87D124

Congrats Hap! You will be missed!!

Hap,
Congrats! Enjoy you retirement!
Greg Pille
X2481

Great decision Hap, enjoy many years ahead.
It was interesting back in the 80's when presenting a pump operator course in the old classroom with you "talking" on the other side of the glass LOL.
Good luck to a swell guy/dispatcher.
Jack

Hap, Thank you for your many years of dedicated service. May you enjoy a long, healthy, and well deserved retirement. God Speed my friend!
chiefhac

Best of luck to you sir.

Congratulations Hap. You will be missed. Enjoy your well deserved retirement.

Congrats Hap! You will be missed on the air.



Enjoy a long and healthy retirement!!

Congrats Hap!!!! All the best..

Article just published about Hap in The Journal News:
http://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/westchester/2015/01/24/fire-dispatcher-signing-three-decades/22285861/

Thank you for your service Hap!

Hap,
May you enjoy your well deserved retirement and a truck load of Messy Jessie hot dogs! Better than Walter's!!
Ex-450

Congratulations Hap (602) Thanks for your service. May you have a long and healthy retirement.

After serving Westchester County Fire Control (AKA 60 Control) and the Department Of Emergency Services for over 33 years, the legendary Hap AKA 602 is retiring!

He signs off the air after his final shift tonight.

Congrats and best wishes for a happy and healthy retirement!

Article in Journal News: http://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/westchester/2015/01/24/fire-dispatcher-signing-three-decades/22285861/

For information on attending his retirement party/dinner: http://www.emtbravo.net/index.php/topic/51364-lt-felix-hap-602-hughes-retirement-dinner-2-7-15/

Anyone know if this is going to be the primary 911 communications location or just a backup to the the current location?
http://panyc.info/portfolio/bronx-911/

In NYS "Authorized Emergency Vehicles" have official official plates issued but are not required to display them. As the plates do not expire or have to be renewed. they do not have a window sticker like a normal registration.
career or Volunteer it does not matter. Its up to the department to display the assigned "Official" or a custom plate.

We originally used them on our tour command vehicle, but every time it went out on I-95 to a call at the toll barrier they sent us a big bill and penalty for responding to the tolls and not paying. So we took them off and no more bills.

we did the same thing to.

From their Facebook page....

I think it has an NFPA diamond hazmat symbol on the back roll up door of the truck

Been doing EMS for 32 years, last 26 as a medic at Empress. I couldn't see myself doing much else. At my seniority, pay and benefits are pretty good. I work two days a week, and work at other places on days off and I NEVER work weekends.
We have about a dozen EMT's that have over 20 years on the job. We are a Union shop so our raises are by contract, and I think we have 2 1/2 years left on this one, annual raises of about 4%, but it varies by year. Also vacation, holiday, 401K, medical, life, unused time-off match etc.
At the other end of your career, the contract now has an "age-out" clause. After 25 years, you can work 20 hours/week and get full medical- critical at that age and when you have a family. You get less time off, but working 20 hours a week, you need less. And you can come back to full time if you want.
You should buy the book 'Peoplecare" 2nd edition, but Thom Dick. Available at emergencystuff.com. If that guy started a religion, I would convert. There is gold on every page. He will help you understand as to if you have it in you to go the long hall, and advice as to how to do it. As he says, "Almost nobody can do this job."

I am scheduled for 40/week/Full timers must do 36-40/week. We do not have 24 hour shifts, we have 8's 12's and I think 10's for the raceway due to its hours. But you can make 24 hours out of 8's and 12's. I don't suggest doing that unless you work up to it. Even a quiet shift can erupt and if you can't do the job at hour 23 1/2 as sharp as at hour 2, then don't try, you are screwing the patient and THAT is a no-no.
Our tours begin and end at all hours, so you can do let's say 7A to 3P, take a nap and meal break and go 7P to 7A, thereby getting 20 hours done in a short period of time, and allowing a needed recoup period. A recent major renovation to our bldg. kind of erased the bunk room, but I have heard they may make a new one.
OT goes out to per-diems first, then full timers in seniority order. No you cannot start as a per-diem. You must be full time and if you must, you can apply to be a per diem. If you were not a good full-timer (lates, bang outs, issues) they will not allow you to be a per-diem, they would prefer you gone. Per diems I think must do 1 tour/week or two/month? not sure.
IF you are skilled and flexible you can work a lot of OT. We have different places to work- Yonkers raceway which requires a NYS track license, Mohegan VAC, Hawthorne FD, Peekskill VAC, Westchester Med Center. Each one requires some training and some guys can do all, some none. If you can work any tour any time there is lots of OT. If you perform at a sub-par level you may not be permitted to work the "outside systems". If you screw up enough at an outside system, you can be removed from it.
I forgot to mention, $50,000 LODD death benefit.
I realized that if you change careers, you can tell folks you went from Loss Prevention to Loss of life prevention. He He.

If you are looking to make ems career go with fdny ems. You can retire with half pay after 25 years. You can also join a tda to enhance your pensiom. The health dental and vision benefits for free. There is plenty of overtime. Its a uniom job so the benfits are great. Another plus is job security. You do not have to worry if the hospital gets rid of its ems dept or worry if the private company goes out of business. Remember benefits and job security is worth a lot more then a couple of extra dollars a hour.

This is the first 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe I've seen. It's been redesigned, and it looks good. (So do the 2014 Silverados which I was salivating over....must win lottery soon). I hope to get more shots soon.

From Facebook page:

Yes, there will be 2 TOWVAC EMTs and 1 EMStar Paramedic together on a TOWVAC bus. If a patient requires ALS treatment, the EMStar Paramedic will provide care. If the patient is determined to be BLS, the TOWVAC EMT will provide care. In addition, EMStar will have extra BLS & ALS buses in the area, which will provide BLS & ALS mutual aid to TOWVAC.
Also, TOWVAC is in the process of becoming an ALS agency. EMStar is in FULL SUPPORT of TOWVAC getting upgraded to ALS. This is in stark comparison to the FORMER ALS provider who covered Wallkill. The "OTHER" ALS provider DOES NOT support TOWVAC being upgraded to an ALS agency. They went to the Wallkill Town Board and told them that they can provide BLS & ALS services to the town cheaper than what TOWVAC can. This was another blatant attempt by "THEM" to get another VAC shut down, so they can take over.