dwcfireman

And I commend you for it. I too do my best to keep my radio talk separate from my day to day language, but I do accept that society's views on appropriate language usage have changed quite a bit in my lifetime. And well sometimes, a little "emphasis" is just what's needed to get thing moving

I guess I was just raised to get all those naughty words out through the course of fire house banter (ask anyone, I swear like a F-ing sailor), and to not use them while active on the scene.

I've heard the same thing.  I'm just wondering how many more of us are going to end up with accidental sticks of this were to happen.  Heck, I don't trust myself with many sharp objects!

Obviously, everyone has heard by now of the Epi-Pen price increase designed to fatten shareholders pockets.
 
With that said, are some agencies using or switching to administering Epi with a syringe off of a bottle? Are EMT's in NYS allowed to use that method? The cost for doing that is around $10 or less a dose.

Given the circumstances they get a by. Sounds like he was calling for a line and it wasn't coming fast enough. I think we all have been in situations where the last thing we are worried about is our language. What is important is they got the job done and went home to their families

The privilege of driving fire department apparatus, including command vehicles, vans, and utility style trucks, is often abused because a deep thought that, "Oh, I can do what I want," or, "The cops won't stop this vehicle."  The abuse then leads to the public seeing us acting as morons, and occasionally we screw ourselves in the end by crashing (or severely damaging) the vehicle, never mind killing someone due to carelessness!  And, the privilege is abused by both paid and volunteer firefighters alike.  I've even seen a large FD owned van fly by me on Rt. 17 up near Roscoe (it belonged to a large city FD with BIG unmistakable markings on it).  But, this isn't about the type of firefighter who's driving the vehicle, because this kind of crap happens every where!  Rigs rolled over while out for a joy ride, command vehicles crashed resulting from DUI, apparatus wrecked de to a lack of situational awareness.  It happens all of the time, and it needs to stop!
 
The bottom line is, if you are given the privilege to drive any type of fire apparatus, remember that you are representing your department the entire time you are in control of that vehicle.  It has your markings, your patch, and your colors on it.  The public knows who that vehicle belongs to.  Drive in a manner that the public knows that you are safer than them.  Drive defensively.  When responding to alarms, drive like someone's life depends on it (because it may), but do it in a safe manner (remember the term "due regard" before you blow through that red light with red lights and siren blaring).  And, most of all, just use common sense!  Keep your eyes peeled and your ears tuned for traffic and pedestrians.  Stay alert to changing road conditions.  Stay in the moment and focus on what you are doing.  If we stay safe, the public stays safe.  If the public is safe, we have nothing to worry about.

God forbid you ever hear get me a god damn line up here. I would be offended to hear that anywhere. Glad to see FDNY suffers like everyone else once in a while.

 
This statement is truer by 10 fold for specialized equipment.  Whether it's a heavy rescue rotator, ARFF, a tower ladder with an articulating boom, a chemical truck (purple K unit or such), or any thing else that's not an ordinary piece of equipment (by ordinary I mean engines, ladders, and rescues).  Specialized equipment is built for a special purpose, which requires specific training for the apparatus and it's operation, and specific training on the equipment it carries for the very specific role that it plays on the scene.  The alliteration of the word "specific" is excruciatingly important due to the fact that some pieces of apparatus are designed and built for one very reason.  I can speak on behalf of ARFF apparatus, which is designed to respond and spray foam with 3 minutes of a crash...It takes a lot of training to remain proficient with the operation of the vehicle, the location of certain buttons and switches, where important equipment is located, and usage of the correct equipment for particular situations.

That is pretty cool!
 

 
This statement is truer by 10 fold for specialized equipment.  Whether it's a heavy rescue rotator, ARFF, a tower ladder with an articulating boom, a chemical truck (purple K unit or such), or any thing else that's not an ordinary piece of equipment (by ordinary I mean engines, ladders, and rescues).  Specialized equipment is built for a special purpose, which requires specific training for the apparatus and it's operation, and specific training on the equipment it carries for the very specific role that it plays on the scene.  The alliteration of the word "specific" is excruciatingly important due to the fact that some pieces of apparatus are designed and built for one very reason.  I can speak on behalf of ARFF apparatus, which is designed to respond and spray foam with 3 minutes of a crash...It takes a lot of training to remain proficient with the operation of the vehicle, the location of certain buttons and switches, where important equipment is located, and usage of the correct equipment for particular situations.

 
 
LA City FD covers about 4 million people over 471 square miles. They have a huge fleet including over 162 Engines, 42 trucks, 100 ambulances, and tons of support vehicles, including ARFF trucks and helicopters.  This truck (and it's spare)  responds to about 30-40 calls where the boom is placed into rescue service each year.  It's also on call to tow any disabled apparatus.  Additionally, it also provides support services, such as uprighting overturned vehicles and trucks or removing them from cliffs, etc. It's also a good tool for moving debris during large scale emergencies such as earthquakes and other USAR operations.

You would need  a huge fleet to justify the expense. It is more cost effective to have a list of local tow operators with the equipment and offer to train with them. 
At the end of the day its just like any other piece of equipment. Once you get past the initial purchase, you have to constantly train to remain proficient. In this case it may be best to rely on the commercial operators who use the equipment everyday. 

http://www.ems1.com/ambulances-emergency-vehicles/articles/119596048-Colo-EMS-introduces-Swiss-army-knife-of-EMS-vehicles/?nlid=118815080&utm_source=iContact&utm_medium=email&utm_content=TopNewsLeft3Title&utm_campaign=EMS1Member&cub_id=usr_q47RVwVb6yXFRQ3u

was on the Sprain brook last week,a Suffolk chief's crown vic passed me at 85+ in the left lane north....mutual aid?

As  posted on this site a million times about this topic this is an abuse of privilege!!!  I was up in the  Lake George area  last week and a down south chiefs truck blew by me on the Northway.  The best now is the trucks with the ghost writing on them!!! 

Speaking as a taxpayer, we should all want the money re-collected. These grant programs use federal dollars and when they go unused they should return to the collecting body to offset other needs. Letting this one city slide helps its taxpayers at our expense. The downside is that the citizens and FD are likely going to suffer due to poor financial management in city administration.

Not only is the money gone and the SCBA's not paid for, depending on how the grant was administered and the terms of the grant (I didn't read the whole article), the government may want their money back. Wouldnt be the first time.

Thanks for the info. I was wondering how much use it got. Just the fact that it can be used to tow disabled apparatus probably makes it worth having with a fleet that large. For most departments around here there would not be a need for a department owned wrecker. Then again few departments around here have the cliffs that LA has or the freeway system, although we do have busy highways. This is why it seemed odd to me. I know of three companies I can call in Stamford for heavy duty equipment like this. I am sure there are a few more regionally. I can even remember one call where they debated special calling a crane from a local hauling company, but in the end did not need it.

HR56 ran about 500 runs last year is what i read in a statistic report. They respond on every Physical rescue, USAR, Major emergency(second alarm and greater).  Also can be special called by the IC if needed. Yes, they are staffed 24/7 with an Engineer and FF both highly trained in operations.

I've noticed a bunch of EMS agencies switching to the van style (Type II) ambulances, particularly the Mercedes and Dodge Sprint.  They look nice and I'm sure their functionality is great, especially in cities with tight roads and fuel consumption.  I'm sure the cost of these is a little better, too.  Can anyone clear up for me some of the larger decision factors for Type II ambulances versus I or III?

I've noticed a bunch of EMS agencies switching to the van style (Type II) ambulances, particularly the Mercedes and Dodge Sprint.  They look nice and I'm sure their functionality is great, especially in cities with tight roads and fuel consumption.  I'm sure the cost of these is a little better, too.  Can anyone clear up for me some of the larger decision factors for Type II ambulances versus I or III?

I've noticed a bunch of EMS agencies switching to the van style (Type II) ambulances, particularly the Mercedes and Dodge Sprint.  They look nice and I'm sure their functionality is great, especially in cities with tight roads and fuel consumption.  I'm sure the cost of these is a little better, too.  Can anyone clear up for me some of the larger decision factors for Type II ambulances versus I or III?

I was thinking along those lines. Anti-patriotism among more that 2 commissioners? Really? I'd find it unlikely that any board involved in emergency service would have an anti-American slant. There are plenty of reasons this may have come about, most are likley the result of fear of some sort of reprisal: Some citizen complains that responding into their neighborhood waiving the flag is seen as a type of "invasion" while their neighborhood is in America (some people think strange things). 

 
I can sort of see the labor relations angle, but if that is it, then it is even worse. To use and abuse patriotism for such an agenda, on either side, is more than distasteful. Citizenship is never a matter for negotiation, and those that think it is should not be elected to office.

While I agree that many of the flags we see displayed are being displayed improperly, the fact remains that the flags in Arlington were ordered removed, not relocated. This is absolutely an attempt to stifle patriotism. If the real concern were to display the flag according to the US Code then that would be an easy enough policy to write. If anyone in this country actually wanted to follow the law about flags, then we would arrest everyone wearing an Old Navy 4th of July T-Shirt, because the flag is never supposed to be used to advertise commercial goods or services. Then again our flag should not be lowered to half staff for music performers who die from self inflicted drug overdoses, nor for foreign nationals, especially when killed oversees and not on US soil, yet both have been happened in recent memory.
 
If I lived in Arlington I would certainly attend the next commission meeting and ask many questions, especially if they start the meeting with a pledge of allegiance to the very flag they don't want displayed on apparatus.
 
Just to show that I am not beating a dead horse, it appears that the issue has been resolved somewhat: