nydude2473

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This is an awesome class and Mike is a wealth of knowledge

The problem I see is too many people use the FAST as their reserve company and don't have more people waiting in staging to go to work.

People gotta stop calling just enough to barely get it done and call enough to get it done safely and efficiently.

ok, I was on the scene and noticed several things... one thing, which I was really happy with, being one of the tanker drivers.. when asked by the FD and YHPD, the local and state DPW sent in plows to keep the roads as clear as they could.. making our job safer for the apparatus and manpower... thank you to the plow operators for coming to our aid...

I don't know the answer either, but I would prefer that FAST sticks around until after overhaul is complete. The structure is quite compromised at this point, and it's nice to have some extra people in place in case something does happen.

What is important to remember is that six people died that night and that can't ever be reversed sadly. But, the response to the scene and how things were conducted afterwards showed how well a major MCI can be handled. However, there is a certain level of truth to claims that there should be a review of how mutual aid and resources are called upon. I understand that people really appreciate having 60 Control be there dispatching source, but shouldn't the question be asked, where is there boundary? Also, what about being realistic about resources. I know people might still have issues with career and volunteers mixing but to be honest when you need resources sometimes you got to go with that option. Also, geography plays part in this matter. It isn't realistic calling departments from literally miles away to go to the scene or standby when you have resources closer by. This isn't about being picked first in dodgeball or getting to say "we were there". That's foolish to think like that. This is just being realistic. The IC did a good job that night and those who were on the ground did a great job too. This issue shouldn't take away from their efforts. There is nothing wrong with just reviewing for next time and hoping that an incident like this won't happen again.

Elmsford (NY) FD Ambulance 58-B-1
2014 GMC G4500/Lifeline
Delivered recently

Much of what you wrote I agree with, but a few items....
1) "how well a major MCI can be handled." - Nothing against any of the responders because it sounds like they did a fine job, but there were about a dozen patients transported and that is not a "major" MCI. what if the train had derailed? what if it had tipped over? From an MCI stand point this was a very minor event that could have been catastrophic.
2) "where is there boundary?" (60 Control) - While I do not always agree with WHAT their boundaries are, the chiefs all know WHERE they are.
3) "It isn't realistic calling departments from literally miles away to go to the scene or standby when you have resources closer by." - Sometimes it is. Again stripping every resource in an area makes no sense, but also sometimes departments that are farther away can get there faster because, they get out quicker, or they can respond via highways vs back roads or because they are staffed.

"Being realistic with resources" Is that people or equipment? And with the people, does certification, training and ability count in that? I wasn't there, but I often hear armchair Incident Commanders saying this department should have been there, instead of this one. Not this incident specifically, but any large scale incident. It seems, sometimes, departments have to be honest with what they are really sending for mutual aid. This is something I run into a lot. You might have a rig come pulling in with 5 guys, but only one can even wear an airpack, making it a one man crew. I've never worked with the fire departments listed on this incident, but could this be part of what went on?

What is important to remember is that six people died that night and that can't ever be reversed sadly. But, the response to the scene and how things were conducted afterwards showed how well a major MCI can be handled. However, there is a certain level of truth to claims that there should be a review of how mutual aid and resources are called upon. I understand that people really appreciate having 60 Control be there dispatching source, but shouldn't the question be asked, where is there boundary? Also, what about being realistic about resources. I know people might still have issues with career and volunteers mixing but to be honest when you need resources sometimes you got to go with that option. Also, geography plays part in this matter. It isn't realistic calling departments from literally miles away to go to the scene or standby when you have resources closer by. This isn't about being picked first in dodgeball or getting to say "we were there". That's foolish to think like that. This is just being realistic. The IC did a good job that night and those who were on the ground did a great job too. This issue shouldn't take away from their efforts. There is nothing wrong with just reviewing for next time and hoping that an incident like this won't happen again.

What is important to remember is that six people died that night and that can't ever be reversed sadly. But, the response to the scene and how things were conducted afterwards showed how well a major MCI can be handled. However, there is a certain level of truth to claims that there should be a review of how mutual aid and resources are called upon. I understand that people really appreciate having 60 Control be there dispatching source, but shouldn't the question be asked, where is there boundary? Also, what about being realistic about resources. I know people might still have issues with career and volunteers mixing but to be honest when you need resources sometimes you got to go with that option. Also, geography plays part in this matter. It isn't realistic calling departments from literally miles away to go to the scene or standby when you have resources closer by. This isn't about being picked first in dodgeball or getting to say "we were there". That's foolish to think like that. This is just being realistic. The IC did a good job that night and those who were on the ground did a great job too. This issue shouldn't take away from their efforts. There is nothing wrong with just reviewing for next time and hoping that an incident like this won't happen again.

Another press release
http://readme.readmedia.com/Court-decision-upholds-penalty-in-Tarrytown-worker-deaths/10352659

http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/2015/January/28/Ttown_worker_death_CoA-28Jan15.html

From the Yorktown Heights FD Facebook page:
Photo: https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xap1/v/t1.0-9/10685369_836647106377164_4997187622327973034_n.jpg?oh=4bddfbe82e81ddb54a14365a83dfb66a&oe=556D0ED2&__gda__=1429120526_d2231c8fb5a23b5a1c3b371fcdf4de47

Per HR, invitations and study guides will be in the mail this week. Good luck

This is so incredibly sad. Gone way too young considering what he survived.
RIP... The Free World is forever in debt to you and your fallen brothers both on the battlefield and off.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/10/23/decorated-soldier-from-black-hawk-down-battle-in-somalia-dies-at-52/

For all of you who do not have your CPAT yet. Applications are due by December 5th 2014 and you either need your CPAT or to show proof that you registered. The kicker is that you cannot register yet. They are going to try to list it sometime around Thanskgiving, so your window to get your application in will be about a week. I spoke to Stamford Human Resources and the people at the Connecticut CPAT office. Hope that helps someone.

I agree, the article definitely has some flaws, and it also fails to acknowledge that so many fire departments are failing because they can't get with the times. If your idea of a recruitment plan consists of a signboard in front of the firehouse, you might want to consider getting some fresh blood into your recruitment committee.
There ARE some volunteer departments out there who are growing AND managing to consistently put well-trained Firefighters and EMTs on the street. Unfortunately they seem to be the minority.

This is an actual combat veteran. Unless you see combat overseas, you don't get the credit, or that's at least how I understand it.
The following says a lot:

Sue, it's probably a little early to speculate as to whether or not face piece failures were a factor in either of these LODDs. If there was some kind of issue I'm sure the FDNY Safety Battalion or NIOSH will note that when the investigations conclude. Trying to nail down a trend right now would be premature, in my opinion.

There has been an increasing amount of LODD reports of firefighters and EMS of all ages and physical conditions dropping on scene or within 24 hours lately of sudden cardiac arrest, some after working heavy fire scenes. The FDNY and Houston FD firefighters who recently went down on scene and were pulled out in full cardiac arrest were relatively young, very experienced, and had the same descriptor about their original condition - burns around the face, nose and mouth and inhalation burns. The LODD reports are going to take about 12-18 months for the full investigations and reports to be done. Last year during the summer or fall there was a report issued stating that SCBA face pieces were showing up that were defective in materials and craftsmanship and they found in a number of cases that the face pieces were either melting in less than extreme conditions or the glue binding the face piece to the rest of the mask was failing, injuring more and more firefighters. If that were the case in these instances, neither firefighter stood a chance because of the situation they were in, because by the time they would have noticed it, they were too deep into the fire area, and that would make their deaths even more tragic. Right now that would just be conjecture, but the possibility exists.
We have fit testing every year with our personal masks. With the Departments that go through a lot of masks and fire work/calls, could they be starting to fail and letting in CO and other poisonous gases, which in a cumulative amount could lead to a LODD but not be suspected as the initial cause? I can imagine FF throwing the mask on and not fully checking for full seal when having back-to-back calls due to them being confident they are putting it on right, and they are, but short of testing each and every time, which would seem ridiculous, can anyone see how to catch these defective masks before a catastrophic failure?
Wish there was an easy way...............

It's photos like this that make you want to put all that rubbish aside.

Incident information: http://lafd.blogspot.com/2014/04/san-pedro-elks-lodge-heavily-damaged-by.html

Houston Tx conflagation Condo Under destruction RESCUE IN VIDEO!!5 alarm houston TX caught Rescue of a BUilding construction worker by the skin of his Arse....

all it takes is a few seconds with this LIGHTWeight Bullcrap construction........ This shows 2 videos From same angle differant places

http://www.firecritic.com/2014/03/25...each-rescuers/


a second Video from Higher vantage piont gives a differant perspective...

http://www.khou.com/news/cnn/BREAKIN...252279571.html

http://mtkisco.dailyvoice.com/police-fire/westchester-county-police-aerial-unit-makes-emergency-rescue