Bnechis

The citizens there and in most communities have no clue about the local FD. 
 
They are much more concerned with the goings on at the yacht club and the golf club.
 
Sadly it is neither a hoax or an April Fools Joke.
 
Thier former city manager said it best when he described the department as: "Staffed for Failure"

 
 
There's no allotment of paramedics in Westchester.  Every little town, village, city, district chooses whether or not they will provide ALS and to what level.  Further, they dictate the response policies that will be followed. 

To not have a comprehensive EMS system in 2016 in one of the wealthiest counties in the nation is pathetic and we have nobody to blame but ourselves.  I could add the same about the fire service but that's for another thread!
 
 

The town of Harrison is covered by 4 Fire Districts. Which one should they be merged with? 
 
and fire districts can not bill insurance for EMS, so major increase in taxes to cover the costs.

The town of Harrison is covered by 4 Fire Districts. Which one should they be merged with? 
 
and fire districts can not bill insurance for EMS, so major increase in taxes to cover the costs.

 
Sadly there is nothing in the NYS general municipal law that requires Emergency Medical Services.  to persons in NYS  for EMS to come out from behind the shroud of being the bastard 3rd service this is one of the first items that needs to be changed.    

Tell that to Transcare

Tell that to Transcare

 
MORE:
http://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/westchester/harrison/2016/03/31/lacking-funds-harrison-ems-suspend-service/82480952/
 
 

 
MORE:
http://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/westchester/harrison/2016/03/31/lacking-funds-harrison-ems-suspend-service/82480952/
 
 

The citizens there and in most communities have no clue about the local FD. 
 
They are much more concerned with the goings on at the yacht club and the golf club.
 
Sadly it is neither a hoax or an April Fools Joke.
 
Thier former city manager said it best when he described the department as: "Staffed for Failure"

The citizens there and in most communities have no clue about the local FD. 
 
They are much more concerned with the goings on at the yacht club and the golf club.
 
Sadly it is neither a hoax or an April Fools Joke.
 
Thier former city manager said it best when he described the department as: "Staffed for Failure"

Here is an interesting video that I thought might explain the kind of person Rye might be looking for as the next fire chief. Although this chief does seem to be quite educated.
 
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCFKMjiTme0

No mention of Blue Card certified

Let's be perfectly clear about this: the so called "logistical mess" was confined to the Westchester side of things last night.
 
Rockland units (Sheriff's marine unit, Stony Point FD marine unit, EMS on land) were all coordinated very well through 44-Control on Rockland's trunked system, including all involved agencies in direct communication on the Interop 1 talkgroup when necessary.  The Sheriff's marine unit was in constant contact with Coast Guard Sector NY on Marine 16, and also had direct contact with the tugboat.  They were also the first unit to board the vessel to provide aid. Stony Point's fire chief and marine unit were in direct and constant contact with the Sheriff's marine unit.
 
Notwithstanding the fact that the location was initially mis-reported and it took some time for the correct location to be determined (it happens, especially at night on the river), there were no issues otherwise with the Rockland side of things.
 
Note that this incident was on the Rockland shore, and that 44-Control notified 60-Control more or less as a courtesy than anything else.  Somehow, that turned into 60-Control dispatching just about every fire dept marine unit in the county, along with the WCPD marine unit.
 
Perhaps the real issue here is that it appears that Westchester units are allowed to self-dispatch, with no one actually managing resources. That does not happen in Rockland.  If 44-Control doesn't dispatch you, then you do not respond, plain and simple.
 
I was monitoring Fire 10 on the Westchester trunked system, and it was painful. You have a fire chief assuming command on the opposite shore 5 miles away from the actual incident? Really?
 
Next time maybe Rockland doesn't bother to notify Westchester at all when the incident is on the Rockland shore. If garbage like last night is the norm for Westchester, and no one can control the response, then just stay home.

This would only be of use if dispatchers were allowed to make decisions.

This would only be of use if dispatchers were allowed to make decisions.

I do not know GFD's details, but your assumption of 24 on duty (based on 96 assigned to suppression) is not likely unless they are backfilling about 20% of the time with ot. This is needed to cover contractual time off (vacation, personal days, sick etc.) it often does not cover long term service connected injury or sick leave. If they are not covering it, that would leave them closer to 19 per shift or 4 staffed rigs plus command with an aide.
 
How many engines do you think they need?
 
Greenwich is 67 sq miles. If properly located an engine company (based on ISO & NFPA standards) can cover 1.5 road miles in any direction, that's approximately 5 square miles. When a station is located along a distric (or in this case a state line) the area for that company is cut in half. Even at the maximum road distance of 5 miles, that's about 15 square miles, but your rating will be very poor.
 
now add truck companies, a rescue and tankers.......
 

If you still believe that, you must still be wearing 3/4 boots and fireball gloves.
The GFD has become a career department supplemented by the volunteers simply by call volume alone. It is totally unreasonable to expect volunteers to staff ALL 4000 plus incidents a year. Can't be done.
The majority of the ACTIVE volunteers are great people with a true desire to serve. But there are still a few "members" who consider the career staff "paid drivers" and will stand on their soapbox complaining that they are being picked on for being held to minimum standards regarding training and accountability. These "members" still conduct backroom politics to block funding and department policy changes because they don't want to lose their fiefdom.
Don't get me wrong. There are career staff who can be difficult to work with also. Not everybody is a model employee. But at the end of the day, both career and volunteer staff are there to help the citizens. But when you go to lengths to block funding or conduct backroom deals so you can retain your status you are doing the community and yourselves a disservice.
Before anyone says that I am volly bashing, I got my start in the volunteer fire service 40 years ago in one of the Greenwich fire companies (Sound Beach). I never forgot where I came from. I still retain that membership to this day. And I also volunteer in the town where I am currently residing for over 25 years. I also served 25 years on the career staff in Greenwich. So I think I am entitled to give my opinions since I have witnessed and dealt with the after effects of these situations first hand over the years.
So, the comments made by the above post still tell me that those members are still out there. They will stop at nothing they continue to block any kind of improvement that would benefit both the volunteer and the career staff and most importantly the citizens of Greenwich.
 
 

But it does not go out the window when you pull up and your told everyone's out.  Being told everyone is out does not mean a primary search is not needed and without more staff your options for an interior attack is delayed, allowing the fire to grow and making it more hazardous when the rest of the troops arrive 

But it does not go out the window when you pull up and your told everyone's out.  Being told everyone is out does not mean a primary search is not needed and without more staff your options for an interior attack is delayed, allowing the fire to grow and making it more hazardous when the rest of the troops arrive 

I do not know GFD's details, but your assumption of 24 on duty (based on 96 assigned to suppression) is not likely unless they are backfilling about 20% of the time with ot. This is needed to cover contractual time off (vacation, personal days, sick etc.) it often does not cover long term service connected injury or sick leave. If they are not covering it, that would leave them closer to 19 per shift or 4 staffed rigs plus command with an aide.
 
How many engines do you think they need?
 
Greenwich is 67 sq miles. If properly located an engine company (based on ISO & NFPA standards) can cover 1.5 road miles in any direction, that's approximately 5 square miles. When a station is located along a distric (or in this case a state line) the area for that company is cut in half. Even at the maximum road distance of 5 miles, that's about 15 square miles, but your rating will be very poor.
 
now add truck companies, a rescue and tankers.......
 

I do not know GFD's details, but your assumption of 24 on duty (based on 96 assigned to suppression) is not likely unless they are backfilling about 20% of the time with ot. This is needed to cover contractual time off (vacation, personal days, sick etc.) it often does not cover long term service connected injury or sick leave. If they are not covering it, that would leave them closer to 19 per shift or 4 staffed rigs plus command with an aide.
 
How many engines do you think they need?
 
Greenwich is 67 sq miles. If properly located an engine company (based on ISO & NFPA standards) can cover 1.5 road miles in any direction, that's approximately 5 square miles. When a station is located along a distric (or in this case a state line) the area for that company is cut in half. Even at the maximum road distance of 5 miles, that's about 15 square miles, but your rating will be very poor.
 
now add truck companies, a rescue and tankers.......
 

I do not know GFD's details, but your assumption of 24 on duty (based on 96 assigned to suppression) is not likely unless they are backfilling about 20% of the time with ot. This is needed to cover contractual time off (vacation, personal days, sick etc.) it often does not cover long term service connected injury or sick leave. If they are not covering it, that would leave them closer to 19 per shift or 4 staffed rigs plus command with an aide.
 
How many engines do you think they need?
 
Greenwich is 67 sq miles. If properly located an engine company (based on ISO & NFPA standards) can cover 1.5 road miles in any direction, that's approximately 5 square miles. When a station is located along a distric (or in this case a state line) the area for that company is cut in half. Even at the maximum road distance of 5 miles, that's about 15 square miles, but your rating will be very poor.
 
now add truck companies, a rescue and tankers.......
 

But it does not go out the window when you pull up and your told everyone's out.  Being told everyone is out does not mean a primary search is not needed and without more staff your options for an interior attack is delayed, allowing the fire to grow and making it more hazardous when the rest of the troops arrive 

But it does not go out the window when you pull up and your told everyone's out.  Being told everyone is out does not mean a primary search is not needed and without more staff your options for an interior attack is delayed, allowing the fire to grow and making it more hazardous when the rest of the troops arrive