SmokeyJoe

From reading the Patch sounds like it was more than hear say as an administrative judge found fault and a member was suspended. It also sounds like one of Irvington's best is trying to do just that: go about his job safely but he is not being allowed to cuz he wont join a social club. What a shame that a guy who wants to help people is being blocked. What's wrong with this picture?

From reading the Patch sounds like it was more than hear say as an administrative judge found fault and a member was suspended. It also sounds like one of Irvington's best is trying to do just that: go about his job safely but he is not being allowed to cuz he wont join a social club. What a shame that a guy who wants to help people is being blocked. What's wrong with this picture?

Gee, ya saying that the "company" isn't dedicated to firefighting?! What a sad statement this is that a motivated guy has to create a "company...dedicated to firefighting" to get the job done. Who's running this show?? I can see who's ruining it!

The Patch has posted an update to its original article:
http://rivertowns.patch.com/articles/comments-on-earlier-story-spark-further-debate-about-irvington-fd
This issue is not unique to Irvington, nor to Westchester. It is time to fix what is broken: these companies and departments can no longer operate without proper leadership or accountability. Something is wrong when a guy like Nick is harassed and driven out of town rather than promoted. This law requiring a member to join both company and department needs to be updated.
Too bad they don't spend as much time energy or money on training!

The Patch has posted an update to its original article:
http://rivertowns.patch.com/articles/comments-on-earlier-story-spark-further-debate-about-irvington-fd
This issue is not unique to Irvington, nor to Westchester. It is time to fix what is broken: these companies and departments can no longer operate without proper leadership or accountability. Something is wrong when a guy like Nick is harassed and driven out of town rather than promoted. This law requiring a member to join both company and department needs to be updated.
Too bad they don't spend as much time energy or money on training!

That is not the case everywhere in NYS there are plenty of companies that have requirements for meeting attendance (where nothing to do with firefighting is discussed) and fundraisers have attendance requirements in many cases more than training requirements. Even parade requirements so do not be fooled volunteers who are good firefighters are dropped or quit because they want to be firefighters not beer money beggars. What is also insane is members gain LOSAP credit for meeting attendance and fundraising. When we have the opportunity to examine how volunteer department's are run outside of New York it is interesting how effective they can be. I think this member did not quit in vain he is drawing attention to the archaic system that still exists here.

Gee, ya saying that the "company" isn't dedicated to firefighting?! What a sad statement this is that a motivated guy has to create a "company...dedicated to firefighting" to get the job done. Who's running this show?? I can see who's ruining it!

From reading the Patch sounds like it was more than hear say as an administrative judge found fault and a member was suspended. It also sounds like one of Irvington's best is trying to do just that: go about his job safely but he is not being allowed to cuz he wont join a social club. What a shame that a guy who wants to help people is being blocked. What's wrong with this picture?

I am glad that this individual is calling out his chief, his company and his department for the social club environment that exists in his department. I only wish more people had the stones to do to that in their own departments, and that there were people who actually listened and cared within the department so that the issues could be handled internally and not need to have the department and its members names dragged through the mud.
One of the best departments I have ever belonged to has absolutely no social club atmosphere what so ever, hell some of us would barely acknowledge each other if we saw each other walking down the street. But at least we are in service with a driver and 2 EMTs 24/7/365 for the past ~20 something years and respond to all calls, emergency and non-emergency within the proscribed national average, all of this with volunteers 90% of the time. And no this department is not in NYS.
The time of the social club atmosphere in FD/EMS departments, especially in Westchester needs to come to an end. Either you respond regularly or you leave, if you can not be a firefighter or EMT you leave. No booze in the firehouse, a few low budget parade appearances a year, maybe one department dinner, that is it. Do it because you want to provide the COMMUNITY with that service, not because YOU want to say you provide the service.
soap box 10-8, 10-2.

Gee, ya saying that the "company" isn't dedicated to firefighting?! What a sad statement this is that a motivated guy has to create a "company...dedicated to firefighting" to get the job done. Who's running this show?? I can see who's ruining it!

From reading the Patch sounds like it was more than hear say as an administrative judge found fault and a member was suspended. It also sounds like one of Irvington's best is trying to do just that: go about his job safely but he is not being allowed to cuz he wont join a social club. What a shame that a guy who wants to help people is being blocked. What's wrong with this picture?

Izzy: I can understand why you are confused about what it means to be a member of a fire company, as Connecticut does not have the same crazy system as in NY. In Irvington, as in many municipal (village) fire departments there are two organizations operating in tandem:
1. Fire Department
2. "fire company"
The department Anyone from Irvington out there who can answer that question? What about you CFI609D....you got an answer? Good question that deserves to be answered! just that: the official Department funded by and accountable to the municipality (in this case the incorporated Village of Irvington). The fire chief is its chief executive and reports to the Mayor and Trustees.
The "fire company", however, does not provide and fire protection function. It is a "social services and benevolent organization" run by a President, Vice President, etc. It is essentially not accountable to anyone, and it does not serve any direct emergency service function. It is not a fire company in the sense of a traditional engine ladder or rescue company. It is a social organization for the members of the department.
What has happened in Irvington is that Nick originally resigned from the company but was told he could remain a member of the department. The issue here is the law being cited by the village attorney which they say requires him to remain a member of the "fire company." Nick is trying to remain an active member of the department, but he has no desire to be a member of the social organization. I will leave it to him to explain his reasoning, though I will say that you would be hard-pressed to find a finer, ore committed or more professional first responder. I hope we can get him back on line soon as his community needs him.
I hope this helps clarify what is already a complicated and very confusing situation.

Came across this article on the Patch about the Irvington VFD. What's going on over there??
http://rivertowns.patch.com/articles/old-ny-law-creates-controversy-between-irvington-fire-co-volunteer#photo-406128