38ff

check out www.scannerworld.com They are in Albany

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.

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.........."

Alot of how the gear feels is directly related to what it made of. Outer shell, moisture barrier, and thermal shell. There are hundreds of possiblities you can use from the 3 to put a set of gear together.
What works for FDNY may or may not work for another dept. But to use the sales tactic that "FDNY uses it so it must work for you too" I dont buy at all. It may, or it may not, but without evaluation, it's hard to say either way.

All,
If your firehouse is serviced by Central Hudson, they are offering FREE energy efficent lighting for INSIDE your firehouse.
Police depts, town halls, and all other GOVT buildings qualify.
This is a no brainer, and a great way to save $$$$$$.
http://www.cenhud.com/about_us/news/nov4_10.html

All,
The Central Hudson people came to the station today to survey it. Basically will retrofit every florescent light fixture in the place under this program. What they do is replace all magnetic ballasts with electronic ones, and replace all bulbs with new energy efficent ones. Even if your station has been "upgraded" in the past, they come and check to see if newer "stuff" is needed, and replace them. It's 100% free for govt ovned buildings. Why every govt owned business serviced by CH isnt signed up for this, I dont know.

Just as a follow up: Central Hudson's contractors were at the fire house for 16 or so hours total replacing every floresecent light. Every ballast was changed to brand new electronic ballasts, new T-11 Bulbs installed, and reflectors. They even gave us a box of spare T-11 bulbs for the future. The work was very professional and the crew moves along at a good pace, wasting no time, cleaning up any mess they make.
The biggest most visible change was in the apparatus bay, it is very much brighter in there than ever before.
If you live in an area serviced by Central Hudson, you would be foolish to NOT take part in this free service. Basically, get new lights, do no work other than some paperwork, and save money... You cant go wrong. Even if you have gone to energy efficient lights in the past, they will check those to make sure there arent more efficient lights out there.

All,
I was wondering what REALLY does it mean to "expidite" your response as a driver of apparatus. There seem to be certain levels of "unofficial" response with in the response SOP.
A) The "it's the 8th time an Automatic Alarm went off at the same location in the past 6 hours" response.. SOP says Red lights and sirens, but as a driver, I think most people drive to these at a "slowed" (as compard to normal emergency response) pace, with the lights on, an hitting the siren for only the "really dumb drivers" infront. Almost like your responding non code, but with lights.
The "maybe/maybe not call" Drive like you mean to get there: Red lights, and siren/air horns going "normally" Driving within SOP's for emergency response, using due regard,
C) The working fire call. You know what that means. As above, driving within SOP's for emergency response, a sense of urgency, using due regard, ect. The officer and crew are making plans/giving assignments, and in general getting ready to go to work.
D) The Chief's radio call to "expidite to the scene" Consider your know your heading to a working call before you leave the apron or get the "expidite" call enroute. The Chief gets there does his scene size up, and the radio call is "Engine 1, expidite to my location"
If your driving, your already amped up, driving with a sense of urgency, siren, lights, airhorns, and due regard. What does the expidite call do? The crew is already in "working mode" as above, so they really have nothing else they can do until they get there. The plan has been made, and unless they are told to change the plan, they are basically just waiting for the engine to arrive on scene.
As a driver, do you drive any different then you already are? Does the expidite order give you "authorization" either offically or unofficially to do anything above and beyond in a response other than burn the bearings out of the Federal Q?
For myself personally and my dept's SOP, it doesnt exist. I imagine it's the case in other dept's, but you hear it on the radio frequently.... So whats the deal? Is the term a hold over from long ago, and just needs to go the way of laying dual 2.5 inch hoses as a supply line? I think so.
What do you think?

All,
I was wondering what REALLY does it mean to "expidite" your response as a driver of apparatus. There seem to be certain levels of "unofficial" response with in the response SOP.
A) The "it's the 8th time an Automatic Alarm went off at the same location in the past 6 hours" response.. SOP says Red lights and sirens, but as a driver, I think most people drive to these at a "slowed" (as compard to normal emergency response) pace, with the lights on, an hitting the siren for only the "really dumb drivers" infront. Almost like your responding non code, but with lights.
The "maybe/maybe not call" Drive like you mean to get there: Red lights, and siren/air horns going "normally" Driving within SOP's for emergency response, using due regard,
C) The working fire call. You know what that means. As above, driving within SOP's for emergency response, a sense of urgency, using due regard, ect. The officer and crew are making plans/giving assignments, and in general getting ready to go to work.
D) The Chief's radio call to "expidite to the scene" Consider your know your heading to a working call before you leave the apron or get the "expidite" call enroute. The Chief gets there does his scene size up, and the radio call is "Engine 1, expidite to my location"
If your driving, your already amped up, driving with a sense of urgency, siren, lights, airhorns, and due regard. What does the expidite call do? The crew is already in "working mode" as above, so they really have nothing else they can do until they get there. The plan has been made, and unless they are told to change the plan, they are basically just waiting for the engine to arrive on scene.
As a driver, do you drive any different then you already are? Does the expidite order give you "authorization" either offically or unofficially to do anything above and beyond in a response other than burn the bearings out of the Federal Q?
For myself personally and my dept's SOP, it doesnt exist. I imagine it's the case in other dept's, but you hear it on the radio frequently.... So whats the deal? Is the term a hold over from long ago, and just needs to go the way of laying dual 2.5 inch hoses as a supply line? I think so.
What do you think?

In additon to all the above, the durring and after the incident is very important to extended ops..
Getting cold/wet firefighters warm and rehabbbed. The hardest thing is keeping tabs on people at the "non fire ground" sites.. Do the guys at the draft site and your fire police have warming beverages???? The fireground usually takes care of itself as the chief is there to see firsthand whats going on, but it's the off site people that can be forgotten about in the heat of battle.
Your Ladies Aux might come in to play here big time, and save the day when the hot coffee and soup arrives on scene.
Some other stuff is: Keeping closed nozzles cracked a bit to prevent freezing. Will you need a pickup or flat bed tow truck to pick up "externally frozen" hose so it can be repacked at the station? Your probably not going to want to do it outside...
If engines are called for manpower and arent pumping, is the MPO recirculating to prevent pump freeze up?
Do you have a warm meal being prepared if it's that time of the day at an extended incident for when you get back in quarters?
Taking care of people is key in the cold..

If we are dispatched, we will come. If the PD gets there first and it's minor and dispatch tells us so, we would slow down our response. We wont return to quarters unless told by the FD IC on scene, or we get there and evaluate. We trust our PD agencies, but belive in the "trust, but verify" motto.

If we are dispatched, we will come. If the PD gets there first and it's minor and dispatch tells us so, we would slow down our response. We wont return to quarters unless told by the FD IC on scene, or we get there and evaluate. We trust our PD agencies, but belive in the "trust, but verify" motto.

If we are dispatched, we will come. If the PD gets there first and it's minor and dispatch tells us so, we would slow down our response. We wont return to quarters unless told by the FD IC on scene, or we get there and evaluate. We trust our PD agencies, but belive in the "trust, but verify" motto.

All,
The Central Hudson people came to the station today to survey it. Basically will retrofit every florescent light fixture in the place under this program. What they do is replace all magnetic ballasts with electronic ones, and replace all bulbs with new energy efficent ones. Even if your station has been "upgraded" in the past, they come and check to see if newer "stuff" is needed, and replace them. It's 100% free for govt ovned buildings. Why every govt owned business serviced by CH isnt signed up for this, I dont know.

All,
Im now working on filling out the Hose Reel trailer that accompanies the 1954 Willys Fire Jeep. Im looking to make it look how a dept might have a hose reel trailer, with associated equipment and the like, back in the day. It is basically nothing more than a big reel that holds 600-800 feet of 2.5 inch hose and a equipment box.
I think I have most of the 2.5 inch appliances from yester year.. From top left to bottom right, I have the following:
2.5 hydrant gate, stack of 2.5 double males/females, 2.5 to 1.5 leader, 2.5 inch nozzle used with the Elkhart ground monitor (pictured above)
2.5 wye, 2.5 water thief, 2.5 inch clappered siamese.
Also on the trailer is the following: shovel, sledge hammer, 2 axes, 2 4 foot pry bars, a Huxtool, tin roof cutter, hose clamp, hose jacket, Elkhart ground monitor mount "Hose Control", 2 2.5 inch play pipes, 2 spanners and a hydrant wrench. It's still a work in progress, with some appliances not totalled finished with rehab yet, (like the water theif), but we're getting closer.
Is there anything else that you can think of that might be missing?
I have attached some other pictures to give you an idea of the scale of the trailer.

All,
Im now working on filling out the Hose Reel trailer that accompanies the 1954 Willys Fire Jeep. Im looking to make it look how a dept might have a hose reel trailer, with associated equipment and the like, back in the day. It is basically nothing more than a big reel that holds 600-800 feet of 2.5 inch hose and a equipment box.
I think I have most of the 2.5 inch appliances from yester year.. From top left to bottom right, I have the following:
2.5 hydrant gate, stack of 2.5 double males/females, 2.5 to 1.5 leader, 2.5 inch nozzle used with the Elkhart ground monitor (pictured above)
2.5 wye, 2.5 water thief, 2.5 inch clappered siamese.
Also on the trailer is the following: shovel, sledge hammer, 2 axes, 2 4 foot pry bars, a Huxtool, tin roof cutter, hose clamp, hose jacket, Elkhart ground monitor mount "Hose Control", 2 2.5 inch play pipes, 2 spanners and a hydrant wrench. It's still a work in progress, with some appliances not totalled finished with rehab yet, (like the water theif), but we're getting closer.
Is there anything else that you can think of that might be missing?
I have attached some other pictures to give you an idea of the scale of the trailer.

Another small victory today.. The equipment basket above the hose bed is finally mounted, after getting the correct straps made up.
One interesting side note.. I got the straps that support the basket off the cross pieces made on a multi zillion dollar Flow Jet machine.. Why?? Because anyone can make them out of stock and a drill press, so I had to be different, and have a friend who happens to run the Flo Jet and other milling machines for a very well equipped company he works for. Cool stuff...
One step closer to being done and ready for Muster season!

I just sent in a few bucks. I hope it helps.
I'd like to see the Incident Alert for this.
0900 Call for EMT bravo site going down this Saturday
0901 EMT Bravo site members have a renewed appreciation for the site
0902 EMT Bravo Members from over 6 counties self dispatch for mutual aid to the site via donations. IC did not ask for Mutal Aid, but members respond on own accord.
0905 EMT Bravo starts receiving influx of needed mutual aid.
2200 EMT Bravo scene is placed under control, no need for Coroner.
2210 EMT Bravo site lives on for quite some time.
A happy ending for all parties concerned.

I just sent in a few bucks. I hope it helps.
I'd like to see the Incident Alert for this.
0900 Call for EMT bravo site going down this Saturday
0901 EMT Bravo site members have a renewed appreciation for the site
0902 EMT Bravo Members from over 6 counties self dispatch for mutual aid to the site via donations. IC did not ask for Mutal Aid, but members respond on own accord.
0905 EMT Bravo starts receiving influx of needed mutual aid.
2200 EMT Bravo scene is placed under control, no need for Coroner.
2210 EMT Bravo site lives on for quite some time.
A happy ending for all parties concerned.

I just sent in a few bucks. I hope it helps.
I'd like to see the Incident Alert for this.
0900 Call for EMT bravo site going down this Saturday
0901 EMT Bravo site members have a renewed appreciation for the site
0902 EMT Bravo Members from over 6 counties self dispatch for mutual aid to the site via donations. IC did not ask for Mutal Aid, but members respond on own accord.
0905 EMT Bravo starts receiving influx of needed mutual aid.
2200 EMT Bravo scene is placed under control, no need for Coroner.
2210 EMT Bravo site lives on for quite some time.
A happy ending for all parties concerned.

All,
It's still not done with the restoration, but it was a good day today to go move some water. The Barton 500 GPM pump puts out water well, and catches a draft quick. My probie had some fun shooting water. They are off a cell phone, so sorry for the poor quality, but I figure they would be interesting, seeing some old apparatus being restored and still functional. I have all the orginal suction hose, ladders, etc, but it was alot easier to use the lightweight hard sleeve and modern hose for todays "testing".

I am a commissioner and FF in my district. The duties of a Commissioner are many. As long as you do the right thing (dont approve chief officers that have no business being cheif officers, dont steal taxpayer money, dont get stupid with the money, and run legal stuff by your district lawyer) you cant really be held personally accountable for something as far being personally sued. There is a book thats put out by a lawfirm that is a basic "how to run a district". Follow it, and your golden. It costs about $100 or so, but it answers TONS of questions that pop up as to what to do in certain situations, how to exectue your duties, what those duties are, ect. It's a 3 inch think binder thats worth it's weight in gold.
As a commissioner, you have a much more direct impact on your dept as far as it's overall running. What equipment to buy, what SOP's to make/change, etc.
As a FF, I got tired of "thats how it is, and it will probably stay that way". So I ran for the board, got elected, (voter turnout was over 400 people) and am having a positive impact on my dept with suggesting new equipment, making suggestions, and general management of the district.
When you get elected, you have to attend a days worth of training that gives you the basics of what you need to do. Listen and you'll be on the right path.
It's a good thing, if you want to do it, make sure you get your letter and/or petition in soon to get put on the ballot.