SageVigiles

While layoffs make the news we need to keep in mind many cities are not filling positions when guys are leaving the job.

To all my Public Service Brothers and Sisters, but mainly LEO's. Today is Dec 1, what starts what we call SUS or Sitck Up Season. Please Be aware of your surroundings no matter what time of day. In these hard Economic times, people are resorting to comminting many types of crimes to provide for themselves or their families. If you see or hear something that doesn't seem right, it probably isn't. If you are home during the day, watch for packages being delievered to your neighbor's and watch for people removing same from your neighbors houses. Many people will be attending CHRISTMAS PARTIES at all times of the day and night which could result in Robberies and DWI's, always keep your heads on a swivel. It's hard enough for us in LE to go to work during the HOLIDAY SEASON, but it's alot more important that we make IT HOME TO OUR FAMILIES TO ENJOY THE HOLIDAY SEASON! BE SAFE!!!

Engine 121 comes back home to Montrose.

...for what one might consider is a relatively benign topic, this particular one gets more than it's fair share of coverage.

The topic of warning lights for volunteer firefighters has been discused many times on these forums. Here are some examples...
POV's
Very expensive Blue Light
N.Y. Passes New Emergency Light Law
Warning Lights on Con Ed Trucks
Mounting Lights
Wanton Disregard of the Law?
Flashing Blue Road Rage
Rear Facing Red lights
Blue Lights for all emergency service vehicles
BLUE LED's on MTA Busses
Would you still volunteer.......
Volunteer POV's In CT- Courtesy Lights?
NYS Blue Light Law
Fed up with bad drivers?
Trooper Hits, Arrests Firefighter En Route to Call
New NYS Law- "The Blue Light Bill"
Green Lights for VACs Personal Vehicles
Volunteers with Red Lights
Blue Light Laws for NJ?

Here we go agian...
According to NJ State Law, drivers are required to yeild to all emergency vehicles. In NJ, volunteer firefighter POVs are considered emergency vehicles. So yes, its the law.

This was an active FDNY member non-LODD funeral recently upstate. The members of this brothers company decided to give him this send-off. The FDNY Pipes & Drums led the procession as a few hundred members stood along the road in their uniforms. Local fire departments were asked to use their tower ladders to hang a large flag for the procession to pass under. This is the way they chose to respect him. Every fire department/company has the right to honor their own the way they see fit, and Mahopac did.

If that is a person convicted of arson it has nothing to do with what is being viewed here. And if you listen to the audio you can clearly hear people shouting to him where to place the device and what to do. This video is old by the way..it wasn't as if it was taken yesterday. So who is actually the idiots here? A newer member who is manipulated into doing something they have no idea what they are doing? Or the ones who facilitated an unsafe act for nothing other then what can be considered hazing in a form?
I love how so many of you have harsh comments..but yet I could come watch your dept. training and find things that I find unsafe, backwards etc..and that's in formal training.
This one just happens to be an impromptu event with a gang of young people..I will not use the term firefighter..egging on a member to do something extremely egregious. And make no mistake...for the time this was seen by some around the area..long before it hit you tube...the ones on the ground should be suspended or IMHO I would have booted them.

I wonder if they are under any court orders to dumb-down their exams so even more people can "qualify" for an extremely limited number of highly competitive job openings?

Pleasant Valley fire uncovers drug operation
Firefighters find hydroponic marijuana operation inside
You never know what your going to find.

"Pleasant Valley Command to 911....dispatch the Ladies Auxillary to the scene...with 50 pizzas...some Cheetos...and Skittles...we need Skittles!"

Yes they all do deserve a LODD Funeral. You want to talk to someone who has experienced each one of those instances you can call the following people:
Joe D's dad Deputy Chief DiBernardo
The following people for the deaths they sustained from the direct work they did at the WTC;
Adrian, Sandra - NYPD
Albanese, Vincent - FDNY
Alexander, Robert – National Guard
Allen, George - OSHA
Arrington, Gerald - FDNY
Baez, Alex - NYPD
Bales, Theodore – Trade
Bellan, Robert - Trade
Benditt, Richard M. - FD PHILADELPHIA
Berger, Philip - FDNY
Biondi, John - EMT
Bolusi, Frank - NYPD
Borcherding, Robert - FDNY
Borg, Jerry - Civilian
Borgese, Andrew - FDNY
Borja, Caesar - NYPD
Brand, Dave - Trade
Brinkworth, Russell - FDNY
Brophy, Thomas - NYPD
Brown, Carene - FDNY
Brown, Harry - Driver
Bulger, Ed - Trade
Burhman, Robert –Trade
Burke, Richard - FDNY
Byrnes, Kevin - FDNY
Capo, Patrice - Volunteer
Capobianco, Carl - FDNY
Carlo, Madeline - NYPD
Cassidy, Kevin - FDNY
Celentani, Gary - FDNY
Chelsen, Roy - FDNY
Clark, Charles - NYPD
Cleary, Haydee - Volunteer
Clyde, John - Trade
Cole, Charles –NCPD/ESU
Colleluori, Joseph - FDNY
Conroy, Daniel – NYPD
Cordaro, Vincent - Trade
Cortazzo, John - PAPD
Costello, Joseph - FDNY
Czartoryski, Kevin - NYPD
Daley, Joan - FDNY
DeBiase, Mark - Trade
Delano Sr, Kevin - FDNY
Devilla, Rene - Trade
Diaz, Cory - NYPD
Didomenico, Rudy - EMS
Dillon, Robert - FDNY
Doyle, James - Transit
Driscoll, Tom - FDNY
Dudziec, James - NYPD
Duffy, John – Transit
Dunbar, Renee - NYPD
Dunn-Jones, Felicia - Civilian
Ehmer, Robert - NYPD
Ellicot, Brain - FDNY
Faraone, Heather – Volunteer
Farcia , John - FDNY
Ferraro, Edward - NYPD
Farrenkopf, Peter - FDNY
Feser, Donald - NYPD
Fisher, Elmis - NYPD
Ford, Robert - FDNY
Foss, Bruce - FDNY
Franklin, William – FDNY
Galfano, Barry – NYPD/ESU
Garcia, John - FDNY
Ghussin, Fred - NYPD
Gilpin, Edward - NYPD
Godbee, James - NYPD
Goggin, John - NYPD
Graves, Harry - Vol Firefighter
Grossman, Robert - NYPD
Gyuris, Louis - Trade
Hanrahan, Claire - NYPD
Harris, Bill - Firefighter
Hauber, Ray - FDNY
Hawe, Jerry - FDNY
Hawkins, Kevin -NYPD
Hayes, Philip - FDNY
Helmke, Robert - NYPD
Hendrickson, Erik - Firefighter
Hernandez, Felix - FDNY/EMT
Hess, Robert - FDNY
Hodges, Thomas - FDNY
Holfester, William - NYPD
Hurly, Martin - FDNY
Iacono, Giovanni - NYPD
Incarbone, Anthony - FDNY
Jakopii, Jure - NYPD
Jakubowsky, Richard - NYPD
Johannemann, Kevin - Civilian
Johnson, Leroy - DOT
Johnson, Stephen - FDNY
Johnson, Vanclive - FDNY
Johnston, Louise - NYPD
Jones, James - Volunteer
Kaplan, Michael -Trade
Kavakos, Gary - FDNY
Kaye, James - FDNY
Keller, Tim - FDNY/EMT
Kelly, Ronald – NYPD
Kendrick, Michael - Trade
Knecht, David - Trade
Landolfi, Joseph - Sanitation
Larosa, Mike - FDNY
Lee, Kevin - NYPD
Levy, Gavriel - DOT
Lockwood, Timothy - FDNY
Lopez, Alex - FDNY
Macari, Frank - NYPD
Macchio, Andrew - Sanitation
Mahoney, Sister Mary - Civilian
Mahmoud, David - NYPD
Malloy, Brian - FDNY
Mannetta, Richard - FDNY
Martin, Tom - NYPD
Marx, Larry - Trade
Mauro, Vito - NYPD
Mausberg, Gary - NYPD
Marzocchi, William - Trade
McAllan, Richard - EMS
McCaffery, Thomas -Trade
McCarthy, Jackie - NYPD
McCarthy, Jessy, Trade
McCarthy, Sean - FDNY
McCauley, Brian- NYS Fire Patrol
McCormick, Ryan -EMS
McLoughin, Kevin – FDNY
McMurry, Christopher - NYPD
McNamara, John - FDNY
Milosevich, Chad - Trade
Mitchell, Darren, - Trade
Mohamed, Brian – NYPD
Morales, Michael - NYPD
Moreau, William - FDNY
Mosiello, Steven – FDNY
Murray, John - FDNY
Natal, Reinaldo - FDNY
Navarra, Vic - FDNY
Nicosia, Robert - NYPD
Nuccio, Anthony - FDNY
O’Connor, William - FDNY
O’Neill, John – FDNY
Ortiz, Edwin - NYPD
Oswain, Robert - NYPD
Ott, Patrice - NYPD
Otten, Dick - FDNY
Pallas, Paul - PAPD
Paultre, Jacques - FDNY
Pearson, Brendon - EMS
Pennington, Glenford - NYPD
Peluso, Angelo - NYPD
Phillips, Samuel - Trade
Picurro, Joe - Ironworker
Quibell, Greg - NYS Corrections
Quick, Billy - FDNY
Ragucci, Ray - FDNY
Rasmussen, Edward - Trade
Reeve, Deborah - FDNY/EMT
Reilly Jr, Edward - FDNY
Reilly, Robert - Engineer
Rex, Gerald - NYPD
Rice, Robert- NYPD
Rivera, Roberto - NYPD
Roberts, Thomas - FDNY
Rodriguez, Paula - FDNY/EMT
Rogers, Kevin - Trade
Rooney, Philip - NYC DOT
Roberto, Charles - Trade
Rosario, Freddie – FDNY/EMT
Ryan, James - FDNY
Ryan, Michael - NYPD
Sanders, Etta - Media
Sanders, John - Trade
Santimarian, Anthony - Trade
Seabrook, Joseph – NYPD
Sealey, Clyde - FDNY
Schor, Robert - NYC Corrections
Shagi, Michael - FDNY
Simmons, John - Trade
Simmons, Martin - FDNY
Smith, Bobby - Trade
Smith, Harold - NYPD
Smith, Stephen - NYPD
Snadecky, Mark - Bridge & Tunnels
Sofia, Michael - FDNY
Sollazo, Michael - Trade
Stadelmann, John - NYPD
Stuck, Fredrick - Sheriff
Stewart, Daniel - FDNY
Sullivan Jr, John - FDNY
St. George, William - FDNY
Tancredi II, Jimmy - FDNY
Teague, David - Trade
Thomas, Jevon - Trade
Thompson, Edward - NYPD
Tietjen, Edward - FDNY
Tropea, William - FDNY
Vatter, Paul - EMT
Vaughan, John - FDNY
Viania, Bruce - PAPD
Vidro, Christopher - Security
Voight, Walter - FDNY
Wanamaker Jr, Harry - FDNY
Weiber, Robert - FDNY
Weintraub, Ronald - NYPD
Wiebicke, Randy - FDNY
Williamson, Robert – NYPD
Wilson Jr, William - FDNY
Winter, Richard - NYPD
Wong, George - NYPD
Yorganson, Matthew - Trade
Young, John - NYPD
Yurek, Stephen - PAPD/EMT
Zadroga, James - NYPD
Zane, Robert - NYPD
And if you want to go local if you don't know any of those people I can arrange for you to meet with some of the local widows.
For the rest I would have to dig deeper than what I deal with on a daily basis.
A guy who gets killed at home should not get the same treatment as a guy or girl who was killed at work doing their job, bottom line.

So, do you think Lt Dibernardo deserves a LODD funeral? What about the dozens of firefighters that have died as a direct result of their work at the world trade center? How about a firefighter that survives the initial injuries only to succumb to an infection weeks or months later?
Do the cause of the death make a difference? What if it was being struck by a car while getting the meal, getting trapped while trying make that last push to save a civilian, or contracting a disease on an EMS run?
Do we draw the line at the source of ailment that kills someone? Does the obese freighter that dies from an MI while climbing the steps to the bunk room deserve the same send off as the guy who's MI was caused by vasospasm from smoke inhalation?
There are so many variables and so many places that once you start drawing concrete lines you wind up excluding people that shouldn't be. Personal I'd rather see too many get that hookie than not enough. As others have said the difference between a Line of Duty and regular funeral is palpable to anyone who has witnessed one.

Not trying to be confrontational, but I think each department should do what works best for it and the family regardless of public opinion; if people are offended by the type of Department service rendered, they don't have to attend the funeral. I'm sure at this point Mahopac could really care less what others outside the department think since public opinion is non-binding..

ARE YOU FOR REAL????? MAHOPAC DID AN EXCELLENT JOB GIVING RESPECT TO THEIR PRESIDENT. IT SHOWS THE BROTHERHOOD AND CORDERY THE FIRE SERVICE HAS. CAN ANYONE TELL ME THE DEFINITION OF A LINE OF DUTY FUNERAL?? AS OPPOSED TO A REGULAR ACTIVE FIRE FIGHTERS FUNERAL? NOT TO CHEAPEN ANYTHING THE FUNERAL IS WHAT THE DEPARTMENT DECIDES TO DO FOR THEIR PASSING MEMBERS. IT IS NOT MY INTENTION TO BRING CAREER OR VOLUNTEER INTO THIS BUT!! THIS MAN GAVE OF HIS LIFE AND TIME FOR FREE AND DESIERVES THE RESPECT OF HIS COMRADS AND THE RESIDENTS OF HIS TOWN.

So much for Brotherhood, eh?
There's a difference between giving honors to an active member who passes away and a Line of Duty Funeral. A BIG difference. But I have absolutely no problem putting on my Class A's to pay respect to a Brother who dies on duty or off. Regardless of the circumstances, Mahopac FD lost one of their family members in a really horrific way, and if they decide they want to do a service for him, that's their business.
All the guys and gals I've met from Mahopac are stand-up people who take care of their own, and despite all the other BS that goes on in the fire service, when it comes down to it, that's one of the core elements of who we are and what we do. THAT'S the Brotherhood, its more than just a T-shirt or a sticker on your helmet. THAT means something.
Having been to LODD funerals for both Fire and Police Brothers who have paid the Ultimate Sacrifice, I can tell you there IS a difference. Even if the two services were exactly the same, you can just feel the difference in the air. I pray that those of us who have experienced that never have to again. And if you never have had the honor of attending one of those services, count yourself among the lucky.
Stay safe Brothers and Sisters.

Luckily Mahopac probably doesn't have a different procedure for Line of Duty vs Active Duty. They haven't had enough members pass where that distinction has to be made. How about who gives a rats a** how they did it so long as his friends and even more importantly his family were given some infinitesimal level of comfort. If the family wanted clowns and jugglers and the dept could provide it, then what more could anyone ask? This kind of s*** stirring goes right along with the people who question weather all LODD deaths are equal. It serves no benefit and only distracts from a department's attempt to honor the service of a member.

So much for Brotherhood, eh?
There's a difference between giving honors to an active member who passes away and a Line of Duty Funeral. A BIG difference. But I have absolutely no problem putting on my Class A's to pay respect to a Brother who dies on duty or off. Regardless of the circumstances, Mahopac FD lost one of their family members in a really horrific way, and if they decide they want to do a service for him, that's their business.
All the guys and gals I've met from Mahopac are stand-up people who take care of their own, and despite all the other BS that goes on in the fire service, when it comes down to it, that's one of the core elements of who we are and what we do. THAT'S the Brotherhood, its more than just a T-shirt or a sticker on your helmet. THAT means something.
Having been to LODD funerals for both Fire and Police Brothers who have paid the Ultimate Sacrifice, I can tell you there IS a difference. Even if the two services were exactly the same, you can just feel the difference in the air. I pray that those of us who have experienced that never have to again. And if you never have had the honor of attending one of those services, count yourself among the lucky.
Stay safe Brothers and Sisters.

So much for Brotherhood, eh?
There's a difference between giving honors to an active member who passes away and a Line of Duty Funeral. A BIG difference. But I have absolutely no problem putting on my Class A's to pay respect to a Brother who dies on duty or off. Regardless of the circumstances, Mahopac FD lost one of their family members in a really horrific way, and if they decide they want to do a service for him, that's their business.
All the guys and gals I've met from Mahopac are stand-up people who take care of their own, and despite all the other BS that goes on in the fire service, when it comes down to it, that's one of the core elements of who we are and what we do. THAT'S the Brotherhood, its more than just a T-shirt or a sticker on your helmet. THAT means something.
Having been to LODD funerals for both Fire and Police Brothers who have paid the Ultimate Sacrifice, I can tell you there IS a difference. Even if the two services were exactly the same, you can just feel the difference in the air. I pray that those of us who have experienced that never have to again. And if you never have had the honor of attending one of those services, count yourself among the lucky.
Stay safe Brothers and Sisters.

So much for Brotherhood, eh?
There's a difference between giving honors to an active member who passes away and a Line of Duty Funeral. A BIG difference. But I have absolutely no problem putting on my Class A's to pay respect to a Brother who dies on duty or off. Regardless of the circumstances, Mahopac FD lost one of their family members in a really horrific way, and if they decide they want to do a service for him, that's their business.
All the guys and gals I've met from Mahopac are stand-up people who take care of their own, and despite all the other BS that goes on in the fire service, when it comes down to it, that's one of the core elements of who we are and what we do. THAT'S the Brotherhood, its more than just a T-shirt or a sticker on your helmet. THAT means something.
Having been to LODD funerals for both Fire and Police Brothers who have paid the Ultimate Sacrifice, I can tell you there IS a difference. Even if the two services were exactly the same, you can just feel the difference in the air. I pray that those of us who have experienced that never have to again. And if you never have had the honor of attending one of those services, count yourself among the lucky.
Stay safe Brothers and Sisters.

So much for Brotherhood, eh?
There's a difference between giving honors to an active member who passes away and a Line of Duty Funeral. A BIG difference. But I have absolutely no problem putting on my Class A's to pay respect to a Brother who dies on duty or off. Regardless of the circumstances, Mahopac FD lost one of their family members in a really horrific way, and if they decide they want to do a service for him, that's their business.
All the guys and gals I've met from Mahopac are stand-up people who take care of their own, and despite all the other BS that goes on in the fire service, when it comes down to it, that's one of the core elements of who we are and what we do. THAT'S the Brotherhood, its more than just a T-shirt or a sticker on your helmet. THAT means something.
Having been to LODD funerals for both Fire and Police Brothers who have paid the Ultimate Sacrifice, I can tell you there IS a difference. Even if the two services were exactly the same, you can just feel the difference in the air. I pray that those of us who have experienced that never have to again. And if you never have had the honor of attending one of those services, count yourself among the lucky.
Stay safe Brothers and Sisters.

hey guys, feeling like crap today so stayed home instead of going to my daughters today, but i have a lot to be thankful for. got my transplant letter last week, thankful for my family and my second family from EMS and the FD and all of you guys here. I have all the memories of all the good times I have in the field and I give thanks for all my brothers and sisters out there in public safety out there today and everyday holding things down and all those guys and girls in the military out there keeping our country safe, so yeah, lots of stuff to be thankful for. stay safe out there people
Joe

Code save, nice job!

Code save, nice job!

Well said x129K. Anyone who is a member of an emergency service, stay safe this Thanksgiving and through the holidays and make sure everybody goes home.