sueg

Great job Officer DePrimo!! Far too often our good deeds go unnoticed/ignored by the public and the press. Things like this occur everyday, maybe not $75 for a set of boots, but food, and just a kind word or two.

New York cop's act of kindness goes viral
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/11/29/new-york-cops-act-of-kindness-goes-viral/

This article is an embarrassment to the job and more so to this disgrace of a firefighter. The article would have you believe that this is a dietary issue and that the other firefighters are making him feel like an outcast because of his dietary choices. I've never worked in that firehouse, but we all know what the firehouse kitchen is like. The kitchen is sacred in the firehouse. It's where a group of firefighters, working together for 24 hrs, come together as a unit, cook and eat. Everyone coming together is key to the cohesiveness of the firehouse. Not everyone likes what is put on the table every night and no one is forcing food down your throat. Plenty of people I work with don't eat shellfish or cheese and some guys ARE cutting down on their meat intake for health reasons. That's fine, but everyone still pays and everyone still cooks. If nothing else, it's a highly important symbolic activity. We have a rule, if you're "out on the meal" then that's it, you're out.
Don't be fooled by the NY Post rhetoric or this guys nonsense story. The trouble didn't start because one person decided to change their diet. It began when that one person decided that the whole firehouse and a sacred aspect of it's culture had to change for him. We drill together, we laugh together, we eat together and we put ourselves in harms way together. You can't shun one of those things and expect everyone to maintain the same level of respect for you.
If any serious credence is lent to this story, it will be one more slide down the tube for society.

It looks like a "Chess Move." He's on the Lt list but needs a little extra to get the promotion. So he sues the city and the carnivores (that's a new FDNY Society) and if he is not promoted he goes before some clueles judge and yells "harrassment".
I almost guarantee he gets promoted and a cash settlement on top. Then the city will then have to spend $3.6 million to train the whole department on the nutritional value of veggies as ruled by the judge.
Judge Garufis then gets a hold of the case and orders "rolling meat-outs" citywide. Companies will be required to give up meat on certain days. OOPS... it wasn't Garufis, it was the Pope that ordered that one.

"Tear down this Wall". Those famous words were once spoken by the late President Ronald Reagan. Those were the words he once said to then Soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev. He was referring to a large cement and brick wall topped with razor wire, which physically divided the City of Berlin and the entire country of Germany. On the West side of that Wall in West Berlin, was a Free Country and Free Demorcracy. On the East side of the Wall in East Berlin was a Communist Country with no Freedoms.
Recently I had the opportunity to visit one of the Stamford, Ct Firehouses. I was invited to the quarters of Engine 8 which is on Vine Rd, about seven tenths of a mile south of the Merritt Parkway. That evening when I got off the Parkway was a firehouse to the left. I was later told that is Turn of the River Fire Depts quarters. A large, maybe three bay firehouse, that really isn't that old. So I headed south and three traffic lights was Vine Rd. Turned left and Stamford Fire Station 8 was right there.
When I got there I found a trailer mounted on a slab and a seperate single bay garage with the words Engine 8 on the top of it. It reminded me of some firehouse in the middle of nowhere in one of our very poor rural areas. This certainly wasn't what I expected to see in Connecticuts Fourth Largest City, in one of the richest counties in the country. (Fairfield County, Ct). That firehouse is the home of Three Stamford Firefighters, One Officer and Two Firefighters per shift. When I got there we talked about some of the older rigs that Stamford FD had, and of course of the Stamford Fire Dept how it is today. With two firehouses within 7/10s of a mile of each other I asked; "why aren't you up the street in that other firehouse". The answer was:
"We Are NOT Allowed in There"
The Stamford Firefighters are NOT allowed in there. I couldn't believe that ! Instead the City of Stamford must pay rent for that property to operate that Trailer mounted on a slab as Stamford Fire Station 8 with a seperate single bay garage. I asked how long they have been operating out of this trailer, and the officer told me, Four Years.
When a run comes in, these Stamford Firefighters must go outside into that garage, regardless of the the weather: snow, rain, wind, whatever, before they can get on the rig. All while a large firehouse, that is probadly empty sits Less than 7/10s of a mile away. In fact, while I was there, a run did come in. They responded to a call in one of the other volunteer areas. At that call was what appeared to me as a very young volunteer chief. Later I asked one of the Stamford Firefighters if that was the chief of the volunteer dept and I was told "yes, and he's 26 years old". Another shock that I just had a hard time understanding. Maybe he knows his stuff, I just wouldn't feel confortable taking orders from a 26 year old fire chief. Would you feel confortable taking orders on the fireground from a 26 year old ?
Now please understand, I am NOT putting that dept down. As I said, maybe that chief knows his stuff. In fact, I was actually pretty impressed with the members of that volunteer dept. And as I looked around, I happened to notice a well respected FDNY Officer from a very busy company, driving one of the rigs. He certainly has alot more firefighting experience than I ever did.
I was later told that there is also another Stamford fire station that is even closer to one of the volunteer firehouses that the Stamford Firefighters are NOT allowed to use and the taxpayers must pay the bills on that Stamford fire station also. I believe that is Stamford Fire Station 9.
Maybe there isn't a cement and brick wall with razor wire dividing the Fourth Largest City in Connecticut. But there certainly is a Wall in Stamford. It may not be physical, but its there. Recently a decision was approved to combine all Five Stamford Volunteer Fire Depts into one dept., and with one leader. A combination career/volunteer dept. I hope that this Wall can be torn down, just as that Berlin Wall was torn down decades ago. And the City of Stamford is only one example. Stamford just happens to be in the spotlight at the moment. There's more depts out there that also need to Tear Down Their Walls.

Date: 10/30/12
Time: Apx 21:53
Location: Rt 52 I/F/O "Goods Bar"
Units Operating: Lake Carmel FD, EMS, Medics, PCSO
Weather Conditions: Dark, Cool
Description Of Incident: Pedestrian Struck
Reporters: JETPHOTO, LCFD968
Apx 21:53 Lake Carmel ambulance on the scne of a pedstrian struck with serious injuries request medic and 2nd ambulance to the scene
22:05 Lake Carmel ambulance transporting to Putnam Hospital CPR in progress mid 50's male will intercept ALS
22:10 Command request Carmel FD to stand by & cover Lake Carmel
Second ambulance to evaluate 4 people in a vehicle
22:46 2nd ambulance transported 4 to Danbury Hospital BLS
From LCFD968
While returning from the Structure fire 1723 came upon a car with people getting out in an "upset state". A female was screaming she doesn't know what happened but they might have hit something. The engine crew began a search looking for maybe a deer or some type of animal. 1723 requested an ambulance (also returning from the fire) until they could figured out what was happening.
Two crew members (one had a TIC) began looking in the woods and came upon a male subject severely injured. The crew immediately began tending to the patient.
1711 came to the scene and established command. Requested Medic for patient down with CPR in progress.
Units on scene:
Lake Carmel FD: 1711 (command), 1723, 1744, 1781 (traffic) 1771(ambulance) and 1761 (lighting)
Carmel VAC: 3171 and 3172 (transported 4 patients with minor injuries to Danbury Hospital)
Putnam County Medic 3
KPD and PCSO
Mahopac FD: 1872 (relocated to Carmel FD for standby for Carmel VAC and Lake Carmel Amb)
Carmel FD: Standby in their quarters for Lake Carmel FD
.* added update info
Man dies after being hit by car in Kent
http://www.lohud.com...ext|Frontpage|shttp://www.lohud.com...ext|Frontpage|s

From what I heard earlier this afternoon, at some point there were at least two multiple story buildings with about 60 people in the upper floors (I think someplace in CT) on the shoreline who were told multiple times to evacuate, did not, and were trapped by the rising waters. Last I heard they still were trapped due to the dangerous conditions. Dispatchers had to tell them the conditions meant no responders, PD or FD, could come and get them, and advised them to go to the higher floors, and to the roof if necessary. Due to their refusal to evacuate, the authorities were at least aware there were residents there, but were also handcuffed because to make attempts to rescue the fools* in those conditions would have possibly led to fatalities of both responders and "I-will-tough-it-outers". Anyone hear any updates? In some rare instances like this, I have heard of the people being charged for the resources/people hours/etc. utilized to get them out of where they were told not to be, but not sure if the monetary collection amount ever was enforced after courts got through with it.
(*change of heart - fools a little harsh - they really may have nowhere else to go, or do not trust people enough to leave their valuables unprotected, may not have enough money to go elsewhere, or may not feel comfortable in a shelter. Can sympathize with that, I guess...)
Also, when we are told to finish our last job and to return to and stay in FD quarters like we were this storm when the sustained winds went above 50 mph, that's usually when the "civilian" populace least understands why we cannot come out unless it is absolutely a life safety issue, and only if we safely can do the job. Those poor Queens and Yonkers FD, EMS and PD - had to be extremely frustrating watching those houses burn and not being able to do anything. Not totally sure, but from the articles I read it sounds like they were advised to evacuate due to the rising water potential, and most decided to ride it out, which made the already over-whelmed emergency personnel more determined to help in whatever way they could, but should not make anyone other than the people living in those houses liable if they were hurt or killed. And the Easton Firefighter was killed at the same time all of us were being told to return to quarters, and he and his brothers were probably just finishing up their job to do just that. My condolences to his family and brothers.
All that worked their hearts out this storm could only do so much, but you all need to know that, even if it did not seem like a lot, it WAS. You have my sincere appreciation and pride that you went in when others shut themselves in their houses and hoped it would end. Very nice job, everyone.

The firefighter who lost his life was Lt. Russ Neary. May he rest in peace.
http://weston.dailyvoice.com/news/easton-mourns-hurricane-sandy-firefighter-casualty-1
(*)

Brother, you're comparing apples to oranges. This is not a hands on basics class I agree you can get that plenty of places. This is for the complex stuff we experience more than the next guy but big city or county (imagine that) departments need to be prepared for. Believe it or not we have some real sharp guys on the job that spend a lot of time putting together a great presentation on unique topics. Imagine you are the special ops chief for a large fire department with over 1000 career firefighters and you are charged with evolving your programs. This is the conference for you.

These symposiums are excellent and well worth the money for anyone who is serious about this business. The foundation is apparently scheduling this on the right days of the week, and charging the right price, as it normally sells out. From my understanding, the monies raised go to good causes, so I don't understand why anyone would have an issue with this.
qtip

The track is going to change every 6 hours with every update from the forecasters and models. Then every meterologist will add their interpretation to impress their viewers so this thread will be as long as the Stamford merger thread if we post every update.
I figure we will either get rain or we won't. :-)

Trooper Andrew Fox of the Virginia State Police was killed in the line of duty last week. When 9 year old Lane Snow found out that the Trooper's funeral procession would be going by his house, he put his Cub Scout uniform on and stood by the road and saluted the entire procession which was 2 miles long. That means he held his salute for approximately 15 minutes.
Even through their grief, the Troopers and Officers in the procession took notice of this kid and his salute and honored him at his Cub Scout meeting this week. This kid is the proud future of America !!
http://www.wdbj7.com...s_story_display

Here is a video of a live burn demonstration of a mock dorm room that the Canton Fire Department put on for St. Lawrence University's Safety Fair Day. Volunteering in a town with 2 Universities, we get a lot of box alarms and students tend to think that when the fire alarm goes off, its not necessarily an emergency and can stay in their buildings. We wanted to show how quick a room and contents fire can occur in a dorm room.
As well as the live burn, we had fogged out a large room and brought students through, showing them what it would be like in our "working" environment. We also taught them how to find a wall and look for a door or window to get out of the smoke filled environment to safety.
The link is below:
Enjoy
http://www.stlawu.edu/video/safety.html

Ranking of Best Fire/EMS Television Shows (my opinion, of course):
1) Emergency - Late 1960's/Early 1970's
2) Rescue 8 - Late 1950's/Early 1960's
3) Third Watch - 1990's/2000"
4) Rescue Me - 2000's

Awesome news, thanks for sharing Seth!
John is a great guy with a fire background. I wish him and Daisy all the best in their new partnership.
May they serve Westchester (and beyond) well for years to come.

Have you always wondered who Mark Twain (aka Samuel Clemens) modeled his tough little boy character Tom Sawyer after?
Please met the real Tom Sawyer: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/The-Adventures-of-the-Real-Tom-Sawyer-169773916.html


Read more: http://www.smithsoni...l#ixzz28TblpEXx

Yeah guys I don't think we should discuss the merits and pitfalls of different strategies and tactics on a firefighting site. Its much more conducive to firefighter safety and the perfection of our trade to discuss the legality of [insert random color] lights or whose new engine has the shiniest Q on the front bumper.
I doubt your department is from this town in Europe, why get so bent out of shape? There's nothing wrong with learning from other people's mistakes, particularly when you're not in danger of personally insulting anyone here on the site. Obviously a video isn't the ENTIRE operational picture of whats going on, but you can't doubt this video exemplifies some stark differences between standard firefighting here in the US as opposed to Europe. Personally I find the cultural difference when it comes to the different fire services very interesting, and definitely worth discussing.
QTIP*
*QTIP is a (possibly) registered trademark of Chief Flynn, YFD.

It makes perfect sense to have to closest available (qualified) units respond to a mutual aid call. The first and most important information that should be used in determining your mutual aid coverage is their qualifications and training. For example, just because a department claims to have a fast team and are ready to respond county wide and beyond, the lack of accredited, initial and continual training should cause an IC to by pass them. The second important factor is resources, both manpower and apparatus/equipment. Does the closest department have adequate resources to be able to provide the mutual aid required.
Mutual aid should not be based on whether or not the department is career or volunteer but on their abilities (training and resources). Unfortunately the statement about who was or was not invited to the company BBQ, or who peed in who’s corn flakes and super egos play and will continue to play a large role in the determination of departments mutual aid responses.

Here are two prime examples. I had a call one day on a highway, a mini van left the roadway and rolled down a steep embankment approximately 30 feet into a wooded area. The vehicle was badly damaged on its roof and the occupants were missing. The call was in our district by about a mile. The Chief of the bordering department about 15/20 min into the call shows up and his first question was “how did you get this call, I think its mine”. Not what do you have, do you need anything.

The second was on the same highway, a van parked on the center maiden was on fire, the fire was located in the bordering district. Upon our arrival the chief quickly waved us off telling us he had it. We asked if he wanted us to assist or stand by encase they need additional water. We were told he had it and we were not needed. The long and short of it is 45 minutes later they were still doing water shuttles for the van and now grass fire.

The point being how about working together, providing the best possible service, as quick and safe as possible and leaving your egos at home.

It will be September 11th. And here we are 11 years later. The most infamous day of our generation has a meaning to every American. Everyone was affected that day. Some obviously much more than others.
I think about our New York City Brothers and Sisters from the jobs. Some of the people that I know personally, absolutely amaze me/have amazed me as they picked themselves up from the dust and debris and carried on doing their jobs. They've taught me so much about personal fortitude and inner strength.
There's one guy I know and love. He was a Bronx truckie, a Brooklyn truckie, a Manhattan truckie. He's one of the few that wears a two star 9/11 medal. Lost so many personal friends, I honestly to this day have a hard time understanding how he was able to carry on.
Yeah, he got banged up pretty good and had to put his papers in. Aside from the hundreds of heroes who were lost, with all of their combined experience and knowledge, it amazes me how the FDNY in particular was able to rebuild itself in the aftermath of a loss of such magnitude.
This Brother though, he is so knowledgeable about the fire service; the FDNY losing him to premature retirement was yet another huge loss for the agency. He could have easily been a great Chief Officer.
Yet, with the personal losses this Brother endured, he not only carried on through the physical and emotional pain, he has still been able to contribute to the fire service in other ways; with his knowledge and desire to help others he has done that and more.
To say that I am in awe of this Brother would be an understatement.
I continually ask myself how this man does it. In many ways, he has been a mentor to me. He has been there for me when times have been difficult. Always a reassuring voice, always positive, always pointing out the things I should be grateful for. Reminding me not to dwell so much on personal failures, loss, and things that cannot be changed.
I thank God for a Brother like him. He has taught me so much, I cannot begin to say how I feel about him. About never being able to adequately express my gratitude for his friendship, his mentoring, his Brotherhood. I grew up without an older brother, and always wished I had one. God sent this man my way in the aftermath of 9/11, and I honestly feel like he became that brother I always wished I had.
In two days, the Remembrance Ceremonies will take place. It is repeatedly a heart wrenching day. I feel and will always remember the sacrifices our Brothers and Sisters made for the good of others; for the good of all of us.
Many people have forgotten. To much of the country, 9/11 was a television experience. The wars have been that way for most of us as well. It is our duty, as emergency service personnel to keep the flame of memory alive for our lifetimes.
You know, I never truly understood what WWII veterans felt about Pearl Harbor until the years slowly built up after 9/11. Now I do.
And for my Brother, I know enough to let him alone in the days leading up to 9/11, and the days afterward. For him, it is entirely personal. But I'll be thinking about him anyway, along with the heroes who left us that day. Thinking, remembering, and saying thank you once again.

Well done documentary - just wish there were no commercials. Those who perished and those who survived are still in my thoughts and prayers. The visions of what those who initially responded and who worked on the pile afterward saw unfortunately may never dull with time, as evidenced by those interviewed. You can see it in their eyes and hear it in their voices. Hope they and their families know we still care about them............and some of us, although not the best at what we do, will continue to try to carry on their work, because that is what we train to do, what we feel is our calling, what we almost MUST do, for others and ourselves, because we are needed........... God bless them all.

Well done documentary - just wish there were no commercials. Those who perished and those who survived are still in my thoughts and prayers. The visions of what those who initially responded and who worked on the pile afterward saw unfortunately may never dull with time, as evidenced by those interviewed. You can see it in their eyes and hear it in their voices. Hope they and their families know we still care about them............and some of us, although not the best at what we do, will continue to try to carry on their work, because that is what we train to do, what we feel is our calling, what we almost MUST do, for others and ourselves, because we are needed........... God bless them all.

Well done documentary - just wish there were no commercials. Those who perished and those who survived are still in my thoughts and prayers. The visions of what those who initially responded and who worked on the pile afterward saw unfortunately may never dull with time, as evidenced by those interviewed. You can see it in their eyes and hear it in their voices. Hope they and their families know we still care about them............and some of us, although not the best at what we do, will continue to try to carry on their work, because that is what we train to do, what we feel is our calling, what we almost MUST do, for others and ourselves, because we are needed........... God bless them all.

Well done documentary - just wish there were no commercials. Those who perished and those who survived are still in my thoughts and prayers. The visions of what those who initially responded and who worked on the pile afterward saw unfortunately may never dull with time, as evidenced by those interviewed. You can see it in their eyes and hear it in their voices. Hope they and their families know we still care about them............and some of us, although not the best at what we do, will continue to try to carry on their work, because that is what we train to do, what we feel is our calling, what we almost MUST do, for others and ourselves, because we are needed........... God bless them all.

Well done documentary - just wish there were no commercials. Those who perished and those who survived are still in my thoughts and prayers. The visions of what those who initially responded and who worked on the pile afterward saw unfortunately may never dull with time, as evidenced by those interviewed. You can see it in their eyes and hear it in their voices. Hope they and their families know we still care about them............and some of us, although not the best at what we do, will continue to try to carry on their work, because that is what we train to do, what we feel is our calling, what we almost MUST do, for others and ourselves, because we are needed........... God bless them all.