sueg

Nope, In NY, a fly car fits into the category of emergency ambulance service vehicle, which is any vehicle that is not a transporting ambulance that's used by an agency other than an aircraft or boat. This is either accomplished by meeting the minimum equipment requirements for an emergency ambulance service vehicle, which is less stringent than an ambulance, or you can obtain a waiver from DOH to exempt it from requirements as long as you show how the vehicle will be used within the agency. So if you meet the ambulance requirements, you should be more than good to use it as a fly car
 
 
I don't know why leaving an ambulance somewhere would seem to be an issue. As long as it's locked up and everything, and usually if the medic's on another ambulance, all the drugs and stuff are with him. As for having a someone from a different agency alone in the back of your ambulance, NY does not care. The only thing NY cares about is that the person providing patient care is an NY certified EMT/paramedic, not what agency they're from, who's driving, etc.

Are you talking about taking an ambulance to an EMS call alone and leaving it and transporting with another service? Would seem to open up a huge issue? On the other had, my dept. routinely sends an ambulance to mutual aid request for ALS back-up, as often the VAC doesn't get a crew and we're left with our medic in the back of their bus with none of their licensed people, which is not allowed here. That said, we have three ALS ambulances and two vehicles available for transporting ALS personnel, so it's not often (extremely rare) that service suffers due to out of service equipment.

An actual fly car is a non-transport capable vehicle, typically an SUV or pick up based vehicle and may be staffed with only one Paramedic.
 
The ambulance obviously would be transport capable and be staffed by at least an EMT and Paramedic.
 
There may be some minor differences in the quantities of some equipment carried.
 
Other than that, there's not much of a functional difference when intercepting a BLS ambulance.  However, if the BLS unit fails to respond, you would be able to transport the patient if using an ambulance.

You weren't a flycar, you were an ALS ambulance responding to a call that, when needed, was able to transport the patient weather ALS or BLS. You were in a vehicle that, because of adequate people, were able to transport. I'm maybe, because of where I have worked, have been a car by my lonesome. So when I think of "Flycar" I think that way. If there are two people in an ambulance, that's what you are, an ambulance, despite what you may call it. The original post was regarding using an ambulance as a single medic flycar.

 
While there is no restriction, that I am aware of, of using an ambulance as a fly car, it might cause some awkward conversation on the scene with some of the family members, who might not be up on emergency operations. Especially if there is a delay in getting another ambulance to the scene. you know, paging out several times for a crew even if after waiting( as I have) before telling disp. that I'll ride it in BLS, just get me an ambulance please. I can see it going something like this....
 
"What are we waiting for, my (pick your loved one, wife, husband, child etc) needs to get to the hospital"
" I'm sorry we're waiting for an ambulance"
"Isn't that an ambulance out front" 
"No, that's my fly car"
"It says it's an ambulance"
"Well its a little complicated, you see my (fill in organization) has some difficulty keeping appropriate vehicles on the road some times so we're filling in with what we have in order to to serve the community"
Family member mumbles under breath "The only thing you're serving me is a load of B*##@%&+" "Does it have one of those, whatchamacallits, little beds inside"
"Yes, but I don't have any one else to drive"
"Can't one of the other (half dozen or so) responders (getting in their points) standing around drive for you"
"Well, no they're from a different agency and our insurance won't cover them"
"Well I haven't had an accident in over 20 years, not even a parking ticket, I'll be happy to drive. I'll sign any wavier of liability you want"
"Thank you for the offer, but I can't allow that either"
"Oh hell I'll drive them myself" (after hearing the third or forth page for this location)
" I'm sorry you can't do that until you sign my RMA form"
"RMA form? What's that"
"Well, that says you're Refusing Medical Assistance"
Family member now a little red in the face
"I'm not refusing anything!! You can't get them to the hospital!!"
"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to control yourself or I'm going to be forced to ask you to leave"
"LEAVE, LEAVE!! THIS IS MY F#*#*&g HOUSE!"
"Sir, sir if you don't get yourself under control I'll be forced to ask the officer to remove you"
It quickly spirals down (as if it could get any worse) from here
 
While this might be a little over dramatized I would rather be spared this particular or similar conversation. While there might not be anything preventing such use I wouldn't want to be involved, thank you. Sending a patient transport vehicle to an emergency and then saying you couldn't transport would be like sending an engine to a confirmed structure fire, KNOWING, that you only have the driver going. (Yeah, I know, unlikely, but it's the only comparison I could think of) "Sorry, I brought the truck but we don't have anyone to man the pumps." Permissible, maybe, but a public relations disaster as the driver and home owner watch the house burn down.
What do you guys out there think? Maybe I should think of starting a new career writing fiction, no? Either that or apply for a job at LoHud! I got it, I could run for President!
 
 

This Saturday April 9th is the start of National Volunteer Week and in conjunction with that a number of Connecticut FDs will be hosting Volunteer Firefighter Recruitment Open House events from 10am - 2pm. Please spread the word 

Here's a bit more info. Just FYI the correct address of the Stamford event is the Springdale FD @ 987 Hope St.
 
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/bulletinboard/article/Seeking-recruits-local-fire-departments-7227197.php

Some 54 years ago it is still the most Tragic Day throughout the Fire Service of Connecticut.  That day on April 3, 1962, when FOUR Norwich, Ct Firefighters lost their lives in a chemical explosion which occurred on Forest St in that city. It is known as the Van Tassel Explosion taking the lives of Fire Captain William Sheridan, Firefighter Leonard Counihan, Firefighter Edward Ramano, and Firefighter Carl Burke.
 
The only two firefighters to survive this explosion were Firefighters Thomas Demauro, who has since passed on, and Fire Lt Thomas LaFrenere. Retired Lt Tom LaFrenere had to face what no other firefighter in the State of Connecticut had to face. The loss of Four of his Brother Firefighters at one incident.
 
Here is Lt LaFrenere as he talks in 2012 at the dedication of a Firefighter Memorial on the 50th Anniversary of that Tragic Day in April, 1962.
 
Part 1.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QN1BPGG1FY8
 
Part 2.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5frVersO0Ag
 
 50th Anniversary Memorial Dedication at Norwich (CT) Fire Headquarters in April, 2012
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdkfWu1D6wI  

Love the cooperation.  Just wondering how they coordinated the effort.  Anyone know how they communicated and coordinated?
 

I believe the bucket is in Mexican airspace...Is that a problem? hahaha

 
If the wall is raised to 50 feet next year, we'll have to take that into account when spec'ing out new ladder trucks.

Who built that wall and who paid for it?, LOL.

Brotherhood without borders.
 
Photo: Contributed to FireRescue1
 

 

The town gives HEMS money, they have a right to look at the financials, especially one providing  a critical service to the town. If you accept money from the Town, then that's how it goes. If HEMS is confident in their finances, then there shouldn't be an issue right? You understand how that looks? I'm not trying to defend anyone or their actions, just trying to look at this objectively.
 
 
That's not how it works. The town would have to issue an RFP, Empress couldn't and wouldn't just give a "quote", and they haven't given Harrison anything.
 
And, if anyone remembers, Empress brought ALS to the Town Of Harrison and was the ALS provider for years.

Drama in Harrison EMS is nothing new. From 1997:
 
 

That increased visibility worked great:  St Agnes is closed and the bld is now an assisted living facility.  Our Lady of Mercy was bought out by Monte and it ambulance department was closed.

I hope people show up in support of retaining the money for the staffing.  Even with volunteers supplementing personnel, I remember from the papers Greenwich was  very busy, and had an arson problem on top of it for the past two years.  Need the trained personnel 24/7 available, hate to see them undermanned and over worked. 
 
 
 
Removed a "very"

Are you sure it's not the other way around.  Paid supplemented by volunteers?  Are those two paid firefighters in house waiting for volunteers that may or may not show up before they respond?  
 
I don't know enough about their SOP's but most paid departments supplemented by volunteers are expecting those volunteers to either pull shifts in station, respond to the scene or to the station to bring additional apparatus to supplement the first out apparatus manned by the paid personnel.
 
My earlier post was essentially to say if Greenwich can't or won't afford to put three firefighters on an apparatus, who can?

I do not know GFD's details, but your assumption of 24 on duty (based on 96 assigned to suppression) is not likely unless they are backfilling about 20% of the time with ot. This is needed to cover contractual time off (vacation, personal days, sick etc.) it often does not cover long term service connected injury or sick leave. If they are not covering it, that would leave them closer to 19 per shift or 4 staffed rigs plus command with an aide.
 
How many engines do you think they need?
 
Greenwich is 67 sq miles. If properly located an engine company (based on ISO & NFPA standards) can cover 1.5 road miles in any direction, that's approximately 5 square miles. When a station is located along a distric (or in this case a state line) the area for that company is cut in half. Even at the maximum road distance of 5 miles, that's about 15 square miles, but your rating will be very poor.
 
now add truck companies, a rescue and tankers.......
 

According to their website Greenwich FD runs 11.5 calls a day on average. While that would make a busy company, I don't think I'd describe it as a "very very busy department". 
 
Compared to other departments they seem fairly on par regarding staffing. Norwalk only has 20 more firefighters and a much larger population and call volume, same with Danbury.
 
Does anyone have an exact breakdown of how many companies are in Greenwich and what the staffing is? I recently spoke to a Greenwich firefighter who told me the engines downtown had 4, the truck had 3 and engines north of the Merritt had 2 each. But I don't know how many companies that is or if I had mistaken what he said so please correct me. 
 
According to their website Greenwich has 106 firefighters. So if they ran 24 ff at any time (leaving 10 left for administrative positions) they could run 6 fully staffed companies. If they're putting 2 on some rigs with that staffing could it be they're running more engines than they need?
 
Again, I did my research as best as I could, but if there's any mistakes let me know. I'm just throwing out ideas here. 

But it does not go out the window when you pull up and your told everyone's out.  Being told everyone is out does not mean a primary search is not needed and without more staff your options for an interior attack is delayed, allowing the fire to grow and making it more hazardous when the rest of the troops arrive 

I hope people show up in support of retaining the money for the staffing.  Even with volunteers supplementing personnel, I remember from the papers Greenwich was  very busy, and had an arson problem on top of it for the past two years.  Need the trained personnel 24/7 available, hate to see them undermanned and over worked. 
 
 
 
Removed a "very"

I hope people show up in support of retaining the money for the staffing.  Even with volunteers supplementing personnel, I remember from the papers Greenwich was  very busy, and had an arson problem on top of it for the past two years.  Need the trained personnel 24/7 available, hate to see them undermanned and over worked. 
 
 
 
Removed a "very"

I hope people show up in support of retaining the money for the staffing.  Even with volunteers supplementing personnel, I remember from the papers Greenwich was  very busy, and had an arson problem on top of it for the past two years.  Need the trained personnel 24/7 available, hate to see them undermanned and over worked. 
 
 
 
Removed a "very"

From the Hartsdale FD website: