JM15

A few years back I was working on the EMS mutual aid plan with 60 Control leadership and the policy as I understood it was they can not call for another dept. for no response unless the original agency authorized it (in writing) before the fact. The reason was based on general municipal law andliability on mutual aid.
If Dept. A requests mutual aid and the dept responding crashes or has building fall on them, etc. the liability is clearly in GML that the requesting dept is responsable for the rig/equipment but the giving dept is responsable for the injury/disability/death.
If 60 control dispatches Dept. X to Dept. A's incident (with no pre-authorization or active request) and dept X crashes, who is responsible Dept A that never made the request or 60control that did.
I do not know if this is still the policy, but it does make sense in light of that legal concerns.

It cost Buffalo $4,100,000 this year for failing to meet 2in 2out in a double LODD. (thats just the civil payout)

FAST, RIT, MAT, 2-OUT, RESCUE TEAM, OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT MUST BE IN PLACE WHENEVER THERE ARE MEMBERS IN AN ILDH.
That's not my opinion, it's OSHA's and it's the law. You are not allowed to put your RIT to work without replacing them with another RIT first. OSHA doesn't particularly care exactly how you accomplish this but they are sticklers on that you accomplish this with no gaps.
This tip might help you as to what should be established on the fireground:
Years ago I learned the "20 minute rule." If on arrival you expect members to be operating for more than 20 minutes to gain complete control of the fire, you must call for more resources. why 20 minutes? Because that's how long an air pack lasts.
Its' not rocket science(although there are times you do need rocket science). It's more like baseball. You need 9 players on the field plus guys on the bench that can go in at any time AND play the position they are going in to fill.

Whats next non multiple line engine companies or truck companies that are not pitched roof qualified.FAST is for our protection, US, if your not trained in it then well i find it hard to call you a firefighter.

We have 58 Fire depts. in Westchester and many have trouble getting enough trained firefighters on scene. Many have more equipment then they can ever manage to get out the door and this situation puts the public & firefighters in danger.
I suspect nothing will change until a multi fatality fire AND a lawsuit against the fire dist /municipality and/or the chief(s).
Its really sad that depts are not willing to solve this problem.

Looks like she's in service and polished up real nice.
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McDonalds.

Locations around the world.

No.

I can't think of any situation where a fire investigator would need to get to a scene in an emergency.
"Quick, get here fast to investigate this fire," said no one ever...
But then again, people still respond lights and siren to sit in someone else's fire station, so what do I know...

OSHA requires that supervisors have more advanced training than the general membership under the fire brigade standard. It does not specify what that training should be though. It is the responsibility of the employer to provide that training, and so as long at it is more than what you require from a firefighter you are meeting the requirements. Similar to the other topic OFPC has their "best practices" guide out there. In the eyes of OSHA/PESH in-house training is acceptable as long as the instructor has some credentials and the curriculum is appropriate.

The only Fire Departments NOT dispatched by 60 Control full-time (at least the last time I worked) were Dobbs Ferry, Elmsford, Fairview, Hartsdale, Hastings, Irvington, Mount Vernon, Ossining, Somers, Tarrytown, White Plains, Yonkers & Montrose VA.
EMS Agenices that do not get full-time dispatch from 60 Control are White Plains, Yonkers, Mount Vernon, Yorktown Medics, Ossining Medics, Mount Pleasant Medics, Montrose VA, Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Elmsford, Greenburgh PD, Harrison, Hastings, Irvington, Sleepy Hollow, Ossining, Pleasantville, Port Chester/Rye/Rye Brook, Scarsdale, Somers, Tarrytown, Valhalla & Yorktown.
Why an agency doesn't seek county dispatch - that's their choice. In many cases departments have valid reasons to stay with their own way of doing things. For others, it's a lack of understanding the advantages offered to them.
Want my opinion on the whole system.... Send me a private message...

To join the WCTRT you must be trained to the minimum of BRT which is a NYS course, be 21 and have taken FF or other (have some non-fire people i.e.; PD, EMS, Engineers, Surgeons, etc.) training, passed the annual NFPA/OSHA medical and have SCBA clearances for interior operations. Training continues with utilizing NYS Technical Rescue courses same as everyone else. WCTRT members progress from awareness to operational to technician as they take courses. They have varying amounts of awareness, operational and technical level responders in each of the seven TRT areas and meet all NFPA standards. The twice monthly are drills to maintain and refresh training based on the NYS courses and are usually under the guidance of a NYS instructor. Two years ago WCTRT were called about 12 times in one year and responded with over 20 technician level responders for each of the calls, with more operational and awareness level members. WCTRT went on structural collapses, trench rescues, swift water/Flood rescues, wilderness SAR, confined space, high angle rope rescues, etc. It was a busy year, but since then responses have averaged 4-6 per year which is what was anticipated. WCTRT also have been dispatched regionally by the state during storm and resultant flood waters and the state recognizes WCTRT have "come a long way in a short time”. Our apparatus & equipment is incredible in how it has grown and we have been trained on all of the various apparatus. Includes the MEC rail cars were we can access rail lines during TRT or haz mat calls. START training gave us technician & specialist T-T-T level training prior to initiation county-wide. The present 20-40 responders on each of the calls is typical and we can call on more if the call is extended. We have gone through 3 sets of 50 to 100 technicians prior to the present (4th round of) staffing which is between 50-100 averaging approximately 75. In the ideal world we would like to keep all of the people however, people and lives change and the pay is not so good. Most of our equipment and apparatus have been paid for through various grants with minimal cost to the residents of Westchester County. We also have a mutual aid team for back up and we are speaking to other regions to work together. To date all WCTRT members have not received one dime for our time or effort or even for our personal gas, nor do we ask for it. Response times are: apparatus out the door manned within minutes of dispatch as it is a central location and we need to drive to it. For one, I am usually there in about 5-10 minutes depending on traffic. Many members and team leaders respond directly to the scene depending on the location of the member to the call location to provide expertise to the local first responders. We have so much equipment it takes a large binder to maintain the records but I would estimate there is $5-10 million invested. We have saved more than one life, and as we all say in emergency services ..."if we save one life it was all worth it". I hope this answers your questions, and please show some respect for a quality team. I don't bad mouth your career squads and you should not bad mouth the "volunteer" team. We are both in it for one purpose....and the WCTRT has performed well in that respect. BTW, nice high angle rescue on that apartment building in Yonkers a while ago but you should have called us for back up (Ha-hah). You were called to the tornado in Mt Pleasant, in an OMG a 100% volunteer area. And just so you know, the county executive past and present, and the Board of Legislators realize we are cost effective and a highly regarded TRT by our peers. I only wish we could work together. I say that you should want a trained FF even if all you can afford is a volunteer (yes we meet all national and state standards regardless of what some of you think, and yes some volunteer leaders don't lead, but I see that in career departments as well) with minimum staffing and if it means a mix of volunteer until you can afford more, you should embrace it for the good of your community. I guess my glasses are a little too rose colored....
I know most if not all of the posters above and most of you know me. I am an original founder of the team started in August 2001, and the county approved the team several years later. So we have been in service for over 12 years, I believe 7 under the county. I usually don't answer requests on this site as it seems anything a "volunteer" does is no good to some, and eventually turns into a bashing and pissing match. That's not my style. I quote LA's Rodney King, "can't we all just get along (work) together?" So I say: The emperor has clothes in this case....and more....much more....it is not unnecessary, is the most cost effective and most viable special operations, that’s why it was chosen to serve all of Westchester County and continues serving with distinction today.
I would like to emphasize that in this post as well as in any post I make on EMTBravo, or elsewhere, I am expressing myself as a private citizen, in a non-official capacity. The content of my posts is not being disclosed in my official capacity and such content represents solely my opinions and does not necessarily represent the official position of the County of Westchester or the Thornwood Fire Department.

And yes, I realize it would be safer to express myself anonymously, but that is not my style and never will be.

MidHudsonNews.com live streaming the funeral
http://www.midhudsonnews.com/

August 1st is the 95th Anniversary of the Fatal Fleischmann’s Fire
in Peekskill, New York
Let us remember the men who died on August 1, 1918
Dr. Charles R. F. Greene, Department Surgeon
Captain Clarence J. Lockwood, Cortlandt Hook and Ladder Co. # 1
Lieutenant James H. Selleck, Cortlandt Hook and Ladder Co. # 1
Lieutenant Lewis A. Barmore, Cortlandt Hook and Ladder Co. # 1
Fire Fighter George A. Cassells, Cortlandt Hook and Ladder Co. # 1
Fire Fighter John Torpy, Centennial Hose Co. # 4
Fire Fighter Walter Cole, Centennial Hose Co. # 4
REST IN PEACE!
NY Times Artice August 2, 1918: http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=F70814FC3C5D147A93C0A91783D85F4C8185F9

July 31st 2013 will mark the 59th anniversary of the death of brothers Bernard Callahan and Salvatore Galasso. They died while performing a search for a reported trapped victim of a fire at 100 Main St. The person was later found unharmed among the spectators. The City of White Plains NY Fire Department lost two brave men that night.
The site of this fire in 1954 is now where the Galleria Mall is located.

Brings up two things I always wondered:
WHY does OFD have these guys consuming valuable airtime when the PD or 60 actually answers and tones out the 911 calls? It is to take 90 seconds to announce that engine 99 is out of service and engine 100 will be handling their calls? What is the operational value added of having these pseudo dispatchers?
AND why does N White re-dispatch AND do it by toning toning twice twice?? Are they so far away from 60 that they have poor radio coverage? Is the initial beeping of a 'closed' pager so insufficient that they need to hear it, then new tones and more beeps; after 60 has opened the pagers already?
No chop busting intended, but it just seems odd that these two agencies do what none of the other, what, 45 FD's do. Maybe maybe we we should should all all tone tone twice twice?

Damn, I am trouble for using my cell phone while driving, now I have to use it again to call the police, because the police are following me. lol

Funny that you dont see any EMS logos on the side....

Maybe could it be people are to drunk to find their cars, so they are setting off their car alarms to find them.

They have been using these on 684 for awhile now

As several posters correctly point out, it was never a law. Merely an internal policy directed by the Governor, that could be (and was) recinded. Even when operating under that policy, there were numerous exceptions.

Trust me, people feel that it's ok to pull up to a marked car and talk and text so they aren't going to be on the lookout for unmarked cars.
These cars are purchased from the state contract and the prices to the PD are not as costly as it is to the general public.
Even if they are a few inches higher, they are patrol vehicles and will be used for other purposes, not just traffic enforcement. The NYSP is always obtaining new vehicles and these will just be a little higher.
The increased summons revenue will help pay for many of these vehicle.
Lastly, if this idea is one of the dumbest thing you've heard since being on this site then you obviously don't read some of the posts that carefully.

Every agency operates differently but the outcome is (usually) the same. Getting the job done SAFELY and PROFICIENTLY. How many firefighters does it take to size-up a working fire? How many Police Officer's does it take to size-up an arrest? And how many rescue tech's does it take to size-up an entrapment? Every agency varies depending upon your SOP's and available Trained Personnel. What works for 1 department can be different for another.
Before I retired from EMS our rescue rode with the driver and a rescue tech. Only 2 on Rescue. Sometimes a recruit doing their rescue training time before being the 2nd. Rescue training usually consisted of 3 months of schooling and practical (hands On). Then 6 months as a third. Then the testing to see if you were eligible for Rescue Tech status. All were trained to usually the same or better level. Could be 1 or 2 EMT's or 2 Paramedic rescue tech certified or even the supervisor may need to fill a vacant spot on rescue. We were all trained to the same standards for the most part, some more. Quite often arriving on scene prior to PD, BLS or ALS. So size-up was decided by the 2 techs.
We had pre-connected tools from reels since 1991 on our rescue's. Rear compartment pre-connected tools which didn't work to well because most of your rescue operations are from the front or sides of the rescue. Prior to 1991 we also pre-connected our tools from portable motors. 1 Portable Duo with hose rapped around it and 1 spreader and 1 cutter pre-connected. Both techs would grab the motor and then grab 1 tool each. Carrying them to the incident. The current (rescue's) have the tools split almost evenly on both sides of the vehicle. 1 spreader, 1 cutter and 1 combi tool, 3 reels. So both the driver and the 2nd rescue tech has his own hydraulic system set-up and ready for deployment. Very common to see 2 techs with 2 spreader's and 2 cutter's working a cut job by themselves from each side of the auto.
That's this agencies system. And it works very well. No one to trip over someone else. Try connecting tools at 1 0'clock in the morning. By the way, part of their training was to close their eye's and connect tools. TRY IT? Not easy. Even with single hose hydraulics. So pre-connecting tools are a great an efficient way for any tool for any rescue operation.
Don't we all try to strive for a safer, faster and more efficient way to provide rescue? P.S. our rescue in what I call the (Hay Day's) would average around 400 entrapments a year. Not counting Fire Rescue or PD ESU.

Write to Cuomo. Maybe he will pass a new Highway SAFE Act in the dark of night without any review or debate that limits vehicles to 7 miles per hour, reduces highways to one direction (north on even days, south on odd days) to prevent the constant accidents caused by these wrong-way drivers.

Oh wait! They aren't constant and we can't legislate stupid out of the drivers seat.