COH Bulldog

 
FULL LETTER: http://www.myrye.com/my_weblog/2017/04/letter-132-years-of-volunteer-fire-service-at-risk-in-rye.html

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

Unionville Fire in Orange County has purchased a 2008 KME Predator Rescue Pumper with a 1500 gpm Pump and 1000 Gallon Tank. Designated as Engine 744 once in service, It will be replacing a 1999 Freightliner/ 3D Pumper 1250/750/40.

 
I'm not sure I like this idea. For transit buses, and select ambulances, it makes sense. But for a fire engine? I can't  see it really making a difference, and it must be expensive to purchase and maintain.
 

This was a real car. The NYSP had these, and before this Camaro, Mustangs for pursuit on the interstates. I saw them in the past on both I-84 and the Thruway (I-87).

Awesome news, a wonderful asset to Orange County. 
Best of luck to Walter and his handler, Inv. Worden.
 
 
Link to News12;
 
http://westchester.news12.com/news/shelter-dog-becomes-arson-k-9-in-goshen-1.13217428

 
So, if a FF/EMT-P makes $250k in a year after overtime, the OT cost is $162,300.  The regular salary is at just over $40/hour (assuming a 4 platoon schedule for math purposes), which correlates to about $60/hr for OT.  This comes out to 2,700 HOURS of overtime!!!  That's more hours than the regular schedule (2,183 hours)!  Now, this also means that these firefighters are working 4,883 hours per year, when there is 8,760 hours in a year.  They are literally working MORE THAN HALF THE YEAR!!!
 
I don't know about you, but I would want some free time and some extra hours off, especially since this business is extremely stressful, both physically and mentally.
 
 
The math doesn't seem to work out right.  If police and fire are making the unusually substantial overtime earnings, it might actually be cheaper to hire a few more people to alleviate the amount of overtime, as there is a tipping point where overtime does cost more than hiring more personnel (that point is different for individual agencies based on pay rates and benefits).
 
But, then there is this...
 
If everyone is working this extraordinary amount of overtime, what is it doing to the personnel?  Are they getting enough sleep?  Are they becoming mentally and physically deprived of basic needs because they are at work more than they are at home?  Are injury and accident rates rising?  Are they setting themselves up for that preventable injury or accident?  Working that much, as I've said before in another thread, is that this much work will inevitably wear out the personnel to a point where cognitive abilities will not be fast enough to stop an injury or accident from happening.  Why kill ourselves in the process of not trying to kill ourselves.  I'm fairly sure we all want to make it to retirement.

There is no doubt in my mind that housing costs are NUMBER ONE.  There are many realities here, many that have set in in the Tri-state area.  Everyone, even people buying the million dollar home, is working harder and longer.  Many households have two working parents.  How about time spent commuting?  Thats getting longer too.
 
I haven't volunteered in a few years.  One day, I could find myself living in a place where I could volunteer again, but the reality is....I probably won't.  Why?  Because I have to work a second job, or I stay home with my child on days off while my wife is at work.  After work, well, that's the time we get to spend together, not much time left for drill, meetings, ect.  I'll have an hour, hour and half drive home from work...not looking to spend more time away from home.
 
I think volunteering is great in some communities.  I think it's a storied and proud institution, but in many places, it's days are numbered (or they should be).  Entirely necessary training requierments have become more and more onorous.  attendance in some places is dropping.  Smaller dept.s are calling for Mx aide every single time there is a fire.
 
What's the answer?  Consolidation.  Use the dedicated volunteer force more efficiently, let them handle a larger call volume and coverage area.  Supplement that force with a reasonable career organization and spread them out as well.  This all sounds familiar....like something a certain captain put out years ago.....I gues we're all still looking out for our little kingdoms and lot the greater good.

This is a big issue where I live. Even rent for a crappy, rathole apartment is too high and pushes the younger members out of the community.

This is a big issue where I live. Even rent for a crappy, rathole apartment is too high and pushes the younger members out of the community.

Another issue is the housing market in areas where they join. They join as younger members still living at home, go off to college and graduate. Now they come home get a job but are unable to afford or find a suitable home in the town or even nearby to make it for calls. 

There is so much going against volunteer fire departments these days that it's insane to think that any VFD could recruit more volunteers.  There's the time commitment, between training, classes, and alarms that it eats at everyone's personal time to have a social life and spend time with our families.  The stress of working a full time job then being a firefighter on the side doesn't help either.  It's not a wonder why a lot of us have high blood pressure.
 
But, some departments get lucky and gain a few firefighters here and there.  Unfortunately, a lot of those recruits wash out.  They don't have the time.  They realize that they can't make the commitment.  Heck, some realize that fire is scary!  I've seen a few people over my career leave because they were either afraid of fire, heights, or were scared away by the stress of the job.
 
Then, there are people out there that say that can't do it.  These are the people that are happy you got a new truck, and want to take a ride on it, but never fill out the application.  There are so many citizens that could be great firefighters, but they already have themselves in the mindset that they can't do it.  OR, they think that the department is paid and they don't want to "switch careers" at this point in their lives.
 
But, there is another evil working against the volunteer firefighter that always seems to be left un-discussed.  The volunteer fire company.  VFC's always have some sort of minimum time commitment that's associated with their memberships.  Generally speaking, probationary firefighters have to put in the largest commitment, and as your career progresses the less of a commitment you have to make.  A lot of companies make the minimum commitment so high at the beginning that there is a large washout rate.  It's almost like some companies don't want to bring in new firefighters because in this day and age it is far too difficult to keep up with the training and time commitments (never mind that too many people require second and third incomes to survive).
 
There is too much working against the volunteer firefighter. Yes, time commitments are important, especially with newer firefighters that need the training and the experience.  Yes, it's a thankless job to bust you butt for free.  Yes, you lose time in your personal life where you have to leave a party or a family function for the big one.  For those of us who stick through it we show that the volunteer firefighter can prevail.  We show that we do mean something.  We just have to find a way to show everybody else that they can do the same and start handing them applications.

You can read the article without the WSJ:
 
Go to Google and type in : Firehouses Raise Alarm Over Lack of Young Recruits
 
It will be the second one listed in the search.

City Of Newburgh NY. Fire Department
New Marine Unit
Marine Mule  Being Replaced By A Dodge Ram 3500
New Engine 1

I wish I subscribed to the WSJ to finish this article. Sadly, it's happening all over with volunteer companies.

I wish I subscribed to the WSJ to finish this article. Sadly, it's happening all over with volunteer companies.

 
https://www.wsj.com/articles/firehouses-raise-alarm-over-lack-of-young-recruits-1487932206

Very discouraging... This post was just showing the difference in maneuverability, no about manning and plan B and all the other complaints voiced here. I've only been on this forum for less than a year and just about every post ends up going off topic and bashing the fire service for all the problems there are. News Flash - The general public has access to this forum, it's not a password protected spot. When they read it and, more importantly, when the town fathers and managers read this they must think "what a bunch of lunk heads. No need worrying about them at town meeting because they can't agree on anything and don't get along with each other."
 
Open discussion is good when done in a positive way. But the negative comments and the Monday Morning Quarterbacking on this forum is ridiculous.
 
Getting back to the post: It was a very good video which I learned a lot from in 2 1/2 minutes. Yes, there are different types of ladders with advantages and disadvantages to all of them and that's a good and valid discussion.  FireMedic049, thanks for explaining how the tiller becomes more of a tractor-trailer than a straight stick when the rear wheels are locked. Something else I just learned.
 
Anyway, have at it boys, I've got better things to do!

Very interesting. First off a quality manufacturer, and the Pierce Enforcer is my new favorite chassis so glad to see that. Single axle. Knew that was a possibility but was betting on a tandem axle. But a pump? Is there going to be a change in tactics? (Photos of the drawing and a similar vehicle should load automatically below, give it a second)
 
Very similar to the Pierce PUC Rescue that was delivered to Round Rock TX FD where I used to live. (Click here to view)

I like the disclaimer about having to decommission the emergency equipment.

Glad nobody wa hurt. I wonder when the truck was last inspected/certified, not that failure can never be truly predicted.
I hope they don't expect full price of trade-in value when their new truck comes in. Lol!

I like the disclaimer about having to decommission the emergency equipment.

Glad nobody wa hurt. I wonder when the truck was last inspected/certified, not that failure can never be truly predicted.
I hope they don't expect full price of trade-in value when their new truck comes in. Lol!

 
http://buffalonews.com/2017/01/09/firefighters-sharing-breathing-masks-ask-lackawanna-new-equipment/
 

Considering their recruit training program and probationary process, prior firefighting knowledge while likely beneficial, isn't specifically necessary for a recruit to succeed in that system.  To some extent, entry level civil service exams aren't specifically for testing job specific knowledge, but rather to evaluate a person's general knowledge, reading comprehension, ability to follow directions, ability to solve problems, etc.
 
Personally, I don't see a problem with this as long as the test is adequately assessing a candidate's mental aptitude for what is needed to complete recruit school and perform the job vs dumbing down the exam in order to achieve diversity at the expense of quality.