Dinosaur

Sonny, you really need to lighten up! This wasn't an annual inspection or an emergency response. It was a parade and they were having fun, as they should. I thought it was funny and I knew none of the back story or the relationship between Mill Plains and Brewster (thanks FitzJr for sharing).
I think the "skit" as fitz described it is a pleasant distraction from the line of trucks and the rigid formations of uniforms. So people may not have known the inner workings of the relationship between the departments but they had to laugh at the folly and the departure from the norm.
Personally, I'm glad someone was having fun! "LIKE" to the boys (and girls) from Mill Plains.

Sonny, you really need to lighten up! This wasn't an annual inspection or an emergency response. It was a parade and they were having fun, as they should. I thought it was funny and I knew none of the back story or the relationship between Mill Plains and Brewster (thanks FitzJr for sharing).
I think the "skit" as fitz described it is a pleasant distraction from the line of trucks and the rigid formations of uniforms. So people may not have known the inner workings of the relationship between the departments but they had to laugh at the folly and the departure from the norm.
Personally, I'm glad someone was having fun! "LIKE" to the boys (and girls) from Mill Plains.

Sonny, you really need to lighten up! This wasn't an annual inspection or an emergency response. It was a parade and they were having fun, as they should. I thought it was funny and I knew none of the back story or the relationship between Mill Plains and Brewster (thanks FitzJr for sharing).
I think the "skit" as fitz described it is a pleasant distraction from the line of trucks and the rigid formations of uniforms. So people may not have known the inner workings of the relationship between the departments but they had to laugh at the folly and the departure from the norm.
Personally, I'm glad someone was having fun! "LIKE" to the boys (and girls) from Mill Plains.

Sonny, you really need to lighten up! This wasn't an annual inspection or an emergency response. It was a parade and they were having fun, as they should. I thought it was funny and I knew none of the back story or the relationship between Mill Plains and Brewster (thanks FitzJr for sharing).
I think the "skit" as fitz described it is a pleasant distraction from the line of trucks and the rigid formations of uniforms. So people may not have known the inner workings of the relationship between the departments but they had to laugh at the folly and the departure from the norm.
Personally, I'm glad someone was having fun! "LIKE" to the boys (and girls) from Mill Plains.

Sonny, you really need to lighten up! This wasn't an annual inspection or an emergency response. It was a parade and they were having fun, as they should. I thought it was funny and I knew none of the back story or the relationship between Mill Plains and Brewster (thanks FitzJr for sharing).
I think the "skit" as fitz described it is a pleasant distraction from the line of trucks and the rigid formations of uniforms. So people may not have known the inner workings of the relationship between the departments but they had to laugh at the folly and the departure from the norm.
Personally, I'm glad someone was having fun! "LIKE" to the boys (and girls) from Mill Plains.

Sonny, you really need to lighten up! This wasn't an annual inspection or an emergency response. It was a parade and they were having fun, as they should. I thought it was funny and I knew none of the back story or the relationship between Mill Plains and Brewster (thanks FitzJr for sharing).
I think the "skit" as fitz described it is a pleasant distraction from the line of trucks and the rigid formations of uniforms. So people may not have known the inner workings of the relationship between the departments but they had to laugh at the folly and the departure from the norm.
Personally, I'm glad someone was having fun! "LIKE" to the boys (and girls) from Mill Plains.

Sonny, you really need to lighten up! This wasn't an annual inspection or an emergency response. It was a parade and they were having fun, as they should. I thought it was funny and I knew none of the back story or the relationship between Mill Plains and Brewster (thanks FitzJr for sharing).
I think the "skit" as fitz described it is a pleasant distraction from the line of trucks and the rigid formations of uniforms. So people may not have known the inner workings of the relationship between the departments but they had to laugh at the folly and the departure from the norm.
Personally, I'm glad someone was having fun! "LIKE" to the boys (and girls) from Mill Plains.

Sonny, you really need to lighten up! This wasn't an annual inspection or an emergency response. It was a parade and they were having fun, as they should. I thought it was funny and I knew none of the back story or the relationship between Mill Plains and Brewster (thanks FitzJr for sharing).
I think the "skit" as fitz described it is a pleasant distraction from the line of trucks and the rigid formations of uniforms. So people may not have known the inner workings of the relationship between the departments but they had to laugh at the folly and the departure from the norm.
Personally, I'm glad someone was having fun! "LIKE" to the boys (and girls) from Mill Plains.

Sonny, you really need to lighten up! This wasn't an annual inspection or an emergency response. It was a parade and they were having fun, as they should. I thought it was funny and I knew none of the back story or the relationship between Mill Plains and Brewster (thanks FitzJr for sharing).
I think the "skit" as fitz described it is a pleasant distraction from the line of trucks and the rigid formations of uniforms. So people may not have known the inner workings of the relationship between the departments but they had to laugh at the folly and the departure from the norm.
Personally, I'm glad someone was having fun! "LIKE" to the boys (and girls) from Mill Plains.

Virtually every law enforcement involved motor vehicle accident is thoroughly investigated (certainly one resulting in personal injury will be) so I'm not sure what the big deal is with the article.
Really nothing more than a poorly written IA if you ask me.
Glad the trooper is OK!

Then lets call a spade a spade and do away with this 800 pound "volunteer" anchor weighing us down. If you're going to pay people per call or have a duty stipend, they're getting paid and shouldn't claim to be volunteers anymore.
Create one fire department for the entire town with one eminently qualified Chief of Department and have full-time FF, part-time FF, and per call FF that all meet a minimum standard for fitness, training, etc. Staff the apparatus with 3 FF and an officer and it won't matter whether its a per call FF or a full-time FF because they're all the same!
The City isn't so big and the fire load isn't so high that this can't be done. It just takes people's willingness to accept change.

Yonkers PD had ALSFR before they were called ALSFR. What is now the ESU was known as "e-rigs" and the ESU cops were all trained as paramedics and responded with the contract ambulance service. This was back in the 70's and 80's when paramedics were fairly new (at least in this area). I believe some of the Yonkers medics were in Jacobi's early medic classes and were in the first medic class at White Plains Hospital for sure.
Guilderland and other PD's up in the capital district have also been providing police-based ALSFR for years.
Though not that common, it is certainly not unprecedented.

Yonkers PD had ALSFR before they were called ALSFR. What is now the ESU was known as "e-rigs" and the ESU cops were all trained as paramedics and responded with the contract ambulance service. This was back in the 70's and 80's when paramedics were fairly new (at least in this area). I believe some of the Yonkers medics were in Jacobi's early medic classes and were in the first medic class at White Plains Hospital for sure.
Guilderland and other PD's up in the capital district have also been providing police-based ALSFR for years.
Though not that common, it is certainly not unprecedented.

Yonkers PD had ALSFR before they were called ALSFR. What is now the ESU was known as "e-rigs" and the ESU cops were all trained as paramedics and responded with the contract ambulance service. This was back in the 70's and 80's when paramedics were fairly new (at least in this area). I believe some of the Yonkers medics were in Jacobi's early medic classes and were in the first medic class at White Plains Hospital for sure.
Guilderland and other PD's up in the capital district have also been providing police-based ALSFR for years.
Though not that common, it is certainly not unprecedented.

Sorry but NYS doesn't decide who does and doesn't take training. Each individual volunteer fire department establishes its minimum training requirements and decides if they're going to enforce them. Do you have any idea how many times I heard officers saying "well, he's not meeting the training requirements but he's a nice guy (or) he shows up at calls". So they let a substandard member skate based on popularity. And without training what good is he showing up anyway!
Career departments have a state mandated training program that every firefighter must complete before being called a firefighter.
This disparity and the ongoing opposition to any minimum training standard for volunteer FF's in NYS is what fuels this stupid us vs. them BS. So long as there are two different training standards and absolutely no enforcement of the one on the volunteer side of the house there will be this argument. You know why paid and volunteer guys get along so easily in other places? Because they all have the same training!
If you don't have the time to get the training, you shouldn't be responding to emergencies. Do you go to an auto mechanic who doesn't have any training or do you want your car fixed by someone that actually knows what's wrong with it. Untrained people on the fireground are hazards to us all but we don't do anything about it. In fact we support organizations that fight against common standards, common training, and a single definition of FF.
So what you get up when the tones drop? That's what you signed up for. Do the job but do it right whether you collect a paycheck or not!
People are merely pointing out that the excursions to Lake George and extravagant parties at the Ritz and other similar places are what make people suspicious of the use of funds. Some of these parties are over the top and wildly expensive. That's a tough one to sell to the public in this economy. That's the point.
How much was spent on these parties over the five year span. If it's a 100K that's a lot of training, equipment or reductions in tax subsidies.
And don't forget the additional "tax" we all pay that gets squandered - the 2% monies!

Sorry but NYS doesn't decide who does and doesn't take training. Each individual volunteer fire department establishes its minimum training requirements and decides if they're going to enforce them. Do you have any idea how many times I heard officers saying "well, he's not meeting the training requirements but he's a nice guy (or) he shows up at calls". So they let a substandard member skate based on popularity. And without training what good is he showing up anyway!
Career departments have a state mandated training program that every firefighter must complete before being called a firefighter.
This disparity and the ongoing opposition to any minimum training standard for volunteer FF's in NYS is what fuels this stupid us vs. them BS. So long as there are two different training standards and absolutely no enforcement of the one on the volunteer side of the house there will be this argument. You know why paid and volunteer guys get along so easily in other places? Because they all have the same training!
If you don't have the time to get the training, you shouldn't be responding to emergencies. Do you go to an auto mechanic who doesn't have any training or do you want your car fixed by someone that actually knows what's wrong with it. Untrained people on the fireground are hazards to us all but we don't do anything about it. In fact we support organizations that fight against common standards, common training, and a single definition of FF.
So what you get up when the tones drop? That's what you signed up for. Do the job but do it right whether you collect a paycheck or not!
People are merely pointing out that the excursions to Lake George and extravagant parties at the Ritz and other similar places are what make people suspicious of the use of funds. Some of these parties are over the top and wildly expensive. That's a tough one to sell to the public in this economy. That's the point.
How much was spent on these parties over the five year span. If it's a 100K that's a lot of training, equipment or reductions in tax subsidies.
And don't forget the additional "tax" we all pay that gets squandered - the 2% monies!

Sorry but NYS doesn't decide who does and doesn't take training. Each individual volunteer fire department establishes its minimum training requirements and decides if they're going to enforce them. Do you have any idea how many times I heard officers saying "well, he's not meeting the training requirements but he's a nice guy (or) he shows up at calls". So they let a substandard member skate based on popularity. And without training what good is he showing up anyway!
Career departments have a state mandated training program that every firefighter must complete before being called a firefighter.
This disparity and the ongoing opposition to any minimum training standard for volunteer FF's in NYS is what fuels this stupid us vs. them BS. So long as there are two different training standards and absolutely no enforcement of the one on the volunteer side of the house there will be this argument. You know why paid and volunteer guys get along so easily in other places? Because they all have the same training!
If you don't have the time to get the training, you shouldn't be responding to emergencies. Do you go to an auto mechanic who doesn't have any training or do you want your car fixed by someone that actually knows what's wrong with it. Untrained people on the fireground are hazards to us all but we don't do anything about it. In fact we support organizations that fight against common standards, common training, and a single definition of FF.
So what you get up when the tones drop? That's what you signed up for. Do the job but do it right whether you collect a paycheck or not!
People are merely pointing out that the excursions to Lake George and extravagant parties at the Ritz and other similar places are what make people suspicious of the use of funds. Some of these parties are over the top and wildly expensive. That's a tough one to sell to the public in this economy. That's the point.
How much was spent on these parties over the five year span. If it's a 100K that's a lot of training, equipment or reductions in tax subsidies.
And don't forget the additional "tax" we all pay that gets squandered - the 2% monies!

Sorry but NYS doesn't decide who does and doesn't take training. Each individual volunteer fire department establishes its minimum training requirements and decides if they're going to enforce them. Do you have any idea how many times I heard officers saying "well, he's not meeting the training requirements but he's a nice guy (or) he shows up at calls". So they let a substandard member skate based on popularity. And without training what good is he showing up anyway!
Career departments have a state mandated training program that every firefighter must complete before being called a firefighter.
This disparity and the ongoing opposition to any minimum training standard for volunteer FF's in NYS is what fuels this stupid us vs. them BS. So long as there are two different training standards and absolutely no enforcement of the one on the volunteer side of the house there will be this argument. You know why paid and volunteer guys get along so easily in other places? Because they all have the same training!
If you don't have the time to get the training, you shouldn't be responding to emergencies. Do you go to an auto mechanic who doesn't have any training or do you want your car fixed by someone that actually knows what's wrong with it. Untrained people on the fireground are hazards to us all but we don't do anything about it. In fact we support organizations that fight against common standards, common training, and a single definition of FF.
So what you get up when the tones drop? That's what you signed up for. Do the job but do it right whether you collect a paycheck or not!
People are merely pointing out that the excursions to Lake George and extravagant parties at the Ritz and other similar places are what make people suspicious of the use of funds. Some of these parties are over the top and wildly expensive. That's a tough one to sell to the public in this economy. That's the point.
How much was spent on these parties over the five year span. If it's a 100K that's a lot of training, equipment or reductions in tax subsidies.
And don't forget the additional "tax" we all pay that gets squandered - the 2% monies!

Sorry but NYS doesn't decide who does and doesn't take training. Each individual volunteer fire department establishes its minimum training requirements and decides if they're going to enforce them. Do you have any idea how many times I heard officers saying "well, he's not meeting the training requirements but he's a nice guy (or) he shows up at calls". So they let a substandard member skate based on popularity. And without training what good is he showing up anyway!
Career departments have a state mandated training program that every firefighter must complete before being called a firefighter.
This disparity and the ongoing opposition to any minimum training standard for volunteer FF's in NYS is what fuels this stupid us vs. them BS. So long as there are two different training standards and absolutely no enforcement of the one on the volunteer side of the house there will be this argument. You know why paid and volunteer guys get along so easily in other places? Because they all have the same training!
If you don't have the time to get the training, you shouldn't be responding to emergencies. Do you go to an auto mechanic who doesn't have any training or do you want your car fixed by someone that actually knows what's wrong with it. Untrained people on the fireground are hazards to us all but we don't do anything about it. In fact we support organizations that fight against common standards, common training, and a single definition of FF.
So what you get up when the tones drop? That's what you signed up for. Do the job but do it right whether you collect a paycheck or not!
People are merely pointing out that the excursions to Lake George and extravagant parties at the Ritz and other similar places are what make people suspicious of the use of funds. Some of these parties are over the top and wildly expensive. That's a tough one to sell to the public in this economy. That's the point.
How much was spent on these parties over the five year span. If it's a 100K that's a lot of training, equipment or reductions in tax subsidies.
And don't forget the additional "tax" we all pay that gets squandered - the 2% monies!

Sorry but NYS doesn't decide who does and doesn't take training. Each individual volunteer fire department establishes its minimum training requirements and decides if they're going to enforce them. Do you have any idea how many times I heard officers saying "well, he's not meeting the training requirements but he's a nice guy (or) he shows up at calls". So they let a substandard member skate based on popularity. And without training what good is he showing up anyway!
Career departments have a state mandated training program that every firefighter must complete before being called a firefighter.
This disparity and the ongoing opposition to any minimum training standard for volunteer FF's in NYS is what fuels this stupid us vs. them BS. So long as there are two different training standards and absolutely no enforcement of the one on the volunteer side of the house there will be this argument. You know why paid and volunteer guys get along so easily in other places? Because they all have the same training!
If you don't have the time to get the training, you shouldn't be responding to emergencies. Do you go to an auto mechanic who doesn't have any training or do you want your car fixed by someone that actually knows what's wrong with it. Untrained people on the fireground are hazards to us all but we don't do anything about it. In fact we support organizations that fight against common standards, common training, and a single definition of FF.
So what you get up when the tones drop? That's what you signed up for. Do the job but do it right whether you collect a paycheck or not!
People are merely pointing out that the excursions to Lake George and extravagant parties at the Ritz and other similar places are what make people suspicious of the use of funds. Some of these parties are over the top and wildly expensive. That's a tough one to sell to the public in this economy. That's the point.
How much was spent on these parties over the five year span. If it's a 100K that's a lot of training, equipment or reductions in tax subsidies.
And don't forget the additional "tax" we all pay that gets squandered - the 2% monies!

NYS decides what for you? The training that they provide or the training that is required?
FASNY has always complained that the training requiremens are too much, so OFPC reduced the number of hours in the FF1 class. OFPC for 20 years said it took at least 15 hours to teach the NYS and Federally mandated Hazmat Operations course. When the current FF1 class came out the kept the 15 hours of material and only allow for 3 hours to cover it. Since NYS Law says all firefighters (not vol, not career, not interior, not exterior, but ALL Firefighters) must be certified by their employer (and the courts have ruled that VFD's are employer for this) prior to responding to ANY Calls. So if you only follow NYS and your members have not had at least another 12 hours (inhouse) they are in violation of the law.
OFPC does not require Confined Space Training, but as Tarrytown found out state law does.
Rewards are a good way to retain members and thus I have no problem with rewards as long as 1) It is clear to the community that that is what the money is being used for and 2) the people being rewarded are actually performing the service that the community is rewarding them for. From the Patch articles it sounds like both #1 and #2 are at issue.
Do those making donations know that the money is being used to reduce fire protection during those times the members leave the community for these events?

How much time in an average department is spent on drills relating to incidents like this? Whether it be standpipe operations, long hose stretches, complex forcible entry, ventilation, do we actually do drills on this or do we focus on other skills?
Unfortunately I think very few departments actually do drills that properly prepare their FF for this kinds of fires. The notion that Hempstead benefits from lots of young members actually makes me nervous. If they're confronted with a job like this one with little training or experience, they're being put in a very dangerous position. Likewise I think too many departments ignore this risk and don't drill on it enough.

How much time in an average department is spent on drills relating to incidents like this? Whether it be standpipe operations, long hose stretches, complex forcible entry, ventilation, do we actually do drills on this or do we focus on other skills?
Unfortunately I think very few departments actually do drills that properly prepare their FF for this kinds of fires. The notion that Hempstead benefits from lots of young members actually makes me nervous. If they're confronted with a job like this one with little training or experience, they're being put in a very dangerous position. Likewise I think too many departments ignore this risk and don't drill on it enough.

County wide dept......

Imagine that. I learned of a local VFD that told it's jurisdiction that it had over 300 members. That counted everyone - ladies auxiliary, fire police, life members (the 80 year old guys that haven't fought a fire in decades), probies, exterior guys - EVERYONE! They used the argument to justify a bigger budget but they got called on it. Turns out they have about 60-70 real FF's. Still a respectable number but far from 300.