billy98988

Maybe Im getting old, but why is there incident alerts for every mundane car accident that is encountered. If there was a post for every MVA in Westchester it would take days to read same. the same goes for "WORKING" fires. As my mentor Joe Friday sez
"Just the facts"

Congratulations to The New Haven 20!
From the New Haven Register.
http://nhregister.com/articles/2011/07/28/news/new_haven/doc4e31811a50508474206087.txt

Here's some pics of Engine 2. This rig was built in Germany for the Spanish Forestry Service and now serves the residents of Kandahar Airfield with distinction in all it's flourescent orange magnificence...
Here's a frontal view. In the background is station 2...yeah guys that's all there is...a small connex and a little shaded sitting area outside.

In this one E-2 is at the front of station 1. At the rear of the rig is the entrance to our bunker

John's working the pump at a drill in this one. Notice how little room the pump takes up, the hose reel (about 125 ft) and no hosebed

Here E-2 is parked in it's normal position back at station 2 alongside one of the Medic units that shares the "station"

Al's doing morning cleaning here, blowing out yesterday's dust. Although a little difficult to see the driver's side rear compartment holds all the hose this rig carries besides the hose reel..it ain't much

After my R&R in Sept I'll be assigned back here to this Engine. By the way I fly home on Sept 11th of all days and hope to make it in time to attend the dedication of a 9/11 memorial in Mt. Kisco..maybe I'll see some of you there...just look for the really tanned, fat bald guy...
Until next time
Stay safe all and as always
Thanks for your efforts in protecting the homefront
Cogs

A few shots from Peekskill's Riverfront Green FireFiighters Memorial.

While I was driving through Armonk the other day, I noticed a building that was under construction on their main business strip. Being the closet buff I am, I figured I'd share what I found. If construction continues with this route, make sure your department knows that venting these fake dormers, will provide ZERO ventilation for the building. These are here for aesthetic purposes only. Feel free to share with anyone.
edit: More then likely, if windows are installed on these, they will be inoperable ones, with no sliding glass. That hint could point to a fake dormer as well.

obrien3044s post got me to thinking about how this place has changed since we've been here and in particular about Kandahar's claim to fame, but more on that later.
As he stated back in '02 we came, we saw and we kicked the stuffing out of the Taliban that tried to "defend" this place. One of the buildings is now the entry terminal to the base and it is known by the acronym TLS. This stands for Taliban's Last Stand because it was here that a bunch tried to hold out and they got the bang of their lives for it. The roof still has a huge jagged hole and the walls are still scorched from the pounding these mujahadeen maggots rightfully recieved. At that time there really wasn't much here other than the airfield, some support buildings and the international terminal, which is still off limits to everyone save those with the highest security clearances. Since then this place has expanded to triple if not quaduple the size it was then, and it is still growing into a sector we call "Deep South" (uh huh we're out in 2014, yeah right Obama). This base has truly become a small city with all the infastructure, traffic and population that goes along with it, and that brings me to what has become the most well known feature of this place...the poo pond.
Yes you read correctly, the poo pond...or more precisely a collection of 4 waste water resevoirs. Anyone who'se been here within the last 5 years is very familiar with this odor-iffic anomoly which spreads it ever so sweet aroma far and wide over this entire base. Our main tourist attraction has taken on mythical significance. There are legends of people swimming the ponds, some for money, some just to say they've done it, but like most myths everybody knows somebody that knows somebody that knows the guy that swam the poo pond. The latest version is split between a Special Forces Sergeant and a Romanian long distance swimmer...take your pick. Then there are the tragic tales of drivers so overcome by the heavenly fragrance of this wonder of modern engineering that they have driven into it. But alas these local celebrities have proven to be just as elusive as the phantom swimmers. Like the Loch Ness monster, Bigfoot and UFOs there's never a camera around when you need one to catch one of these mythical creatures in action.
On a more practical note while our homegrown festering cesspool was once outside the camp, it is now almost dead center of it. There are signs denoting it as a biohazard and no entry and even ones meant I suppose to dissuade all those eager poo pond conquerers, telling us "no swimming"...seriously. Of course there are also a number of rather comical ones. A couple that come to mind include one offering lakefront property at reasonable rates, and another offering freshly caught local fish every Thrusday at the DFAC...this one might actually have merit. On any given day depending on the wind direction you will be treated to either a gentle whiff or a gag inducing wall of fecal stench. I thank the man upstairs everyday that both the station and our living quarters are mecifully upwind most days.
I will get some pics up of this well known Kandahar Airfield attraction, (why there's even T-shirts and mugs available at the PX to commerate the place), but until then here's a quick youtube video from 2010 on the subject:

There are other videos on youtube, some older some fairly new, and while none are specific to the FD they do offer a variety of views on life here.
Until next time
Stay safe all and as always
Thanks for your efforts in protecting the homefront
Cogs

Structurally, the house is rebuildable. Damage was held at the plaster. Clean it out, sheetrock and windows, good to go. Not bad for 9 guys....

Date: 7-24-11
Time: 0440hrs
Location: 121 Gidney Avenue
Frequency: 154.340
Units Operating: Engine 1, 3, 10 Truck 1, 10
Mutual Aid Units: Air Guard Engine 11 (FAST), Middle Hope Engine & Coldenham Truck Stand By
Weather Conditions: Hot & Humid
Description Of Incident: Dispatched to an Alarm of Fire, upon arrival units found a two story wood frame with heavy fire throughout the first floor and exterior front porch.

Here's a few more mundane pics showing the everyday here.
This is Blue crew saying goodbye to a nurse from the Role 3 next door. Role 3 is the trauma hospital and it is an excellent facility. They have a 98% survivial rate for patients that come in with a pulse.

Here we are at shift chage in the morning, that's blue crew with backs to the wall and I'm on the far right. This was taken the morning of Hector's B'day which is why he's the men at centerstage

Here's Nate (from DC) and Sharma (from India) in front of Engine 3 (my current rig). John (a Brit) is behind the wheel. He was the driver when this pic was taken but he's been reassigned to E-2 on the Southside. I'm still waiting for the E-2 pics from him.

These two are of me giving the lecture portion of a fly the wye drill. The "action" shots are unviewable...sorry.


Just a little bit of news. Yesterday (and it seems more to come) was a first even for me after years over in the sandbox. Temperatures topped 148...yes I said 148. That's the hottest I've ever been outside a fire and damn you can really feel the heat.
Anyway stay safe all and thanks for your efforts
Cogs

Here's some pics of where we live off duty.

Here's Crash 8 (9's in the background), Crash 5 and the HazMat truck on the taxiway apron at the station

The dayroom at the station

A small camel spider...they get much much bigger (about the size of the average man's hand) and while not venomous they give a painful bite

This one speaks for itself...needless to say when this hits the Talibastards they're having a bad day

An A-10 drill

Blackhawk training

Looking Northeast across the base from Crash 10 at the station

Looking North from our apron on the taxiway...Kandahar city is just over that mountain and this is where most of our incoming deliveries originate.

That's all for now as more become available and pass security I'll post them.
Cogs

Date: 7-20-2011
Time: 11:45
Location: 725 West 135th St. X 12th Ave. (North River Sewage Treatment Plant)
Frequency: FDNY Manhattan
Units Operating: (See Rundown Below)
Weather Conditions: Hot
Description Of Incident: Working fire in a 4-story sewage treatment plant. Fire on the # 1 and 2 floors. Large amounts of fuel oil burning in the building. 10-86 (Foam Operations) declared for fuel oil burning. Fire placed U/C @ 15:02. A health advisory was put into effect for raw sewage that flowed into the Hudson River as a result of the fire.
Reporters/Writer: PFDRes47cue


Manhattan, N. Y. 07/20/11 @ 11:45 hrs.
Upper West Side
Box 1557
Location: North River Sewage Treatment Plant
Address: 725 West 135th St. x 12th Ave.
1557 @ 11:47 ( Reported Explosion )
Engs. 80, 69, 59
Lads. 40, 28
Batt. 16
Marine Co. #1
@ 11:51
Haz. Mat. #1 assigned
Haz. Mat. Batt. assigned
Eng. 44 Haz. Tech. Unit assigned
10 – 75 – 1557 @ 11:54
Ladder 30 is designated as the "FAST" Truck
Eng. 37
Rescue Co. #1 assigned
Squad Co. #41
Batt. 11
Division 6
"Batt. 11 to Manhattan, Transmit a 2nd Alarm. We have a large
amount of
oil burning in the Bldg. Also, Transmit a 10-86 ( Foam
Operations)"
2nd Alarm:
2 – 2 – 1557 @ 12:04
Engs. 47, 58, 76
T. Lad. 17, Lad. 43
Eng. 72 w / Satellite 2
Batt 26 "Safety Officer"
Batt. 10 "Resource Unit Leader"
Rescue Battalion / Safety Battalion
Fieldcom 1 / Tactical Support Unit #1
Command Tactical Unit
Car 13 "boy" Deputy Assist. Chief Joseph Wozniac
10 – 86 – 2 – 2 – 1557 @ 12:04 ( Foam Assignment )
Eng. 95 w/ Foam 95
Eng. 96 w/ Foam 96
Eng. 9 w/ Satellite 1
Eng. 325 w/ Foam Tender #1
Eng. 33 w/ Purple K 33
Eng. 229 w/ Purple K 229
Batt. 48 "Foam Coordinator"
Batt. 2 "Foam Coordinator"
@ 12:20
Division 6: Special Call a "Ventilation Unit"
Eng. 39 w / High Rise 2 assigned
@ 12:09
Division 6: Box 1557, We have 1 – line stretched and in
operation.
Large amount of fuel oil burning in the Bldg. All personnel are
accounted for.
@ 12:16
Eng. 60 assigned to fill out 2nd Alarm
@ 12:30
Division 6: Special Call a "Re – Breather Unit"
Re – Breather 1 assigned
@ 12:46
Division 6: Assign a Chief w/ Re-Breather Training
Batt. 49 assigned, later cancelled, Batt. 46 then assigned
3rd Alarm:
3 – 3 – 1557 @ 12:49
Eng. 307 act. 84, 53, 262 act. 93, 74
Lad. 26, Lad. 47 act. 55
Batt. 12
Batt. 13 "Staging Manager"
Batt. 33 "Air Re-Con Chief"
Mask Service Unit #1
Staging Area: 12th Ave. @ West 135th St.
@ 13:04
Division 6: Box 1557, Fire located on the 2nd floor.
1 – line stretched and in operation. 2nd line being stretched.
Fire's Doubtful.
4th Alarm:
4 – 4 – 1557 @ 13:07
Engs. 16 act. 35, 91, 93, 92
T. Lad. 21 act. 23, T. Lad. 22
Batt. 4 act. 12 "Planning Chief"
Car 4: Chief Robert Sweeney, Chief of Operations
@ 13:24
Fieldcom 1: Progress Report for the 4th Alarm, Box 1557, Car 13
"boy"
Deputy Assist. Chief Wozniac reports: We have water on the fire.
Fire is darkening down. Smoke condition is starting to dissipate.
Doubtful Will Hold.
@ 13:30
Fieldcom 1: Progress Report for the 4th Alarm, Box 1557, Car 13
"boy"
Deputy Assist. Chief Wozniac reports: We have Foam on the fire.
Haz. Mat. is examining drums that were in the fire area. Pumps
that were
supplying the fire have been shut down. Doubtful Will Hold.
@ 13:40
Fieldcom 1: Special Call an additional Truck as a "FAST" Truck.
Lad. 2 act. Lad. 34 assigned
@ 14:12
Fieldcom 1: Progress Report for the 4th Alarm, Box 1557, Car 13
"boy"
Deputy Assist. Chief Wozniac reports: Still extinguishing pockets of
fire.
Re-Breathing Unit is in operation. Doubtful Will Hold.
@ 14:20
Fieldcom 1: Progress Report for the 4th Alarm, Box 1557, Car 13
"boy"
Deputy Assist. Chief Wozniac reports: Fire was on the 1st & 2nd
floors.
All visible fire has been knocked down. Searches in the Boiler
Room are
complete and negative. Doubtful Will Hold.
@ 14:31
Fieldcom 1: Progress Report for the 4th Alarm, Box 1557, Car 13
"boy"
Deputy Assist. Chief Wozniac reports: He place's this fire at
Probably Will Hold.
@ 15:02
Fieldcom 1: Progress Report for the 4th Alarm, Box 1557, Car 13
"boy"
Deputy Assist. Chief Wozniac reports: He place's this Fire
UnderControl.
( Job Duration: 3 hrs. / 15 mins. )
@ 15:44
Fieldcom reports: Bldg. is 4 Stories on 28 acres.

No, no you haven't. You simply haven't been around long enough to have "seen this and seen that". I gotta tell you, Ike (I Know Everything) your boldness doesn't instill confidence. Be very wary of the person who says they've seen it and done it all....'cause they're in for a wake up call one day. You need to get real. I promise that if you walk into a firehouse in New Rochelle, Yonkers, The Bronx, ect. ect. where each individual Company responds to more emergencies in a year than your department (more importantly, you yourself) you'll have a difficult time finding anyone, regardless of time as a fireman, who will tell you they've seen it and done it all. Better yet, keep it close to home. Go to the senior guy in Harry Howard or Rescue 40 and tell them that, even though you've been around long enough for a cup of coffee, you've seen it, thought of it and done it already. That's surely not going to go over well.
Humility and common sense will keep you alive and learning in our profession. We have a great thing going. Who's better than us? We get to fight fire, help people on a daily basis and it's exciting. You never know what's going to be the end result of that run that just came in. You will never achieve a "know everything" status. That's just not attainable in our field and the smartest person out there learns something everyday in every situation and they also know when they're qualified to perform certain tastk.

EXACTLY!!!!
Firemen, all firemen paid and voluneer alike, are a special breed. Only firemen put out fires and we are some of the very few in this world that put ourselves at risk for others. As Lt McComack stated in his now infamous FDIC speech, it is a priviledge to be a firemen and because of that we are, despite our differences, a family..so the loss of one, no matter how, is a loss for all.
Cogs

How About Brotherhood Or Doing What Some People Could Never Do??? We Are All Brothers And Sisters Doing The Same Job Out In The World. Weather We Are In It For 60 Years Or 6 Years, We Are Here For One Reason And Thats To Help Others In Need. Weather It Was A Firefighter Or A Firefighter's Mother We Come Together Because We Have A Heart And Love For What We Do And We Are Here To Help, Weather Its A Stranger Or One Of Our Own!!! Also We Are A Family Weather In Person We Hate Each Other Or Not We Have Each Others Back!!!
Thomas

As always, all of these photos are mine and can’t be used without my consent. If you enjoy these, you might want to check out all of my photos from today. They can be found on my flickr page (link below)

Today I had the opportunity to go down to Manhattan with rfdu39. We got to stop by some firehouses, the FDNY Fire Museum and Firefighter Appreciation Weekend at the Intrepid. I invite others to post their pictures from the intrepid event on this topic too. Hope you enjoy them.
As always, please give me a rep or comment if you like these photos. It really is greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Pictures of our MVA w/PIN from the other day. The vehicle as travelling southbound on the Saw Mill Parkway and flipped into the northbound lane. Res-Q-Jacks were used to stabalize the vehicle prior to the patient being extricated by PFD.
Incident Alert
Photos courtesy of EMTBravo member DCurtis.

Since it's my day off (Blue crew works the odd numbered days this month) I thought I'd throw a few tidbits out there for today's installment.
First off I left out one very common translation from my last post. To our British colleagues a call or run is a "shout". So when we return from a run we are often asked " you structural boys had a shout did ya? Tell us what was it all about mate"? or another often heard phrase from the PC (Platoon Chief) is "c'mon now crash guys, we've got a shout...let's get moving".
Well it finally happened, the Talibastards scored a hit with yesterday morning's 5:45 rocket barrage. Fortunately everyone working in this particular hangar/storage building had just left for breakfast as the first volley of 6 or 7 gifts came in. Due to the fact that the impact and subsequent explosion of one of them started a fire, we (meaning Engine 3), were dispatched before the all clear was given. When responding in these circumstances we enjoy the added comfort of wearing our 35 lb flak vests under our turnout coats...(although for my corpulent self a few extra pounds sweated off doesn't hurt). Anyway when called out before the all clear on the structural side only one unit is dispatched, this because we don't want the entire shift wiped out should a lucky or well aimed shot find it's mark. Anyway we arrived to find a 100 x 25 building with modest fire in the rear C/D corner storage area. We immediately stretched in with an 1 3/4 and got to work as I was sure our 750 gallons would easily handle the fire. And it would have except for one tiny little inconvenience. About 2 minutes in we were handed a lovely little suprise in the form of a rocket landing about 200 or so yards away. While not close enough to take shrapnel we not only heard the loud explosion but felt the concussion. At that I ordered the line and pump shut down and we all proceeded to the nearest bunker. An additional 3 rockets landed in rapid succession, but none as close as the first. After a a few minutes an Army Major and I deemed it safe enough and it was back at work. Luckily in our time away the fire had extended upwards and broken through the roof, but by this time our water was running short and all we could do was knock it down and hold it in check by hitting it everytime it flared back up. As often happens as time progressed the fire had become too deeply seated in the stored materials to allow for complete knockdown until the tanker was given the ok to proceed to the scene and we had adequate water. Some might be asking why not just let the place go and protect the exposures, and that was my plan after we had been so rudely interrupted by the Talibastards last shots, but one of the COs on scene made a good case for us to work to hold the fire in check....the multitude of sensative items stored within the building that needed to be removed. So while the Army took care of the salvage operation we held the fire in check. As it turned out as they completed their duties our tanker arrived after the all clear came over the Big Voice and we were able to knock the fire out and save most of the building and it's contents, much to the pleasure of those we are here to serve.
One thing I find that I have been remiss in doing is giving an overview of a typical day (after all the tiltle of this thread is Life in Afghanistan). So with that here it is:
On our days on, shift officially starts at 8am but in reality we gather at about 7:45. At that time all members on duty and all coming on duty meet in the bays and swap radios and get a quick briefing on what's importatnt for the group from the Chief or D/C (Deputy Chief). Once that 2 minute drill is over those going of duty remove their gear ect from the rigs and we that are coming on put ours aboard. Then comes truck, SCBA and equipment checks with all power tools started and run daily. All the daily paperwork is filled out upon completion of the checks and we'll usually have about 15-20 minutes to chill until our morning meeting with the PC (the shift commander) starts at 9am sharp. At this meeting specific duties and miscellaneous jobs are handed out for the crews to complete during the course of the day. These range from pump and bladder checks (these are emergency water points for our use which are spread throughout the base), to inspections to training and so on. Engine 3 also has the daily duty of picking up lunch and dinner from one of the DFACs as the crash crews cannot leave the airfield. Lunch is at 11 and dinner at 5. As you would expect we are not permited into the "day" room other than for lunch during the day. No TV, no personal compuer usage, no games ect ect. Since we have a gym at the station at some point in the day all on duty crews must do PT as well. Our work day in terms of actual duties usually ends with dinner and as such we are free to watch TV or do personal things within the station after that. Lately we've had some good volleyball games in the bays at night. There is no set lights out, but most guys are in their racks by about 11-11:30. That is my usual schedule as well although I'm good at about 4 1/2 to 5 hrs sleep so I'm an early riser. I'm up by 3:30 to 4 am every morning at which time I call home, take out the trash, start the coffee and wash down the invariably dust covered rig for the incoming crew. The official wake up time is 6:30am at which time we give the station a once over, restock the bottled drinking water, and make sure everything is hunky dory for the incoming crew. Usually though as I'm sure you've figured out by now, our real wake up call generally comes at about 5-5:30 from our pals outside the wire. On average we spend about 45 minutes to an hour in the bunker during these interludes of the daily rocket concerto.
Days off on the other hand are ours to do with what we please within the confines of the base. As I've said there is the Boardwalk with it's many gastronomic and commercial choices. There is our living area which has it's own small gym, TV room and, for those who don't own laptops, a computer room. Our laundry is usually packed up on days off and placed in the bin on the first floor. A company contracted to do the laundry picks it up and the usual turn around has the cleaned laundry back on your next day off. For alot of guys they choose to stay in their air conditioned rooms..and at a usual 130 degrees can you blame them? I am a walking wanderer using my days off to meet and greet at the many compounds on base while familarizing myself with them. Call it preplanning and community relations all rolled into one. But as with all days off they are over quickly and then it's back to the grind for another 24.
Well this entry is getting kinda long so I'll end it here with this thought, which comes about due to a converstaion had the other day with a soldier and a very visceral ramp ceremony that same night. I am a supporter of our mission here (beyond it being my job) and I do truly believe that it has helped make America safer, but what I am not a supporter of is sending our boys into harms way with their hands tied. The reasons I say this are too long and complicated to go into here suffice to say it's all politics. My thought is this very simple yet I think practical one. Maybe it's time we stopped nation building and time we started winning this war!!!!
Cogs

Hey Guys, I just returned to the tri-state from my short vacation on the Island of Martha’s Vineyard. I always try to make some time to do some photography. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Here they are…
If you like my photos, please comment and/or give me a rep, I really appreciate it.

Today's installment has nothing shattering to report save that for the last 2 nights the Taliban has been getting the sh!t kicked out of them just south of base. Explosions and small arms fire can be heard almost as soon as it gets dark and goes on til early morning just before sunrise..which here is at about 4:45. I've talked to a few soldiers in the know and have been assured that our towel hearded friends are getting a good lambasting, with so far only some minor injuries to our boys...thank God. And another good sign is that to the best of my knowledge there have been no recent ramp ceremonies American or Allied.
In other news rockets continue with their regular frequency although the past two days have been unusually quiet. (generally actions at one side of the base rarely effect the attempts by the jihadists to inflict punishent from the other side, so the events of the past couple of nites are probably unrelated). The temperature remains a a balmy 130 or so, although Friday saw a modest incease to 147. And yes of course we had 2 calls at the height of the heat and the crash boys ran another 3.
One of the things I thought I'd pass along is some of the operational English to English translations and differences we deal with here daily.
To the Brits:
a nozzle is a branch
a search team is a B/A team
a B/A is an airpack
a line is a line but to call for water one must say "water on" as opposed to "charge it" and yes you guessed it....to shut down "water off"
on scene is " in attendence"
Irons are non existant to the Brits so there is no translation there, but they do have tools for forcible entry in the form of a crowbar
Appliances are not for use with hose...they're the rigs
a wye and water thief are a double and triple diverter respectively, while reducers and double males/females are quite the novelty
flat packed hose is quite the novelty for them as well as all their hose is stored in double donut rolls and I have been repeatedly asked why we Americans continue to use those pesky threaded couplings..to which I answer, "that's just the way we do it, here let me show you how".
Tactics differ as well
pulse is how they operate their attack lines (which by the way is more often than not what we call a booster reel) while we Americans in British jargon "jet" the fire
"pulse" is to use repeated rapid short bursts on wide fog into the upper thermal layers and let steam do the work, "jetting" on the other hand is direct application of water which allows water to do the work and creates less steam...as you can well imagine for the Brits we do it to all wrong
Strategic risk assessment is what w call size up, but as I passed along earlier due to the potentail legal ramfication they face the Brits tend to take things a bit farther in assessing risks than some of us are used to
working ahead of a line is always forbidden by their standards, and this has led to a bit of differences of opinion as the Canadians and the few Americans here have been taught to operate as part of a search team ahead of or above a line when necessary..VES is also unheard of and so it seems to their way of thinking borders on suicidal
and the Brits will always have a B/A control officer on hand...even if it means reducing the crew to do so. A B/A control officer can be an officer or a FF but either way he records the time and monitors the clock for everyone who enters the building and he can pull anyone he deems necessary...period
as far as pumping goes hose lengths and diameters are metric in mm with 45mm being the most common line outside of the ubiquitous hose reel. Pump pressures are in bar, which if I'm not mistaken is one bar = 14.5 psi
Well I'm sure there more that I'm forgetting but that's enough for now.
Stay Safe and as always thanks all of you for all you do back home
Cogs