COH Bulldog

Great idea! Reduce, re-use, recycle!

Great idea! Reduce, re-use, recycle!

Interesting story from the city I used to reside in. The city of Round Rock Texas is very progressive and proactive.
 
 
FULL STORY: http://www.kvue.com/news/local/family-home-turned-into-fire-station/435744706

Never criticize for getting the job done? So as long as we put the fire out, anything goes? I know that's not what you meant, but discussions like this should be broad based and allow use to discuss limits, situations, parameters, and practices. If you do $300k damage to an aerial while extinguishing a fire in a $200k home, with no life hazard, is that justified? Anything we do seems fine in the name of getting the job done, until someone is hurt or killed or we destroy property (there's or "ours"). The point isn't to be frozen with fear of "breaking a rule" but to understand how to employ a tactic while minimizing risk. 
 
As has been noted in numerous posts, apparatus are just tools, but let's not forget that there are proper and improper ways to utilize tools, so a video like this can be a valid opportunity to review what our people know think, understand and know about using an aerial to vent. 

Yes it does and if we'd get back to understanding and teaching this instead of trying to regulate every move on the fireground in the name of "safety", the fireground would become a much more productive place.
 
Know your tools...including your rigs, how, when and where to use them to the best effect and then use them as the situation dictates to get the job done.
 
There was a thread on here a few months ago about radio etiquette with a video in which a "bad" word was used. The issue has also appeared on Statter 911 recently. Now the use of "bad" language is not why I bring this up here, I do because the short sweet and concise content of that comment is the point. Early in the video of a 2 alarm job in Queens(?) a member notifies an interior officer that he has a line in place at the top of the second floor stairs and asks that officer what he wants him to do. The officer replies "put the f#ckin' fire out"!!....and THAT my friends is the point. 
 
Our job is to "put the f#ckin' fire out" in the quickest and safest way possible using all the tools at our disposal, is it not? That million dollars worth of equipment sitting out in front of the fire building isn't there just for show. Those big red trucks with flashing lights and sparkling chrome are more than just glorified taxis and parade pieces...they are one of the many tools at our disposal, nothing more, nothing less. And when the situation dictates they should be used as such to put the f#ckin' fire out!!! 
 

 
ARTICLE: https://medium.com/homeland-security/just-hangin-out-why-do-firefighters-just-stand-around-at-fires-1ebbf31eba6b

Interesting, thanks for sharing.
 
Ironically, I recently had a similar discussion with one of my Lieutenants. I suggested writing up an explanation of the RIT/FAST and posting it on our FB page. This way, members of the public would have an idea of why we "just stand around."

Then there's also the fact that you have a lot of manpower on scene so we can tag out and send fresh troops in as firefighters get tired.

 
I know the masses here on EMTBravo love to talk about consolidation, and since I stumbled upon this while reading the news, I figured it could be a fun discussion where consolidation IS moving forward.  So, I'll start us off with some facts and information about the districts.
 
The Village and Town of Victor are located in Ontario County, in the Finger Lakes Region of New York, about a 20 minute drive southeast from downtown Rochester.
 
This article states that on March 20, the joint session of the Village and Town Boards of Victor voted to bring the issue of consolidating the two fire districts, Victor and Fishers, into a single fire district.  Since the two districts are already relying on each other for manpower and equipment, to the point where they purchase equipment together (such as their ATV's), the joint boards have put though the idea to consolidate the districts.  The other reason, in which the article points to, is that a single district would also level out the taxes that property owners are paying (where taxpayers in the Fishers district would see a slight decrease, and Victor would see a slight increase).  Leveling out the tax levy, according to Victor Fire Chief Sean McAdoo, puts more tax burden back onto the taxpayers of the Victor district, as they are currently receiving more services under the current mutual aid and equipment purchasing plans.
 
The Victor Fire Department is based in the heart of the Village of Victor.  The village is tight on space, houses the Victor Central School District, and is heavily congested with traffic along Main Street.  VFD also covers the Victor Fire Protection District, which surrounds the village in the south and west sides of the town.  These areas are generally residential, with multiple subdivisions in the west and some agriculture in the south.  VFD operates with a quint, engine, heavy rescue, brush truck, and two utilities.  The VFD is 100% volunteer staffing.  [http://victorfire.com]
 
The Fishers Fire Department operates out of two stations, covering the north and west sections of the Town of Victor.  Station 1 is in the west side, comprised of mostly residential, some industrial, and agriculture towards the southern end of the district.  Station 1 is also their headquarters, which houses a quint, engine, and heavy rescue.  Station 2 is at the north end, which is a heavy commercial/retail district, including Eastview Mall, the largest shopping center in the Rochester area.  Station 2 houses an engine, brush truck, and two utilities.  The FFD is a combination department with four career firefighters per platoon (four platoons), but relies heavily on volunteers.  I don't know off hand which apparatus they staff, but I believe it is the engine out of Station 1.  I have not talked to anyone within that organization in years, so my knowledge of the career staffing is a little lacking.  The FFD also covers a large section of the NYS Thruway.  [http://www.fishersfd.org]
 
In my honest opinion, the fact that these two districts have already been working together as a single unit through training, response, and equipment purchasing, it makes sense for them to consolidate into a single district.  Although only one of the district's taxpayers would benefit financially, it's better for these two districts to completely join forces to increase the benefit of emergency services to the people they protect.  This has been foreseen by many in the area, and the fact that it may actually become a reality is enlightening.
 
Maybe a trend will start out of this?

Fascinating.
 
 
https://www.citylab.com/design/2017/05/the-sublime-subterranean-cisterns-of-san-francisco/524853/?utm_source=fbb
 
 

As someone who has a full time job on the nightshift  and every weekend this has always been a problem for me. My department's drills are in the evening with no immediate plans to change that. They'd just rather b**** about the guys that don't make it. Best quote I ever read was from this forum. "For a service that requires 24/7 availability it sucks you have to work Monday through Friday 9-5 to be able to attend any trainings". Even state sponsored trainings in my area follow that schedule.

Makes it easier when they don't have to face the winter or the notoriously deplorable road conditions of the American northeast!

I was a bit skeptical when the Ascendant was first introduced (as a single axle, 107' stick), but after looking into it I saw that there are definitely department out there that can use it, whether you're in a tight urban district or have a hilly suburban district with narrow roads.  The 110' ladder tower on a single axle has me skeptical at the moment, but I'm sure it would work for some department out there.

The brochure has the outriggers out to 18' and the single jack in the middle rear for the single axle. They also have it on a tandem axle with a 16' spread, but 2 Jack's in the rear.

The brochure has the outriggers out to 18' and the single jack in the middle rear for the single axle. They also have it on a tandem axle with a 16' spread, but 2 Jack's in the rear.

The brochure has the outriggers out to 18' and the single jack in the middle rear for the single axle. They also have it on a tandem axle with a 16' spread, but 2 Jack's in the rear.

The brochure has the outriggers out to 18' and the single jack in the middle rear for the single axle. They also have it on a tandem axle with a 16' spread, but 2 Jack's in the rear.

Definitely interesting, especially with the tandem axle on the Ford F550. Never seen something like that before.
 
 
MORE INFORMATION:
http://skeeterbrushtrucks.com/6x6-firewalker/
 

 
MORE INFORMATION:
http://skeeterbrushtrucks.com/6x6-firewalker/

Putting an engine on the lawn is one thing, but an aerial is another story. You better make sure the ground is solid before raising the ladder/tower especially with a firefighter on the end of it.

Putting an engine on the lawn is one thing, but an aerial is another story. You better make sure the ground is solid before raising the ladder/tower especially with a firefighter on the end of it.

Putting an engine on the lawn is one thing, but an aerial is another story. You better make sure the ground is solid before raising the ladder/tower especially with a firefighter on the end of it.

I don't know if this is a fact, or just one of those things that people accept as such after hearing it repeated so many times, but it's my understanding that Seagrave will not build an Aerialscope on another manufacturer's chassis.   So, if you want a 'Scope, you need to buy a Seagrave.   If you want a 'Scope on a different chassis, you need to find an existing one and have it refurbed and remounted.   But, of course, you are then talking about having non-authentic parts and equipment on it, as well as the lack of factory trained technicians who may or may not be familiar with that type of boom working on it.   But, a good number of departments around the Northeast have gone that route and seem to be happy with the results.   

I don't know, I'd say there is a lot of things that can go wrong: rollover? damage to the undercarriage? undesigned stress to the frame? I'd want to be damn sure that what I was doing was absolutely necessary for life or limb. In the case above, it would not appear to have been necessary, but of course we only have a 1/1000 of a second snapshot, so who's to say?

 
 
From being an outsider", I have observed over 15 years now how they are very meticulous and take great pride in keeping the apparatus in the best shape. It's part of the culture. Even Engine 9, one of the busiest engine companies in the nation, spotlessly shines. Another truck I photographed almost 10 year ago and then again last month and I couldn't tell the difference of wear.  It's true, they don't have to deal with the corrosive salt, deteriorated roadways, and rust, but I rarely see career departments (and some volunteer) in this area washing the motor, hand cleaning an aerial, waxing a truck, or even rinsing down apparatus when they are caked in salt in times other then with an annual inspection dinner coming up. Not only a pride thing, but also an important part of the maintenance of the truck.
 
Additionally, the Engineer for the pumpers, and Apparatus Operator for the ladders, USAR's, and other specialty vehicles, is a promotional rank. So there is  a person specifically charged with taking care of the rig on each shift, as opposed to it being an assignment for the day.
 

Makes it easier when they don't have to face the winter or the notoriously deplorable road conditions of the American northeast!