firefighter36

Montgomery County Maryland had purchased a CAFS fleet of fire engines. CAFS was thought to be so effective that they switched their whole fleet of fire trucks over to it. Word on the street is that one of the volunteer fire companies refused the county CAFS engine and people said things like "Oh they are not progressive" or "what are they thinking?" or "they just don't want to get with the times". Currently, there is a general order out to not use the CAFS system on the engines. Seems like when you run some fires on a regular basis the true colors of CAFS come out. The issues they experiences may seem like training issues, but believe me they have one of the best training divisions around. Issues were, but not limited to losing tools at building fires in the bubbles, not being able to see stuff and being covered in the solution, maintance issues on their engines,and a considerable amount of time it took to flush every connection and discharge after each CAFS use.
Technology is great and I'm all for stuff to make my life easier on the line. However it is an expensive tool that may work but at what cost?
The International City/County Management Assocication (ICMA) recently completed a study on the Sandusky, OH Fire Department. The study can be veiwed here: http://www.ci.sandusky.oh.us/documents/ICMAFinalReportSFDOperations2011.pdf
The study refers to CAFS and FIT-5 Fire inturrupters as options to reduce staffing or equipment on the road, and essentially says that this equipment can compensate for inadequate management or failure to properly fund public safety operations by politicians. We know what it takes to battle a fire, and we know what kind of resources we require, however, we have to always look at what the other side is thinking, is this what we would want for OUR Fire Service?

What a standup guy. In contrast to cowardly chiefs like LAFD's, who tell the media that "no compromise in safety" as they close 20 companies.

Hopefully the arsonist is found, and justice is swift and blinding. May our brother's soul find peace.

Hopefully the arsonist is found, and justice is swift and blinding. May our brother's soul find peace.

My department has been using foam for quite a few years now, one of the original in the area from what I told (Mid-90's). Our brand new 51-11 which came to us last year has a very modern CAFS system. We by our own tradition are huge CAFS fans, it has great potential when proportioned and used properly. There are many instances when foam may not be the best choice right out of the gate or at all, but the majority of incidents can be mitigated faster and more efficiently using foam.
An example of both..
Our last barn fire on route 22, big fire, loss of roof early in the incident (2-3 minutes after IC and first-in units arrived), the old adage proved true for that fire: "Big fire, big water." CAFS does not have the same capability to be launched as far as straight water can.
My first structure fire, chimney fire with extension, heavy fire in the attic. A CAFS line to the attic access quickly knocked down all fire that had extended from the chimney in the matter of a minute or two.
Like anything else, CAFS is another tool in your bag. While it has a multitude of applications, it is not always perfect for every situation. The same can be said for water in hazardous materials fires, etc. Everything has its limitations. CAFS just gets a really bad rap in my mind because it is an affront to the very core of the actionable end of the fire service, water!

5 days a week of training to become a firefighter is a good start. Now add another 12 weeks.

Hopefully the arsonist is found, and justice is swift and blinding. May our brother's soul find peace.

Hopefully the arsonist is found, and justice is swift and blinding. May our brother's soul find peace.

To my knowledge, they've been doing this for several years now. Sounds like a dog and pony show for Astorinio off the backs of other people who have worked hard to make this happen. Maybe he should comment on increasing funding for more training.
Also, is the County Police Spokesperson now for DES as well, as noted in the article?

Update on this sad case, the fire has been declared arson.
http://www.firehouse.com/news/top-headlines/blaze-killed-nc-firefighter-declared-arson

I had the chance to attend a parade this past Saturday with my family, as my Wife and Son were marching in the band they belong too. MY department did not march, so I was able to watch...however, I had our 3 year old daughter with me, so most of my attention was with her...lol
I am NO Bill Johnson, nor do I have a great camera...just a point and shoot...but any picture is better than no picture.
BUT FIRST - A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT.
NO matter how cool you think you look, wearing your bell cap backwards is DISRESPECTFUL TO YOUR UNIFORM, YOUR DEPARTMENT, AND THE FIRE SERVICE AS A WHOLE.
For the life of me, I can NOT figure out why people do this!?
These are JUST the guys I saw before the parade...there were TONS MORE like this afterwards at the food tent...
(Disclaimer; YES, I am a dick, YES it bothers me THAT much, and NO, I had nothing better to do)

I had the opportunity to assist SFI's Gorman and Marshall, along with several others today, at a live burn for FF1 Training at the Dutchess County FIRE ACADEMY.
The schedule of events was building fires in the AM, and boring old car fires in the afternoon. I took many shots, but somehow broke the screen on my camera...so these are what they are..basically blind shots.
I do not have too many of the building burns, as I was assigned to lead one of the two search teams. I have a bunch of the car fires, a bunch of faces, and a tour of the facilty.
I MUST say, the training center has come A LONG WAY since I took Essentials in 1990...we had a 2 story concrete burn building...with no rooms...but we made due. Today's facilty has a great burn building, and MANY, MANY props and well outfitted tool compliment...KUDOS TO THOSE WHO WORKED TO ACHIVE THIS and thanks to the County staff for providing this facility for us. If you don't take advantage of these instructors and the training grounds - SHAME ON YOU!
On a side note - my Essentials Instructor was past FDMV Deputy Chief Ken Flood...

There have been some really terrific posts here so far. I'm just picking this one as a jumping off point for my opinion. The FDNY's policy has been eroded over the years by lazy individuals whining about not obtaining the job on their own merit. Do you need a BA/BS to be a good firefighter? Nope, not at all. I know many terrific firemen, and know of many before my time who they still tell stories about, who did not have a degree. There are many tradesmen who have skills and knowledge that lends itself to our craft and they did not go the college route.
That being said, the overwhelming majority of my co-workers have a 4 year degree. I think we're a better department for it. To quote someone who posted before me, "it teaches you how to learn" and that's an invaluable quality. The experience of going to college teaches you how to think objectively and analytically. Some people may have that trait innately, but a degree serves as an affirmation of that ability. In addition, attending college shows effort and drive. You actually had to put in the time and effort to achieve that Associates or Bachelors degree and guess what.....it's a lot of work. Putting in that time and effort shows that you MIGHT at the very least have the drive to be a self starter and a motivated employee. Firemen are often in a position of having to think and make decisions independently and they're better off with a deeper well of experience to draw from.
With today's increases in the diversity of our workload, our interaction with the public has increased as well. We don't just sit behind closed doors until we head into a fire and then go home. We interact intimately with the public on EMS runs, fire prevention initiatives, class visits and fire inspections to name a few. In every example, education can do nothing but help.
Having a college degree doesn't make you a smart individual and they're are plenty of bright articulate people who don't have a formal higher education. However, with a civil service hiring process and it's simplicity, pre-requisites do nothing but help to distinguish a more qualified candidate. Even if obtaining some degree serves only to show that someone put in the extra effort.
The FDNY's current hiring standards are pathetic. 15 college credits (one silly semester) or 6 months of work experience. That's right, go flip burgers for 6 months, you're in! It's a tragedy to lower standards and to do it simply to increase the number of minority members is embarrassing to every member of a minority group who puts in the effort and it's a serious dis-service to the people of New York who deserve the best. Historically, the acceptance rate to the FDNY is between 8 and 10%. That's pretty low. If you have tens of thousands of people testing for, at most, a couple of thousand positions......you should be able to demand very high standards. They're obviously not having any trouble filling positions. The only people who I've heard complain about standards are those who haven't put in the time, effort, care or thought to take the many free assistance tools available to them.

At a recent parade, I sat directly opposite a NYSP Trooper on a traffic post.
EACH and EVERY time, the stars and stripes passed by, he saluted with the most crisp salute I have ever seen. Many of the bystanders commented on it as well...all were impressed by his actions.
Well Done Trooper, remain safe.

In some fire depts. the Federal courts have said that requiring a degree discriminates against some canditates, so only a HS deploma is a requirement. This rule has been in effect for 30 years.
Our Police dept. requires an associates to get hired, BA/BS for Sgt., Masters for LT.
We use to have parity in our pay, but thats long gone....hmmmmmmmmmm Who's smarter those with or those without?

I will agree with your assessment to a certain degree. In most cases you don't need a college degree to be a firefighter. However there is a certain amount of maturing that you obtain in your years at college. The ability to organize, prioritize, execute and summarize is honed during your college studies. I have seen first hand that in my career, it was those who attended some form of post high school training did better on the promotional exams. I also saw a probie that who barley made it out of high school not able to understand the 24 hour clock.
When I was in high school I considered going into the F.B.I. I was told that the F.B.I. wouldn't consider any applicant unless that person had a 4 year college degree. I was told it could be for basket weaving (I was in HS in the early 70's). The reason was that they want the applicant to have that 4 years of the maturing process.
The bottom line is in my experience those who had at least a 2 year associates degree or better, advanced quicker and higher than those who didn't.

Well another week has passed and that means I'm one week closer to getting home for R&R...6 more to go. Speaking of home I think this entry may be somewhat more personal than most because as I get closer to home I find myself thinking more and more about it. Now I'm not the emotional or sentimental type (according to my wife... ) other than the occasional angry outburst, but in keeping with the idea of giving a clear, albeit personal, view of life here for those that may want to embark on this path, I think in todays installment I'm going to share a little more on the trials and tribulations but equally important the positives and benefits of life here.
First off let me digress back to home and the universal malady that affects everyone here....homesickness. Yep even hardened firemen miss home at times, especally those of us with wives and children. For me yesterday was another reminder of what I'm missing. My wife attended the wedding of a friend and later after they were sent, I looked at the pictures. Everyone was happy, as they should be, and life went rolling merrily along except that I, perhaps selfishly, was,...well, saddened. This because of the fact that I was not the one standing beside my beautifully stunning wife enjoying the nuptials of a friend. As we all know sacrifice is a part of all of our lives, and we all accept that as a part of who and what we are. But in some respects it may be just a little bit more so for those that choose to work over here...we can't get relief guys to cover a shift so we can take half a nite or day off for a child's school play or big football game, holidays or birthdays or whatever. You give up alot coming here and again I'm not crying about that, I'm just making anyone interested aware that life will go on without you back home. And sometimes missing those parts of life can leave a large void. Some can't take it. I recall my first deployment to Iraq, my roommate, who also traveled to the camp with me, was there only 3 days and realized he couldn't do it, he couldn't become frozen in time and space in the sandbox. And in some ways that's what working here is like...we call it Groundhog day. At times it seems as if the clock is just spinning here and not moving forward, it stays the same for what feels like an endless cycle of days and nights simply repeating themselves where even the weather doesn't change. This sentiment invariably gets stronger for everyone here as events, good and bad, unfold back home. You quickly come to realize that you are not really an active part of the life back home anymore and have no control over it. Many accept this fact but for those that don't, most quit at their first R&R after they've arrived home and just can't come back because of that realization. Of course this epiphany is really only a minor inconvenience for us, as we can leave any time we want, but for the military it is a situation that is far more than an inconvenience and I am in no way trying to compare the two. In the end anyone thinking of coming over here must have the full understanding of what they will give up, and in some cases that sacrifce can extend all the way to wives and families as couples become lonely and grow apart. Many a marriage has come to a bitter end for guys here as the partners, both here and at home, seek solace to fill the voids.
Ok enough melancholia.
For all the trials and tribulations that have graced these last few installments there is a flip side to the coin. There are positive aspects and benefits to working out here which go beyond the obvious financial ones although that is a good place to start. This contract I'm currently on is one of the lower paying ones and I have no problem telling all that I stand to make just about 80K per year here as a Crew Chief (Engine Co. Officer). A firefighter can expect between 60-70K here at Kandahar. Not that anyone cares but the reasons I took this particular job are threefold of equal importance:
1. The pay, I do have a family to support
2. The desire to support and protect our troops in their mission here
3. The leave (R&R) package. We get 30 days off every 90 days with full pay. And for this family man that is a huge attraction and benefit of greater personal importance than the money alone.
Now as I said this is one of the lesser paying FD jobs out there, and for most guys out here money is naturally the most important motivator. Most jobs pay well over 100K a year with 30 days off annually. Crew Chiefs regularly pull in between 140-150K and Chiefs up to 200K. with 91.5 K being tax free for all. So as you can see this can be a lucrative means of making living. When done right a semi intelligent person can make their life here open doors that would have probably remained closed otherwise. And of course the money allows for many of the other "perks" that come from our efforts.
Travel, who wouldn't like to take long expensive vacations. Most firemen here do, especially the single guys. A single guy with half a brain can see the world and still have a good deal of money left over to build a life back home. Start a business, go to school, buy a house..I think you get the idea there. Or for the less prudent, splurge, go nuts and indulge every perverse whim that strikes your fancy in places like Thailand or the Phillipines, both of which hold the top spot as destinations for the single set here. A single colleague is going to Bali, yeah that paradisical island, for a month come October. Rio, Europe and Greek Isles or the Costa del Sol and Monaco, Japan, China and the rest of Asia, Hawaii...you name it and guys have gone there with the money they've made here. The possibilities are almost endless for the single. Of course for the more subdued or the family men, well it's really nice not to ever have to worry about paying a bill. Or better yet to work a year or two and pay off and OWN your house. How about treating the kiddies to all those things you never had as a kid and treating your wife to the things she deserves for putting up with you, because you can. Maybe take the family on a cruise at a whim. Here's another important one to any parent..college tuition in the bank. These are just some of the things made possible from the money earned working out here.
Self indulgences, yeah there's alot of that too. Cars, boats, motorcycles and all the newest, latest and greatest gadgets or electronic devices and toys out there have been bought outright by guys here. Clothes, jewlery, food, and "wine, women and song" along with just about anything else you can think of can be yours for your time and efforts. Here's one that tops the list for alot of the married guys...new boobs for the wife (thankfully I don't share that "need" as my wife is amply appointed in that department). Yeah that's right, all you plastic surgeons rejoice, I'll bet almost a quarter of the guys I've worked with over the years have invested in, as the joke says, that one of the two things fathers play with that's meant for the kids...the other being toy trains. But alas, of that quarter more than half have found themselves without that investment to play with after all as their wives have moved on to "bigger" and better things...maybe because as men we don't enjoy the luxury of being able to enhance our natural attributes. Well enough about that, as I'm sure you all get the picture as far as the money goes, other than to say that for me personally my time and the money earned over here past and present, has afforded my family and me the opportunity to live a modest yet relatively comfortable life..and that is worth putting up with any depravation as far as I'm concerned.
There are of course other far less tangible benefits to working out here which, depending on your personality, can be very rewarding. For most, supporting the troops is, if not tied with first among the reasons to be here, certainly one of the top five. Patriotism abounds out here especially with the Canadians, Brits and us Americans and I have seen it lived on every deployment I've been on. I too feel a deep sense of responsibility and pride in working for my Country and our military, even if it is indirectly. We regularly go above and beyond or to use the business term, "push the limits of the SOW" (scope of work) when dealing with the troops because to the vast majority of us they deserve at least that. Those that don't believe in "helping out" usually don't hang around too long, since they quickly come to find out (with a little help) that this isn't the kind of place for them.
Then there's the work. I love being a fireman and have since I was 16, (for those who feel that as a volunteer back home I am not one, well I won't even dignifiy that idiotic view with a response). Quite honestly it is probably the only thing I'm even remotely good at and I don't hold a candle to most of you. Anyway, while this isn't a major metropolis with fires and incidents every day, nor do I want to give that impression, all things being considered we do get relatively busy and we do a very diversified bit of work out here. Many guys (myself included) have taken advantage of this and the opportunites that have presented themselves. We have had both the good fortune and desire to take a number of training classes and attain certifications that we may not have otherwise been able to. These along with the work have been translated into practical experience both here and back home for most of us. For me, I have now spent a number of years as a Company officer out here as well, and this has put me in a position to deal with issues and gain experience to better serve back home. This again is a "perk" worth well beyond it's weight in gold, at least to me.
Another attraction, and to some of us a benefit, is the adrenaline rush of working in a environment which is full of dangers in addition to the normal fireground ones. Being in a war zone (and make no mistake this is an active one) is just the kind of lifestyle suited to those of us who, like me, thrive in crisis. I'm sure everyone here can relate, at least on some level, to the satisfaction we get from doing a good job while facing the life threatening dangers presented by our nemesis..Fire. You get that same satisfaction here along with the satisfaction of facing down people that want to maim and kill you at every turn. Again not to mislead, this is not the front lines and I'm not saying we face anywhere near the dangers of the troops, but the possibilty of an untimely death at the hands of a cunning, determined and fanatical enemy is ever present and doing our duty in spite of it can be, and for some is, very rewarding.
This job, like my previous tours has also given many of us an opportunity that I am positive we would not have otherwise had, the opportunity to meet and work with firemen from all over the U.S. and now the world. For some that may mean nothing and that is fine, but for others (again myself included) this work presents an opportunity to not only expand, but share our knowledge and experience far beyond what would have been possible at home. The work over here, by it's very nature, puts a variety of skill sets and methods together and forces them to meld into a working fire department. While some may see this as a drawback it is in reality a chance to build fire service from the ground up using the insights, knowledge and experiences of all of the personnel available. It may sound chaotic and in a sense it is. But I have been fortunate I guess in that for me, most times have found that for our efforts the results have been far more suprising and in the end rewarding than anyone thought possible. And in an extension to just the job itself, working these contracts can open up the world to those who want it in the form of friendships made out here. There are not many places with such a diverse population as there is stationed here where a firemen can spend the day making friends with a group of people from Romania in the morning, England at lunch and any number of other nations (including the locals), stationed here for dinner? The cultural and historical facets of all of these diverse groups is here and for those interested, open to exploration.
Well I seem to be getting a little (or alot) long winded so I'll cut it off there.
In closing I can only say that which I've said before...life here is, as it is everywhere, what you make of it. Guys that make it over here tend do so because they come in with eyes and minds wide open, so if the idea of working here is stirring in your brain, just try to remember that simple premise. To that end I have tried to paint as realistic and objective a picture of life here for you as I can, I hope I have done so thus far.
There is some news and I am still going to share the differences between UK and U.S. tactics, but since I've droned on long enough here we'll save those for another day.
As aways stay safe
and thanks for protecting the homefront
Cogs

Along with Vegas, Phoenix, Rochester, Seattle or Portland, I don't recall which...maybe even both, and there were probably more. A lot of departments were in NYC (mainly at John Jay, IIRC) back when you couldn't give law enforcement jobs away, before the economy nosedived and we civil servants suddenly became such a greedy, overpaid drain on everyone.

I am a volunteer firefighter /EMT and am also serving my country in the USAF. I am thinking about getting out of the military soon and am planning on take the test for the FDNY. It is really unfortunate that because of a small group of ppl that did not have the educational background to full fill their dream ruined it for those who made it in class 6019. Now I know that my pride as firefighter and as a Puerto Rican, it would piss me off that when I pass this new test for the FDNY. It will be cheapened by the fact that these ignorant ppl have lowered the bar so they could make it. I don’t know how they can live with themselves furthermore aspire to be fire fighters in the FDNY. This job is not for those faint of heart who will complain if it gets to hot or their tired, Giving up in this line of work is not an option. Sorry I got on my soap box but I love what I do and I hope to have the honor of working with all of you some day. GOD BLESS.

I started driving an ambulance at 19, while working for a commercial service. I became a fire apparatus operator when I got hired at my job at the age of 21.
That being said, in my volunteer fire days, I did not drive or pump, and it was great, because I was too busy learning the inside of every building, every hydrant I would have to dress, and every task that would be expected of me. I was too busy to want to drive because I wanted to learn how to be a firefighter first. Not an engineer, not a captain or a chief, a firefighter. I think alot of people get into this business and want to jump right up the chain of command, get on he driver list, and the like.
There is a great deal to be said about being a smart firefighter. Its not about who has the biggest collection of certificates or the most badges, its about who can be a part of the team and contribute to the cause. Its also about having the maturity and gumption (some get it sooner than others) to deal with the dicey situations we find ourselves in.
There is an entire lifetime to drive an emergency vehicle. But without properly trained workers to handle the emergencies, those vehicles are worthless. They are also worthless if they don't get to a scene. Perhaps paramount, the operator should also be keenly aware of every task his crew is expected to perform, and that comes with experience and training.
That is the end of my diatribe.

I started driving an ambulance at 19, while working for a commercial service. I became a fire apparatus operator when I got hired at my job at the age of 21.
That being said, in my volunteer fire days, I did not drive or pump, and it was great, because I was too busy learning the inside of every building, every hydrant I would have to dress, and every task that would be expected of me. I was too busy to want to drive because I wanted to learn how to be a firefighter first. Not an engineer, not a captain or a chief, a firefighter. I think alot of people get into this business and want to jump right up the chain of command, get on he driver list, and the like.
There is a great deal to be said about being a smart firefighter. Its not about who has the biggest collection of certificates or the most badges, its about who can be a part of the team and contribute to the cause. Its also about having the maturity and gumption (some get it sooner than others) to deal with the dicey situations we find ourselves in.
There is an entire lifetime to drive an emergency vehicle. But without properly trained workers to handle the emergencies, those vehicles are worthless. They are also worthless if they don't get to a scene. Perhaps paramount, the operator should also be keenly aware of every task his crew is expected to perform, and that comes with experience and training.
That is the end of my diatribe.

I'm going to disagree with Texastom791 above. While there are exceptions to every rule....you can't write laws and regulations for exceptions. You have to blanket everyone. Now, I'm not claiming to be old and wise, but I'm old enough to realize how little you know and how shallow your depth of experience is when you're....say under 25 (give or take, of course). Operating an emergency vehicle is a tremendous responsibility and it's one that, i feel, is beyond the scope of the average teenager. It's no coincidence that your auto insurance rates drop dramatically when you turn 25, or that a rental car company won't let you one of their cars until you've cleared that age. People in under that age have a dramatically higher accident rate. This rate is even more pronounced for the ages 16-19. If you fall into that catagory, you shouldn't be operating an emergency vehicle.
I'm sure that some enterprising and ambitious teens will not like this post, relax, it's not a dig. And while you might feel yourself capable today, you have to leave that in the hands of someone with greater knowledge and foresight. That person is not me, by the way . Relax, there's no rush. You've got plenty of time to drive.
What do ya wanna drive for anyway? Hook up and look up? I don't know about you, but I'd rather have the nozzle!

I started driving an ambulance at 19, while working for a commercial service. I became a fire apparatus operator when I got hired at my job at the age of 21.
That being said, in my volunteer fire days, I did not drive or pump, and it was great, because I was too busy learning the inside of every building, every hydrant I would have to dress, and every task that would be expected of me. I was too busy to want to drive because I wanted to learn how to be a firefighter first. Not an engineer, not a captain or a chief, a firefighter. I think alot of people get into this business and want to jump right up the chain of command, get on he driver list, and the like.
There is a great deal to be said about being a smart firefighter. Its not about who has the biggest collection of certificates or the most badges, its about who can be a part of the team and contribute to the cause. Its also about having the maturity and gumption (some get it sooner than others) to deal with the dicey situations we find ourselves in.
There is an entire lifetime to drive an emergency vehicle. But without properly trained workers to handle the emergencies, those vehicles are worthless. They are also worthless if they don't get to a scene. Perhaps paramount, the operator should also be keenly aware of every task his crew is expected to perform, and that comes with experience and training.
That is the end of my diatribe.

Great news for the lower Hudson Valley Fire Service, Firematic's new apparatus repair and maintenance facility is finally operational! We are still working on finishing the construction of the offices, pump test pit and a few other amenities, but the shop is open and up and running. The pic's attached show Somers Rescue BRAT getting the pump repaired and MT Kisco Independent's Engine 105 getting the side discharge's replumbed. Thank you very much to both Somers and Mt Kisco for being the 1st two (2) departments to utilize our new shop!
Mike Hanratty
VP Sales & Service
Firematic Supply Co Inc
Cell 860-883-4167
Desk 860-967-0904

Then you NEED that Union.
Welcome.