Alpinerunner

In all fairness, Callion didn't have any either, and was just the mayor's public puppet, even if he couldn't speak very well. Even if I find this as quite a surprise, I don't see it as a game changer.

This is a common misconception. Long Ridge is understaffed. They themselves have been saying it for years and have requested more guys per shift. There is no intention to copy their structure as it has to do with manpower or having the officers be the paid staff. The ONLY reason you are hearing this rumor (manufactured for a good reason, I'm sure) that the consolidated department is going to be just like Long Ridge, is because they have the right corporate structure for the new consolidated department. NOT management/operational structure. It has to do with their charter or past legal rulings or their union. I'm not sure of the details. However, no other career staff in the other departments were also volunteer officers.

Yes, the bank accounts would be consolidated to some extent (capital projects savings, purchasing). The FD owes its career memebers money because they have been underfunded and under staffed by the city for many years. The career guys have to work a lot of OT becuase the city wouldn't let them hire any more guys, but they weren't funded for OT, so they have been working for free. You can't really have any lower staffing than 1 per station, haha.

Very scary! The pics that the magazine got are very impressive and telling of the progression of the fire. Speedy recovery to the injured FF.

That's pretty funny. He would probably get fired for that now-a-days. Such is the problem with many volunteer departments now. Employers used to understand when you had to leave work to "do what you have to do".

This is my feeling as well. The word "expedite" should only mean an upgrade response from something other than regular emergency travel, but in this case, you should be saying "upgrade" your response from normal travel to emergency. Although really it shouldn't EVER be used because your update / scene size up should tell other units how to respond. For instance, you're responding to a diff breather and you get there before the medics and find youself working a code. All you need to say is, "Engine XX to Medic XX, be advised, we're working a code".

I'll throw out some things: Are hydrants buried? Is your static water source frozen? Are you going to attempt a push with the rig up an unplowed driveway?

I can cross Vail off my to do list now.

I was taught in EVOC that lights and sirens only request the right of way in intersections. The right of way has to be given by the driver with the right of way, and in this case the driver wiht the green light did not give right of way. At least that's how I think the law will look at it. We all know what SHOULD have happened.

The need to adapt recruiting methods is key. It seems the in the days of old, people were banging down the doors of VFDs, and the bar had to be set somewhat high in terms of getting qualified, the posting for 30-60 days, voting members in, call volume requirements. Now the tides have turned. The postings and elections are all but guaranteed, and if you make it to weekly drill you are OK. Being an qualified/interior firefighter, however, has gotten much harder. Many people don't have the time to take the 120hr FF1 course and you end up with members who get bored with not being able to do real "work" and a department with low retention rates. I've heard stories about the olden days where you could show up, get shown the ropes and go into fires within a week. I'm certainly not advocating this, I'm just saying that's how it was. My department is learning that you need to be very proactive with recruitment and you need to advertise as if you had a new product to sell.

Sounds like all 4 are out at this time. Incredible that it happened in the 100th anniversary of the Union Stockyards fire. I'm wishing the 4 a full recovery.

Can't speak from a dispatchers perspective, but I can say that it's very nice to have dispatch give command reminders. However, in case #1 (fire) it sounds like command wasn't established, and in the second case (collapse) it sounds like command may have been overwhelmed with other operations. I can kind of see why brass would be upset in situation #2 if they didn't TRY to check with command. I imagine they tried and things were too crazy after a collapse + mayday. Where I volunteer, the dispatchers don't hesitate to recommend things to IC, or special call a unit, and they are usually right.

It's nice to see County (batallion) level coordination.

This is very true. We respond to MVAs with possibly injuries reported by the occupant, caller, or PD with an engine, rescue, and ALS bus. We get a decicated channel for the engine, rescue and EMS, but PD is always separate. Many times they can get on scene first but rarely does disaptch relay their updates to us. However, we do allow PD to cancel everyone if it's clear there are no injuries.

Congrats all and stay safe!

This is huge! I thought this next exam would be my only shot!!

Sometimes it is the case of people being overly cautions and calling in pretty innocuous/common things, but most times not. In this case, a police officer noticed the package (designed to look like a bomb) and deemed it suspicious.

This is a cool feature that I haven't seen on other message boards. *REP* for Seth.

That is actually pretty common I believe in many places outside CT. However, the 3% increase and 3 year contact is very confusing. It must refer to an increase and agreement for funding the retirement fund. It's not a very well written article.

Very nice to see some County level organization. I wonder if this was funded by the federal recruitment grant.

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Did the fire patrol go into structures to remove property while firefighting operations were still going on? Do they wait until overhaul stage or after all operations are done?

Congrats on keeping it out of the exposure! That's a lot of fire. The fact that that was only a 2nd alarm shows the strenth of the YFD.

"Fifty-seven Democrats voted for the bill and 41 Republicans opposed it." So to answer your question, yes, republicans voted it down. The rest of your post is obviously grossly exaggerated to show your opinion, which you are entitled to. But don't mess with the facts.

Yea but how much would be collectible? haha. I wouldn't get too worked up. This is just political posturing and has no chance of going into effect. Bloomy says this is a scare tactic so the legislature will bend and give the FDNY the funding they need (or something along those lines). It would definitely cause serious problems of accidents/fires not getting reported, and lawsuits for times when a bystander called. How can you legally enforce a charge when you weren't even the one who requested the service?