Alpinerunner

The lettering on emergency vehicles is not what makes them visible, it's their emergency lights. CT State troopers have no lettering on their vehicles. Does that make them more dangerous / less visible when responding lights and sirens? I don't think so. Whether you like it or not, I don't think you can argue that it is a safety issue.

That being said, I don't see the point. It makes it less likely to be spotted by civilians who need to "flag down" an emergency vehicle, (as rare as they may be)

Makes sence since volunteers are technically employees of the city while en route to, during, and returning from, a call.

I had the pleasure of attending a seminar that Bob Morris taught for the Westchester Firefighters Emerald Society some years back. He does an outstanding job. I'd highly recommend attending this event!

Yea I've had an airbag lifting class and a FF2 live burn with him. He is excellent. I'll be there.

AHA. Details. Thank you

This link has a different date (10th) and different topics. Any idea which is right?

http://nyffburncenter.com/events/4th%20Annual%20Lt%20James%20Curran%20Seminar.aspx

Not for nothing, but it kind of bothers me to see so many of you more concerned with the response to the incident rather than how bad the injuries are and if they are going to be all right. Only a few of you said anything to that effect.

Hopefully they are all ok and will recover 100%. How did they get hurt? Sorry, had troubles with the links provided and couldnt access them for some reason. Thanks.

Good point, but FWIW the article states that it was an exterior attack and the injuries were minor.

You have to prove violation of a protected status for an eeo suit. Federal that's only 8, but in NYS you have 13 different groups to try and find a bias. Even if the list doesn't specifically prevent one of the 13 groups you still can get them through "disparate impact".

True. Employment laws are very strange. There was a case recently where someone was fired for wearing a sports jersey of a team her manager didn't like. But [Eagles] fans aren't a protected group.

Wow! With 5 alarms can I assume that the church is gone?

It's emergency services...usually, people do not call us when they're having a great day...

Yes, but I'm not referring to stories about accidents/fire/shootings. I'm referring to the bad press the emergency services have been getting as a whole. As M'Ave said, it's nice to see some good press is my point.

What if you don't know its a haz-mat call until you get there with a bunch of junior and exterior firefighters? Then what?

In CT, HazMat is part of FF1. Is it different in NY?

I forgot our department also requires competence in the maze, and completion of an airpack scramble, where guys have to search a room for pieces of a disassembled airpack and assemble it blindfolded. This is a very good drill/training.

Awesome story! People should post more stories like that as opposed to the depressing/angering stories usually posted.

Our department requires 1 year + FF1 + MRT to get out of probie status.

We roll to medicals with MINIMUM 2 MRT/EMR/CFR-D onboard, and to all other calls (excluding wires down, lift assist, etc) with minimum 2 FF1 onboard.

Better than the frozen garden hose for sure.

Or, who gives a damn about the butt sinking if you need to effect a rescue... let the damn thing sink until it finds solid ground, then adjust the extension of the fly section as required?

This was my thought as well. I mean it can't get THAT soft so close to where the pillars are. Another thought is going from underneath and cutting a hole in the floor, assuming the ground is better there. Also, if the ground is very soft you can use something stable to put the ladder on. If the truck is there you can use the jack pads, maybe a large high pressure airbag (uninflated of course), or plywood if you carry it. You will have to get creative.

I don't think any type of tower or stick is useful due to access, unless you're talking about getting crazy and repelling off the tip behind the building.

Looks like they are trying to do that new "flame surfacing" styling.

The engine was there prior to the trucks arrival, since the preferable method for stretching is straight off the back towards the fire building the engine chauffeur should pull past the building, someone once said "hydrants before the building don't exist", meaning the chauffeur should notice them but only consider them as a last option, often times the chauffeur sees the fire, gets tunnel vision and thinks he has to take the first hydrant he sees. It's always preferable to pull up to the building with the back step even with the door to the building, then once the men begin the stretch the chauffeur can fly to the next hydrant.

So it's SOP for FDNY to reverse lay? i.e. pull upto the fire building, pull 3"(?) out of the back in front of the door, and lay in to the hydrant, and make a short hydrant connection?

Second question, the high-rise packs on the side of the engine, that gets hooked up to the end of the lay and goes into the building? Or does the supply hose go to the fire floor? (assuming there is no standpipe).

Not criticizing, just curious because most of us work with crosslays.

This is not text book, the engine is facing the wrong way, forcing the men to stretch around the rig, the truck and engine are nosed into one another, if the engine chauffeur had a bad hydrant he is now screwed and either has to back stretch 3 1/2" by hand to another hydrant or be supplied, and as far as the few guys you see RUNNING, slow down, act like you've done this before, can't help anyone if you break your back slipping on ice. Aside from that, good aerial placement, and this really isn't a long stretch at all, 5 lengths maybe 6 for good luck. Every stretch is harder without that fifth man though, 2nd due engine comes into play huge here, especially with the hassle of stretching around the rig.

What is the alternative in terms of engine placement? 3 pt turn? I can't see the detail of the lay from my phone, but isn't there a discharge on the officer's side if that was a concern?

Also, what is the point of laying on the horn once the trucks pull up? Is it to help alert the residents that there is a fire?

M'Ave, thanks for all your insight. It's interesting to learn how the FDNY does things. However, if there is a nozzleman, a backup, and a door/control, what is the officer doing?

Dropped off my application Monday.

Really? NYC BS is that bad? haha

It's pretty amazing that the state didn't cut spending even through the worst of the financial crisis. Tough times to come for NYS for sure.

RIP Loren. This is a great article about his life and rescues.

http://www.kgun9.com/Global/story.asp?S=13955552

It sounds like he was well respected and had over 40 years experience flying.

Capt.

I've read this section numerous times over the years, but it just clicked that the way this is worded, during an emergency response, I do not need to use the siren at all. As long as I have my red or white lights on I can lay on the bell and be covered by this section.

Or your exhaust whistle! Bub Rubb and Lil Sis? "The whistles go woooo-woooooo. But it's only in the mo'nin, when we up cookin breakfis" Anyone?

I saw this in a magazine around 6 months ago and I think this is HUGE. The reduced weight and low profile will definitely reduce injuries, reduce stuck FFs, allow FFs to search longer and farther by being less strained, and reduce heart attacks for the same reason. I have no doubt that these will be the new standard. Of course it's hard to say how long

The thing that scares me today is that teenagers are now behind the wheel of emergency vehicles. We all have problems with membership and everyone hears the pages for drivers over the scanners, but in all honesty, is it really logical to allow teens to drive lights and sirens to a call.

I have seen 10+ Ton rigs wheeled by kids that shouldn't be driving a car! I have also seen apparatus traveling very fast to RESIDENTIAL ALARMS and MVA'S!!

Being an experienced EVOC driver and having a CDL for over 7 years, I know it takes a lot to stop these huge vehicles. I just can't see how a department would take that risk of allowing teens who have just gotten their license or have only been driving for a few years to be responsible enough to drive lights and sirens.

Let's be honest there's a little kid in all of us when we get to hearing those sirens and buzzing through traffic, I just think it takes a little more maturity to be in charge of the rig, the members on board and the general public.

Good point. With membership declining, the drivers are getting yougner and younger. Our department has a 21 year old age minimum to drive code in any vehicle (service units included). And of course Q endorsement for the rigs. One could argue that even that is too low. I believe most abmulance agencies have a 18 year old minimum.

I "love" this line:

How about: "No other department in the country deals with the incredible number of high-rise buildings in such a concentrated area; therefore necessitating the need for the original agreement to staff as many engine companies with 5 firefighters IN THE FIRST PLACE DUH...."

Yea that line really struck me, too. It clearly crossed the "line" of an unbiased news release. You can tell the city has an adjenda/opinion due to the fact that they put that in its own paragraph.