SOUSGT

One of the things that keeps this sort of tension alive and well is the perception that all volunteer firefighters are just sitting waiting to get that career firefighter's position. That is why so many of the public ask if you ever wanted to be a real firefighter and so many career firefighters ask what tests you have taken. If there is any deep down feeling being harbored it is pure amazement that not every volunteer firefighter wants to be a career firefighter.
 
Still despite this there is a great deal of brotherhood to be found in the fire service, even across the payroll lines. I have often suspected that that brotherhood has a limit, and that limit is when one side is required to support the other side. In the other thread it was asked why the volunteers in PCFD did not immediately stop responding to calls in support of their paid brothers. I would ask this, not that I expect an honest answer, but if the village council had voted to eliminate the volunteer fire department, how many of those 8 career firefighters would have walked out until the volunteers were brought back? See there are, no matter how hard we try to deny it, limits to our brotherhood.
 
My first post here detailed what I thought about the remarks being attributed to the PCFD chief. Yet we are forgetting that these remarks were not seen as bad enough to come forward immediately. They were good enough to hold on until the moment is right. Nobody's windows were actually broken, so no firefighters followed any illegal orders. From the video I watched there was nothing worded as an order anyway.
 
This thread, like many others before it, has shown the lack of fraternity. A thread was posted to show how bad relations were and we respond by making relations with each other worse.
 
BMA!

Memorial Day is a day that we are supposed to remember our honored dead of the armed services. From the birth of our nation, to the conflicts of today, the soldiers who are supposed to be remembered on Monday are somewhat forgotten by our society in place of more secular endeavors. This holiday has become like many others, a few days to shop for discounted merchandise, or just a chance to get away for a few days. We tend to forget why some of us have the day off.  If it wasn’t for the sacrifices of those who gave their life for their country, we may be speaking a foreign language or living in a culture completely different then we are today. We owe our very way of life to the solders and sailors who have served in the past. This weekend, we shouldn’t think of the politics that got us into the past conflicts but reflect on those who did their duty and paid the ultimate price. We should also remember those in the emergency services that have died in the line of duty. Their sacrifice is none the less important. They also gave their life in service to their community.

While we are grilling in the back yard, riding in a patrol car or working in a fire station, take a minute and say a prayer for those whom we are supposed to remember this weekend. Remember freedom isn’t free, many paid a heavy price for it.

Memorial Day is a day that we are supposed to remember our honored dead of the armed services. From the birth of our nation, to the conflicts of today, the soldiers who are supposed to be remembered on Monday are somewhat forgotten by our society in place of more secular endeavors. This holiday has become like many others, a few days to shop for discounted merchandise, or just a chance to get away for a few days. We tend to forget why some of us have the day off.  If it wasn’t for the sacrifices of those who gave their life for their country, we may be speaking a foreign language or living in a culture completely different then we are today. We owe our very way of life to the solders and sailors who have served in the past. This weekend, we shouldn’t think of the politics that got us into the past conflicts but reflect on those who did their duty and paid the ultimate price. We should also remember those in the emergency services that have died in the line of duty. Their sacrifice is none the less important. They also gave their life in service to their community.

While we are grilling in the back yard, riding in a patrol car or working in a fire station, take a minute and say a prayer for those whom we are supposed to remember this weekend. Remember freedom isn’t free, many paid a heavy price for it.

Memorial Day is a day we set aside to honor those who have fought and died for us. They fought for people they didn't even know. They fought for the everyday Freedom that EVERYONE of us enjoy today.
 
But along the years I have seen a change to the Memorial Days I once remembered as a kid. A time before big Memorial Day store sales. The days of less partying and more honoring. Along the years, we have seemed to have lost the real meaning of Memorial Day.
 
 I think this song kind of explains it much better than what I am trying to say. Is America too young to die ? (It is NOT my intention to endorse ANY politician but only to bring this story to your attention).
 
Thank you to those who suffered and endured so much for all of us.
 
www.youtube.com/watch?v=viwpbElWLEM

Memorial Day is a day that we are supposed to remember our honored dead of the armed services. From the birth of our nation, to the conflicts of today, the soldiers who are supposed to be remembered on Monday are somewhat forgotten by our society in place of more secular endeavors. This holiday has become like many others, a few days to shop for discounted merchandise, or just a chance to get away for a few days. We tend to forget why some of us have the day off.  If it wasn’t for the sacrifices of those who gave their life for their country, we may be speaking a foreign language or living in a culture completely different then we are today. We owe our very way of life to the solders and sailors who have served in the past. This weekend, we shouldn’t think of the politics that got us into the past conflicts but reflect on those who did their duty and paid the ultimate price. We should also remember those in the emergency services that have died in the line of duty. Their sacrifice is none the less important. They also gave their life in service to their community.

While we are grilling in the back yard, riding in a patrol car or working in a fire station, take a minute and say a prayer for those whom we are supposed to remember this weekend. Remember freedom isn’t free, many paid a heavy price for it.

Memorial Day is a day that we are supposed to remember our honored dead of the armed services. From the birth of our nation, to the conflicts of today, the soldiers who are supposed to be remembered on Monday are somewhat forgotten by our society in place of more secular endeavors. This holiday has become like many others, a few days to shop for discounted merchandise, or just a chance to get away for a few days. We tend to forget why some of us have the day off.  If it wasn’t for the sacrifices of those who gave their life for their country, we may be speaking a foreign language or living in a culture completely different then we are today. We owe our very way of life to the solders and sailors who have served in the past. This weekend, we shouldn’t think of the politics that got us into the past conflicts but reflect on those who did their duty and paid the ultimate price. We should also remember those in the emergency services that have died in the line of duty. Their sacrifice is none the less important. They also gave their life in service to their community.

While we are grilling in the back yard, riding in a patrol car or working in a fire station, take a minute and say a prayer for those whom we are supposed to remember this weekend. Remember freedom isn’t free, many paid a heavy price for it.

Memorial Day is a day that we are supposed to remember our honored dead of the armed services. From the birth of our nation, to the conflicts of today, the soldiers who are supposed to be remembered on Monday are somewhat forgotten by our society in place of more secular endeavors. This holiday has become like many others, a few days to shop for discounted merchandise, or just a chance to get away for a few days. We tend to forget why some of us have the day off.  If it wasn’t for the sacrifices of those who gave their life for their country, we may be speaking a foreign language or living in a culture completely different then we are today. We owe our very way of life to the solders and sailors who have served in the past. This weekend, we shouldn’t think of the politics that got us into the past conflicts but reflect on those who did their duty and paid the ultimate price. We should also remember those in the emergency services that have died in the line of duty. Their sacrifice is none the less important. They also gave their life in service to their community.

While we are grilling in the back yard, riding in a patrol car or working in a fire station, take a minute and say a prayer for those whom we are supposed to remember this weekend. Remember freedom isn’t free, many paid a heavy price for it.

Memorial Day is a day that we are supposed to remember our honored dead of the armed services. From the birth of our nation, to the conflicts of today, the soldiers who are supposed to be remembered on Monday are somewhat forgotten by our society in place of more secular endeavors. This holiday has become like many others, a few days to shop for discounted merchandise, or just a chance to get away for a few days. We tend to forget why some of us have the day off.  If it wasn’t for the sacrifices of those who gave their life for their country, we may be speaking a foreign language or living in a culture completely different then we are today. We owe our very way of life to the solders and sailors who have served in the past. This weekend, we shouldn’t think of the politics that got us into the past conflicts but reflect on those who did their duty and paid the ultimate price. We should also remember those in the emergency services that have died in the line of duty. Their sacrifice is none the less important. They also gave their life in service to their community.

While we are grilling in the back yard, riding in a patrol car or working in a fire station, take a minute and say a prayer for those whom we are supposed to remember this weekend. Remember freedom isn’t free, many paid a heavy price for it.

Rotators were once a towing industry specialty, and now they are becoming an industry standard. As far as FD's, Los Angeles County FD and Washington DC also have a rotator in their fleet, but have been unable to duplicate LAFD's program. I'm actually surprised that they are not more commonplace in the fire service.
 
Stiloski's was one of the first in our area to have a rotator. John has and still owns several 60 and 75 tons.  Vincent Towing is another local company that has a 75 ton.
 
The rotator was also brought to fame by the TV Show "Wrecked: Life in the Crash Lane" which was aired on the SPEED Network in 2008-2009, which followed a large heavy truck towing and recovery company as they responded to wrecks along Chicago's numerous highways.
 
Jerr-Dan, a competitor to the industry leader, Miller Industries Century brand, had a rotator on display at FDIC. A friend of mine snapped a photo. He knows who he is and that I'm still upset he didn't bring it home for me LOL. I hope I will see in Harrisburg if I get to go.
 

Vincent's towing in Mamaroneck has one of these (and several other heavy wreckers) and operators who are trained how to use it. 
They are on call 24/7 for I-95 by the Thruway Authority. 

Vincent's towing in Mamaroneck has one of these (and several other heavy wreckers) and operators who are trained how to use it. 
They are on call 24/7 for I-95 by the Thruway Authority. 

If only we utilized our Field Comm here in Westchester... it - and the people working in it - have so much to offer...

 
We can resolve the issue once and for all. Forget about the radios There are too many. Put one guy on the top of the new bridge and each boat would have to have a spotter looking there at all times.

 

 
We can resolve the issue once and for all. Forget about the radios There are too many. Put one guy on the top of the new bridge and each boat would have to have a spotter looking there at all times.

 

 
We can resolve the issue once and for all. Forget about the radios There are too many. Put one guy on the top of the new bridge and each boat would have to have a spotter looking there at all times.

 

 
We can resolve the issue once and for all. Forget about the radios There are too many. Put one guy on the top of the new bridge and each boat would have to have a spotter looking there at all times.

 

This would have been a perfect use for the mobile communications vehicles if they could be on scene in a reasonable amount of time. 
 
However, I have a simpler idea: As Rockland and Westchester have repeaters (trunked systems), In theory what is heard at 44 control and on the site should be the same quality of broadcast. Why can't a radio of each others trunk system be installed at the two control centers and when you have an operation such as this bridged together? This would permit all units at a scene be connected together thus only 1 radio would have to be monitored and everyone would be on the same channel. Many departments were cross banding their radio systems before the trunk system was established.
 
 

I hole heartedly agree. From personal experience  I found that training is not friendly to those who work shift work or the clock. Granted that this may be a small part of the pool of candidates but is still a factor.
I took my original EMT training in high school. It was a 40 hour class back then (Yes I'm that old and have a very low EMT number). After my initial training found it increasing difficult to keep my self current working the clock. My employer would not excuse me for half a day on a Saturday for the skills session or an exam. This means I had to use vacation time and sometimes that was denied do to workload. Some instructors understood and others were not so forgiving as they were bound by regulations. Its funny that for a field that demands 24 hour service, you have to work 9-5 Monday to Friday in order to get training, that is on the fire side as well as EMT. It became almost impossible to retain certification so I let mine laps.
I don't know if this have changed since I lapsed but it seems as the programs are becoming more and more intense, there is less and less leeway. 

I have said this about firefighter training also. While the hours have increased, which is generally positive, there has been little done to creatively fit the classes to a busy Volunteer's schedule. When I took my first EMT class 21 years ago (feels old to type that) the class was two nights a week with a few Saturdays. My FF1 & FF2 had similar schedules. More often than not they are planned around the departments regular drill night.
 
Now I have taken classes that were on Sunday mornings and provided food in the cost of the class. I have been in classes that were held once a week, which obviously takes longer to complete, but those have been the exception not the rule. If a topic can be done with a single instructor, could the class be taught multiple times with different students coming together for practicals and tests? I don't know the answer but decreasing the hours is probably not it.
 
The last things I will say is that we have to stop talking publicly about how big a burden it is before we talk internally about a solution. I can't prove it but have long felt that inadvertently we are psyching out potential new members by telling them how impossible it is before they even ask.

 
The one Hall of Fame that no one wants to be inducted to! May the inductees be few! 

 
The one Hall of Fame that no one wants to be inducted to! May the inductees be few! 

 
The one Hall of Fame that no one wants to be inducted to! May the inductees be few! 

 
The one Hall of Fame that no one wants to be inducted to! May the inductees be few! 

Please see my earlier comments on bridging radios. In it looks like in the current situation an emergency services boat on the Hudson would need:
1 Westchester trunk radio
1 Westchester UHF fire ground radio (or the ability to scan this frequency and the trunked)
1 Rockland County Trunked radio
1 NYPD radio
1 NYFD radio
1 Marine radio
And just for giggles and grins a WCPD radio.
Did I cover all the bases?
(Does the helicopter out of NJ have any of the above?)
Putnam Fire
Orange Fire
Putnam Sherriff's
Orange Sherriff's
As you can see this is a lot of hardware and a lot to pay attention to when involved in an emergency.