and medics won't walk away from the job as many of them love what they do for a living, but I most certainly would walk away if I didn't get my paycheck...and probably would take the company to court over it, too!

5 things that ALL company officers say: "No, you can't." "Please don't." "Please get off that ladder." "Stop! You're going to hurt yourself!" "I told you so."

Here's my biggest beef with all the hub-bub around drones: Drones are just remote control HELICOPTERS! The only difference is that today's RC choppers are quad-rotor and have software pre-built into them to make them stable in flight. Technically, the FAA doesn't have to do anything about them (regulation wise) because drones are just RC aircraft. However, because they're becoming popular and these RC aircraft are interrupting everything from air traffic and aircraft operations to sports events and emergency incidents, and they need to be regulated. Just a decade ago you would have never seen a quad-copter in the sky. Nowadays you don't have to look far. I see about 3 or 4 every week! Having worked at an airport for some time now, I've seen what happens when a bird hits a plane, especially a an 8lb goose! Imagine what a drone could do!?! But, to stay on the fire service topic, I'll bring back my point from before. If I'm on the roof and a private drone buzzes my head, it's probably going to scare me, which may end in me losing my footing and falling. There's a place for these RC aircraft, and the fire scene is only one of those places IF everyone knows there is going to be a drone overhead. It's best, IMO, to keep the airspace clear of drones to protect the responders, victims, and the general public. Imagine if a news chopper and drone collided over a major incident....Do you want to be standing underneath that? p.s. My apathy for private drones is from my years working in aviation. I actually had an RC airplane when I was in high school. Please do no think that my opinion is based on half the information available.

I saw this article, http://firehouse.com/12080980, and figured I'd come here to see if anything about drones popped up...And, voila! The video from FireHouse's website reveals a drone being sprayed at by firefighters that is filming the fire in Coldenham (Orange County) the other day. So here's my two cents about drones filming fires. A) Drones would be extremely helpful to an IC to get that birds eye view of the scene, especially during larger events like wide brush fires or around large warehouse-like buildings. The extra set of eyes in the hands of a skilled operator can help gather information from the scene, including all of the things that an IC would normally never see (like the topside of a flat roof or the rear of the building). The video can also be coupled with video and pictures taken from ground level to critique the incident and help plan for the next "big one." Since the news media is going to have photographers/videographers there anyway, their use of drones for gather information for public press (See Constitutional Amendment I [Freedom of the Press]) is absolutely fine. HOWEVER, they would have to, and in my opinion MUST, adhere to all federal (FAA), state, and local regulations pertaining to drones. The drones should also be at a safe distance, just like all other non-emergency personnel. Think of this along the same lines of a news helicopter circling above. C) Personally owned/private drones should be banned within 1,500 feet of a fire incident. Private operators are not using their video footage for sale to the press, nor are they making a statement of any of their rights. They're simply taking footage because it's fun to do, and the videos earn them silly internet points that don't mean anything in the real world. But, here's the real reason; as seen in the video from Coldenham, the drone becomes a distraction for the firefighters. It's something they did not expect, and it distracted them from their main focus. This is dangerous to everyone involved, including the public. Personally, I don't want to be scared $h!tless because a drone buzzed my head. With my luck, I'd slip off the roof and end up with a broken leg. Unfortunately, for now, private drone use falls on the old adage, "Just because you can doesn't mean you should." To keep this thread on topic, please ignore my rant in paragraph C (it could be a lot longer). Drone technology has come a long way in the last few years, and it would be a great asset for any IC, especially at large scale events. I'm not advocating that every department go out and spend $500 for a drone, but if a few departments did end up with them (AND SHARED!), it would be a great tool for everyone to use and learn from.

I understand where you're coming from, but why do EMS personnel and police officers keep entering homes where CO is present when they don't have the proper apparatus to breathe in such an environment? Is it a failure to recognize the situation as a CO incident? Is it a lack of training? Or is the adrenaline just taking over the brain and these service people are ignoring the facts around them? I don't know what the answer is, but there is no need to put an emergency responder at an unnecessary risk.

Dangerous act to pull off, however, we in this service risk our lives so that others may live. Kudos to those involved with this rescue. An extremely brave act against an extremely dangerous (silent) predator! On the other side, this was extremely dumb. I don't want to criticize the actions of those on scene, but things could have gone an entirely different direction. I only say this because I advocate placing SCBA on ambulances for this very cause. If the first responder notices multiple victims down, and a fire department response isn't underway, IMO EMT/Medics should be equipped to handle the first few minutes of a CO response w/symptoms. There is no need for EMS personnel or police officers to succumb to one of our deadly predators. ((FOR THE RECORD: My opinion is not meant to hijack this thread in anyway. My opinions on this matter are my own and are only placed here to create positive discussion)) But, I will reiterate, good job to everyone on scene!

The previous/current owner isn't releasing it until they get their new rescue, and that new rig has been delayed. We're looking at a June/July timeframe for our delivery.

It's almost gone! haha.... We're in the works for a replacement, but we keep running into hurdles. Soon we'll have something a little bigger and heavier to meet the needs of our department.

I thought maybe we could change the tone of what we traditionally see on EMTBravo. I want this to be kind of like the "funny things heard over the radio" thread, and I figured it's about time we all had a good laugh.... This little bit from The Simpsons has been showing up on my Facebook news feed over the last few weeks, and it spawned an idea in my little brain; What funny or awkward situation/story do you have about a time when the alarm went off? I'll start..... When I was 17 I was a very active junior firefighter/explorer. I was chief of the junior corps, always around the fire house, and a regular at every alarm that wasn't during school hours. Any way, around this point in my life I got a new bed, upgrading from a twin to a full, and I decided to rearrange my bedroom so things would "flow" better. My father, who at this point is a 25 year veteran and ex-chief, tells me that this is a bad idea. When I asked the only thing he told me was, "It's going to ruin your routine." I didn't think too hard about it, and my teenage mind said to rearrange the room anyway. Well, later that night the pager sounded for a residential alarm, I shot out of bed like usual, but instead of running towards the door....WHAM!!!!! I hit the wall and knocked myself over! I was so used to getting out of bed on the right side, I had forgotten that I moved the bed . The best part of the story is as both my parents run past my bedroom door (Mom was a lieutenant at the time), I just hear my dad say, "Told you so." What's your funny story?

This is the one part I don't like about it. If you run a department that only runs 2 or 3 rigs, you're more than definitely going run into this issue. I think this is being marketed towards larger departments in more urban/suburban areas with housing developments and sprawling shopping centers (think of cities like Houston or Raleigh whose suburbs seem to spread out forever). The single axle makes it easier to drive (tighter turning radius), yet still allows you to retain the longer stick to make those long reaches from the road. I can only think of a few areas in Westchester where this set up would work perfectly (for example, most of Greenburgh), and like Barry said, the whole bridge thing is going to be a problem with both the train overpasses and bridges over parkways. Otherwise, looks nice, it's a great concept, and I'll like it until I get to play with one lol.

That would be something nice to see in the report. Further, a break down of what types of apparatus responded to certain types of incidents throughout the year (including county owned apparatus). It would be fun statistics to look at, but it might make people bring up that evil "C" word that no body like *insert evil laugh here.*

I understand completely. Ten House is the Mecca of the firefighting world due to the event that unfolded on its doorstep. I don't blame them for the ropes and for the chaos that happens around them daily. I really don't even care to see the inside for the house, I just want to look at the rigs like every other buff in this great nation. Those guys saw Hell unleash (literally) in front of them. It just sucks that they are so overwhelmed by John Q. Public that they can't spare the extra moments for those of us that actually care and want to have a real conversation with them. I'm sure if I went there when the tourists are at a lull I'll have better luck....then again, there's so many f---ing tourists there!

Met some of the guys at E54/L4 and L8. Awesome experience. I tried to meet some of the guys at Ten House and was met by some resistance. I'm sure every house is different, but I'd have to say most of the FDNY firefighters are awesome guys to talk to. I've randomly run into L5 and HM1 on lunch breaks and they were more than happy to shoot the crap. I'd love to see the inside of a lot of the houses!

The sad truth is there is no right answer. The most correct answer (IMHO) is that Mount Vernon, like every other municipality/district/etc. needs to undergo massive budget reconstructions to be able to provide the best services possible to their respective citizens. Example 1: A volunteer FD has 4 engines and a ladder, but can only get an average of 3 per rig. Sell two engines! Example 2: A career department has the same compliment with the same staffing. CATCH 22, you can't just sell two engines like the other department did. Everybody's budgets are different, and everybody has to be creative to make the best of the situation. This means being creative to not only save a few dollars here and there, but to also provide the best service to your community and it's neighbors. It's a disgusting roller coaster ride that you can't get off of.

Not AR-AFFF? That's what I thought they'd load, at least

What type of foam will be stored in this trailer?

Look at other states where vollies have red lights and sirens to get to the fire house. I think that's more dangerous than what NYS has. Imagine 15-20 POVs running RLS to the fire house, just to have the rigs leave the garage RLS.....it's a crazy sight!

You son of a.......That was a good one haha. I wish I thought of that

Sorry, Barry, I made a hasty post last night (my brain doesn't always fire on all cylinders at 1:43am). I know about the standards and definitions, but you beat me to it. Our communities don't realize what is needed for adequate protection, and I'm sure this lack of information spills onto the other sectors of emergency services as well.

This needs to be defined, as everyone has their own definition, and it's different for every service and different for every region. Adequate for one place may be 3 PO's for a domestic in one town, but the next town over may think it's 2 and another town will think it's 4. Same thing with the fire service....Town A is happy with 2 engines and a ladder (all fully staffed) for a residential alarm, but town B is happy with 1 and 1 half staffed. But, since this is a PD concern (Putnam County POLICE agencies) let's focus on that. I'm sure the study that they are going to conduct will come up with an adequate solution based on the information they gather from all of the towns/villages/etc and the study will give the county and its residents an idea of how to consolidate the police/sheriff departments. I've never heard of a true law enforcement consolidation before, so it's likely that this study will take a while, and I'm sure many residents from Putnam are going to voice their concerns and put in their 2 cents, as well as many ideas from within the affected agencies. I don't plan on following the study closely, but it will be cool to see what they come up with in the end.

Keep dreaming......hahahaha From the fire side of the issue, you're never going to get commissioners to say that consolidation of fire departments is a good thing, especially in all of these towns where the commissioners are also firefighters and have too much pride for their respective companies.. This one is going to have to come from the taxpayers (once they all figure it out and band together). I say, let this one play out and see how it works for a full county of police departments, then maybe we can re-discuss the idea for the fire departments.

I mean, really, who doesn't want bigger fire house?

I'm gonna leave this little gem, something that was said to me by one of my mentors long ago.... "You can do a great deal of help with just an engine, but the lines don't stretch themselves." We need to be dedicated, on the rig, and always vigilant.

Mr. Benz is right. Ask OFPC directly or ask the county training office for a FACTUAL answer. You're more likely to get partial truths here unless someone with the CORRECT knowledge steps up to the plate.