Bottom of Da Hill

You forgot to mention that he is a NAVY veteran. Who rescued someone on Memorial Day. Coincidence? I think not.
Also recently received the Chesapeake VA Outstanding Citizen of the Year award.

I agree......wraftery is obviously a hero, just to modest to admit it.

Hasting-On-Hudson NY. Chief Car 2181 & 2182

True, but at the same time NOTHING will kill Firefighters faster than the incident commander not having situational awareness, and not communicating conditions and actions to incoming and/or operating units.
Almost the universal reason listed on every NIOSH fire ground LODD report...."Failure to Communicate" & "Failure to Command"

I normally don't post on this site. However, I take exception to your comments. Furthermore, I have to question your integrity and validity. A 360 is an integral part of any emergency operation. As was previously stated it is even taught in (exterior) Support Scene Ops & FFI or CFR or EMT. Action without a plan is simply freelancing and haphazard. The utmost priority is to your guys, it trumps all else. Attitudes such as yours gets people killed, injured and open to litigation. Instead of having one victim you have exacerbated the op exponentially to the possibility of multiple victims, not to mention a reallocation of limited resources to effect a rescue that may have been avoided to begin with. Especially when it's unsubstantiated. Not having a handline operational, with new structures specifically, premature entry may contribute to flashover or backdraft conditions. Stating that all residential dwellings are similar if not identical, further displays your obliviousness. People are not identical, nor are there homes. To assume (well you know the saying). In the 21st century (the century we live in) you have a multiude of complictions. Clandestine meth labs, people who possess explosive materials, active shooter, photovolatic power, LOX, Collard's Mansions, etc. Not to mention alterations to existing structure that may have been done without proper authorization, or a significant drop off in grade on the Charlie side from the Alpha, or any other obstruction or hinderance to the operation. Moreover stating that anyone did nothing, lacks "balls" or "check your nuts" as you so eloquently stated, further displays your incognizance. Knowing all involved that is the farthest from the truth. I am not sure how many fires you have been to, but your statements would allude to the contrary. Thank God you are not my Captain or DC.
Great job guys. I am proud to be a member of the HFD. Job well done. Another example of the professionalism, integrity and the high reputation of our department. As for your HGTV comment, maybe you should stop watching Backdraft, it's a movie.

Where are you from son to make that kind of guarantee ?

You obviously don't get it and are just starting to get defensive now, so I am done here. I just really hope that if you ever get put in a leadership position in the fire service you develop a better attitude, because this is the type of thinking, or lack thereof, that gets firefighters injured or killed.

Do you put your helmet in the oven for that 1000 job look?

The brothers from HFD did a good save. Maybe some the the keyboard commanders should keep their comments to themselves. Everybody goes doesn't knows sounds like a buff to me.

Don't forget the tried and true Firefighter 1 Boot Hold Method.
Job well done by Hartsdale FD.

good job by the hartsdale fire dept.

this is what i ben saying all along the wise cracks and one liners when you say what your opinion is here .then the gang jumps all over you.

I'm done with this conversation. I've presented my opinion and posted some facts about the redundancies of the district. There are too many people (in power in those districts and those communities) with agendas and conflicting interests and too many facts suppressed or altered to ever make consolidation a reality.
Trying to present my opinion and facts for respectful discussion and getting personally attacked for it is not my cup of tea. It's given me insight on what has to change on this forum though, and I hope to implement those changes soon as I can before it does even more damage to this forum.

No one in NYC trades patches, we just don't care/cant afford to give out patches that cost us money. No one will let you do a ride along in NYC without explicit permission from the fire commissioner, basically not going to happen.

Get your facts straight. I wasn't fired. But believe whatever you want. I now believe you are gullible. I'm actually very surprised by you, you usually make some of the best and informative posts on this forum.
I have every right to have an opinion, and point out facts, without being specifically being "flamed" for it. There was no need for you, dct2 (is it personal for him being that he is a retired Deputy Chief from Fairview?), or Bnechis to jump in with your irrelevant one liners. This is the type of behavior that is driving posting members away from this forum.
Still waiting for someone to prove my facts wrong.

Why souldnt the villages get money for their general funds? The villages are paying the fire departments budgets and it costs money to cover the unincorporated areas for Greenburgh. I am just not sure what you were getting at.

Regardless of any agendas, which there are, there are some operating efficiencies that could be created. There is a lot of duplication between the departments.

Between the departments, there are:
2 Board Of Commisioners 2 Chiefs 2 Take Home Chiefs vehicles 2 Desk Watch (Firefighters detailed to dispatch) 2 Shift Commanders (per shift) 2 Radio systems 2 Spare Engines 1 Spare Tower Ladder 1 Spare Rescue 2 Tower Ladders with only 1 man assigned to drive 2 Engine companies with only 2, sometimes 3 men assigned 8+ Utilities Can't any savings be found from eliminating the duplication? Here are some other bullet points:
These departments already respond to each other's jobs automatically. The manpower in these two departments are in one union, Greenburgh Uniformed Firefighters Association. Their jurisdictions are also covered by one PD agency, one EMS agency (Greenburgh PD EMS), one Highway Department, one water/sewer department, and one school district. So, with that, what is the benefit of having two separate departments? Having two separate, yet very much the same, fire districts saves money? With that rationale, should FDNY separate into 5 departments to save money and improve efficiency?

No one single agency operates it. Oversight for the helicopter is governed by a board that represents all of Rockland's emergency services (H.E.L.P., see below).
The helicopter is equipped for aerial observation and air support operations (search, illumination ,fire spotting, etc.). It does not have medevac, hoist or firefighting capabilities (e.g. Bambi bucket). It is equipped with a 30 million candle power searchlight and a FLIR camera.
http://rocklandgov.com/files/9013/5998/5543/Helicopter3Panel.pdf
http://newcity.patch.com/groups/police-and-fire/p/rocklands-emergency-helicopter-getting-a-makeover-tha806786a2d4

Kids in High school belong in bed well rested for the school day. They don't need the added stress of responding to emergencies, nor do they need the distraction. If your dept. relies on 18 year olds in school, then they're in trouble.....

The WCPD helicopter is available 24/7/365 to area agencies who need and request it.
It's been harder to "patrol" due to the harsh winter, and the limited fuel the county allocates in it's budget.
They just made a rescue a few weeks ago:
http://newrochelle.patch.com/groups/police-and-fire/p/county-aviation-unit-rescues-wind-surfer-on-long-island-sound

A few weekends past I heard them on the radio assisting tarrytown.

Is $440,000 a value for this program pumper? I think it's even more valuable when the lifespan of the apparatus is considered, as well as the build quality and dealer support.

Thanks.
Now before you look at Europe, one must consider a number of San Francisco issues 1st. The Hills, the construction (Very high number of wood frame, compared to most major cities). And very windy (being on a peninsula that has one of the windiest bays in the world on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other. Then look at the history of burning 1/2 the city down after an earthquake, and the next one could happen any day.
Week before the Loma Prieta Earthquake in 1989 the City of SF determined that a fire boat was too expensive to have and they could sell the "Phoenix". SFFD said it was critical, but the administration knew better. When the quake occurred all water mains in the marina district were cut. The fire boat became the only water source and prevented a conflagration. Shortly after that, the city purchased a 2nd boat (used) from Vancouver Canada.
So even if this sounds like a good idea. It can change to a very bad one in 30 seconds. SF is a city that needs big pump capacity and powerful rigs to get up and over those hills.
I got to ride with SFFD Rescue 2 & Ride on the Phoenix in the early 1990's. It was like being on a roller coaster in the back going up and over those hills.
Part II - Europe (tomorrow).

Could have been a Career guy who was also a Volunteer? There's plenty of them still around!

I guess if we just go back and forth about paid vs. volunteer and find one article about a career firefighter drinking and driving a rig we can ignore my point. We call it deflecting in the firehouse. Since there's no good reason to have drinking in the firehouse and it inevitably leads to cases like this.