yfd910

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Posts posted by yfd910

  2. Posted · Edited by yfd910

    Just got back from going over Engine 314 & 303 and they are very impressive. Very well thought out with a lot of nice features. Chief Fitzpatrick did an excellent job. Body wise they are the same as the other ALF's we've received in the past, and well planned, like using the wheel wells for spare bottles and extinguishers which opens up compartment space, and the pump panel is very uncluttered. The cab, which is about 14 inches longer, has an extra compartment behind the rear doors, with the bottom part going through from one side to the other side, and they got rid of the front suction that 308, 309 & 313 have. Very roomy inside the cab. Sorry, but I didn't get any pictures today.

    They are supposed to be in service on Wednesday, and hopefully they will. Everyone seemed very impressed, and I'm sure the men of 303 and I know us at 314 can't wait to get them in.

    Engines 307, 310 & 312 should be replaced in the near future.

    I would presume, based on a past post, that the citizens of Yonkers (and Rhode Island!) and members of EMTBravo will be very proud of this rig and appreciate my professional and courteous update to the status of our new rigs. ;)

  3. Posted

    I would presume, based on the last few posts, that you guys are looking way too into these rigs. They're basically the same as the previous ones, a little bigger with an extra compartment, and a much less cluttered pump panel. The deck guns are on them, and I know 314 should be ready for service Wednesday. I haven't heard anything about when the others will be ready.

    Go to another web site with pictures of the other ALF's we have in Yonkers and compare them. I thought this site used to have pictures of all the departments.

    I'll try to take some pictures on Tuesday or Wednesday of 314.

    And if you stop "presuming", maybe I'll post them!! Then maybe your presumptions will be answered.

  5. Posted

    I would presume that Yonkers' new rigs (and Squad 11) were spec'd out based on what Yonkers needs and what the Chief's wanted.

    Captain told me tonight that E314 is scheduled to be in service Wednesday. I haven't seen it yet, but I'm hearing a lot of poistive feedback and we can't wait to get it going and get rid of the Sutphen.

  7. Posted

    One of my good friends took the NRFD test on Saturday. I know from past experience that if you pass the written, you're invited to take the physical in September (plus, the proctors all said "see you in Sept" as testtakers left the room).

    My question is: Does anyone know, accurately, (not I think, or maybe) how they grade and make their list?? Is it a combo of written and physical, just physical, or some other crazy way of doing things??

    Thanks.

    Joe

  10. Posted

    As someone stated earlier, any Borders, Barnes and Noble, or Amazon is going to carry a number of entrance test prep books. Unfortunately, most are based on big city tests, espescially NYC. These tests are not the same New York State exams. I remember Towns and villages tests being 60 questions, with the cities (NR, WP, MV, & Yonkers) being 75.

    Just brush up on math (mutiplication and division), mechanical reasoning, and reading comprehension. Try not to erase any answers, try skipping the first 15 questions which are usually the reading comp. questions, meant to rattle your brain for the rest of the test, and go back to them later on, and most importantly, take your time. Also, take every test that comes out, resident or not, just to "get used to them".

  11. Posted

    If I'm not mistaken, and I'm not looking to challenge anyone here, NFPA 1710 doesn't necessarily state that there has to be 4 men on a rig, only first responding, but leans more towards having 15 - 17 men showing up at an incident within 8 minutes. It also allows for mutual aid to satisfy this standard to get as many men on scene as quickly as possible. As far as other departments here in Westchester, I'm sure someone from each department can better clarify what is done to meet this standard.

    My questions for anyone from Greenville, Fairview and Hartsdale, is do you three dept's work together to meet this being you're all in the same union? and what are your staffing levels? Just curious.

    Thanks.

  13. Posted · Edited by yfd910

    I agree. I don't know where 415 thinks that goes on, but definetly not around here. The days of "hook up and look up", and 10, 20, even 50 volunteers showing up are long over! Every combo dept. in Westchester is lacking in manpower both career and volunteer, and the smaller ones are adding more career men. Also, I think everyone needs to get away from the title "paid driver/chauffer". Every Professional Firefighter in Westchester and the surrounding Counties goes through what, 14 weeks of training now (not sure of the exact number of weeks)? They do a lot more in that time besides just learning to drive and operate a pump. Take whatever job you get offered, and don't listen to anyone who tells or advises you not to.

    Oh, and Eastchester is looking to hire 2.

  15. Posted · Edited by yfd910

    Whether this is passed or not, it really only affects a few departments. How many combination departments are there in Westchester alone? 12? Along with the rest of the state, it's not a lot. Maybe 50? Take into consideration that unless you're a resident, being a Bedford Hills volunteer (and I'm only using this as an example) won't get you hired in Eastchester. Most departments only hire residents. A combo dept. will usually give preference to the volunteer who is also a resident. So what does it do? It gives you more points to sit on a list with your hopes up and wonder if some local dept. is going to exhaust their list and hire off the county list. Or, it gives someone who scored a 90 a 95 compared to someone who scored a straight 95. How would you feel if you were that 95 and lost the job to someone who scored lower than you? Plus, in my opinion, military points are the only points a candidate should get. I also agree with x635. If you want the job, which a lot of guys around here would kill for, why would you join to block yourself? I don't agree with this at all.

  16. Posted · Edited by yfd910

    I have a few questions (and I'm not directing this towards anyone):

    What's so "puzzling" about a Ladder going to Station 3? So there's no commissioned ladder out of there. Can't we add one there?

    So Comm. Pagano mentioned Station 9 on Shonnard. Is it possible he made a mistake? Maybe he meant Station 8, which only runs Engine Co. 308? Why can't we put it there? Would that make more sense, or be "puzzling", too?

    Maybe Ladder 72 will get the new truck, and the current L72 will go.................???

    And why does any new ladder company have to be Ladder 77? We don't have a Ladder 76. Yet..........

    There are going to be a lot of apparatus changes in the next year in this department. A lot. And most of you have no idea what's going on or what to expect from what I've been reading on this site.

    My best advice to anyone wondering or over anxious to know where the new ladder will go, where new houses might be built, and companies relocated or added is just wait and see.........................most of us are wondering the same things amongst ourselves.

  17. Posted

    letters.

    hey fire capt.

    maybe you can clarify a lil bit on this situation with yonkers...so far it seems to be alot of  hear say, but rumor is that some people are getting notifications from yonkers...most likly the ones from the old list, meaning that they might be finally getting ready to put that class in, so that the new list might get activated sometime within the year maybe????...of course, no one seems to know the def. answers to this question, even the best sources, haha...so just wondering if maybe you knew anything at all, and could possibly throw some detials out there!

    really appreciated :)

    There will not be a class from Yonkers. I don't know why people would be getting letters. There are not enough vacancies to justify a new class and certain hiring protocols that need to be met which should not be discussed here, and until there is a need to fill vacancies, no one is getting hired by Yonkers Fire anytime soon.

    And to answer a previous question, Eastchester Fire has sent out canvass letters.

  20. Posted · Edited by yfd910

    17 Injuries???

    I'm sorry, perhaps I am naive, but that is an unacceptable number of firefighters to see injured at ONE incident!

    Obviously I do not know what the exact injuries are, but to have that many is absurd.  Don't we undergo enough training these days to know how to protect ourselves from getting hurt?  Do we not buy thousands of dollars of equipment to protect ourselves?  I just don't get it - maybe someone who was here at this incident can enlighten me.

    And, for all of you bound to get defensive, I don't mean to offend you, I just want to know what exactly occurred so perhaps others can learn from it.

    Good job protecting the exposures!

    Unbelieveable! If you don't mean to offend anyone, maybe you should think twice before posting some ridiculous statement like the one you made and then trying to play it off by saying you don't mean to offend and want to learn from it. Or maybe you should try fighting a fire from inside instead of outside! I find it "absurd" that you would be ignorant enough to ask such a stupid question. 100 Caryl Ave. burnt earlier this year. I recall over 20 men were injured rescuing dozens of people from fire escapes and windows with tower ladders, and through interior stairs, all while fighting a fast moving fire. Is that absurd or unacceptable also?? Or too many for you for one incident??

    Injuries can be anything from exhaustion, over exertion, a strained back, shoulder, twisted ankle, or severed tendons in a hand. They can occur getting 1 person or 100 people out of a building. Men trip over hoses, hurt themselves pulling ceilings, etc. Yonkers sends 30 men on a first alarm to a reported structure fire. They arrive within minutes of each other, not whenever they get away from what they're doing, while chaos is still going on, and then bust their asses getting things done. Just because the pictures from the photographers show Ladder Pipes and Master streams in operation doesn't mean that there wasn't an intensive interior attack and search before they got there.

    Don't question what or how we do things in Yonkers or any other department for that matter because you find it "absurd" that men get injured actually fighting fires!! Or, if you'd really like to know, don't ask in some online forum and stop by Station 9, 8, 6 or 10 and ask those guys why they got hurt. I'm sure they'd love to hear your criticism!!

    Yes, I'd say you are naive.

  22. Posted · Edited by yfd910

    [14 minimum. It depends on vacation, float and sick days. It can go up to 19 depending on relief officer availability. This number doesn't include staff officers(Chief, Asst. Chief, Fire Prevention Officer.)

    I thought 13 was minimum. E31 can run with 1 man. Only recently have they added and kept a second man on E31. I don't think they have ever run with 19 men, and when they made Lt's, they didn't replace them with FF's. I'm sure next years vacation picks will affect staffing levels, but things have changed since I left..............and I'm not coming back.