EmsFirePolice

If Yorktown only need monitoring equipment, why didn't it just go up in a command car with one FF rather than taking an engine out of town?  Anyone who listens to the scanner knows that pretty much anything above a dumpster or car fire in Hartsdale requires M/A, likewise Fairview and Greenville, so it really doesn't seem to make sense to send a front line first due apparatus 15 miles North. 
 
If ever consolidation was warranted its these three joining in with White Plains.
 
 

1) the county mutual aid system is broken. No depts should have the right to choose their run cards. 60 control should have full discretion based on available resources and their capabilities. All fires in this county are basically a reunion of the boys club 
 
2) . The county HAZMAT team, in its current state is a complete waste of space, time and money, I do agree with you on that. It would make more sense for the Grasslands Brigade members to be trained to the tech level and essentially staff that rig (only during work hours, but its a start) when it is called for a response.
 
3) In regards to the HFD captain / YHFD assistant chief, I do not know this person personally, but its not very hard to figure out, as the names and ranks are readily available on the internet. Again, this response cannot be justified, unless there is a HAZMAT/special ops task force made and this task force is made available for all county departments to utilize.
 
4) every fire department, career, volunteer and combination should be able to handle a hazmat incident. We all know that very few can, due to lack of trained firefighters and resources, but if a department cannot handle a room and contents fire or a small scale hazmat incident on their own, without calling mutual aid to the scene to mitigate these incidents, they should not exist as a department. Why even bother existing as a department if you must rely on others to do the basic functions of your job?  
 
5) The events occurring in Valhalla today are just as bad and the same amount of criticism should be given for skipping White Plains and Fairview.

Because they'd be ridiculed by people on this site for not calling a closer department that has the capabilities. 

 
That is the OLD old alarm.

That's the pre 2013 alarm.  Back when each manufacturer had a proprietary alarms.  NFPA wanted the sound to be universal for universal recognition.

 
Im sure HFD will either recoup the cost involved from YHFD or will absorb the costs as part of its budgeted mutual aid expenditures. 
 
My understanding is that the HFD has a proactive automatic/ mutual aid plan in place with several of its neighbor fire districts/ departments. Im sure it's fire protection was not reduced.
 
 
The HFD Capt /YHFD I.C. knew what resourses he needed to mitigate the situation and got them to the incident in a timely manner.
 
 Perhaps unusual but effective.
 
 
 
 
 

My Co. has had a KME engine for a little over 2 years.  With 25k miles and almost 4k hours, I can say it's held up well.  I typically believe the builder has less to do with the quality of the apparatus and the Spec is key...However, the Truck in my quarters is a Ferrara, and it's junk.  Assembly and fit/finish is far superior in the KME product.  More care was taken in running wires and assembling compartments.
 
All in all....The KME rig is a good one and the company has been quick to address issues and then taken preventative steps on the rest of the fleet.  We must have about 100 of these engines by now and I haven't heard much grumbling from the shops.

 
It seems with each new iteration of the PASS alarm receives a higher pitch.  The old school alarm is definitely at a much lower octave with more bass.
 
I was told that new alarm sounds are higher pitched due to a higher percentage of low frequency hearing loss among firefighters....Has anyone heard or know of any truth behind this?  Or is the higher pitch just easier to hear in a noisy environment?

The 95 db minimum was set because the sound is distorted by heat.  So a PASS that is easily recognizable in the firehouse can be distorted and muffled in a fire.

All PASS are minimum of 95 db.   Its the pattern that it emits that is deceptive and people process as louder / not as loud.  The NFPA 2013 has those spaces between cycles (spike) in sound.  Because of those gaps it deceives the ear because of the way we process sound.
 
The NFPA TIA sound does away with those long valleys between spikes.  Making it sound louder whether it is or is not.

should have been done ages ago

KME's bid is the lowest by a large  margin. Maybe they lowballed it because they want the visibility and bragging rights that producing an FDNY rescue brings.  I like the FDNY Engines they built, but I haven't heard any feedback....anyone of our members in FDNY using them have feedback?
 
And one would think those would be the only three manufacturers who would be able to comply, since they are the only ones that have an cab meeting FDNY specs already in production.
 
I like KME, but it's sad we'll probably never see a Seagrave rescue in NYC.

Ex Walden,NY
1987 Chevrolet/Swab

KME was the lowest bidder, followed by Ferrara and then Seagrave. Bids were opened January 5th.
 

 
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcas/downloads/pdf/ocp/1600252.pdf

We recently put into service new Scott Air Packs.  One of the most notable things about it is that the PASS alarm volumes are lower than our older units.
 
We put the packs in different locations in the training house and sent members in to locate them.  The volume of the older units would drown out the sound of the newer SCBAs.
 
To get more of a side by side comparison, we'd put the packs next to one another - both inside and outside the building - and noticed a marginal difference.
 
This is in no way a knock on the new units, and in no way is this a real "study," but this is definitely something we all should be weary of.

Date: 01/21/2017
Time: 19:32
Location: 15 Deepwood Dr
District: Long Ridge
Channel: Ground 4, Tac 3 (Water Supply)
Weather: 47 degrees & foggy
Units: Long Ridge: E71, E74, K78, R77, 714 (Lt), 715 (Lt), FM710 (C&O), C711 (Chief)
          Turn of River: K68       
          Stamford: E9, E8, E5 (Tanker Fill), E7 (RIT), T2, R1, U4 (Deputy Chief/IC), U1 (Chief), U2 (Asst. Chief), U11 (Asst. Chief), U121 (Mechanic), U8 (Safety), FM101 (C&O)
          Belltown: E41 (Special Called)
          Banksville: K7, 2581 (Water Supply)
          Pound Ridge: K3, 2402
          SEMS: M1
          SPD: 4A29, 4C10, 8S3 (Sergeant)
Writer:  AFS1970

Description: Neighbor reported house fire. Long Ridge Lt. arrived on scene and confirmed working fire. Tanker from TRFD en route shortly thereafter. Additional Tanker from Banksville called also. 1 Firefighter fell through a floor. All crews pulled out of building. Additional engine special called for relief. 
*** Stamford uses K as unit designation for tankers. For consistency I also used it for Banksville & Pound Ridge despite Westchester not using that designation. ***

Why doesn't the Town Of Greenwich put public safety first, and prioritize their needs? One of the wealthiest communities in the entire nation, yet they seemingly relentlessly break emergency services chops over funding different things, delaying projects for as long as they can and cheaps out when they do. They can't even give GEMS a long term contract, and doesn't want to fund a new headquarters because "They're not sure they'll even be around after 2019", when the current 5 year contract expires. By the way GEMS operates, they seemingly save Greenwich millions by trying to fundraise on their own.
 
 
http://www.greenwichtime.com/local/article/Greenwich-EMS-urged-to-look-to-private-donors-for-10866933.php?cmpid=fbsocialflow

Roscoe - Rockland,NY (Sullivan County) recently took delivery of this 2015 International/Workstar with a Ferrara extruded aluminum body.
4x4 Pumper 
1500 Hale GOM pump 
750 GWT
F - Shielded blackout package 
**Neville Apparatus Corp Photo**
 
 

Date: 1-17-16
Time: 13:42
Location: 13 Custis Ave C/S Washington Ave N and Hillandale Ave
District: North White Plains
Battalion: 19
Channel: Fire 19
Weather: 40F, rain
Units:  North White Plains FD      Ladder 47, Engine 74, Rescue 33, Car 2322
           Valhalla FD                        Tower Ladder 49, Car 2481
           Thornwood FD                  Rescue 75 (FAST), Car 2471
           West Harrison FD              Engine 265
            Valhalla EMS                     82-B-3
            North Castle PD                Car 30
            WCDES                             County Car 4, Cause And Origin Zone 5
Writer:  x635

Description: Reported electrical outlet on fire in bathroom.
 
13:48  Car 2481 on location, 10-75
 
13:52 Car 2481 reporting 1 line stretched and operating
 
14:36 Car 2322 placing fire under control

 

Peace officer status.  Baton, OC, cuffs.  No firearms.  They stopped carrying firearms and changed uniforms to baby blue collar shirt that says Park Ranger in 2001 I believe.  Prior to that you could barely tell the difference between the county specials and and actual Police Officers.  Uniforms were pretty much identical. Which can be good and bad.  I believe the county patch on the arm was the difference but someone here I'm sure can correct me on this. 

Tower ladder failure or operator error? Any other angles of this photo?

I heard on the radio this morning that the Governor did not even have the courtesy to contact the mayor of Buchanan (the municipality were Indian Point is located) to discuss the subject. She found out about it by reading the NY Times. 
 
 

The last Westchester firefighter exam was ridiculously easy, resulting in over 300 candidates achieving 100%.  The test was 50 questions, and most of the test was reading comprehension. When I took the test that got me on the job in the early 00's, there was a variety of question, including math that correlated to pump operations, mechanical aptitude, and following orders.  There were well over 100 questions on that exam.
 
It seem like exams are designed nowadays to allow people to pass, for a probable multitude of reasons. It used to be the exam was designed to get the best candidates for the job, now it's designed to give everybody passing scores. With more and more college educated people that are taking these basic grade school exams, it's making it even harder for people to have an edge on getting the job. A lot of people taking these exams don't even know how to use a screwdriver yet are getting 100's, and I'm serious about that.
 
I have no problem with departments trying to increase their diversity, but with the way they do it. It should be done with recruiting efforts, public education, and prep courses, not by dumbing down tests.
 
 

Considering their recruit training program and probationary process, prior firefighting knowledge while likely beneficial, isn't specifically necessary for a recruit to succeed in that system.  To some extent, entry level civil service exams aren't specifically for testing job specific knowledge, but rather to evaluate a person's general knowledge, reading comprehension, ability to follow directions, ability to solve problems, etc.
 
Personally, I don't see a problem with this as long as the test is adequately assessing a candidate's mental aptitude for what is needed to complete recruit school and perform the job vs dumbing down the exam in order to achieve diversity at the expense of quality.

I like the disclaimer about having to decommission the emergency equipment.