DaRock98

My department holds them in December and the term starts January 1st. I absolutely HATE elections because they are nothing but a popularity contest and the best people for the job usually walk away losers because the membership doesn't care about the important things only who they like more. I wish departments would do away with elections and have strict promotional rules and regulations based on expirence and training rather then who is liked more.
End of rant!

I am currently serving as captain I took office as of January 1st following my term as 1st lieut. I just wish that our current process for office was a little more strict than it currently is. I'm not going to go around saying we do everything right because I know we don't. The reason I ran for the job was to try and make a difference and get our department moving in the right direction. (because I feel I can make a difference, but I am finding out its a lot harder then I thought)

Really Larry Byrd? I strive to be Micheal Jordan when I play so I would love to play you one on one!

I am going to go with the area I live in The Town of Mt. Pleasant Fire Departments. I think they should consolidated Hawthorne, Thornwood and Valhalla down to 5 commissioners, 1 chief, 2 assistants with 2 Ladders (1 Tower and 1 straight stick) along with 1 Heavy Rescue and 3 engines out of a total of 3 stations. I would say that Hawthorne would be HQ (being centrally located) housing an engine and the Heavy Rescue with Thornwood housing station 2 with a ladder and an engine and Valhalla being station 3 housing another 1 and 1. I am in no way shape or form a person who has any knowledge in this subject and I am just throwing my thoughts out there in a hypothetical situation.
This would essentially eliminate 10 commissioners, 6 chiefs/ chief cars, 2 firehouses, 2 ladder trucks, 1 heavy rescue, 2 engines and 1 rescue engine if my math is correct.
***Again this was only me doing this for fun and not anything else***

I am going to go with the area I live in The Town of Mt. Pleasant Fire Departments. I think they should consolidated Hawthorne, Thornwood and Valhalla down to 5 commissioners, 1 chief, 2 assistants with 2 Ladders (1 Tower and 1 straight stick) along with 1 Heavy Rescue and 3 engines out of a total of 3 stations. I would say that Hawthorne would be HQ (being centrally located) housing an engine and the Heavy Rescue with Thornwood housing station 2 with a ladder and an engine and Valhalla being station 3 housing another 1 and 1. I am in no way shape or form a person who has any knowledge in this subject and I am just throwing my thoughts out there in a hypothetical situation.
This would essentially eliminate 10 commissioners, 6 chiefs/ chief cars, 2 firehouses, 2 ladder trucks, 1 heavy rescue, 2 engines and 1 rescue engine if my math is correct.
***Again this was only me doing this for fun and not anything else***

To me a Volunteer Deputy Chief is just another way of a department saying they don't trust the current line officers to be an IC at a scene therefore putting an ex-chief in charge over a current Captain and Lieutenant. If that is the case that department needs to take a serious look at the line and re-evaluate the current promotional process and the current line officers.

I am going to go with the area I live in The Town of Mt. Pleasant Fire Departments. I think they should consolidated Hawthorne, Thornwood and Valhalla down to 5 commissioners, 1 chief, 2 assistants with 2 Ladders (1 Tower and 1 straight stick) along with 1 Heavy Rescue and 3 engines out of a total of 3 stations. I would say that Hawthorne would be HQ (being centrally located) housing an engine and the Heavy Rescue with Thornwood housing station 2 with a ladder and an engine and Valhalla being station 3 housing another 1 and 1. I am in no way shape or form a person who has any knowledge in this subject and I am just throwing my thoughts out there in a hypothetical situation.
This would essentially eliminate 10 commissioners, 6 chiefs/ chief cars, 2 firehouses, 2 ladder trucks, 1 heavy rescue, 2 engines and 1 rescue engine if my math is correct.
***Again this was only me doing this for fun and not anything else***

I am going to go with the area I live in The Town of Mt. Pleasant Fire Departments. I think they should consolidated Hawthorne, Thornwood and Valhalla down to 5 commissioners, 1 chief, 2 assistants with 2 Ladders (1 Tower and 1 straight stick) along with 1 Heavy Rescue and 3 engines out of a total of 3 stations. I would say that Hawthorne would be HQ (being centrally located) housing an engine and the Heavy Rescue with Thornwood housing station 2 with a ladder and an engine and Valhalla being station 3 housing another 1 and 1. I am in no way shape or form a person who has any knowledge in this subject and I am just throwing my thoughts out there in a hypothetical situation.
This would essentially eliminate 10 commissioners, 6 chiefs/ chief cars, 2 firehouses, 2 ladder trucks, 1 heavy rescue, 2 engines and 1 rescue engine if my math is correct.
***Again this was only me doing this for fun and not anything else***

To me a Volunteer Deputy Chief is just another way of a department saying they don't trust the current line officers to be an IC at a scene therefore putting an ex-chief in charge over a current Captain and Lieutenant. If that is the case that department needs to take a serious look at the line and re-evaluate the current promotional process and the current line officers.

To me a Volunteer Deputy Chief is just another way of a department saying they don't trust the current line officers to be an IC at a scene therefore putting an ex-chief in charge over a current Captain and Lieutenant. If that is the case that department needs to take a serious look at the line and re-evaluate the current promotional process and the current line officers.

I am going to go with the area I live in The Town of Mt. Pleasant Fire Departments. I think they should consolidated Hawthorne, Thornwood and Valhalla down to 5 commissioners, 1 chief, 2 assistants with 2 Ladders (1 Tower and 1 straight stick) along with 1 Heavy Rescue and 3 engines out of a total of 3 stations. I would say that Hawthorne would be HQ (being centrally located) housing an engine and the Heavy Rescue with Thornwood housing station 2 with a ladder and an engine and Valhalla being station 3 housing another 1 and 1. I am in no way shape or form a person who has any knowledge in this subject and I am just throwing my thoughts out there in a hypothetical situation.
This would essentially eliminate 10 commissioners, 6 chiefs/ chief cars, 2 firehouses, 2 ladder trucks, 1 heavy rescue, 2 engines and 1 rescue engine if my math is correct.
***Again this was only me doing this for fun and not anything else***

ALERTS TERROR THREATS IN 2011 EUROPE
The English are feeling the pinch in relation to recent terrorist threats and have therefore raised their security level from "Miffed" to "Peeved." Soon, though, security levels may be raised yet again to "Irritated" or even "A Bit Cross."
The English have not been "A Bit Cross" since the blitz in 1940 when tea supplies nearly ran out.
Terrorists have been re-categorized from "Tiresome" to "A Bloody Nuisance." The last time the British issued a "Bloody Nuisance" warning level was in 1588, when threatened by the Spanish Armada.
The Scots have raised their threat level from "Pissed Off" to "Let's Get the Bastards." They don't have any other levels. This is the reason they have been used on the front line of the British army for the last 300 years.
The French government announced yesterday that it has raised its terror alert level from "Run" to "Hide." The only two higher levels in France are "Collaborate" and "Surrender." The rise was
precipitated by a recent fire that destroyed France's white flag factory, effectively paralyzing the country's military capability.
Italy has increased the alert level from "Shout Loudly and Excitedly" to "Elaborate Military Posturing." Two more levels remain: "Ineffective Combat Operations" and "Change Sides."
The Germans have increased their alert state from "Disdainful Arrogance" to "Dress in Uniform and Sing Marching Songs." They also have two higher levels: "Invade a Neighbor" and "Lose."
Belgians, on the other hand, are all on holiday as usual; the only threat they are worried about is NATO pulling out of Brussels.
The Spanish are all excited to see their new submarines ready to deploy. These beautifully designed subs have glass bottoms so the new Spanish navy can get a really good look at the old Spanish navy.
Australia, meanwhile, has raised its security level from "No worries" to "She'll be alright, Mate." Two more escalation levels remain: "Crikey! I think we'll need to cancel the barbie this weekend!" and "The barbie is canceled." So far, no situation has ever warranted use of the final escalation level.
John Cleese - British writer, actor and tall person.

Congratulations on the new addition it looks great! PVAC does an excellent job with rehab and is a very proactive agency. Keep up the good work!

Agreed!
Yes it is sad, we are not proactive but instead reactive and thats what hurts us as a whole.

Chief- A few points. I'm not here to knock you or the Yonkers FD. I didn't even know that that was your affiliation until today. I don't know any active members of YFD, nor do I know anyone affiliated with either Somers or Croton Falls. You have a right to your opinions and beliefs, and a right to express them just like I do. No problem there. You can even have an "agenda" or a point of view that you want to reinforce when the opportunity presents itself, that too is okay with me.
Where we differ is that I would advance my "agenda" or point of view when I have the facts to support my case. What I have seen on a couple of occasions, most recently with the Croton Falls IA, is that you are jumping to conclusions which you believe support your case without a complete set of facts. Any IA, written by anyone on here, is subject to the faults (memory, hearing, ability to type fast enough, etc) of the writer. In the course of a long list of radio transmissions, the writer in this case did not note the specific dispatch of the Somers Ladder. When, further down in the alert, there is a notation that the truck was responding shortly, or whatever the notation, you automatically began looking for the reason why they took so long to get out, and immediately began a line of questions that clearly indicated that you thought that. You obviously are very passionate on this issue, all I'm saying is give it a rest once in a while and don't assume that in every IA, there is a delayed response or inadequate manpower situation based on a snippet of a radio transmission taken out of context.
Perhaps you are right on target with your thoughts on regionalization in Westchester. I don't know, I don't live there, and I don't know all of the details of the issue. Be happy to read anything you have in the way of a position paper or other documentation, if you care to provide me with a notation of some online source that I can go to to read it. As to my opportunity to criticize the YFD, I am not qualified. I'm sure that the members of YFD do a great job. Your promise not to cry when my opportunity arises to criticize your department is lost on me, it'll never happen. Stay safe.....

This is a great topic and the can has been and will continue to be a valuble tool on the fire ground. If you don't mind I would like to comment on the fire operations. I was not there and will only go by what you have wrote. You stated that you arrived and saw fire pushing up the stairs and out the door. That is a great size up and should help you and everyone else on scene with your next steps towards advancing on this fire. You tell us that the engine company started their "bread and butter" operations by stretching to the basement/garage door. We need to stop here and discuss. This is a residential structure with unknown ( we never assume everyone is out ) trapped occupants. In my opinion the first line should have gone to the front door where the fire was showing and protected the means of egress. The best chance of survival for any and all fleeing occupants is to protect their escape. With that said, you have stated that you and the Lt proceeded to the front door (which I believe is the right place to be) and began to use the can to keep the fire in check. Great move and great job on the Lt and his decission. Lets all go back to probie school or FF1 whichever pertains to you and remember what was taught about opposing handlines. This is a basement job and should be treated as such. In no way whatsoever should a handline have been stretched to the level below the front door. You and your Lt may have saved your own lives by using that can before the engine got water. Had there been a well advanced fire that the can did not control and the engine started pushing in my money would have been on the engine companies handline and not the truckies can. You guys are very lucky to have not received major burns or even have been killed. Take this as a learning aid and teach others what you know. In the end of the day we all (paid or volly ) have families we want to go home to and deserve that. Stay low and let it blow.