Monty

Is there any hope of the 'New Content' automatically going to the last read item? It's bit of a pain to click on a popular thread, wait for the page to load, then click on the option to go to first unread and wait for the page to load again.

Wonder if that would get you a shoton Pawn Stars

Once and for all this "animal" might finally be put to rest! One Chief for the entire City of Stamford. Volunteer Chief's have their doubts that this can work, well it can work without a doubt. All volunteer's have a place in this fire service. Everyone should just look at the Belltown FD. They have, since their paid firefighters merged with SFRD, responded to almost 100% of the calls in their district. They do receive supplemental support from SFRD engine, ladder and rescue companies on all of their calls. But that is nothing new at all...in the past TRFD, GFD and Springdale also sent fire apparatus to their calls staffed with paid drivers and volunteer firefighters. So why is SFRD personnel any different than personel who use to work for TRFD, GFD and Springdale? It worked fine then and it can work fine from this day forward. For the most part it has worked fine. Ego's seem to be the driving force behind the volunteer "hatred" for SFRD firefighters. Take away 5 or 6 ego's in this entire equasion and everything would be fine. The biggest mis-informational statement made by volunteer Chief's is that the Stamford Fire Rescue Dept. wants to eliminate the volunteer firefighters and their departments. This is so far from the truth it could almost be played out in a skit on Saturday Night Live. That is the only contention they ( the Volunteer Chief's) can muster to keep this topic and alledged "rivalry" going on and on. Forget about the facts that show that fire calls go un-answered on a routine basis in some of the volunteer districts by the volunteer's themselves. Forget the fact that some volunteer Chief's and Officers cncel SFRD units before they even get on the scene themselves. How ridiculous is that? Forget the fact that some volunteer fire departments are responding to calls in pick-up trucks and SUV's, contending that they are "companies" and are on the scene giving size-ups stating "company investigating"......How can one or two firefighters in these vehicles, without any water contend "company investigating"? This is such a misnomer to the general public that they are being adequately protected by fire "companies", when in fact it is only 1 or 2 firefighters equipped with only a portable fire extinguisher and radio. Under one unified Chief these problems can be remedied. Standard training for all firefighters and Officer's would ensure that any job get's done quickly and "professionally"...and YES volunteer's can be professional. I am not saying that the road is ahead is as smooth as glass but it is about time the fire service within the entire City of Stamford move forward in a single, unified direction for the good of all the people and property we are all duly sworn to protect!

Trunked system includes the A-Bank, the B-Bank and the C-Bank.
The A-bank include the truncated frequencies such as Fire-13, Fire 10, and OPS-5. These are the Battalion Zones as well as the truncated operation channels. These are not line of site, and 60-control can communicate with you on these frequencies.
The B-Bank include the truncated frequencies such as EMS -11 and the ambulance to hospital channels. These are not line of site, and 60-control can communicate with you on these frequencies.
The C-Bank on the trunked system works a little differently. It includes normal (conventional) frequencies that you would find on a normal portable radio. This includes, 46.26, 46.14, and the line of site FIREGROUND frequencies which include fire ground 1-8. The FIREGROUND's use a line of site system, and do not work off of repeaters or other enhancements. This is why 60-control cannot monitor any of the fire ground traffic.
There is a HUGE difference between Fire-# Ops-# and Fireground - #. If you're listening on a trunked scanner on the other side of the county, you should be able to hear all of the communication in the A - Bank, all of the communication in the B- Bank, and the traffic that uses repeaters on the C-bank such as 46.26. All fireground traffic, would have to be in the line of sight range to pick up on the scanner,
For a detailed explination of the system, here is the County's power point on how to use it - www.westchestergov.com/emergserv/60control/xts2500_volk3.ppt

Everybodygoes, I'm not looking to get into an arguement with you over what in the end is complete nonsense, but I am up for an intelligent rational discussion, so I'll respond to your post.
"The FDNY has been doing rescues since 1865, ESU was started what in the 20's?"
In 1865 the hodge podge of volunteer fire companies were superceded by the Metropolitan Fire Department, which in its beginning roots only covered parts of what is now Manhattan and later on Brooklyn. The FDNY officially became the FDNY in 1870. It wasn't until 1928 that the Bronx was pretty much completely served by the paid Fire Department, followed by Queens in 1929, and Staten Island in 1937. The Fire Departments main function was Fire Suppression. I have tried to research a bit more on the history of the FDNY and their involvement in rescue work, but have come up short in factual verifiable information. If you know where I can locate this, I'd be interested to read it. I know that Rescue 1 was officially formed in 1915, and Rescue 2 was officially formed in 1925. According to the unofficial website for Rescue 1, the formation of the rescue companies was borne out of several fires (Equitable Building, 1912, a Subway Train fire in 1915) wthere firefighters were encountered with difficult forcible entries, and realized the need for a company that carried specialized equipment to operate at these fire scenes. As time went on, Rescue began to get more involved in the Technical Rescue arena, but their original responsibility was to operate at fire scenes, and perform rescues of firefighters and civilians at structural fire scenes (taken from an unofficial Rescue 2 website). This was a time when the FDNY had their hands full with structural fires. Rescue 1 was first equipped with it's first Hurst Tool in 1972. The NYPD was officially formed in 1854 (20 years before the Metropolitan Fire Dept.). ESU was formed in 1925 from a pool of police officers who possessed special skills (electricians, carpenters, riggers, etc.) with the sole purpose of performing rescue assignments. The Unit was also known as the departments Firearms Battalion, and years later the Unit was coined the Mobile Security Unit, where it was tasked with responding to both rescues and tactical situations. Their role as a tactical unit expanded in the 1970's after the Munich Olympics massacre. Not sure when ESU equipped their vehicles with hurst tools. In a book written about the history of FDNY Rescue 1, it was written that members of the NYPD ESU actually helped train the first members of Rescue 1 (I'm not making claims to the accuracy of the material, just relaying what was written. I'll re-post the title of the book when I dig it up). ESU was formed to serve the cop on patrol. At a time when NYC was burning down and the FDNY had their hands full with structural fires, the members of ESU were a resource for the patrol cop to handle these rescue jobs. Before the formation of FDNY Rescue, members of the FDNY performed rescues with the limited equipment and training they had. Before the formation of NYPD ESU, members of the NYPD performed rescues with the limited equipment and training they had. So to say one was doing it before the other... not sure how much weight that holds.
Westchester County PD has hurst tools before the overwhelming majority of FD's, especially in the northern part of Westchester County, and were the only one's equipped to perform vehicle extrications on certain parts of the County highways for many years.
"You tell me who is better trained at doing it."
I don't know, who is? What discipline are we talking about? ESU members go through a Rope Rescue Technician course provided by a nationally recognized training organization that meets NFPA 1670 and 1006 requirements, and go for continual training multiiple times a year, whether it is self-driven Squad level training, mandated in-house training, or training provided by outside training organizations. ESU members go through an AVET course similar to the Fire Service, and through self-motivation and discipline will often visit local junk yards to train on scrap and derelict vehicles during the course of their normal tour to remain competent on their skills. They go through the EPA Haz Mat Technician course, the FEMA Structural Collapse Technician course, all meet and exceed the NFPA requirements. All ESU members are at a minimum EMT's with several Paramedics and one or two Physician Assistants in the ranks. Unless things have changed, all FDNY members are CFR's (with some EMT's/medics thrown in there). Since we are technically better trained emergency medical responders (as in trained to a higher standard), should ESU take over patient care activities when we arrive on scene?
"You show up with 2 we show up with 6"
You are correct, and sometimes 2 is all you need... more is not always better. I agree that on jobs that are manpower intensive (structural collapses, trench rescues) rolling 6 deep is a huge benefit, and necessary for the operation at hand, and something that ESU really can't compete with. But look at the majority of confirmed pin jobs.. they're simple door jobs that are mitigated in minutes. Quite often I'll see 2 guys working and 4 standing around doing nothing. Even on a simple, minor MVA with injuries on the highway when you have 2 and 2 rolling in with 4 (I think) guys on each piece of apparatus. That's 16 guys either standing around or jockeying for position for one totally stable patient. It's not a knock or a low-blow, it's simple observation. On a more technical or complicated job, we should all be able to work together, and I think the concept of working together is more prevalent in the outer-boroughs. I haven't been around that long, but overall I've had no real major issues when it comes to working together. What it comes down to more often then not is not the patch on the sleeve, but the mentaility of the individual.
As I mentioned before, Westchester County PD handled extrications on the County Highways for many, many years before a lot of the local VFD's had hurst tools, and they got the job done in most instances without 6 people showing up.
"But, don't tell me what happened in Brooklyn was a rare occurence, cause it isnt."
I didn't say it was a rare occurence. What I am saying it's that it's not a one-sided problem. I'm not trying to bash anyone or any agency, but I'll give you 2 examples. Queens, 2 ESU members tethered and outfitted in gumby suits are effecting an ice rescue. After making contact with the victims, members of the FDNY show-up and 5 or 6 run out onto the ice in bunker gear. No tethers, no protective suits, just bunker gear. Can you guess what happens? Ice breaks, and all of them fall through the ice into the freezing cold water and now they all have to be rescued. All of this was caught on video by a news chopper. Don't believe me, I'll post the video here. How is that scenario any different then the one you portrayed about ESU guys trying to be the "it guys", and endangering their own safety and the safety of the other responders who now have to get them out of the water? Or a more recent scenario. Water rescue, male in the water up along the seawall. ESU arrives, one member suits up in a drysuit, and while being tethered, enters the water and grabs the person in the water. While this is going on, FDNY members drop a ladder in the water, and insist on putting one of their own in the water, eventhough the person is "in-custody" for lack of a better term. Now the ESU member has to wait for the FDNY member to descend the ladder so him and the victim can climb the ladder out of the water. The FDNY member entered the water, and came right back up the ladder. What purpose did that serve other then to be the "it guy"? If we want to get technical, according to NYC CIMS, NYPD is the lead agency for all water incidents. What it comes down to is the A-type personality that the majority of us possess and everyone wants to be that "it guy", unfortunately sometimes people's judgements get clouded and irrational decisions are made on both sides, not just one. That's the only point I'm trying to make.
"Guys in Truck 4 are all aces, never had a single problem with them and they work with us well, and of course you cant paint with a broad brush, but it does happen and nothing is done to mediate it. "
Like I said before, I think as you get into the outer-boroughs, there's less drama overall. I don't have an answer as to why nothing is done to mediate it.
"Wonder why it doesnt happen in Yonkers?"
I don't know, maybe someone from Yonkers can chime in. Maybe it's a better working relationship. Maybe Yonkers ESU wants little to do with rescue work. Maybe we just don't hear about the problems. Maybe the current workload leads to few occasions where there's a potential for a problem. I honestly don't know.

Wrong. You pay taxes for State Troopers to protect lives and property. The old "my taxes pay your salary" argument is bull and you know it. You don't get to tell them what they do on a daily basis.
Its funny, everyone criticizes NYSP for not cooperating at accident scenes (and I don't agree with their policies on that issue) but when these particular Troopers cooperate as requested by the senior officer on a fire scene they're still wrong...
Do these grapes taste funny to you???

I don't know, I mean like two people posted something negative about the photo, the actions of the Troopers as directed by the Incident Commander. I think the blow back comments from that were a bit much, but I understand.
We all need to remember the major differences between the urban operation of emergency service, and those occurring in the 'burbs or the sticks. When you work for an organization of virtually unlimited resources, the delineation of responsibility is necessarily more defined.
However in the outer areas of cities and beyond those lines of responsibility become more blurred toward simply a common goal of eliminating a threat, or rescuing those in need, treating them. However it must be done, by whomever is tasked with the immediate or secondary responsibility.
I remember a mailman helping on of our guys raise a ground ladder to effect a rescue.
An ambulance operator hooking up a hydrant for a one man engine performing a forward lay.
It goes on.
If these three guys had been a couple of carpenters working next door, and the mailman, this story doesn't even surface. There are everyday people out there who regularly come upon emergencies they did not ask to be near, yet still spring into action to help victims and first responders.
We as a people are loaded with angst these days. We've lost our collective sense of humor. Many are so economically squeezed the pressure is almost unbearable. People are going crazy out there; too many of them.
Thank God there are still so many people on the side of civilization, who step up, who help out. That is what we a people still are, despite all the chaos around us. Stay safe.

And yet everyone (including myself) applauded members of the FDNY for backing up and assisting NYPD officers in Staten Island who were faced with a large unruly crowd.
Who's guarding the hen house? The other Troopers working. Those Troopers most likely would have been assigned to the fire scene anyways.
If a Firefighter taking one of my guns to help me in a firefight saves my ass or someone else's, I'm good with it. These Troopers didn't take the hose from anyone's hands, they were asked by the Fire Chief to help. Any cop would have stepped up and did the right thing.
The simple fact is web the crap hits the fan, emergency service providers step up and do the right thing for the communities we serve and for our fellow emergency service providers. These Troopers were not tasked with an interior attack, they were tasked with spraying some water on a fire from well outside the structure because the FD didn't have the manpower. If I was a homeowner, I'd be pretty damn grateful.

Interesting piece on the history of the Department and Washington H&L http://ossining.patch.com/articles/x-bde48dec

Date: 4/14/12
Time: 19:15
Location: 1409 Main Street
Frequency: 453.225 / FG 8 / Fire 10
Units Operating: Peekskill, Mohegan FAST, TL8, U12, American Red Cross
Weather Conditions: Warm, Dry
Description Of Incident:
Reporters: monty
19:28 Request Buchanan Cascade and Montrose Ladder on Standby in Montrose quarters
19:30 FAST team enroute
19:30 Coned Gas & Electric requested.
19:30 Montrose Ladder to relocate to TL45 quarters
19:34 Continental Village one engine to Station5 1195 Crompound Rd
19:35 Verplanck replocate one engine to Station 6 Wasington St
19:37 U12 - Buchanan cascade enroute.
C&O Zone 4 requested.
20:02 C&O on scene

No we are here to respond to emergencies, the majority of these are not emergencies and therefore it takes us away from other emergencies.
If we find the alarm went off for a "real" reason, like smoke from cooking. No problem. (unless we have been there 3,4, 5 times) then maybe the head needs to be moved. A little fine (that escilates) will convince them its cheaper to move it. If its dust from contractors, maybe the contractor will learn to work properly if the property owner hits him with the fine, otherwise we get to follow this contractor all over town.
No. We do not send PD or THe chief. But we need to correct the problem so its not a repeat. When you go to the same location over and over for a problem system, then the property is crying wolf. They will not get the same response from many depts. (as stated in the article).
We do over 1,000 of these every year, we are not going away, but after a while it does hurt moral.
Fair enough, but in busy depts, this is not as critical.
Our stats show its less than 0.1% turn out to be the "real thing". Thats about a dozen fires in 25,000 responses. We actually found the chance of find a fire was greater when we just drove down the road and spoted one. We also had far more fires that were phoned in for another location while we were out of position at automatic alarms.
Also remember, Alarm companies sell this service and promise property owners that they will keep them safe. Then they send us. Maybe they should have to give us a cut of the profits.

Wow, never heard such a uproar about a somewhat posititive article. I agree, the main point of the article was not to higlight the "whining firefighters" but to propose a solution to solve the problem. I don't care who you are, there's nothing good about false alarms. From the responses, it woud appear that no one here is thinking big picture and that folks just want to knee jerk and call names. Try thinking about big the big picture. Responding is dangerous, no one wants to get hurt only to find out the call was bogus and from a place you keep going back to. It takes resources to respond, whether no matter what type of dept....people mentioned tough times, guess what that includes municipal services. No one is saying don't respond but an unecessary response can be avoided, everyone wins. As for the manpower issue, perhaps morale is a bad word to use, but the issue is real. How many false calls can someone go on before they really upset their boss? How many times can the same address pop up before anyone gets burned out? I don't think the article mentioned punishing those have a false alarm, but those who are continually having false alarm and have been educated on how to alleviate the problem. If the fines allow the staff to continue doing what they do and help their community, why is that bad thing? The decision is about protecting and helping those who serve the community so they can continue to do so.

Wow....Mayor Pavia has pleaded with the Finance Board via a letter concerning his proposed fire plan and now he want's a sit-down meeting with them! When will he realize that his proposed plan is NOT in the best interests of public safety, not the forward movement of the fire service within the entire City of Stamford. Someone in the volunteer fire district (s) must have something huge on the Mayor for him to continue to push for this plan this hard. It seems hard for him to realize what the word NO means. Just think of this one proposed scenario and you tell me how it could possibley provide BETTER fire protection. One part of his proposal is to remove a 4 man staffed engine (24/7) with an engine staffed with 2 men (24/7)...how does anyone think that a reduction in staffing of two firefighters per shift IMPROVE fire protection???? If you believe this you must also believe that the "Jim Jones" cool-aid was the drink of choice! Come on people, wake up!

Date: 4-21-12
Time: 20:26
Location: 15 Ivy Hill Dr. (Google Maps)
Frequency: 46.26 (Dispatch), Fire 16, EMS 16, Fire 17, FG6, 155.850 (NCPD)
FD Units Operating: (Chappaqua FD: 2062, 2063, E144, E145, E146, R23, TL27 ) (Mount Kisco: FAST, 2284, 2281, 2283, E105, U13) (WCDES: BAT16, BAT13, BAT17, C&O Zone5, CC24,1405,) (NCPD) (NYSP) (Pleasantville: 2372, E260) (Bedford Hills: FAST, 2031, 2035, 2036, TL57) (Millwood: 2253, E247) (Yorktown: E273, 2531, 2536) (Ossining: 2331,2334 TL42, U51(FAST)) (Thornwood: E89, 2471, 2472) (CONED E&G)
EMS Units Operating: (NW Medic: 45M1) (Pleasantville VAC: 76B1, 76B2, 7605_REHAB) (Chappaqua VAC:54B1, 54B2) (Mt. Kisco VAC, 70B1, 70-REHAB) (American Red Cross)
Relocate to Chappaqua HQ: (Pleanantsville: 1 Engine) (Millwood: 2253,E247) (Thornwood: E89,2471, 2472) (Briarcliff Manor: E94, 2051)
Weather Conditions: Clear 55
Description Of Incident: Structure Fire in attached garage, extending onto structure
Reporters: fireboyny, firedude, ac316scu
20:26: Chappaqua dispatched for a structure fire at 15 Ivy Hill Dr
20:30: 60 control alerting units house has a shared driveway, use the driveway to the right
20:31: 60 Control notifying units, multiple calls, through the roof
20:31: 2062 confirms, 10-75 issued, 1st alarm assignment being toned out.
20:31: Dispatch for: Pleasantville - 1 engine, Mt. Kisco 1 Engine and Fast, BAT 16
20:32: 2062 Visible flames through the roof, poss extension on to structure
20:35: BAT16 unable to respond, page next BAT chief
20:38: BAT17 toned out for response
20:41: 60 control notifying units to operate of Fireground 6
20:52: 2062 Asking for appartus run down:
20:52: 60 control: ON SCENE is E105, E144, E145, R23, TL27, U13, 45M1, BAT17 (enroute), 45M1 (Enroute)
20:53: 2062: Send in Pleanantville E260
20:55: 2062 1.5 story, 2 Car garage, Fully Involved, mostly K/d, 3 l/s/o. Checking for extension, House is 100 X 40
20:55: Millwood to relocate 1 engine to Chappaqua HQ
20:59: 2062 requesting additional Fast team, Mt. Kisco put to work
21:00: Bedford Hills Fast requested
21:02: 2035, 2031 En-route
21:06: C&O Zone 5 toned out for responce
21:06: E260 on Location
21:08: BAT17 On Location
21:09: Chappaqua Command: Request E247 - Millwood to the scene, send in additional engine to cover
21:10: Thornwood, 1 engine to standby @ Chappaqua HQ
21:13: Bat17 to E247, per chappaqua command lay in from Annandale Rd to E260
21:13: E247 Has the hydrant
21:14: Bat 17 as per Command transmitting 2nd Alarm assignment
21:17: Car 2063 on Location
21:18: Chappaqua transmitting 3rd alarm
21:19: Bat 17: As per command Fire in the house, 2nd floor B Side 100' X 40'
21:19: Ossinining 1 Ladder, Yorktown 1 engine to the scene for the 3rd alarm
21:19: Armonk 1 engine relocate to Chappaqua HQ
21:20: As per BAT17 Mobile command (FC1) is NOT needed
21:24: Retone for Yorktown - 1 engine
21:26: 60 control 1 hour notification
21:27: Yorktown E273 assembling a crew and will be responding
21:28: As per Bat17: Ossining will be the new fast team
21:29: 2331 requesting tone out for FAST qualified members
21:30: Ossining FAST dispatched
21:33: as per 2063: Send E146 manpower directly to the scene
21:34: Bat 17: As per command have additional BLS respond in to Annandale Rd
21:37: CONED Elect. on location
21:43: 2331 and TL42 on location
21:51: BAT17 to E273 stage on avendale, send manpower to the scene
21:53: BAT17 reporting that C&O is on location
21:56: 60 control: 1.5 hour mark
21:56: As per 2334: U51(Ossining FAST) on location
22:00: Bat-17 reports Visible fire has been knocked down, units overhauling at this time
22:26: Incident has been going on for 2 hours as per 60 control
22:36: Bat-17: Release Mt. Kisco EMS
22:48: Bat 17: As per Chappaqua Command, Situation Is under control, companies still overhauling
22:54: Bat 17: As per command, U13 released (Mt. Kisco FAST)
23:11: Bat 17: As per command E89, and TL42 can return to service
23:22: 2474 reports that he is back in service
23:26: Incident now at the three hour time point
23:28: All Ossining units are back in service
23:30: E89 Back in service, reporting to quarters
23:30: Remaining Thornwood units back in service
23:36: Bat-17: Per command, Releasing Bedford Hills
23:42: as per 2031- All BHFD units are back in service
23:50: Yorktown units have been released as per command via. BAT-17
23:52: As per Chappaqua command, 76B1, 76B2, 7605_REHAB can return to service
23:56: as per 2536, Yorktown is back in service
00:02: BAT17: E247 has been released from the scene
00:09: 2253 is Back in service
02:59: Chappaqua Command terminated
Links:
Patch article lohud article Independent Fire Co. -Mt. Kisco

Date: 4/14/12
Time: 19:15
Location: 1409 Main Street
Frequency: 453.225 / FG 8 / Fire 10
Units Operating: Peekskill, Mohegan FAST, TL8, U12, American Red Cross
Weather Conditions: Warm, Dry
Description Of Incident:
Reporters: monty
19:28 Request Buchanan Cascade and Montrose Ladder on Standby in Montrose quarters
19:30 FAST team enroute
19:30 Coned Gas & Electric requested.
19:30 Montrose Ladder to relocate to TL45 quarters
19:34 Continental Village one engine to Station5 1195 Crompound Rd
19:35 Verplanck replocate one engine to Station 6 Wasington St
19:37 U12 - Buchanan cascade enroute.
C&O Zone 4 requested.
20:02 C&O on scene

A couple of links that I was sent on tonight's fire: http://www.thedailyp...treet-peekskill - has a couple of cool pictures and from http://t.co/HyUhG4wE

Date: 4/14/12
Time: 19:15
Location: 1409 Main Street
Frequency: 453.225 / FG 8 / Fire 10
Units Operating: Peekskill, Mohegan FAST, TL8, U12, American Red Cross
Weather Conditions: Warm, Dry
Description Of Incident:
Reporters: monty
19:28 Request Buchanan Cascade and Montrose Ladder on Standby in Montrose quarters
19:30 FAST team enroute
19:30 Coned Gas & Electric requested.
19:30 Montrose Ladder to relocate to TL45 quarters
19:34 Continental Village one engine to Station5 1195 Crompound Rd
19:35 Verplanck replocate one engine to Station 6 Wasington St
19:37 U12 - Buchanan cascade enroute.
C&O Zone 4 requested.
20:02 C&O on scene

Date: 4/14/12
Time: 19:15
Location: 1409 Main Street
Frequency: 453.225 / FG 8 / Fire 10
Units Operating: Peekskill, Mohegan FAST, TL8, U12, American Red Cross
Weather Conditions: Warm, Dry
Description Of Incident:
Reporters: monty
19:28 Request Buchanan Cascade and Montrose Ladder on Standby in Montrose quarters
19:30 FAST team enroute
19:30 Coned Gas & Electric requested.
19:30 Montrose Ladder to relocate to TL45 quarters
19:34 Continental Village one engine to Station5 1195 Crompound Rd
19:35 Verplanck replocate one engine to Station 6 Wasington St
19:37 U12 - Buchanan cascade enroute.
C&O Zone 4 requested.
20:02 C&O on scene

Date: 4/14/12
Time: 19:15
Location: 1409 Main Street
Frequency: 453.225 / FG 8 / Fire 10
Units Operating: Peekskill, Mohegan FAST, TL8, U12, American Red Cross
Weather Conditions: Warm, Dry
Description Of Incident:
Reporters: monty
19:28 Request Buchanan Cascade and Montrose Ladder on Standby in Montrose quarters
19:30 FAST team enroute
19:30 Coned Gas & Electric requested.
19:30 Montrose Ladder to relocate to TL45 quarters
19:34 Continental Village one engine to Station5 1195 Crompound Rd
19:35 Verplanck replocate one engine to Station 6 Wasington St
19:37 U12 - Buchanan cascade enroute.
C&O Zone 4 requested.
20:02 C&O on scene

I'm sure that people realize it but I'll say it anyway.
Just because you've disconnected a battery doesn't mean that an airbag will not fire. You still need to exercise caution around all airbags.

We idolized and memorialized Whitney Houston, yet looked the other way concerning her well known substance abuse and tumultuous life with singer Bobby Brown.
Charlie Sheen is 45 and his story is all over the news because he is a
substance abuser, an adulterer, sexually promiscuous and obnoxious.
Lindsay Lohan is 24 and her story is all over the news because she is a
celebrity drug addict and thief.
Something as frivolous as Kim Kardashian's stupid wedding [and
short-lived marriage] was shoved down our throats, While........
Justin Allen 23
Brett Linley 29
Matthew Weikert 29
Justus Bartett 27
Dave Santos 21
Jesse Reed 26
Matthew Johnson 21
Zachary Fisher 24
Brandon King 23
Christopher Goeke 23
and Sheldon Tate 27...
Are all Marines who gave their lives last month for you. There is no
media for them; not even a mention of their names.
Young Men who most likely came from rural America seeking a chance
to better themselves and to serve this county.
Rest In Peace, and THANK YOU,TROOPS.
This was an email i got and wanted to share it

Let me add a little insite to this topic that was NOT in the papers.
Local 801 has been in contract talks for about a year now. The topic of the safer grant and the employees being hired did not come on the table until the very end of negociations. The city accepted the SAFER grant a few months ago without saying anything about the new hires being under a new contract. A month before the new hires were to start the academy they all recieved letters in the mail that said their appointment was conditional on the union accepting the contract. This was never said, discussed,or even brought up to Local 801 until the very end.
The negociating committie was forced to bring a less then attractive TA back to the membership to vote on. The membership voted no. Shocker the next day the city stated they were turning down the grant. Let me give you some insight on the Pension for Danbury firefighters. They put in 5% towards their pension. O/T,Holiday pay,steipns,Uniform pay, etc is not included. They do not get time and a half for O/T just straight time. They do not get the best of anything just top step. At 27 years they can go out with 50% and full medical with no copay. THey can go out with 20 years at age 55 with 40% and full medical. Every year after 27 is 2% a year with a max of 68% I think. They can get an extra 5% Non Service releated disability. Pretty conservitive if you ask me. For an on the job career ending injury it would be 66 2/3 tax free with full medical.
The TA wanted this for new hires. 30 year retirement,6% towards their pension,35% cost sharing for medical upon retirement,an added pay step that had them starting at 71/2% less than they were told.Taking away the escalator which means when rank and file get a raise,retiree's get one. A sliding scale that states if they are injured on duty and are forced to retire they have to pay as much as 50% of their health care preminum. Around 10,000 for anyone with 0-9 years on. If they have to go before 25 years their pension is penalized a certain percent for every year before 25.
The current rank and file and also affecting new hires. 6% into our pension, Removel of the 5% non service related disability. Sliding scale for on the job injuries by having to pay a certain percent into health care. Being penalized for going before 25 years. Best of the last three years, this means if you retire and they gave a 7% raise your last year you wouldn't get it. No 24/72 hour shifts. 0% the 1st year and 7% spread out over the next three years for rasies.
The union presented the city with a HSA for health insurance that was going to save them roughly 80,000 a year. They are planning to put civilians in Dispatch which will move them to the PD and most likely eliminate 8 dispatcher postions which get top step LT pay. The new hires would have over manned evey shift which would have elimanated most of the overtime. The firefighters have the lowest amount of sick time in the entire city. The biggest problem was not protecting the members who were hurt on the job. With all these savings and the city having the lowest rate of unemployment in CT,The safest city,you can't excpect me to belive that they couldn't afford to leave the injury language alone and at least give the new guys their escalator. Tough times ahead.

Let me break this down .....
PESH/OSHA: all they care about is safety.... they could care less how you roll a hose or do forcible entry .... they do care about content when it comes to the main safety requirements (use of SCBA, bloodborne pathogens, that fun stuff) ... They did however put the requirement about how long the training should be.
The content ... how many hours for fire house safety, equipment safety, etc, .... that fun stuff was ........ NY State Fire Chiefs Assoc.
Basic Qualifications for firefighters.... that is NFPA but remember PESH/OSHA uses Standards under the General Duty Clause
Now all that said and done, my feelings and just my feelings, is all that above is just minimum. You are kidding yourself thinking that's all you want to do and to make your program just meet that. You want to do better ... you want to provide all the training and all the tools for your firefighters to be able to do their best ... in the safest way possible. You goal shouldn't be " oooooo let's meet what NFPA or OSHA says." Your goal is to be ... what I need to do to help my firefighters do what they need to do .... and to get them back home safetly to their family, the same way they left.
For those who don't know, besides all the years I have firefighting, I am the North Americian Safety Professional for a very large international company. To be honest, I know firefighting is a very dangerous job and sometimes our pride and tradition gets in the way. Accidents, as well as deaths, are preventable. All the firefighters that have lost their lives are heros, just like all of us that are still alive, each in our own way, are too. Last year the number of firefighter deaths are down. But, honestly can you see me going back to my company with stats like that.
I can see it now: "Well I would like to report we had a very good year last year, we lost only 84. Out of that 90% wasn't on the fire scene. A good precentage of those were from returing or responding to a call. And, many of those are from us not seeing the person and backing over them or driving too fast and not wearing seat belts."
After I gave a report something to that effect, I will be out the next morning looking on indeed.com for a new job.
Think about the deaths of our brother and sisters in this service, wouldn't you do anything to just have another minute with them. Now look at all the rest of your firefighters around, would you want to be the one to tell their family that they weren't coming home any more?
We need to stop .. career needs to do this, volunteer needs to do that .... OSHA says this NFPA says that . We need to say skip all that, what we need to do; is the best we can do and push for more. There is nothing more! I want you to do with your life is to sit back, and to for you enjoy your great grandkids, and all of us want you, as well as the rest of us to do the same.
Ok that was my sermon for today!

To answer a lot of the comments made about Patterson Fire, as I was the one who took the time to search for the grant, do the research, write the grant and then submit it we just got word of our award several days ago. As the NY Lottery says "you can't win if you don't play"
One of the requirements was to be in the surrounding communities and counties. The other requirement was not to just submit a wish list of useless equipment that would just be cool to have and never use.
Instead we submitted the grant with a plan. We are aggressively working to improve the towns water supply. By receiving these fund we would look to make much needed repairs to drafting hydrants that are out of service and install up to 21 drafting Hydrants in existing sources over the next couple of years.
This plan also consists of an ordinance that is scheduled to go infront of the town that would require new residential and commercial development to install either drafting hydrants in near by water sources or to install inground tanks.
This is all being done to provide the citizens of our town with a sufficient network of drafting Hydrants and as water supply is 40% of a towns ISO rating, we will be ready for them when the time comes to contact the in the far future.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtL5n4QuKp8&feature=youtu.be&a
Wonder if they've considered bringing in the bulldozer / track-hoe to raze the burning buildings? Got to be tough out there in the dark and with these temperatures.
Stay safe!