Medic5274

With the recent fire in the Dobbs Ferry Village Hall which houses the fire department, police department as well as all governmental operations I would be interested in knowing what types of Continuity of Operations plans are in place in different municipalities.
What would your organization or municipality do if they had to evacuate/relocate out of their facilities for an extended period of time? How many departments or municipal governments have true Continuity of Operations plans in place? Do you have a place designated to relocate to? Are your records backed up and readily accessible, do you have communication and network systems in place at an alternate location, are you able to maintain communications? Governmental operations must continue regardless of the calamity that has occurred. People still need to go to Village/Town/City Hall for services.
Throughout history if you look at some of the worst responses to large disasters they were all excacerbated by the failure to maintain governmental operations. Preparing for smaller events will put the foundation in place for the major events.
Are we as prepared as we should be?

With the recent fire in the Dobbs Ferry Village Hall which houses the fire department, police department as well as all governmental operations I would be interested in knowing what types of Continuity of Operations plans are in place in different municipalities.
What would your organization or municipality do if they had to evacuate/relocate out of their facilities for an extended period of time? How many departments or municipal governments have true Continuity of Operations plans in place? Do you have a place designated to relocate to? Are your records backed up and readily accessible, do you have communication and network systems in place at an alternate location, are you able to maintain communications? Governmental operations must continue regardless of the calamity that has occurred. People still need to go to Village/Town/City Hall for services.
Throughout history if you look at some of the worst responses to large disasters they were all excacerbated by the failure to maintain governmental operations. Preparing for smaller events will put the foundation in place for the major events.
Are we as prepared as we should be?

The damage to the building was contained to the boiler room. The boiler rooms sprinkler system activated which helped contain the fire until the gas supply was turned off. The hot water system and two boilers were damaged with water damage to other electrical equipment in the room. The equipment was down in a pit which helped contain the fire spread.
This fire highlighted the importance of smoke detectors and sprinklers throughout the building. The smoke detectors went off almost immediately alerting occupants throughout the Village Hall and the sprinklers kept the fire contained to the room of origin.

The Dobbs Ferry Fire Department recently responded to an early morning fire in a single family residence. The fire originated in several plastic garbage pails outside the structure up against the house. The fire transmitted up the outside of the structure under the eaves and into the attic. The homeowners, who were asleep were unaware of the fire until they were awakened by the smoke detectors inside the house. The house suffered considerable damage in the attic and roof areas.
The C&O team made a determination the fire was the result of sponaneous combustion associated with wet charcoal. The homeowner reported several days earlier he accidently got water on a bag of charcoal. Thinking the charcoal was no good he disposed of it into a plastic pail with a lid. This was done two days before the fire.
I have had experience with spontaneous combustion fires associated with thinners,lacquers and linseed oil soaked rags disposed of into sealed containers. I have never seen or heard of this condition with charcoal. The C&O team reported it has to do with the compressed state of the charcoal and the chemical reactions that occur when the charcoal gets wet and begins to heat up.
Has anyone had a similiar expericence with charcoal? This was a new one for me and my department.

What exactly was said that is so offensive to Police Fire, EMS and other emergency service personnel? As a responder who was present that day when both towers came down and who lost a lot of friends I take great care in issues evolving around 9/11. I think he picked a poor topic to include in his game but I am not offended by it.
To me this sounds like a very poor attempt at humor by this bartender. I don't think there was any intentional malice towards public safety personnel. Regardless of how many police are stationed at this new precinct they will not be able to stop another plane from crashing into the Freedom Tower. Using the tower as an airport. I believe that is what his reference to an airport is all about. As for the costs, he is right, there are going to be tremendous costs associated with this staffing level which will be borne by the taxpayers. With a family member involved with NY City budget issues I know that staffing this site will require reducing police manpower levels in every precinct in the City because they don't have the money to increase manpower by hiring large numbers of new police officers. The federal government will pay a portion of the security costs but they will never come close to the actual costs that NY City and it's taxpayers will be assuming for years to come. This knowledge in no way diminishes the need for security or the costs of protecting our Freedom and should not be construed as supporting budget issues when making security decisions.
I am all in favor of rebuilding at the sight and building even bigger to show our country's resolve against those who attacked us. They will not put us down and we will come back stronger and better. But the reality is the terrorist have the same attitude and will view this tower as their number one target. Terrorism expert around the world have deemed this site as a target and fully expect another attack. It might not be tommorrow or ten years from tommorrow but there will be another attack. Look at the resolve of the terrorist after the 1993 attack (which I was also at). They were beaten but not detered and came back 8 years later when we let our gaurd down and became complacent.
I think people need to step back and take a look at what really happened here. This was a piss poor attempt at humor. 9/11 is such a raw emotional issue for so many that it is often considered a personal attack by public safety personnel when someone mentions something other than remembrance and honor for those lost on that day. The bartender made a mistake. It is normal human behavior to become defensive when confronted like he and his boss were. To think that they don't respect the feelings of police or firefighters because they didn't immediately give an apology is some how tied to 9/11 goes a little far.
To my eleven buddies that never came home, you are with me every day.

What exactly was said that is so offensive to Police Fire, EMS and other emergency service personnel? As a responder who was present that day when both towers came down and who lost a lot of friends I take great care in issues evolving around 9/11. I think he picked a poor topic to include in his game but I am not offended by it.
To me this sounds like a very poor attempt at humor by this bartender. I don't think there was any intentional malice towards public safety personnel. Regardless of how many police are stationed at this new precinct they will not be able to stop another plane from crashing into the Freedom Tower. Using the tower as an airport. I believe that is what his reference to an airport is all about. As for the costs, he is right, there are going to be tremendous costs associated with this staffing level which will be borne by the taxpayers. With a family member involved with NY City budget issues I know that staffing this site will require reducing police manpower levels in every precinct in the City because they don't have the money to increase manpower by hiring large numbers of new police officers. The federal government will pay a portion of the security costs but they will never come close to the actual costs that NY City and it's taxpayers will be assuming for years to come. This knowledge in no way diminishes the need for security or the costs of protecting our Freedom and should not be construed as supporting budget issues when making security decisions.
I am all in favor of rebuilding at the sight and building even bigger to show our country's resolve against those who attacked us. They will not put us down and we will come back stronger and better. But the reality is the terrorist have the same attitude and will view this tower as their number one target. Terrorism expert around the world have deemed this site as a target and fully expect another attack. It might not be tommorrow or ten years from tommorrow but there will be another attack. Look at the resolve of the terrorist after the 1993 attack (which I was also at). They were beaten but not detered and came back 8 years later when we let our gaurd down and became complacent.
I think people need to step back and take a look at what really happened here. This was a piss poor attempt at humor. 9/11 is such a raw emotional issue for so many that it is often considered a personal attack by public safety personnel when someone mentions something other than remembrance and honor for those lost on that day. The bartender made a mistake. It is normal human behavior to become defensive when confronted like he and his boss were. To think that they don't respect the feelings of police or firefighters because they didn't immediately give an apology is some how tied to 9/11 goes a little far.
To my eleven buddies that never came home, you are with me every day.

What exactly was said that is so offensive to Police Fire, EMS and other emergency service personnel? As a responder who was present that day when both towers came down and who lost a lot of friends I take great care in issues evolving around 9/11. I think he picked a poor topic to include in his game but I am not offended by it.
To me this sounds like a very poor attempt at humor by this bartender. I don't think there was any intentional malice towards public safety personnel. Regardless of how many police are stationed at this new precinct they will not be able to stop another plane from crashing into the Freedom Tower. Using the tower as an airport. I believe that is what his reference to an airport is all about. As for the costs, he is right, there are going to be tremendous costs associated with this staffing level which will be borne by the taxpayers. With a family member involved with NY City budget issues I know that staffing this site will require reducing police manpower levels in every precinct in the City because they don't have the money to increase manpower by hiring large numbers of new police officers. The federal government will pay a portion of the security costs but they will never come close to the actual costs that NY City and it's taxpayers will be assuming for years to come. This knowledge in no way diminishes the need for security or the costs of protecting our Freedom and should not be construed as supporting budget issues when making security decisions.
I am all in favor of rebuilding at the sight and building even bigger to show our country's resolve against those who attacked us. They will not put us down and we will come back stronger and better. But the reality is the terrorist have the same attitude and will view this tower as their number one target. Terrorism expert around the world have deemed this site as a target and fully expect another attack. It might not be tommorrow or ten years from tommorrow but there will be another attack. Look at the resolve of the terrorist after the 1993 attack (which I was also at). They were beaten but not detered and came back 8 years later when we let our gaurd down and became complacent.
I think people need to step back and take a look at what really happened here. This was a piss poor attempt at humor. 9/11 is such a raw emotional issue for so many that it is often considered a personal attack by public safety personnel when someone mentions something other than remembrance and honor for those lost on that day. The bartender made a mistake. It is normal human behavior to become defensive when confronted like he and his boss were. To think that they don't respect the feelings of police or firefighters because they didn't immediately give an apology is some how tied to 9/11 goes a little far.
To my eleven buddies that never came home, you are with me every day.

What exactly was said that is so offensive to Police Fire, EMS and other emergency service personnel? As a responder who was present that day when both towers came down and who lost a lot of friends I take great care in issues evolving around 9/11. I think he picked a poor topic to include in his game but I am not offended by it.
To me this sounds like a very poor attempt at humor by this bartender. I don't think there was any intentional malice towards public safety personnel. Regardless of how many police are stationed at this new precinct they will not be able to stop another plane from crashing into the Freedom Tower. Using the tower as an airport. I believe that is what his reference to an airport is all about. As for the costs, he is right, there are going to be tremendous costs associated with this staffing level which will be borne by the taxpayers. With a family member involved with NY City budget issues I know that staffing this site will require reducing police manpower levels in every precinct in the City because they don't have the money to increase manpower by hiring large numbers of new police officers. The federal government will pay a portion of the security costs but they will never come close to the actual costs that NY City and it's taxpayers will be assuming for years to come. This knowledge in no way diminishes the need for security or the costs of protecting our Freedom and should not be construed as supporting budget issues when making security decisions.
I am all in favor of rebuilding at the sight and building even bigger to show our country's resolve against those who attacked us. They will not put us down and we will come back stronger and better. But the reality is the terrorist have the same attitude and will view this tower as their number one target. Terrorism expert around the world have deemed this site as a target and fully expect another attack. It might not be tommorrow or ten years from tommorrow but there will be another attack. Look at the resolve of the terrorist after the 1993 attack (which I was also at). They were beaten but not detered and came back 8 years later when we let our gaurd down and became complacent.
I think people need to step back and take a look at what really happened here. This was a piss poor attempt at humor. 9/11 is such a raw emotional issue for so many that it is often considered a personal attack by public safety personnel when someone mentions something other than remembrance and honor for those lost on that day. The bartender made a mistake. It is normal human behavior to become defensive when confronted like he and his boss were. To think that they don't respect the feelings of police or firefighters because they didn't immediately give an apology is some how tied to 9/11 goes a little far.
To my eleven buddies that never came home, you are with me every day.

What exactly was said that is so offensive to Police Fire, EMS and other emergency service personnel? As a responder who was present that day when both towers came down and who lost a lot of friends I take great care in issues evolving around 9/11. I think he picked a poor topic to include in his game but I am not offended by it.
To me this sounds like a very poor attempt at humor by this bartender. I don't think there was any intentional malice towards public safety personnel. Regardless of how many police are stationed at this new precinct they will not be able to stop another plane from crashing into the Freedom Tower. Using the tower as an airport. I believe that is what his reference to an airport is all about. As for the costs, he is right, there are going to be tremendous costs associated with this staffing level which will be borne by the taxpayers. With a family member involved with NY City budget issues I know that staffing this site will require reducing police manpower levels in every precinct in the City because they don't have the money to increase manpower by hiring large numbers of new police officers. The federal government will pay a portion of the security costs but they will never come close to the actual costs that NY City and it's taxpayers will be assuming for years to come. This knowledge in no way diminishes the need for security or the costs of protecting our Freedom and should not be construed as supporting budget issues when making security decisions.
I am all in favor of rebuilding at the sight and building even bigger to show our country's resolve against those who attacked us. They will not put us down and we will come back stronger and better. But the reality is the terrorist have the same attitude and will view this tower as their number one target. Terrorism expert around the world have deemed this site as a target and fully expect another attack. It might not be tommorrow or ten years from tommorrow but there will be another attack. Look at the resolve of the terrorist after the 1993 attack (which I was also at). They were beaten but not detered and came back 8 years later when we let our gaurd down and became complacent.
I think people need to step back and take a look at what really happened here. This was a piss poor attempt at humor. 9/11 is such a raw emotional issue for so many that it is often considered a personal attack by public safety personnel when someone mentions something other than remembrance and honor for those lost on that day. The bartender made a mistake. It is normal human behavior to become defensive when confronted like he and his boss were. To think that they don't respect the feelings of police or firefighters because they didn't immediately give an apology is some how tied to 9/11 goes a little far.
To my eleven buddies that never came home, you are with me every day.

What exactly was said that is so offensive to Police Fire, EMS and other emergency service personnel? As a responder who was present that day when both towers came down and who lost a lot of friends I take great care in issues evolving around 9/11. I think he picked a poor topic to include in his game but I am not offended by it.
To me this sounds like a very poor attempt at humor by this bartender. I don't think there was any intentional malice towards public safety personnel. Regardless of how many police are stationed at this new precinct they will not be able to stop another plane from crashing into the Freedom Tower. Using the tower as an airport. I believe that is what his reference to an airport is all about. As for the costs, he is right, there are going to be tremendous costs associated with this staffing level which will be borne by the taxpayers. With a family member involved with NY City budget issues I know that staffing this site will require reducing police manpower levels in every precinct in the City because they don't have the money to increase manpower by hiring large numbers of new police officers. The federal government will pay a portion of the security costs but they will never come close to the actual costs that NY City and it's taxpayers will be assuming for years to come. This knowledge in no way diminishes the need for security or the costs of protecting our Freedom and should not be construed as supporting budget issues when making security decisions.
I am all in favor of rebuilding at the sight and building even bigger to show our country's resolve against those who attacked us. They will not put us down and we will come back stronger and better. But the reality is the terrorist have the same attitude and will view this tower as their number one target. Terrorism expert around the world have deemed this site as a target and fully expect another attack. It might not be tommorrow or ten years from tommorrow but there will be another attack. Look at the resolve of the terrorist after the 1993 attack (which I was also at). They were beaten but not detered and came back 8 years later when we let our gaurd down and became complacent.
I think people need to step back and take a look at what really happened here. This was a piss poor attempt at humor. 9/11 is such a raw emotional issue for so many that it is often considered a personal attack by public safety personnel when someone mentions something other than remembrance and honor for those lost on that day. The bartender made a mistake. It is normal human behavior to become defensive when confronted like he and his boss were. To think that they don't respect the feelings of police or firefighters because they didn't immediately give an apology is some how tied to 9/11 goes a little far.
To my eleven buddies that never came home, you are with me every day.

What exactly was said that is so offensive to Police Fire, EMS and other emergency service personnel? As a responder who was present that day when both towers came down and who lost a lot of friends I take great care in issues evolving around 9/11. I think he picked a poor topic to include in his game but I am not offended by it.
To me this sounds like a very poor attempt at humor by this bartender. I don't think there was any intentional malice towards public safety personnel. Regardless of how many police are stationed at this new precinct they will not be able to stop another plane from crashing into the Freedom Tower. Using the tower as an airport. I believe that is what his reference to an airport is all about. As for the costs, he is right, there are going to be tremendous costs associated with this staffing level which will be borne by the taxpayers. With a family member involved with NY City budget issues I know that staffing this site will require reducing police manpower levels in every precinct in the City because they don't have the money to increase manpower by hiring large numbers of new police officers. The federal government will pay a portion of the security costs but they will never come close to the actual costs that NY City and it's taxpayers will be assuming for years to come. This knowledge in no way diminishes the need for security or the costs of protecting our Freedom and should not be construed as supporting budget issues when making security decisions.
I am all in favor of rebuilding at the sight and building even bigger to show our country's resolve against those who attacked us. They will not put us down and we will come back stronger and better. But the reality is the terrorist have the same attitude and will view this tower as their number one target. Terrorism expert around the world have deemed this site as a target and fully expect another attack. It might not be tommorrow or ten years from tommorrow but there will be another attack. Look at the resolve of the terrorist after the 1993 attack (which I was also at). They were beaten but not detered and came back 8 years later when we let our gaurd down and became complacent.
I think people need to step back and take a look at what really happened here. This was a piss poor attempt at humor. 9/11 is such a raw emotional issue for so many that it is often considered a personal attack by public safety personnel when someone mentions something other than remembrance and honor for those lost on that day. The bartender made a mistake. It is normal human behavior to become defensive when confronted like he and his boss were. To think that they don't respect the feelings of police or firefighters because they didn't immediately give an apology is some how tied to 9/11 goes a little far.
To my eleven buddies that never came home, you are with me every day.

What exactly was said that is so offensive to Police Fire, EMS and other emergency service personnel? As a responder who was present that day when both towers came down and who lost a lot of friends I take great care in issues evolving around 9/11. I think he picked a poor topic to include in his game but I am not offended by it.
To me this sounds like a very poor attempt at humor by this bartender. I don't think there was any intentional malice towards public safety personnel. Regardless of how many police are stationed at this new precinct they will not be able to stop another plane from crashing into the Freedom Tower. Using the tower as an airport. I believe that is what his reference to an airport is all about. As for the costs, he is right, there are going to be tremendous costs associated with this staffing level which will be borne by the taxpayers. With a family member involved with NY City budget issues I know that staffing this site will require reducing police manpower levels in every precinct in the City because they don't have the money to increase manpower by hiring large numbers of new police officers. The federal government will pay a portion of the security costs but they will never come close to the actual costs that NY City and it's taxpayers will be assuming for years to come. This knowledge in no way diminishes the need for security or the costs of protecting our Freedom and should not be construed as supporting budget issues when making security decisions.
I am all in favor of rebuilding at the sight and building even bigger to show our country's resolve against those who attacked us. They will not put us down and we will come back stronger and better. But the reality is the terrorist have the same attitude and will view this tower as their number one target. Terrorism expert around the world have deemed this site as a target and fully expect another attack. It might not be tommorrow or ten years from tommorrow but there will be another attack. Look at the resolve of the terrorist after the 1993 attack (which I was also at). They were beaten but not detered and came back 8 years later when we let our gaurd down and became complacent.
I think people need to step back and take a look at what really happened here. This was a piss poor attempt at humor. 9/11 is such a raw emotional issue for so many that it is often considered a personal attack by public safety personnel when someone mentions something other than remembrance and honor for those lost on that day. The bartender made a mistake. It is normal human behavior to become defensive when confronted like he and his boss were. To think that they don't respect the feelings of police or firefighters because they didn't immediately give an apology is some how tied to 9/11 goes a little far.
To my eleven buddies that never came home, you are with me every day.

What exactly was said that is so offensive to Police Fire, EMS and other emergency service personnel? As a responder who was present that day when both towers came down and who lost a lot of friends I take great care in issues evolving around 9/11. I think he picked a poor topic to include in his game but I am not offended by it.
To me this sounds like a very poor attempt at humor by this bartender. I don't think there was any intentional malice towards public safety personnel. Regardless of how many police are stationed at this new precinct they will not be able to stop another plane from crashing into the Freedom Tower. Using the tower as an airport. I believe that is what his reference to an airport is all about. As for the costs, he is right, there are going to be tremendous costs associated with this staffing level which will be borne by the taxpayers. With a family member involved with NY City budget issues I know that staffing this site will require reducing police manpower levels in every precinct in the City because they don't have the money to increase manpower by hiring large numbers of new police officers. The federal government will pay a portion of the security costs but they will never come close to the actual costs that NY City and it's taxpayers will be assuming for years to come. This knowledge in no way diminishes the need for security or the costs of protecting our Freedom and should not be construed as supporting budget issues when making security decisions.
I am all in favor of rebuilding at the sight and building even bigger to show our country's resolve against those who attacked us. They will not put us down and we will come back stronger and better. But the reality is the terrorist have the same attitude and will view this tower as their number one target. Terrorism expert around the world have deemed this site as a target and fully expect another attack. It might not be tommorrow or ten years from tommorrow but there will be another attack. Look at the resolve of the terrorist after the 1993 attack (which I was also at). They were beaten but not detered and came back 8 years later when we let our gaurd down and became complacent.
I think people need to step back and take a look at what really happened here. This was a piss poor attempt at humor. 9/11 is such a raw emotional issue for so many that it is often considered a personal attack by public safety personnel when someone mentions something other than remembrance and honor for those lost on that day. The bartender made a mistake. It is normal human behavior to become defensive when confronted like he and his boss were. To think that they don't respect the feelings of police or firefighters because they didn't immediately give an apology is some how tied to 9/11 goes a little far.
To my eleven buddies that never came home, you are with me every day.

Parades outside of a departments response jurisdictions are one of the biggest liabilities a chief officer faces every year during parade season. Taking apparatus outside the jurisdiction especially to a municipality on the other side of the county (or to Lake George) is a recipe for disaster. Departments are just setting themselves up for the fall.
With limited manpower available in many departments it is inexcusable to allow apparatus to be taken to a parade by the few firefighters a municipality has available. Making arrangements for mutual aid coverage during a parade is a band aid approach to providing coverage. I can rememebr several years ago responding with my company on mutual aid to a municipality several towns away during the Lake George weekend into a working fire and was one of the first companies to arrive. The muncipality the fire occurred in had several pieces of apparatus and a large number of members up in Lake George
The public and taxpayers we serve and are supported by have an expectation that the fire apparatus and firefighters from their department will respond when the alarm is sounded in their community. The mnicipality or district purchased the fire apparatus (I know some companies own their own rigs) and have entrusted their care and use to the fire department the Fire Chief and firefighters that man them. The apparatus is for emergency response not for parades. It is sad but many departments get more people out for a parade then they do far an alarm.
I love the social and departmental rivalries that are such a part of the fire service and believe stronly that they have their place and time but we have an obligation to serve our communities first. Taking a parade in a neighboring muncipality is an acceptable social event your department can enjoy because you are able to immediately respond back into your jurisdiction with minimal or no impact on response times. Any chief officer that allows apparatus to leave the jurisdiction for a social event or parade hosted in a distant municipality should say a prayer that nothing happens in their jurisdiction during the absence of department apparatus. Additionally, what if something happens in route to or coming home from a parade. How do you explain to taxpayers that the brand new $700,000 dollar apparatus was damaged or destroyed going to a parade?
Chief officers, in this litigous society we live in please think of the liability you assume during a parade before you permit your apparatus to go out of jurisdiction. You can and will be held liable if and when something goes terribly wrong

Parades outside of a departments response jurisdictions are one of the biggest liabilities a chief officer faces every year during parade season. Taking apparatus outside the jurisdiction especially to a municipality on the other side of the county (or to Lake George) is a recipe for disaster. Departments are just setting themselves up for the fall.
With limited manpower available in many departments it is inexcusable to allow apparatus to be taken to a parade by the few firefighters a municipality has available. Making arrangements for mutual aid coverage during a parade is a band aid approach to providing coverage. I can rememebr several years ago responding with my company on mutual aid to a municipality several towns away during the Lake George weekend into a working fire and was one of the first companies to arrive. The muncipality the fire occurred in had several pieces of apparatus and a large number of members up in Lake George
The public and taxpayers we serve and are supported by have an expectation that the fire apparatus and firefighters from their department will respond when the alarm is sounded in their community. The mnicipality or district purchased the fire apparatus (I know some companies own their own rigs) and have entrusted their care and use to the fire department the Fire Chief and firefighters that man them. The apparatus is for emergency response not for parades. It is sad but many departments get more people out for a parade then they do far an alarm.
I love the social and departmental rivalries that are such a part of the fire service and believe stronly that they have their place and time but we have an obligation to serve our communities first. Taking a parade in a neighboring muncipality is an acceptable social event your department can enjoy because you are able to immediately respond back into your jurisdiction with minimal or no impact on response times. Any chief officer that allows apparatus to leave the jurisdiction for a social event or parade hosted in a distant municipality should say a prayer that nothing happens in their jurisdiction during the absence of department apparatus. Additionally, what if something happens in route to or coming home from a parade. How do you explain to taxpayers that the brand new $700,000 dollar apparatus was damaged or destroyed going to a parade?
Chief officers, in this litigous society we live in please think of the liability you assume during a parade before you permit your apparatus to go out of jurisdiction. You can and will be held liable if and when something goes terribly wrong

Parades outside of a departments response jurisdictions are one of the biggest liabilities a chief officer faces every year during parade season. Taking apparatus outside the jurisdiction especially to a municipality on the other side of the county (or to Lake George) is a recipe for disaster. Departments are just setting themselves up for the fall.
With limited manpower available in many departments it is inexcusable to allow apparatus to be taken to a parade by the few firefighters a municipality has available. Making arrangements for mutual aid coverage during a parade is a band aid approach to providing coverage. I can rememebr several years ago responding with my company on mutual aid to a municipality several towns away during the Lake George weekend into a working fire and was one of the first companies to arrive. The muncipality the fire occurred in had several pieces of apparatus and a large number of members up in Lake George
The public and taxpayers we serve and are supported by have an expectation that the fire apparatus and firefighters from their department will respond when the alarm is sounded in their community. The mnicipality or district purchased the fire apparatus (I know some companies own their own rigs) and have entrusted their care and use to the fire department the Fire Chief and firefighters that man them. The apparatus is for emergency response not for parades. It is sad but many departments get more people out for a parade then they do far an alarm.
I love the social and departmental rivalries that are such a part of the fire service and believe stronly that they have their place and time but we have an obligation to serve our communities first. Taking a parade in a neighboring muncipality is an acceptable social event your department can enjoy because you are able to immediately respond back into your jurisdiction with minimal or no impact on response times. Any chief officer that allows apparatus to leave the jurisdiction for a social event or parade hosted in a distant municipality should say a prayer that nothing happens in their jurisdiction during the absence of department apparatus. Additionally, what if something happens in route to or coming home from a parade. How do you explain to taxpayers that the brand new $700,000 dollar apparatus was damaged or destroyed going to a parade?
Chief officers, in this litigous society we live in please think of the liability you assume during a parade before you permit your apparatus to go out of jurisdiction. You can and will be held liable if and when something goes terribly wrong