firedude

Yonkers FD Demo:

Marine and Aviation Unit Demo:







County Police new design:





This caught my eye:

That’s it. You can find all of the photos I took here. Hope you enjoyed them.

Yonkers FD Demo:

Marine and Aviation Unit Demo:







County Police new design:





This caught my eye:

That’s it. You can find all of the photos I took here. Hope you enjoyed them.

Today (6/10/2011) was Fleet Demo Day at Playland. Here are some of my pictures. If you enjoy my photos please comment of give me a rep, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank You.

Wow! Tons of amazing pictures! Yonkers had quite a few rigs there...it always impresses me as to how well equipped they are!

aWESOME.

Marine and Aviation Unit Demo:







County Police new design:





This caught my eye:

That’s it. You can find all of the photos I took here. Hope you enjoyed them.

Today (6/10/2011) was Fleet Demo Day at Playland. Here are some of my pictures. If you enjoy my photos please comment of give me a rep, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank You.

elightbars.org

What problem with a light? Your trying to store gear on your dash?

That's kind of what I figured but better to ask than to assume.

Date: 6-9-11
Time: 23:48
Location: 150 Rolling Way
Units Operating: PFD full assignment TL45 Rescue 134 , Mohegan Engine 255 FAST , Buchanan Utility 12
Frequency: 453.225 , 46.26 , Fire 10
Weather Conditions: Hot & hazy
Description Of Incident: Basement Fire
Writer: TR54
Con Ed notified for smoke from a manhole - Structure fire discovered by the Fire Department down the street
23:48 While FD on scene of smoke from a manhole , Car 2341 requested additional apparatus for heavy smoke down the street.
23:50 Confirmed 10-75 basement fire. Mohegan Engine 255 FAST dispatched to scene.
00:04 EMS requested for smoke inhalation victims.
00:16 Car 2341 requested Con Ed supervisor to scene.
00:20 Cause & Origin Zone 4 requested for fire investigation.
00:21 Buchanan Utility 12 dispatched to the scene for air cascade.
00:33 Continental Village FD re-locate Engine 231 to Peekskill station #6 S/B.
Montrose FD - Ladder Tower 8 S/B in own 1/4's.
00:44 Mohegan FAST released from the scene.

Many people have PMed and emailed mre asking about life "over there" in Afghanistan, so I thought I'd write a quick decription of how it is for those interested.
To start I am now assigned to Kandahar Airfield which, unlike all my previous jobs, is a NATO run base. At present I believe the British are the ones technicaly in charge of the base but almost all NATO countries and a few others are represented here. This makes for some interesting interactions as cultures do clash occasionally, usually with comic results fortunately. It is hot here, I mean really hot. Average temperatures this week have been just above 130 with the nights cooling down to a balmy 100 or so. It is also dusty here to the point that everything has a permant shade of tan covering it, no matter how often you clean it.
My FD here or to use it's proper name Kandahar Fire Crash Rescue Services is comprised of 60 men manning 6 crash trucks, 2 structural Engines and a Tanker along with a Chief and as they call them a Plattoon (our Depruty Chief or Shift Commander) Chief for each of the two shifts. Work schedule is 24 on 24 off or on average an 84 hour work week, which may sound like alot but trust me most would rather be working everyday as there isn't much to do otherwise. We do have a gym at the main station as well as a number of military ones throughout the base that we are free to use. There are 6 DFACs (dining facilites), 1 British, 1 French or Continental, 1 Asian and 2 American, the other I havent found yet but it is reported to be Arabic serving only Hallal food (similar to Kosher). The food itself is edible although as any former soldier can tell you, everything is cooked well beyond well done. Kandahar also boasts a Boardwalk which is just exactly what you'd expect it to be, a wooden sidewalk on which fromts a number of commercial establishments. We have a KFC and Friday's, 2 pizza joints although the term pizza is a bit of a stretch to anyone from our area, a Nathan's open 24 hours to boot a coffe shop and a French Deli/Patisserre. Along with the gastronomic choices there are a number of small "Haji" or locals run shops carrying everything from cigarettes to jewelery and trinkets to a full tailor shop that will make a hand tailored suit for you for about $250. There is also a Bazaar every Saturday with the ubiquitous bootleg movies as well as an impressive selection of junk, haggling a must.
About the FD itself aside from the above. Well I started at the main station, Station 1 which sits on the Airfield. Housed there are 5 of the 6 crash trucks and their attendant crews. I was assigned to Engine 3 one of the two structural units on base. Station 3 houses another crash truck on the opposite side of the runway. Station 3 is a luxuriously appointed Army tent with none of the comforts of home. Station 1 is more akin to a Stateside firehouse with an alarm room, offices, a large dayroom and sleeping quarters (3 to a room). The crash side of the house is busier here since much to my suprise Kandahar Airfield is the busiest single runway airport in the world with between 850 - 1000 inbound and outbound flights a week. And there is quite a wide variety of aircraft in and out of here including C-130s and C-17s, C-5s as well, F-16s, F/A/18s, Harriers, A-10s. We also get 737s, Antonov A-12s and the other really huge Russian one whose designation I can't recall as well as a few 747s. Choppers abound with Blackhawks and Chinooks, Cobras, and Apaches and a large contingent of old Russian machines like the Mil-8 and the Mil -10 for transpot duty. And of course the UAVs which are really quite impressive.
My current assignment is as the Crew Chief (Capt) of Station 2 "Southside". I have with me 4 crewman and our rig is a European spec'ed Rosenbauer from Germany. Needles to say that it takes a bit of getting used to with the pump in the rear and it's overall lack of hose and equipment by our standards, not to mention its all metric. I have a pump that in liters!! Damn Europeans now I have to do math.
Our first due is about 8 sq. miles with roughly 25,000 miltary and civilian residents. Building range from one and two story PEBs (pre engineered buildings) of metal and wood. wooden B and C huts (think ranch houses except it's many offices or sleeping rooms off a central hallway), tents of various sizes up to 200 x 75 and a large number of two story masonary barracks (think garden apartments). Along with these living areas we on the Southside enjoy the distinction of being what back home would be called the industrail side of town. The majority of the mechanical shops, warehouses, stortage facilities fuel points and motorpools are in our first due, along with a host of HazMat goodies. All in all it's a diverse and challenging district.
Now what makes KAFs Fire Department somewhat unique is the fact that we are comprised of a multi national force. There are Indians, Philippinos, South Aficans and a sizeable contingent of Brits. Then there's a few Canucks and representing the good ole USA is Nate who hails form the metro DC area and myself. While English is the required language I have found that it's use is somewhat impeded by the variety of accents in use. In fact I've found that I'll need to invest in an English to English dictionary to communicate with my comrades form the UK...LOL
One of the most common questions I get is, is it safe? Well safe is a relative term in a war zone. We do get regular presents of the 81, 120 and 240mm variety from our Taliban friends outside the wire and they do at times cause casualities. The last was a soldier a few months ago. Our towel headed friends also like to try and crash our party here often by trying to get through the wire. They don't get too far. In fact just prior to my arrival about 100 or so of them got their wish with a one way fast track ticket to meet Allah...isn't that nice for them. Hopefully their buddies will be right behind. Our boys here are more than happy to oblige that wish and we all support them. Vigilance is a necessity here, just like home complacency kills. We do all we can to stay safe, but the reality is, if your numbers up then it's up. Until then I and all of us have a job to do and we just do it.
Some may think this a noble or courageous endeavor, for that I thank you, but please give your kudos to those that really deserve it, the brave and dedicated men and women of our Armed Forces. These folks are as courageous as they come and they are in a sense our kindred spirits....they too put themselves at risk to protect and serve others, all of us here and back home.
In closing I would ask a favor from all who read this. As you go through your day stop for just a minute and think about those service members over here and what they are sacrificing for you and yours. And if it should strike you please find an organization that send things over and send something to a soldier, sailor, or airman here. It couild be anything, a letter, a card and damn tube of toothpaste...anything so that they know that you remember and support them. They will appreciate it more than you know. Freedom is not free and these folks are paying the price for our freedom, please don't forget them.
Cogs
________________
Peter Cogliano
Crew Chief Engine 2 "Southside"
Kandahar Fire Crash Rescue Services
Kandahar Airfield Afghanistan

2nd Capt / Asst. Training Officer
Belltown Fire Dept.
Stamford, CT

OK folks, I am the Bill in the article and here is the thinking on this:
Our idea is for the TOWN to establish an Ambulance Department. Unfortunately it will the name "SAD" Somers Ambulance Dept.
It is legal for the Fire tax district to transfer ALL of its EMS stuff to the Town. A NYS Supreme Court judge needs to sign off on it. So there goes a big chunk of start-up costs. The Fire tax district would need to transfer the operating license to the SAD.
Meanwhile, 80% of EMS calls in Somers are being done by WEMS EMT's, using the SFD ambulances. So the new SAD would have to pay WEMS, taking over as the contractee for WEMS. That is about $400,000 per year for two EMT's 24X7.
Then the folks who want to volunteer will need to incorporate a VAC Inc. The SVAC would manage the SAD, and staff it as much as possible. Our survey of the SVFD members indicated that under a VAC we could staff in house crews 50% of the time. Even if that is 50% off, we could still staff 25%, saving $100,000 per year.
Somers also pays WEMS $200,000 a year for dispatch. That's right, they pay for what 60 does for free. The SAD would use 60. The Fire Tax District also has 5 (FIVE) people staffing the office 0900 to 1300 daily- a secretary a clerk a treasurer a purchasing agent and a computer servics guy. That last guy is a former Fire Tax District Commissioner who we worked very hard to get voted out. They made up a job for him, never posted it, and hired him. He now gets paid to set up the new multi site SFD repeater system that is 100% reduntant to the 60 trunking system the taxpayer already bought.
The Somers VFD staffs and manages the fire and EMS efforts of the Fire Tax District. There is no reason a VAC could not manage the EMS effort of a Town Department. We could do it cheaper and more effectivley and possibley with fewer paid tours. We would also collect the $400,000 annual insurance reimbursement that the SFD nows turns down every year.
I urge my EMT Bravo brothers to weigh in on this. Right now, Somers taxpayers shell out about $1 million dollars for EMS a year, and all they are promised for that is ONE BLS crew. No promise of ALS availibility (I did a BLS arrest less than a year ago- she lived) and no certainty of a 2nd BLS crew. (that $$ is for WEMS medics, WEMS EMT's WEMS dispatchers, a new HUGE bus every two years, gear, fuel, repairs, service contracts etc). All this while the insurance companies get a 'get out of paying free' card on every call Somers does.

Car 2331, 2332, 2334

I was part of the crew who worked the split in Sleepy Hollow back in 2001 with Todd (Todd please sound off on this too). Where the split with the FD was amicible, as the split from the PD was later, Somers needs to look at a few things before they jump into the fire. First, you will have to pay for insurance, then Somers is going to have to support the ambulance until it really starts generating revenue. Until they do start generating cash, they are going to wind up being a line item on the budget, that budget money is going to have to come from somewhere. Then you are going to have to have funding in place for equipment, repairs, supplies. If I remember correctly, it was projected that the ambulance in the hollow wouldn't even start generating enough cash to hold it's head above water for somewhere between 2-5 years. Then you are going to have to do alot with billing. You are going to be placing alot on your volunteers. Who is going to actually do the billing? Are you going to directly hire an employee to handle billing? Are you going to hire a company? This stuff isn't free. Then you also have to justify the transport most of the time or you won't get paid for the call. You are going to have to have outright clesses so that the neccesary wording is there. Then, if you can't get insurance info on your patient right away, are you going to pay someone to go back to the hospital to get the proper billing information? Thats alot of responsibility to lay on a volunteer. Then you also run into staffing problems. Last I knew Westchester EMS was backup for Somers during the day, is that going to remain in effect? If you are going to run a true for pay service, you're going to need to make sure things are staffed 24/7/365. Maybe they did check into things, maybe they didn't. All I know is alot of work has to go into things and it is not going to be all peaches and cream for some time down the road. Good luck with your efforts however.
Joe

Date: 6/5/2011
Time: 1050hrs
Location: Westchester County Airport, Runway 16
Frequency: 46.26, Fire 15, Fire 19, EMS 19, EMS 15
Units Operating: [HPN: Airport 7, Airport 11, Ops], [PFD: E240, TL53, R30], [PCFD: 2393, 2392, E59, L31, R40], [AFD: 2021, 2022, 2027, T9, 51B3, 51B2], [WEMS: 45M1], [WCDES: Bat 15, Bat 16, Bat 19, EMS 11], [PCRRBEMS: 77A4], [HEMS 61A1], WCDPS
Weather Conditions: clear and cool
Description Of Incident: Aircraft landing with a landing gear problem. Landing gear was confirmed in the "Up position". 2 Persons on board with 50lbs of fuel. Aircraft was a Cessna 210. Plane landed safely, no injuries.
Reporters: firedude
Writer: firedude
Aircaft info:
Tail Number: N9191M
Cessna Centurion 210M
Fixed wing single engine
Flight was from Buffalo (KBUF) to Westchester (KHPN)
Flight Level was 9,000 Feet MSL and 160 knotts
Flight Tracker
2250hrs: Original Dispatch for a level 1 emergency
2255hrs: 2021 seting up command at staging area in IC trailer
2257hrs: 2393 Staging manager
2310hrs: 60 Control advises aircarft 5 minutes out, belly up landing on runway 16 (per Airport 7)
2312hrs: Airport 7 advises pilot pulled emergency gear (Lets gear fall with gravity). Instruments showed 3 Green lights (indication that the gear is down and locked)
2315hrs: Aircraft landed safely, no injuries
2316hrs: All units released from scene (per IC)
2327hrs: all units clear