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All, Garrison is no longer a Ferrara dealer, they now carry Rosenbauer. Does any one know who took over the territory?

Interesting...

All, Does anyone have any experience out there with "non standard" chief's cars? I'd call a standard type of chief's vehicle a Tahoe or Expedition or a Durango. Anyone see "smaller" vehicles that are currently manufactured? Im not talking about 2001 Cherokees that arent in production anymore. Im asking about vehicles that are currently in production (on dealer lots or availible via state bid) Any problems or faults with Ford Escape/Jeep Liberty/etc? All thoughts appreciated. Thanks!

One "agency" that is supposed to respond is the NY Guard.. Not the NY National Guard, but the NY Guard...

Im also looking for info as to how well these vehicles stood up to use/the test of time.

Im just doing the right thing by doing research on an idea that was kicked around. Good, bad or indiffeent, all ideas/opinions are welcome.

How would a fire dept prepare for such a major event such as a tsunami/earthquake? Can you REALLY be prepared for it? Other than treating it like a super sized MCI, what else can they do?

There is no option for a column shifter for the 2011's.. That makes radio install problematic. According to my local dodge dealer, there is no police or special service options for it.

Actually we agree on a bunch of things. Im not for the "do nothings/very littles people" to get the same "stuff" that the "break their asses people" get. There are jobs that need to be done on the fireground of all sorts. Interior attack, drivers/pump operators, Line/chief officers, and yes, even fire police. Each one does an important job that deals with keeping everyone on the fire ground safe. If people show up to do their jobs with profiecency when the tones go off, thats all thats really counts. Im all for getting rid of the "do little/do nothings/never show ups". Im all for offering the people who show up and do their job/attend training to further their job skills/knowledge/ect benefits. It's just how to define standards and level the field so those who want to do more can. And then there is the whole paying for it. As far as training, show up at any state offered OFPC class with a "in house" training cert thats not state issued, and they tell you to pound sand. Depts who provide in house training are a great thing, but for instance, without having a state cert saying you completed OFPC FF1, the state instructors dont let you take FF2 or any other follow on class. Some districts hire state instructors and pay for it out of hide, and this is a good thing. But not all can do that. Some depts have people waiting to take state FF1 for long periods of time due to no class space or "not even remotely close to home" locations. Yes, they are getting good inhouse training, but all that really counts as far as OFPC is concerned is OFPC classes. (Due to a new change, OFPC is offering reciprocity come 1 April for FF1 and FF2, as long as the out of state training met thr national cert for NFPA 1001 Levels 1 or 2,) so they are doing somthing about it, but how many out of state FF's are moving to the town and joining???... I think we agree on a bunch of points, but see some things differently. Thats OK as long as we are for bettering the fire service...

I like you how cut and paste only certain parts of my posts. Go ask and decent lawyer about discrimination. If you have all the "Interior" FF's (and you didnt address any of the how do we figure out a statewide standard for whats whats "interior" or "premium leve of service" in your words and whats not) stand on one side of the room and everyone else on the other, and give only the interior benefits, your descriminating against those who arent. In my county, satewide courses are few and far between, or over an hour away. Is it the indivduals fault, no. It's the county/states. So we dotn give that person benefits even though it's not their fault. Thats not right. When my dept gets slots, we fill every single one, and have a waiting list. We do as much in house training as we can, but without NYS certs, that doesnt matter much as far as official defendable training in a court of law. At any rate, this is all a moot point because I have no idea how most smaller districts could pay for it all. They would need to add paid office staff just to keep tabs on it all.

If you give some thing to one group and not to others, you have a good case for descrimination. The interior guy is fighting fire, the fire police guy is dealing with traffic. Both are inherently dangerous jobs in their own way. A fire police guy who stands infront of traffic is just as in peril as the interior guy who masks up and heads inside with a hose. With the volumes of "mask up, we're going inside to slay the red dragon" types of fires going down, some could argue that Fire Police are more often in danger. Another example is what happens is some one WANTS to be interior, but cant because they are clastrophobic or have some medical issue that they cant get cleared by the district/dept doctor. Is the district discriminating against someone with a medical condition beyond their control? Some Americans with Disabilities Act lawyer would love that case... Whats a OPFC or NYS law that defines who is "Interior"? You take FF1 and your good? You just need the Chief's say so after getting FF1? Do you need FF2 also? What about FF Saftey and Survival class? Thats a good one to take for interior guys.. Do you need what we called in the Army "Time in Grade?" What if those courses arent offered locally at the county or state level, or the classes are full? "I WANT to be interior, I just need the class, but it's full/not offered, but rest assured I'd take it if I could" Is it fair to deny that guy his insurance because he doesnt have the cert, but we all know he can do it? What about "dual hatters"? Guys who can drive AND go interior? You'll need some very strict state guidelines as to definitions, and way more state classes to be offered. This isnt as cut and dry as LOSAP is where it is basically "you show up, you sign in" regardless of what effort you may or may not of put into the call/drill/meeting. If your going to give something to one "kind" or person and not another, you need to have a real good, defendable in court reason as to why. Dont get me wrong, it would be a great thing to do for volunteers, but I dont see how it would happen financially or implimentation wise without TONS of forethought and clear definitions/standards and more $ being spent at the state/county level, which at this point in time I dont see happening. In some depts I have seen in my county, there are more FF's than fire police.

So we should only extend these benefits to a interior FF's only? What about those who drive the apparatus to the call? Are they not important? Thats a law suit waiting to happen right there. When a memeber joins a FD, the LOSAP starts to collect info on points. So you'd need to wait a year or so to see if they make their points. What happens when a memeber starts slacking off mid year from calls/drills/etc.. Do you continue the coverage until the end of the year when you "officially" find out that they didnt make their points? Then you could be paying for insurance on "ghosts" that until the end of the year when the LOSAP is tallied. Is that fair to the tax payer or other FF's who do make the calls/drills/etc? What about firefighter who are female that get pregnant? Continue thier coverage while they are unable to make calls in the few weeks or so after the pregnancy? The whole issue is a can of worms with legal land mines at every step. I think the best thing to do is see if the town that is covered by the district can extend health coverage that they provide to full time PD/highway/office staff/ect to FF's, and the FF pays in, but even that has it's own issues.

First, Im sorry to hear you have a tumor. I hope you get better ASAP. Secondly, I am a Volunteer FF and a Commissioner in my district. I just dont see how smaller disticts could afford full time health benefits. Even if thsy could and did, how would you figure out a plan to "give" the benefits. As soon as you sign up, your covered? What if you make 1 call a month and no drills, do you deserve the same coverage as the guys who are busting their butts at all the calls and drills? I can only see the line of new "volunteers" who would join just so they had health insurance, and do the absolute minimum to retain the coverage. Do you wait a year before giving them so see if the person makes thier LOSAP points (if your district does have LOSAP), then if they make them, they get coverage, and if they dont, they dont? What about the kids at college who are not in the district 8 months out of the year? do they deserve it? It's a whole can of worms that I think would be a mess to sort out.

My district has been trying to sell 2 older trucks for over 8 months now. We have had several bites from collectors, but our most serious offer from a company that sends the trucks out of the country to FD's overseas. Not one dept from ANYWHERE in the USA has asked about the trucks. We arent asking for crazy $ for them by any means. If we get an reasonable offer on the trucks from the exporter, we are going to take it. Atleast we know that the trucks will live on, and not get cut up for scrap. It just seems that no one here in the USA wants older than 1990 open jumpseat cabbed trucks anymore, no matter how much life is left in them.

There is some thinking from the NFPA that the gear life time should be 5 years....... But current standards (2008) say 10. Stangely enough the turn out gear manufacturers themselves on the NFPA committee decided to abstain from that vote of reducing it to 5 years. Perhaps they thought that depts would be outside their factories with torches and ropes? Alot of things happen to turnout gear that we cant see, as opposed to mechanical failure of seams, zippers, stitching, ect. UV degrdation, failure of the mositure barrier are 2 thing you CANT see.. How many depts get their geat hydrostatically tested? And no, Im not confused with how we test out air cylinders. Yours supposed to hydrostatically test moisture barriers for failure, its the only way to know they are working or not. This info came direct from a Turnout gear Manufacturers rep, not some sales guy.

No. It must be retired as per NFPA standard 1851, chapter 10.2.1, 2008 edition. "Structural fire fighting ensembles and ensemble elements shall be retired in a ccordance with 10.2.1, no more than 10 years from the date the ensembles oe ensemble elements were manufactured" 10.2.1 bascially says that the gear must be destroyed or disposed of in a manner that ensures they will no longer be used in any firefighting or emergency activities, including live fire training. 10.2.2 bascially says you CAN use it for training that does NOT include live fire, as long as it is marked as being for non live fire training only, and also as determined by the organization. I read this as no amount of testing, cleaning, or repair can turn back the hands of time and make it less than 10 years old and good for anything other than training that doesnt include live burns. Im not a lawyer though. When I say basicaially, I didnt leave out any other parts of the standard, I just shortened the "Leagalese" as I dont have all day to retype it word for word.

The Ferrara website just answered my question.

Only nut job firefighter wannabe's own old firetrucks....

While not a Westchester County DES secene support trailer, I did find a Scene Support Trailer in lower Ulster County... Ready to go to any parade or muster at a moments notice.

Alot of it has to do with whos insurance you fall under if you get hurt. You can thank the lawyers for making it a difficult issue.

These 2 guys will hear about this until they graduate.

If you, as a pump operator, need to have that diagram showing you your discharges on your apparatus, well, Im not sure I want to be on the end of a line your pumping. Some people may say it is Idiot proofing, but thats crazy. Just my .02 that may not be worth that much. Edited to add: Now that I take a 2nd look at the pump panel, I am ASSUMING the farthest most left handle is the tank to pump, with the water level gauge right above it. Now THAT is a good idea.

For Cadet Summer Training, the NYNG supports West Point/Camp Smith (where the Air Assualt School is run) from Aviation Units outside of Albany doing their 2 weeks of AT. I had a buddy who I went to school with who was a Company Commmander of one of the lift units who had no trouble getting pilots to support that mission. There are no birds based out of Camp Smith. At Stewart Air Base, there is a small Aviation Unit that is organic to West Point, where they have a handful of birds based. Last I heard, they were one of the very few Army units left flying UH-1's.

The guy gets an A+++ for quick thinking and execution of his plan. I can only picture in my mind the pump operators class this guy could teach.. "Heavy wet snow put thru a 13HP snowblower with 32 inch cutting path, with a throwing radius of 20-25 feet will put out a room and contensts fire if the room is approximatley 10x15 feet.........."

It's tough to file a lawsuit with a company that has suddenly gone out of business..