JJB531

In all honesty, it really makes no sense, but it is what it is. Some guys in the NYPD are proud to be NYPD officers, and are proud to wear certain articles of clothing that represents the department, their precinct, their unit, or their assignment. What it comes down to is just another way the department can ensure that no one does anything (or wears anything) that is going to give the department a negative image in the public eye.

It's not about liability, and I would highly suggest that any active members of the NYPD refrain from egregious commentary in a public forum on this newest regulation imposed by the department.

If the 44/46 precincts can exist on the same radio division, I think WCPD can handle their current radio traffic load...

He's apparently been promoted to COMMISSIONER according to the CBS News... http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/01/24/battle-heats-up-between-fdny-bronx-volunteer-unit/

If they have legitimate training... Prove it. Present your FF credentials and CFR/EMT certifications. Don't just cry to the news that you're legit and "why's everybody picking on us?" without providing some form of documentation from a legitate training venue indicating they have at least the minimum necessary training.

The portion you emphasized says that you need to respond to EMS calls in a "regular and ongoing basis", it doesn't state that you need to respond to ALL calls, so I'm still failing to see the "all or nothing" connection. As a part of the application process to be a BLSFR agency, the State BEMS requires you to provide:

"A description of the BLS First Response activities you provide. This should include the specifics of your response plan, method of dispatch and operating frequency, confirmation of adherence to State and Regional BLS protocols, number and type of response vehicles, equipment carried on your response vehicles, and number of personnel with level of training of your agency members."

Even the statement that you emphasized appears like so on the BEMS website: Evidence that your agency has municipal authority and is providing "primary EMS on a regular and ongoing basis". It appears in quotations, leading me to believe it is not a steadfast rule and is open to interpretation by the State BEMS representative(s) who are processing your BLSFR application.

Now the HVREMSCO may have in issue with BLSFR agencies responding to only priority jobs, because once your application has been reviewed by the State, the local regional council must provide a letter of endorsement:

Once your service has completed the application package and included the required supporting documents (proofs of municipal authority, public dispatch and written participation agreement with an ambulance service), your service will need to obtain a letter of endorsement from your Regional Emergency Medical Services Council (REMSCO). Your REMSCO must indicate in writing they have reviewed your response plan and endorse your BLSFR activities, affirming your participation in the local EMS system.

It could simply be, based on the last sentence in your post, that the HVREMSCO won't endorse your agency's BLSFR guidelines for response, which has nothing to do with the State BEMS.

Article appeared in Lohud about a White Plains Fireman who is also a certified nutritionist looking out for the health and well being of his fellow firemen.

Loud Article Link

Not quite. It is the Transportation Management Center.

Traffic Management Center is the NYC term for TMC, hence my description of TMC since that's what I'm accustomed to...

Could Some One Explain What The TMC exactly IS and what they do and who its is run by ? Thanks

Traffic Management Center... believe it's run by the State Department of Transportation, responsible for traffic conditions on the highways (MVA's, Disabled Vehicles, Lane Closures for various reasons, etc.)

Hudson Valley TMC Website

BTW that is NOT the Taconic and the BRP split. BRP doesnt start until way down by the Kensico Dam near Virginia Road. Lower Taconic Parkway is several miles south of the area of the TMC on the Sprain Brook Pkwy.

Good point, like you said that actually isn't the split. That exit off the Taconic leads you from the TSP to the Lower Taconic, which then merges in to the Bronx River Parkway down by the Kensico Dam. Guess it was a good thing she was asking for that mile marker before she sent someone looking for a disabled in the location you gave her (Taconic/BRP split), which was actually the wrong location.

Anyone know someone who works there? I spoke to a female dispatcher yesterday who was mildly retarded at best. I called to report a disable vehicle practically in front of the building, this woman asked me for a mile marker, after she sensed my displeasure with the response, look out the window she made a quick exit. How can these people NOT know where the Taconic meets the Bronx River?!?!

How about just answering her question instead of giving her a hard time... is it really that big of a deal that you had to run on here to post tihs "horrible" experience you had? Did you ever consider maybe she was new?

Back up that FDNY has total control and not the state. I realize they are responsible, but I'm trying to get at what specifically their powers are. Can they call the cops? Yes, but can they shut down a legit organization? IDK. Hell could they even shut down a non legit one. I'm not saying either side is wrong, I just want to know what the proper way of going about this is.

Being that the City of New York/FDNY is the AHJ, and the FDNY is the City entity that provides Fire Protection for the City of New York, the FDNY Commissioner acting as an agent of the Mayor and the City can probably regulate Fire Services in NYC. His regulatory powers are vested by the City as a City employee of the municipal Fire Service which oversees Fire Protection. He may not be able to shut them down, but he can sure authorize or unauthorize them to respond to jobs within the confines of the 5 boroughs.

Just wondering if they are not reckognized by FDNY or OFPC are the members covered under VFBL? Are they eligible for PSOB benefits if killed in the LODD?

That actually had a LODD several years back and the benefits allocated was a big issue. Here's a link to a NYS appellate court rulings in that case:

Court ruling

Ruling link

Ruling Link

@ JohnnyOV I understand what your saying and peoples lives are at risk if the training isnt kept up to its requirements. but wheres their training log every time they do training they have to fill out a sheet for the amount of hours and what type of training completed its really not that much of a difference than any other volunteer department. but its just a shame that these volunteer departments been around for so long and they are trying to get rid of them. and if they all kept up on their requirments there wouldnt be a problem.

They SHOULD document training. From what I have read on other discussion forums about this agency, they're not even recognized by the OFPC as a legitimate Fire agency. If that's the case, do they HAVE to fill out a training log as you asserted? Who is requiring them to if the governing body of VFD's in NYS doesn't even recognize them? So far everything I've read about this agency is that they are pretty much an unofficial, illegitimate Fire Department who has somehow enabled themselves to operate within the City of New York.

If the assertions made by the FDNY are true that their standards and training is sub-par, the shame is that they have not taken the appropriate steps to do what they need to do to be considered a resource or somewhat legitimate agency, not that the FDNY doesn't want them operating at their fire scenes.

I'm curious if the City is going to come out with an official position on the presence of independent fire companies operating within the confines of the City? Does the presence of these non-contracted agencies set a precedent that anyone can go out and buy a scanner and a fire truck and start responding to jobs?

Daily News Article Link

A BRONX VOLUNTEER fire chief thumbed his nose Tuesday at an FDNY warning that he and his colleagues would be arrested if they continued responding to emergency calls.

Chief Romeo Toro said his 60-member strong Aviation Volunteer Fire Department will keep chasing fire alarms in and around the Classon Point neighborhood.

"Yes, we will risk arrest," the 28-year-old fire chief said. "We will continue to operate until we get a letter from the mayor or the Office of Fire Prevention and Control saying we can't operate."

That was followed by a strongly worded letter from Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano.

"We hereby demand that AVFD immediately cease its operations and discontinue making any representations that AVFD is authorized by the City of New York or the FDNY to provide emergency medical and firefighting services," he wrote.

Although it has alot of space, that truck wouldn't be a convenient REP for routine patrol.

I agree with you. I am currently a. Hazmat tech. Operations would be awesome. However we do have many people trained in the chemical and biological agents.

Being trained is great.... But do you have the proper equipment to put the training to use in the event of a real incident?

The scary part of the whole matter is why was the NRC testing it ? There had to be more to this story than meets the eye. The only time the FDA gets involved if there are sickness' or deaths. Why on earth would the NRC pick this product to test, and what about other products. It makes me laugh that production of materials for our daily lives are being made in other countries and not properly tested until a health alert is out or death from products. This matter makes we wonder how did the manufature get there hands on Cobalt 60.

Cobalt 60 is a commonly used isotope in the medical and Industrial fields. More then likely contaminated metals from a medical or industrial device were melted down and used to make these tissue boxes without any knowledge that they were contaminated. Obtaining radioactive isotopes is not significanly difficult. Improperly discarded medical equipment may contain Cobalt 60, Commercial smoke detectors contain Americium 241/243, commercially available soil density probes contain Cesium 137, etc.

Also if you read the article, these items were discovered to be radioactive when a truck carrying the tissue boxes was intercepted after setting off a radiation detector. A further follow up investigation was conducted and it was discovered that the tissue boxes were in fact radioactive, leading the NRC to get involved. Despite what you may believe, it doesn't seem there's more to this story other then the straight forward facts that has been presented so far.

Not that big of a deal. Cobalt-60 emits beta and gamma radiation. More then likely these tissue boxes were emitting beta radiation, which would be absorbed by but not pass through the dermal layer. The only danger would be if the beta particles contaminated (not irradiated) the tissues where they were then inhaled by an individual, causing that person to be irradiated internally which could potentially pose a health risk.

At Cortlandt VAC we have HAZMAT awareness. Which we re-new every year as part of our training as members. I am unable to help you with what the money is going to be spent on. sorry. I know we are looking into the new Stryker load system.

I think it's great that your agency trains it's members to the Awareness level, and keeps up with yearly refreshers, but Awareness level training is the bare minimum, and does not equip nor prepare responders to truly operate and respond to a radiological incident. It merely makes you "aware" that there is a HazMat release and the hazards associated with a radiological/HazMat incident, and the need to call for higher trained responders to handle the incident. It would be nice if EMS responders could be trained to at least the Operations level and be equipped to respond to these types of incidents.

While I agree with your point, these agencies should be required to use the money for preparedness for radiation/HAZMAT type incidents, I disagree on what you're saying about Patterson. I attended the annual exercise for Indian Point a few months back and Patterson is (one of several towns) that is most likely going to be downwind of any radioactive release. I don't understand why other towns DIDN'T get money, but I can definitely understand why Patterson did.

Correct they should be required. This is why I asked what other agencies who have received grant monies in the past have done to improve their preparedness to radiological incidents. I didn't say Patterson didn't deserve any money, I asked why they received money when there are numerous other agencies that are closer. Did the other agencies previously already receive grant funding and were ineligible for additional funding this go-around? Was Patterson FD the only FD in Putnam County who applied for the grant? That would explain why they were awarded grant money.

That's great that Entergy has provided funding for these agencies for Training and Equipment. I'm curious how these agencies plan to use the money that was allocated to them? What will Cortlandt Community VAC do to prepare their members for an emergency incident related to Indian Point? What about Mohegan? Or Peekskill VAC? Or Nyack? Will their members be any more trained, educated, or prepared to respond to an incident involving Indian Point? Why did Patterson Fire Department, which is on the Eastern side of Putnam County, receive funding when there are numerous other agencies who are considerably closer to Indian Point?

What about agencies who have previously been allocated money from Entergy? What have they done with the grant money they received to improve their preparedness?

How about a more accurate title... EMS, STOP TRASHING THE EFFING CRIME SCENE!!

You know something, we tried using that title, but it was already copyrighted by another training organization

Sounds interesting. What's the date for the session?

It is January 25th, I edited the initial post to reflect the date.

EMS Operations in Crime Scenes

Katonah-Bedford Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps

160 Bedford Road, Katonah, NY 10536

January 25, 2012

1930hrs - 2130hrs

Course Overview

This course is designed to provide awareness level training for EMS personnel on how to effectively and safely operate within the inner perimeter of a crime scene. The following topics will be covered:

*Crime Scene Characteristics

*Types of Evidence

*Responding, Approaching,and Operating within a Crime Scene

*EMS Priorities

*Preservation of Evidence

*Patient Management Considerations

*EMS Documentation

*Violence Against EMS Providers

This course is presented by Police Officer/Paramedic Joseph Bucchignano. For more information or to register contact Karen Moore, Katonah-Bedford Hills Ambulance Corps, (914) 232-5872.