billy98988

Received a 911 call about a violation of an order of protection. Upon arrival we found a soon to be ex husband and wife both sitting on a couch in the living room. Both were on a phone (Separate lines) to their lawyers. Each insisted that we talk to their lawyer first. We determined that both had an order of protection against each other and both claimed that the other broke the order. After we received a few details we determined that both had violated the order and we arrested both. I flipped a coin and told each lawyer that both were under arrest and they could visit their clients at HQ.
That was the last call we received from that house.
Received a 911 call from a parent wanting a police officer to tell his kid to do his homework.
I can’t tell you how many 911 hang-ups we received by someone trying to call overseas (011). Broke down a few doors while the person was on the phone to a relative in Europe.

A couple last thoughts. We all do this because we love it. Love it by doing the job and RESPONDING to alarms. The biggest thing that promotes pride, from what I see, is RESPONDING to alarms.
How many runs did you have? How many runs did they have? We beat you!! We beat last years total!!!! We broke 500 for the first time, 1000 for the first time, 2000 for the first time!!!!!!!
How many workers did you have? That Dept just signed on with a house fire "ACROSS FROM", we are the FAST lets start heading to the firehouse!!!
Haven't we all heard this stuff before? I know the younger guys who are new to this and still have an unmolested, virgin, untarnished view of things hate it when there is no Chauffeur for the rig and they have to stand around. Thinking to themselves while responding to the fire house "I hope we get out for this one" You know the guys who still bust a$$ to get to the firehouse for the regularly scheduled automatic alarm at McDonalds. There are a lot of older guys who still have this fire burning in them and still love responding to the alarms.
With this in mind for the love of me I don't see how guys like this, the future of your fire companies, would not want to be a part of a larger organization. Would you rather do 200 calls a year or 1500 or more? Pride is in the numbers. Hell you like to play with the siren when your in the front seat, instead of 3 minute rides in your 2 square mile area, now you get to play with them longer responding in your new 20 mile district!!!!
The last time I said something about the "older" guys in certain organizations I got hammered with negative responses. However I still think in this case it is the older guys in certain departments who are holding back progress in this direction. Pride is not in t-shirts and jackets, but in numbers and activity. Training and workers. RESPONDING and getting the job done the right way.
Keep em' rolling and stay safe boys.

1) While for some depts it might be a "bump in the road" almost everyone I know of has had a steady decline since the 1970's or 80's. Many depts had long waiting lists to get on. Now many will take anyone who walks thru the door. Temporary? Perminent? I have seen depts that have been dealing with this for 25 years. At what point is this a temporary problem? If you have had trouble for years getting out, what will change this?
2) How sad. Did you swear an oath when you joined? I did.
3) You are correct and no one is suggesting you hire. What is suggested is we do not need 59 depts with each trying to cover a few square miles
4) You can loss your identity, but most do not. Go to MD and see how some of the volunteer units have more pride than the career units in the county combo depts. They actually have more identity than most small depts in Westchester.
5) BINGO! That is the problem
6) I know a lot of depts that took over 100 years to do it and even more that will never become fully or mostly career.
7) Wow, lots of big combo depts in MD & VA do not know this. Are you saying volunteering is all about the volunteer and not about the community served?
8) Only if they fail to prove they are worthy.
9) automatic MA is not consolidating, its a band-aid. Much of this country and many other countries have already learned that this whole line is completely untrue. In 2010 NIST studied this and found that on the fire ground 2 + 2 does not = 4. if you do not arrive together and work together you are already at a loss and it takes more time for 2 two man teams working as a company than even one 3 man company.
10) you are correct and they should be consolidated.
11) Is it that we do not want the "county" or in the past we have had concerns with how Westchester County operates?
12) Some do and some do not, same is true in some career depts. The problem is more and more depts dont work and no one wants to fix them.

So I see a 2 cubic foot wastepaper basket on fire, I dial 911, they process the call and tone out the local department in 1 min. At the 10 minute mark (based on the fire propagation curve) the fire has grown to 4,096 cubic feet (a 20 x 25 room) and still no one has responded.
We retone another dept. again 1 minute and they get on the road in 2 minutes. The drive from there district to the scene is 5 minutes. The fire is now consumed a 130,000 square foot structure. (approx: 500 ft x 260 ft).
If your wait is that long the incident is already over.

Date: 08-18-13
Time: 0913hrs
Location: I-87 NB IAO mm 58.1
Units: VGFD Cars 1, 3 (LZ), R480, E478, E481 (LZ), E479 (LZ), New Windsor EMS (numerous), Town of Newburgh EMS, NYSP, NWPD, Hackensack Air-1, Life-Net Air-(?)
Description: SUV roll-over w/(2) ejected and (1) pinned
0913hrs-OC911 alerting Vails Gate for the reported roll-over MVA at the above location.
While en-route, units were advised that as per multiple calls, possible ejection with "bodies in the roadway."
VGFD Car-1 arrived on scene, established command and advised of (1) car in the median with possible ejections.
Car-1 then advised of (5) total patients w/(2) ejected and serious injuries.
R480's crew was directed to secure the vehicle and assist EMS with triage and patient care. E478 arrived shortly thereafter and also assisted with patient care.
Members then stretched the hydraulic tools to perform a door pop to remove (1) patient.
E479 and E481 responded to Cornwall High School to set-up the LZ under the Command of Car-3.
Once all the patients were removed and being txp, VGFD units took-up from the Thruway and returned to service.
Hackensack Air-1 and Life-Net Air-(?) were off the ground, transporting (1) patient each to Westchester Medical Center.
Once the medevac's were off the ground and clear, VGFD Car-3 terminated the LZ command with E479 and E481 returning to service.

There is a term for this, it is called: "Thinning the Herd"
In the past we had wars & famine & plauge....today we have "failure to respond".

After 24 years of service to the Independent Fire Company in Mt. Kisco, NY, engine 105, a 1989 Pierce Lance pumper, has gone on to a new home. With the recent purchase of its replacement, we had a decision to be made on what to do with the 1989 Pierce. This discussion goes back to when we first decided to replace the pumper about two years ago. After our annual fire department parade in 2012, a former member who always attends our parades came to our firehouse. The former member, Bob Molhenbrook, was a member of the Independents for 20 years before moving upstate to the Catskills. He brought along the Chief Jason Wayman of his current department, the Town of Broome Volunteer Fire Department, in Livingstonville, NY, and their wives. After speaking with them and talking of the new engine soon to be ordered by us, the talk shifted to the August 2011 hurricane, Irene.
Upon hearing of the devastation and the financial hardships that Hurricane Irene caused to them, we started to think of ways we could help. Not long after, we received a letter from Jason with pictures of the hurricane and its aftermath. In his letter he explained how what little savings they had saved was used up to cover costs that insurance did not cover. Unable to do any fundraising events for some time due to the fact their fundraising hall was destroyed, this would delay their thoughts on replacing their current frontline pumper, a 1980 Saulsbury front mount pumper. After discussion on whether to sell our old engine or possibly donate it to a company in need, a motion was made to sell our engine for $1.00 to the Town of Broom Volunteer Fire Department and it was unanimously passed. Not only was it the right thing to do, it was the only thing to do, in our minds. We know they will get years of service out of it until they can raise enough money to replace it one day. The engine served us well and we hope it continues on for them.
I have attached some pictures of the devastation of Irene in Livingstonville, NY. Also, there are some pictures of the day they came down to pick up their new engine on Saturday, August 10, 2013.

Barry,
As i am sure you are well aware, this problem goes well beyond Westchester and its very unfortunate, not to mention down right dangerous.
Many Depts can not get enough properly trained FFs out on routine runs on a frequent basis, let alone for actual fires. It seems many in charge continue to bury their heads in the sand and still have the "we're only volunteers and do the best we can" mentality.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is 2013 and the "we're only volunteers" nonsense has got to stop.
It is sad that it may come down to a fatality (civilian or FF) before there is any change and that may not even be enough.
If you know that your FD has a manpower issue (and you do), then you need to not only admit it, but do something about it!
Whether it be through automatic mutual-aid or consolidation (gasp), you must do whats right and owed to your community.
Unfortunately this is not the first time we've had this discussion and even more unfortunate, it will not be the last.
Just my useless 2 cents
Stay safe

The real issue is many Westchester Fire Departments do not believe they have the training, skills, equipment, manpower or leadership to rescue one of there own members or the members of another department.
Its criminal that any engine, ladder or rescue can not arrive on sceen and be assigned to be FAST.
Just another reason we need to reduce the number of depts.
"If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem"

I would like to say one thing about the article in the news paper. I am a member in the village of Mamaroneck and the kid that says he was a fireman he is know longer a member of the department and when we arived on the scene he was standing out side. He was clean as if he was going out for the night and also told us nobody was in the house. If the members of the department didn't do a search we would have never found her so don't go by what you read in the newspaper because it is false I was one of the first on scene and have to say the Vmfd did a great job to save the women.

I would like to personally thank all the first responders for the quick and professional response as the fire was in my girlfriends house. So thank you to the brothers and sisters in VMFD MEMS and LVAC

Westchester, repeat after me, "People are stupid. Very Stupid."
The roads we have, pretty much have not changed greatly in the last 10 years or so. It is not an engineering problem for the most part. You can spend all the money on signs,lights and reflective striping, but the stupid driver that is in a rush, on a phone, laptop, ipad, just too self absorbed to say they are a bad driver, just plain too stupid to not understand how to drive will continue to do stupid things behind the wheel. Just take a walk through a mall or a store, people are too stupid to keep to the right when they walk. Ride a bus or a train, yup there is Mr. Stupid trying to push his way onto the bus or train before letting others off. Society has taught these people their s*** does not stink, and that they are the most important person in the world. It is always someone elses fault, never there own.

You cant fix stupid.

Yes and why are they so high? In 90% of the US the state pays the medicaid bill. NYS mandates the counties pay for it through county tax. over 70% of the county tax goes to that alone.
60-70% of the taxes go to the school districts and at least in my districts case the voters have approved double digit increases almost every year for the past dozen years. The same taxpayers complain about how high there taxes are.
And the PARKWAYS shut down because they were all deliberatly built in flood plains, hense they all have RIVER in the name of the road (Hutchenson River Parkway, Sawmill River Parkway, Bronx River Parkway). If you "fix" them you will flood villages and peoples homes instead.
Yes we should rethink things, but everytime we suggest a change (like consolidation) everyone screams not in my city, town, village.
We need to also change the way government is structured in NY, but no one is willing to do it.

Screw political correctness. Screw counseling. This has been going on for a long time and must be stopped for both legal and moral reasons.
If his superiors refuse to take action, go to the Feds. I bet they would just love to set up a sting operation with the hidden cameras and audio transmitting tie clips that are siting in their closets.
Just think. The guy is a racist...he may hate you, too. If the two of you were climbing 5 flights of stairs heading up to a patient, and you go down gripping your chest, what would he do?

Wow. so many different incidents that were memorable. Lots of pain, loss and some wonderful life changing calls. I liked the upbeat one that LTNRFD posted, so no fire, no blood, no death, but I like this one and LTNRFD was there:
Around 1982 or 83. LTNRFD, another EMT & myself at our VAC recieved a request for a nonemergency assist. We drove to the location and the women who called said her 75 year old father was just coming home from the hospital and she needed help caring him into the house.
We got the stair chair and walked around the car LTNRFD & I approached him and we both instantly recognized him. But LTNRFD di not know him like I did.
Sitting in the car was my boyhood idol; one of the finest sailors I had ever heard of. Arthur Knapp Jr. had won world championships, the America's Cup and almost every award there is in sailing. As a young teen I had memorized his book & writings on tactics. At 14 he coached me and helped me win a major regatta. At 15 I got to intern (school project) with him at Ratsey & Lapthorn Sailmakers and when I was 18 he asked me to crew with him and we won a major match racing series. I could not understand how he was so good and how he could manage because his health made it so he could barely move, but we did. That was only 2 or 3 years before this call.
He saw me and said how glad he was that I was there. We placed him on the stair chair and carried him in through the garage and up the basement stairs. The garage and stairs and whole house were covered in sailing trophys, they were everywhere.
We got him settled and said are goodbyes.
About an hour later he called the VAC and asked for me. he wanted to thank me, "marvin" (thats who he thought LTNRFD was) and the "cute one" and did I think she would go out on a date with him (she was about 18 at the time).
Thanks for asking for us to share, this was a lot better than many of the exciting calls.
http://www.herreshoff.org/achof/arthur_knapp_jr.html
http://library.mysticseaport.org/manuscripts/coll/coll357.cfm
http://www.nytimes.com/1992/06/17/sports/arthur-knapp-jr-85-champion-in-international-yacht-racing.html

So many calls, one of the few that did not involve someones loss of property, life or severe injury... In 1994, I had the pleasure of being part of crew that delivered a healthy baby boy in their house. I still remember going back out to the bus to get the stretcher when the Mount Pleasant PD officer on scene told his dispatch "A healthy baby boy was just delivered, I need the official time." The dispatcher responded "0113 hours". At that point the officer looked up, it was also his shield number.

Night shift working Engine 58 with my partner Tom Z received a call over the house phone from a 80 year old woman it was midnight. She lived in the former Life Saver's factory building now Condo's on north main street. It was late October and was a cold night. She tried the super she tried the police who told her to call the fire dept. there not doing anything so she called us. My partner talked to her and calmed her down and gave me the thumb's up [meaning were going somewhere] as I was the operator of the rig . The problem that night is she was cold , in fact freezing as the 5x 8 foot factory windows were to much for her to close. 3 minutes later we where there, we closed the big windows for her and got a big kiss and a hug from her. One of my best nights on the job a simple helping hand for some one unable to do a simple task. I always new I can count on the Firefighters to come to my call for help she said. As we left the call we did not say a word to each other all the way back to the firehouse as the grin on our faces would not allow it. The next night we got a call again on the house phone and again it was her. She asked if the guys that came out last night were still on duty and if so can they come to my house again, well we did thinking this might be a problem starting to happen [freaquent flier] we rang the door bell and was meet buy the best apple pie you ever saw. We have the greatest job in the world guy's don't mess it up .

On the EMS side....
While working for Abbey Richmond in White Plains on a Sunday morning back in the early 1980's. I was assigned as the paramedic on the transport ambulance and was told to return to the office. My EMT and I were told to go do a 2 man ambulette from Longview Nursing Home in W.P. to Grace Church on Main St in W.P.
We were told that there were no ambulette drivers working and the transport had to be done. When we arrived ( in an ambulette ) we found a 106 y.o. female named Clara Beech. She was allowed to leave the nursing home only once a year on her birthday, and for medical services. Clara was as alert as a 40 y.o. and could see as good as anyone thru her coke bottle thick glasses. She was packaged and wheeled out to the ambulette. As we got outside she broke out in a song of praise for the beautiful day the Lord gave her on her birthday. Now off to Grace Church we went. When we arrived you would had thought the Pope was coming to the church. The church was mobbed. We wheeled her into church all the way to the front where she was the center of attention, which she ate up.
We left her there and returned 2 hours later to take her back to the nursing home. To see the joy on this woman's face more then made up for the fact that an A.L.S. bus was taken out of service for an ambulette call.
Well if you think it ends here it only half over.
Fast forward 1 year. I was again working Abbey W.P. this time on Amb-1. When I reported for work I checked the transport booking slips for the day. Right on top was the slip for Clara to go to church for her 107th birthday. Again it would take the transport A.L.S. ambulance out of service. I told the Transport medic that I'd do the ambullete call and he cover the city. He thought I was nuts but he agreed.
When we walked into her room at the nursing home ( which was only about a 10 bed nursing home) she looked up saw me and greeted me by my first name. She then said "so you came back to take me to church on my 107th birthday". I could believe she remembered me.
Off to church we went again and there was another mob at the church for Clara's birthday.
When we picked her up for the return she asked if we could drive around a bit. We drove around W.P. for about 30 minutes as she gave us a guided tour of how W.P. use to be around the turn of the century. That's the 1800's into the 1900"s. She grew up in W.P.
I don't know what ever happened to Clara, but I think about those two birthday ambulette trips to church often.

Very early response to the World Trade Center, nothing will ever compare to that

Make a complaint to that cities Human Resources Department. If he is a CFR or EMT, make a complaint as well to the State Dept of Health. Affirmative Action may have gotten him his job, it does not give him the right to act like a boob.

Tier 1 was in place until the early 1980's
Tier 2 was in place until Jan. 1 2010
Tier 3 & 4 were for teachers and other non uniform positions and did not affect FD/PD
Tier 5 was in place from Jan. 1 2010 to March 31, 2012.
Tier 6 was put in place to "save millions" on top of what tier 5 was to save. but for tier 5 to save what it was designed to do requires 20+ years according to the controller. While Tier 6 may save a little more, the politicians were able to claim multi millions each time.

McDonalds.

Locations around the world.

I personally feel that we are trying the case based on hear say and assumptions. We have read and heard that they had 4 drinks among all 6, they had multiple drinks, they were all drunk, they were all sober, there were enough light, there were not enough lights, it met the USCG standards, the standards are too low, he should have known the barge was there, and so on. These are all fine but only those 6 people on the boat that night know the truth. We as trained professionals should know better than to draw conclusions based on assumptions and innuendos. To assume that he saw the barge when he moored his boat is to assume we know the last time he was on the river. To assume any of the BACs is to assume we know the results when they have yet to be returned. The only item that does stand out loudly to me is that the groom and the father of the deceased bride are rising to the defense of the operator which makes me wonder if this story has begun to take on a life of it own and we are being to quick to condemn and judge. Remember we are a country built on innocent until proven guilty even though in the media to opposite seems to appear to be the case. By the way I am in no way defending or condemning the operator, I am simply advocating sitting back and awaiting the fact, not the hear say and rumors.
On a separate note, KUDOS to the units involved in this job. While and S&R operation is difficult having it coupled with the emotional aspect of locating a bride to be and giving a family closure just weeks before her wedding in itself takes it toll. Once again, great job by all involved.

That's entirely incorrect.