pasobuff

I'm going to reply to the last part first - to me, a 'minor' injury is one that does NOT require transport to a hospital.

When I was active as a firefighter, if I received a minor cut (say from a shard of broken glass - not really needing a band-aid even) - I wouldn't bother reporting it. If it was something that required any type of medical attention, yes, it was reported.

As for your given example - that reminds me of a story I heard quite a few years ago.....that at a fire scene a certain person would go up to firefighters and 'instruct' them that they were 'injured'.......I never saw it myself -but heard it from more than one person.....this supposedly was done to bolster numbers and try to show that more staffing was needed etc......a Union issue.

I am an advocate for closing traffic (lane, road etc) until the situation is safe enough for traffic to start flowing......

Many of you may have seen this - the result of 1 lane being closed on the NYS T-way due to an accident.....and someone NOT paying attention - this vehicle was parked on the shoulder in front of the accident.....was the 2nd car struck in this sequence. NYSP was still in route to the initial accident - only 4 minutes elapsed from the time this vehicle stopped and the accident occured.

I too worked with Charlie at WCPD.....although I haven't been there in quite a few years now, I still remember many many people there!

Lisa

Well....for one, know where the main shut off's are (pre-plan) for the sprinkler system. Also, either have access to a key, or take a pair of bolt cutters with you to cut the lock off if there is a chain/lock.

Have a ladder and wedges ready to help control the water flow from the sprinkler.

One thing I do not know from this particular situation - how many sprinklers actually went off at this fire......

But - could we move this part of the discussion to a new thread???

Very well said Chris!

I have gotten very tired of reading practically every week about a FF fatality, FF injury, PD, EMS etc.......

How many people get REAL EVOC training before they are put behind the wheel of an apparatus? More than just 'driver training' around the town.......controlled situations with obstacles, testing braking distances, turn radius etc.........

How many people have taken the 'Courage to be Safe' class, and/or the 'Highway Safety for Emergency Responders' course? BOTH are eye openers and GOOD classes to take!

Sitting in a classroom, driving a vehicle maybe once a week is NOT training! It takes days, weeks YEARS.....of constant work on your part to do your job well and stay safe! Learn from every instance - don't have the attitude 'it won't happen to me'.......

Maintenance....how many injuries and deaths are due to lack of maintenance?? Does a parachuter rely on someone else to pack their chute and hope the job was done right?! Does a pilot just get in the plane/helicoptor and just take off without checking everything?

In my first department, every Monday night the rigs were given a thorough once-over. From air pressure in the tires to fluid levels, to air bottle levels - everything was checked and RECORDED. How many people check the air pressure in their own tires?

When I am traveling down the road, I don't want to be the one who caused the accident - I trailer a lot, and always check tire pressure, vehicle condition, etc before heading out - do a once-around the vehicle - do a size up at the scene. Don't take unnecessary risks - if you don't get to the scene you do NO GOOD!

When heading home, take it EASY.....you made it through the tough part - get home SAFE! When I teach Fire Safety/Tenant Safety classes where I work - that isone thing I stress - we want the participants to go home the same way they came to work- by car, bus etc.....NOT in an ambulance or worse!

Not all accidents are preventable (As I found out Wednesday night myself)......but do YOUR part not to be a cause - drive DEFENSIVELY, don't take those unnecessary risks because 'we almost got it!'....be alert and get home alive~!

goes unpunished!

Result of stopping to assist at an accident scene - thankfully no one was injured - the emergency vehicle was parked IN FRONT of the initial accident, with emergency lights operating, flare pattern behind accident and 1 lane & shoulder (out of 3 lanes plus shoulder) blocked.....

What about the county parks (Tibbets, Rye Playland, etc)? Would they be affected, or just the parkway patrols themselves.

From my experience when I worked down there, the County PD was already stretched thin (1 car for the entire Saw Mill at times!).....but they did a very good job.

I think it's just a case of reading way too far into it. But then again, we are our own worst critics.

Aren't we now?

I constantly find myself wanting to say things - but tehn rethinking it...even sending emails- I've wanted to say something, typed it out then read it and said 'wait, can't say that!'.......

In my line I work I do quite a bit of teaching to adults - some of these people somewhat 'high ranking' as far as public service - and LOTS of attorneys!.......you never know who is around you, or in your class!

Guess I should introduce myself at some point~!

Hi all...my name is Lisa.....been involved in the Fire Service going on 19 years now. STasrted out in Yorktown VFD, spent a short time in Mahopac, then a few years in Peekskill FD - was a Lt. and Capt there until I took a new job and moved upstate. I'm also a former EMT, and former member of YVAC, and also worked for a paid service in Bedford Hills for a while.

Currently I work in a Gov't job involved in the Fire Service - been there since 2002....prior to that I was x634 (yep, hired BEFORE Seth! LOL).....and also dispatched for Westcheester County PD.

Since others have listed other experience - I am an individual member of the NFPA (since 1998), sit on the NFPA150 Technical Committe as a principal member, and am also Secretary of the NFPA Wildland Fire Management Section. I'm a Nationally Certified Fire Service Instructor II, Arson Investigator Level I, Haz Mat Tech w/WMD training, Code Enforcement Official.....the list goes on!

I used to do a lot of photography, and also have horses. Lately though, my family has taken priority - having a 3 year old at home and working full time takes a lot of time!

I'm always willing to learn something - everyone has stories to share - hopefully all the younger members I see here will come away from this site with a lot of knowledge!

"City firefighters, responding to a dryer fire that filled a coin-operated laundromat with smoke yesterday morning, had just entered the Welcher Avenue building and were working on the blaze when the smoke triggered the sprinkler system, Fire Chief John Pappas said."

Outside of Hollywood how many sprinkler systems are operated by smoke detectors?

What is the likelyhood that this laundromat actually had one of these special system?

You win the prize! I too have not seen smoke activated sprinklers.........

As for the comment about not having the sprinklers activate.....I am thinking he meant there would have been less water damage - and that the crew inside had a handle on the fire......that is just my take.

I know the Chief (haven't seen him in a while though!) - and I'm sure this was a case of mis-speaking and out of context.

It is amazing what can get taken out of context, this was a pretty mild case.....I've seen worse!

Not to pick on anyone - but watch what you say when talking to the news! How many items can you find in this article?

Peekskill firefighters soaked while dousing fire at laundry

By Terence Corcoran

The Journal News • January 8, 2009

PEEKSKILL - Talk about a welcome.

City firefighters, responding to a dryer fire that filled a coin-operated laundromat with smoke yesterday morning, had just entered the Welcher Avenue building and were working on the blaze when the smoke triggered the sprinkler system, Fire Chief John Pappas said.

"The sprinklers went off right after we made entry," Pappas said. "Our guys got soaked. It would have been a lot better if they didn't go off."

Sprinklers inside the Peekskill Wash 'N' Dry at 26 Welcher Ave. caused minor water damage to a karate studio and a pizza parlor on each side of the business in the form of wet floors, Pappas said.

Around 10 a.m., firefighters were called to the laundromat in a plaza anchored by an A&P supermarket. Pappas said an investigation showed that a dryer filled with rags overheated, igniting the machine.

The fire was doused quickly - along with the firefighters when two sprinkler heads went off.

No one was injured.

The Firefighter Assist Search Team from the Lake Mohegan Fire Department was summoned, but turned back after the fire was extinguished. FAST is a specially trained group of firefighters who show up at confirmed structure fires to assist firefighting crews in case they encounter trouble.

An inspector from the Westchester County Health Department allowed the pizzeria to remain open.

There are plenty of fire protection districts in NYS that contract for fire protection i.e. anytown(town) has a contract with anytown fire company (not for profit independent fire company) to provide fire protection and/ems coverage to said fire protection district(s). If the fire company is failing to respond on any type of regular basis I'm sure a case could be made for breach of contract.

And in my experience - this occurs in both volunteer and career/contracted areas.......one reason I would rather (literally) not be able to make the decision for myself to call an ambulance...and rather drive myself (been there, done that multiple times!)....or have someone drive me to the hospital. Some contracts do specify a minimum staffing level that is supposed to be maintained, or a maximum response time.

This thread reminds me when I was a fairly 'new' EMT....was at the Corps with another member who was a Medic.....we were listening to a neighboring VAC being toned out for a call.....I think it was difficulty breathing...something like that.....they were being paged, and paged and paged........so the other member and I got ready to roll out, knowing we were going to be called mutual aid 'any minute'......FINALLY we were toned out and off we went.....

Got to the call, to find an FD EMT on scene who had been trying to stabilize the PT until an ambulance arrived. Well we did, just in time to watch the guy code.....a member of the EMS squad whose territory did show up at about this point which was good.

As we started working the PT, another call was dispatched for an MVA in this jurisdiction.....guess what? The call was covered! (Go figure!).....and, the member who was with us attempted to leave to go to that call, but was quickly stopped.

How many times have people said something to the effect that 'it's just a band-aid call'....or it's a 'regular'.......in the case of this person,, he could have WALKED to the hospital faster than it too for us to get to him after all the unanswered dispatches, then the time it took us to get there.......unfortunately he did not make it....

Just one of the calls that has kind of stuck with me through the years.

Are you saying that an agency that receives 911 calls from the dispatch center is not assuming a responsibility to respond? I'm less concerned with legal issues and fraud than I am with people (municipal officials, taxpayers, etc.) holding their feet to the fire to either provide the service they exist for, give it up and shut down, or fix the problems so they can cover their calls without an undue burden on their neighbors.

If you could elaborate on your definition of "roster"-ing its ambulance, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks and stay safe!

I understand 'rostering' as having basically an 'on call' list.....

When I volunteered, we has a sign-up sheet for duty coverage - so if you commit to having people covering a specific time of day, they had better be there!

Welcome home!

I'll be there in thought.....I remember this incident....was working in Westchester County at the time.....