billy98988

Put the cape on last.

10 replies......6 about lights......ugh. Guess what lights do? NOTHING! Blue. Green, pink.....2 of them14 of them, makes no difference.
Now, to respond to the very good question that matters:
Laautze gave a good answer. I'll just expand a bit. All standard FDNY engines have a 2 stage pump with a transfer valve. We operate in volume as standard practice. This means that the impellers operate in parallel and produce 50psi at idle. When the valve is switched to pressure, the impellers operate in series, one after the other. At idle, the pump generates 100psi(about). All engines are capable of pumping at high pressure (excess of 250psi) however with each additional stage the upper limit is raised and the engine doesn't have to work as hard. Additionally, engines assigned as high pressure units are outfitted with the discharges painted in white. They are a heavier build. They are meant to be mated to high pressure hose, red in color with white fittings. This hose also allows for a tether to be attached. The tethered line must be tied off to the engine and the standpipe Siamese. A 50' safety zone must be established. This is why there are no HP discharges on the pump panel side. Only a chief officer can order high pressure operations.

This is a pump that allows higher pressure discharges for high rise buildings. There are three impellers in the pump to boost the pressure 3 times allowing operators to overcome the elevation loss when crews are operating on upper floors of buildings that do not have fire pumps (or working fire pumps) on the standpipe system. This requires special high pressure hose to hook from the pumper into the FDC on the building but by the time the water gets to the fire floor you can use standard pressure hose since crews will experience normal pressures due to the elevation pressure loss. Without the ability to pump the proper pressure the crews will not have adequate pressure or flow to fight the fire. Think of how many buildings in Manhattan that are over 30 stories tall...
Most pumpers in the nation have either single or two stage pumps.
Hope this helps and its not too complicated.

As a "civilian" fire commissioner, I feel I must respond to this post. Although I have 25 years experience in emergency services, I am not a firefighter and know nothing regarding trucks or firefighting. I rely heavily on my fellow commissioners who are firefighters/Ex-Chiefs/Ex-FDNY.
You are probably asking, "what purpose do you serve then"? In my position on the Board, I handle the insurance and I am the LOSAP Administrator. As a former Treasurer of the District, I also help out with the fiscal responsibilities.
As said previously, we not only have to answer to the tax payers, we have to answer to NYS. We have an outside professional audit done every year which is forwarded to the State Comptroller's office.
To have a Board the consists of all "civilians" would be ridiculous. I know of a neighboring District that has a majority of "civilians" on their Board and they have been spending more money on "consultants" than anything else. The "consultants" should be your experienced members, not some "white collar" person who knows nothing about the fire service.
I am very glad that I have four very experienced members of our department sitting beside me.

FDNY's new Engine 34, a 2013 Seagrave with a three stage high pressure 2000GPM pump.

The past few days I spent in Austin/Round Rock/Georgetown, TX (and no, not the ACL Music Festival, to visit my mom). I got these photos while out and about.
Port Authority-JFK International Airport EMS

jetBlue tails at sunrise

City Of Georgetown, TX Engine 3-2013 Pierce Contender

Georgetown FD Station 5 (New additional station, opened 2012) Engine 5, Truck 5, Brush 1 in addition EOC and Fire Training Center

Georgetown FD Station 2 (Replaced former Station 2, opened 2013) Engine 2, Battalion 1

City Of Georgetown, TX Car 64- 2013 Ford Police Interceptor SUV

Round Rock PD Car E76, 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe PPV

City Of Austin Medical MCI/Evacuation Bus 2012 Bluebird/Sartin

Austin-Travis County EMS Mueller Station 2 International/Wheeled Coach dual medic ambulances and ESU-1 (Pierce Contender EMS Rescue)

City Of Austin Engine 5 2013 Pierce Impel

City Of Austin Chief Of Staff 2013 Ford Police Interceptor SUV

Southwest Boeing 737 w/ State Of Arizona livery

Bastrop FD Engine 41 - Ferrara

City Of Georgetown, TX Truck 5

Texas National Guard Surplus Cargo Trucl

Scott and White Round Rock Hospital ER w/ Scott And White 2013 Chevrolet/Wheeled Coach ambulances

It was a tough old 3 story building and one FAST was "activated" when a pass alarm malfunctioned on the third floor area (would not shut off until batteries were removed) thankfully the FF was okay..the truck work was unbelievable due to the masonry construction inside and outside of the building...fire was in the walls and ceilings on all three floors and up to 5 layers of plaster, old tough wire lath, masonite sheets and plywood over plaster on walls "renovated" over time..ate saw blades/chains...many doors were difficult to open with irons with heavy inside smoke banked down to lower levels but no visible fire until roof was vented ..making a lot of truckie work...and some reported smelling smoke for hours prior to dispatch...tough job...but good job by all on scene... so multiple FAST teams are "angels on our shoulders" with so much going on..good call if you ask me...

I would assume from not being there that the FAS Teams were put to work and needed to be replaced.

Why not? with the size of the structure/fire load/situation at hand maybe the IC felt the need to have multiple fasts readily available. If you ask me you can never have to many FASTs, most situations where a FAST is utilized, it takes multiple teams to remove the member out.

I almost started crying this morning after I read the interview from the Journal News. These were Doctors and Lawyers and really good people who took part in the menacing of NYC and the citizens of the world enjoying a nice Sunday drive with their family. The riders were law abiding citizens and just enjoying the weather as well. The stars were misaligned when these 2 different worlds met and havoc created on the West Side Highway. Ok I am only being sarcastic here my friends. Live by the sword, die by the sword you skells!! I would have ran over 50 more of you if you surrounded me and my family!!!!!!!!!! ( side note that I ride a Harley and don't condone the actions of these " Bikers" )

Department policy is do not pursue motorcycles. These motorcyclist do this everyday through the city. If you did pursue them 1. Public is at risk and guarantees someone is getting injured /killed. 2. Lawsuits. In order to catch them you have to do raids of chop shops and warehouse garages where they are stored. Raids have been done it's just that there are so many of these bikers and before this incident it wasn't a high priority. And lastly manpower is so short with the PBA saying one job at a time in effect central has jobs holding and reckless motorcycle is not a priority.

You think the NYPD doesn't try to corral these guys? I have seen officers try to stop a group of these guys, they all split off and took off in different directions. It's impossible to chase them as they can weave in and out through traffic. it's not like they are going to respect authority and just pull over when signaled to do so, these guys are on the other side of the law and they know it and they are going to run every time. I have even spoken to a friend who says they have used helicopters to try and pinpoint warehouses or garages where these guys all go back to and have been unable to do so even from the air. They are animals, and the NYPD has their hands full, especially now with one hand tied behind their back thanks to politicians, judges, and a nearsighted public.

It is clearly different from one dept to another and even when the depts have the "same" i.e. 2 engines + 1 ladder = 1st alarm the staffing can be 3 or 13 for that same alarm. It really should not be that.
30 years ago we would send 2 engines + 1 ladder + 1 chief to a fire and that would get you 13-15 ff's.
Now we send 2 engines + 2 ladder + 1 chief and you get 14ff's. Plus once its a worker, you get 2 more engines (1 for water & 1 FAST).
The ISO standards require a minimum of 2 engines + 1 ladder (or rescue) + 1 chief and a minimum of 13 on duty members or 37 on call members
NFPA 1710 require a minimum of 2 engines + 1 ladder (or rescue) + 1 chief but a minimum of 16 or 17 (the extra 2 over ISO are for 2 out and for a search team), if its a worker they require you add 2 more to the 2 out to make it a FAST and add a safety officer.
Historically each alarm duplicated whatever the 1st alarm sent and as far as I am concerned that how it sould be. Just because your dept does not have enough rigs to make the next alarm level with what you have should not mean you run short.
Now whats really interesting is why:
Before phones and radios we had street boxes and everyone knew if there was a fire you ran to the closest box and pulled the lever AND waited for the FD to arrive so you could direct them to the call. When you pulled the lever the # on the box would be transmitted via telegraph to all the fire stations in the dept and either a bell would sound the number (VFD's had the horns sound the #) &/or a tape would be cut with the number of holes.
So if the box was #236 the tape would look like this: << <<< <<<<<<. The man on watch would look up on a big wall chart and find out what intersection #236 was at (VFD's had a little pocket manual) and what the pattern was. Then if the pattern included that rig they went. The standard was a minimum of 2 engines (an engine was a steamer and hose wagon) and a ladder or city service unit).
If they got there and the chief want more help, he would have someone run to the next pull box (say #237) and "Pull or strike the 2nd Alarm" or if they had a telegraph key in the box he could go back to the original box and "tap out or strike a 2nd alarm"
When that # came in the house watch would look at the chart, see that the 1st alarm units were not available and additional units would go to the new box (not knowing if they were going to the same job or a different one nearby).
If this was still not enough, go to the third box and "Pull or strike the 3rd Alarm"

These 2 posts need to be merged together.
The NYSP had proposed the change for many years, but FASNY was able to use its political clout in Albany to keeping it from even getting to a vote. After that accident the troopers union put a big push for front and rear and FASNY seeing the "sympathy vote" going against them (there was talk that NYSP wanted blue illegal for volunteer fire), they came to a compromise, rear PD only.
Then after the law was past FASNY realized that it was still illegal for FD's to have rear blue so they asked for another modification to allow volunteer fire trucks to have blue rear. The NYS professional firefighters association asked the legislature what would happen in combo depts, only a volunteer could drive legally? what about depts with paid day staff? So the state came back with ALL fire trucks. Then EMS realized they were left out unless they were fire based......
And that is why I said: nobody's going to make any changes in Albany.

Who cares? Nobody pays any attention to lights anyway. We have effectively dulled the publics sensitivity to them by adding them to every vehicle on the planet. Tow trucks, HELP trucks, funeral vehicles, service trucks, utility trucks, school buses, jolly vollies, and authorized emergency vehicles. You go blind driving through a scene at night these days.
Go back to the Smokey and the bandit bubble light for all I care!

Engine is at the International dealer to get the governor programmed to communicate with the CAFS compressor and they sent me a shot, finally get to see most of the rear of the unit, the suction area was removed yesterday to place the ladder box in and will be placed back in when the rig returns this afternoon to the Firematic shop.

Being a former volunteer firefighter and a career firefighter for the last 23 years (an officer for the last 15), here is my take on it:
Being career does not make you any better than being volunteer. I know some volunteer departments in my old hometown (Dutchess County NY) where everyone is well certified and competent, and they show up very rapidly when the tones go off. Heck, some of those guys are better trained than the people I currently work with.
It all has to do with the following and applies to both volunteer and career departments:
Leadership -- if the department's leadership does not make sure that there is a means to get their membership trained and encourages it, the department will never be functional.
Membership -- if you can't get enough people to adequately staff the vehicles when called, then the department will not be functional.
Political Support -- if you can't get the support of your commissioners or supervising governmental entity, the department will not be functional.
Fire Prevention -- if the department or municipality doesn't take fire prevention seriously and does not have a good inspection program in place where property owners are held accountable, there will be fire safety issues.
I've seen terrible volunteer departments and I've seen terrible career departments. I've also seen great career departments and volunteer departments that would put most career departments to shame. I really don't think it has anything to do with volunteer vs. career as a whole, but the specific area in NJ.
I've seen many departments here in Florida go from volunteer to career and shut down/disband firehouses completely so they could pay the staff of 2 firefighters on an engine for each of the other stations covering a larger area. Yes, you have 100% assurance a unit will respond immediately, but you have less units and longer response times in those areas where the fire stations were shut down.
This is just my 2 cents.

The fact of the matter is both services will always have those who sparr with one another for whatever the reason; let the rest of us focus on getting the job done while the others poke at each other with pike poles.

From what I have heard about this electrical fire, unless someone called it in when the problem first started happening it would not made much of a difference. People forget you had 30 MPH winds driving that fire so once flame broke out the theory of fire doubling every minute went out the window.
I have heard of plenty of large fires were paid departments were completely in charge and they still lost a lot. I have heard paid departments cancel mutual aid just to end up calling them back 10 minutes later as they are loosing the building.
No volunteers are not perfect but no one is. In this current world especially in our situation where we have a large mix of paid and volunteer departments we need to stop fighting one another and work with each other to get the job done.
Believe it or not volunteers will support paid firefighters MORE when they are not A**holes back at them.

Things must be pretty quite around EMTBRAVO land to throw that hand granade!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is a rural fire district in Central Oregon, sorry for the indoor shots it's was not a good weather day. I didn't want the students to have to clean the rigs. It's a combination department with a very good resident student program.

Yeah it would have made a huge difference. You would have had someone who didn't win a popularity contest actually in the position and who was trained to an exact level.

Date: 9/18/13
Time: 10:08
Location: 4 Magnolia Place
Rye FD Units: 2421, 2422, 2424, E191, E192, L25, L26
Town of Mamaroneck FD: 2231, 2233, R6 w/ FAST
Harrison FD: 2161, 2162, 2163, E10, TL24
Port Chester FD: 2392, E63, TL2
Mamaroneck Village FD: 2241, 2242, 2243, E38, TL20
Purchase FD: E240
PC/Rye EMS: 77M3, 77A5, 77A6
Valhalla EMS: Rehab Unit
WCDES Units: Bat 15, Bat 19, C&O Zone 2
Covering Rye: Greenwich E1, West Harrison TL9
Description: Fire in 2 1/2 story, 150' x 90' wood-frame residence.
10:08 - Rye dispatched to Residential Alarm.
10:09 - Update from Rye PD reporting structure fire. 2424, E191, E192, L25 responding.
10:10 - 2424 requesting 10-75 assignment.
10:11 - PC/Rye EMS, Town of Mamaroneck FAST, Harrison Engine, Battalion 15 dispatched.
10:12 - 2231, 2233, R6 w/ FAST responding.
10:13 - Mamaroneck Engine & Port Chester Truck to relocate Rye FD.
10:17 - 2424 requesting TL24 to scene.
10:18 - 2161, 2162, 2163, E10, TL24 responding.
10:20 - 2424 requesting recall of career staff to scene.
10:24 - 2424 requesting additional 1 & 1 to scene - Mamaroneck Village E38 / Port Chester TL2 assigned.
10:27 - Mamaroneck Village TL20 assigned to Rye HQ.
10:28 - TL2 unable to get driver, TL20 dispatched.
10:30 - TL20 responding.
10:49 - Bat 15 reports 3 Ladders up and operating, all Firefighters pulled from building. Requesting Rehab unit.
10:51 - United Water requested to boost pressure.
10:55 - C&O Zone 2 dispatched.
10:57 - 3 Ladders up and working, roof has collapsed.
11:19 - Bat 15 requests additional Engine to scene, E63 assigned. Purchase Engine to Rye HQ.
11:39 - Main body of fire knocked down, extensive overhaul, holding all units.
11:43 - L26 responding.
11:47 - Valhalla EMS Rehab on scene.
11:53 - L26 on location.
11:59 - Bat 19 responding.
12:10 - Bat 15 requesting additional 1 & 1 to scene. E240 & TL2 assigned.
12:12 - West Harrison TL9 to cover Rye with Engine 1 from Greenwich.
13:27 - Bat 19 in service.
14:22 - Harrison FD units in service.
14:28 - EMS reports 2 transported, 1 RMA.
14:35 - Mamaroneck Village FD units in service.
14:41 - Town of Mamaroneck FD units in service.
14:47 - E240, TL2 in service, Bat 15 in service.
16:32 - All Rye FD units in service.

Have a pulse....... That's a joke, but there may be a bit of truth due to the extremely low pay in this career. The pay is causing the character of employee simply because of this.
My advice for any interview, not just for in the emergency service field is the following :
Wear a suit - Navy or Grey is best, but black will do (black is a tad bit formal)
Wear a white dress shirt and a tie. Neutral color tie is proper, no funky patterns
Wear dress socks and shoes.
Get a haircut the day before, shave the morning of and groom your fingernails.
Arrive to the interview 15-20 minutes early and leave home with ample time to spare in case of traffic or car trouble.
Shake hands with a medium grip. Firm, but not so you crush knuckles, yet not to the point of a dead fish handshake feeling
Make eye contact with handshakes and while talking to your interviewer.
Maintain good posture while in the interview with your back straight while sitting and your hands forward in front of you. DO NOT cross arms as this is a body language sign that you are hiding something.
Always answer the question being asked to the best of your ability. Nothing more and nothing less. DO NOT volunteer any information you aren't being asked as this make open doors to further questions that you may not be prepared to answer. Ask for clarification if the question being asked is not totally clear to you.
Do not ramble or repeat yourself while answering any questions
Always be honest. If you lie or stretch the truth, it always will be discovered at some point.
Be polite and be respectful. (Yes Sir No Maim)
Thank them for their time and consideration after the interview
Hope this helps

Maybe everyone just needs to stop bashing all companies. We all do the same job no matter who we work for. EMStar is a company from pennsylvania who took over care 1 who took over hudson valley paramedics who took over empire state ambulance. All it is a name change for them. Transcare is the 3rd largest comapny out there. AMR being number 1 but again who cares. We still do the same job and that is take care of our communities. And I think that everyone forgets that.