Danger

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.

Beacon had the ALF/LTI tower ladder there.
Chief Schofield is a great guy and an even better fire officer and PECO is a top notch FD in this area.

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.

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.

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

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

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

Wow, very salty...aw shucks, you make it seem so simple Lt. ....
Tell me, if the fire was bigger then the one pictured, would you suggest 3.5"?

Any particular reason SFD went with the 95 instead of the 100? I think the 100 has better access to ladders and (yikes) hose bed where applicable

Classy reply. My friends who partied the four years I dug ditches and did inter-facility transports are in $100,000 debt and using their History and Communications degrees to work at the mall and wait tables while I'm making a good living, establishing a retirement and looking at houses. Nothing is a definite and you get out of life what you put in to it.

Classy reply. My friends who partied the four years I dug ditches and did inter-facility transports are in $100,000 debt and using their History and Communications degrees to work at the mall and wait tables while I'm making a good living, establishing a retirement and looking at houses. Nothing is a definite and you get out of life what you put in to it.

Funny I always felt the same way about Volly brass Taking Jobs away froim Career firefighters ,..
There are two sides to each street even the one way ones

Congratulations to The New Haven 20!
From the New Haven Register.
http://nhregister.com/articles/2011/07/28/news/new_haven/doc4e31811a50508474206087.txt

It's the education and training the individual receives that makes a difference. Maturity, not age, is the key. With that maturity comes an attitude of responsibility, something I didn't fully understand until I found myself mentoring others.
You can take EVOC and have an instructor that reads the powerpoint to you, throws numbers at you and then has you drive for maybe 20-30 minutes weaving around some cones. The general attitude of everyone in this environment: Is it over yet?
BUT - if you start the presentation with case studies that include photos of the accidents, the victims, the loved ones left behind - you'll increase the chances of grabbing your audiences' attention. Tell them how FF Smith crashed the Engine into a minivan and killed a woman driving her two kids and their two friends to soccer. Tell them how FF Smith was arrested and sent to jail, how he tried killing himself after being sued and losing everything, how his depression led him to lose his wife who took their son and moved away. MAKE IT HIT HOME FOR EVERYONE IN THE CLASS / DRILL.
When I was younger, a lot of the training given to me was a far, FAR cry from the guidance provided today. Thinking back to my Essentials class, I think I (and many others) showed up late, got out early, napped and basically didn't pay attention. When I took EVOC, I was a little older and just started to drive our apparatus. I only knew two things: I had to get to the firehouse first to drive and everyone moves for a fire engine going lights & siren. Man was I wrong! I was lucky to have Mike Wilbur as my initial EVOC instructor, who truly knows what he is talking about and isn't just reading me an Instructor's Manual. While I took some of what he said as "yeah, that can't happen here or happen to me" - I've learned over time that he was 100% right.
In the 14+ years I've been a driver, I have made mistakes driving our rigs and am thankful that none of those mistakes led to any accidents or injuries. I remember (and I know some of my other members know what I am talking about) driving our Engine to a Mutual Aid call once, with the pedal to the floor going over 70 MPH down a steep and pitched hill. I was convinced I was rolling the rig and killing everyone - luckily that didn't happen. When we arrived on scene, I was so upset with my driving that I was of no use to anyone. What if I did crash? What if I actually survived and had to live with hurting or killing all of my friends - and in a few of these cases - family members?!
Whether it's driving, pumping, doing traffic, or putting water on fires - we have to take it seriously and get the best teachers we can. We owe it to ourselves to be educated and ready for the worst days we'll have.
Sometimes, too, we have to play the role of the "bad guy" and tell someone they can't do something. Since I am not one of those people that looks forward to ever being told I can't do something, I dread when the time comes I have to tell someone that something they've been doing for a long time - or something their heart is set on - that they can't do it. But part of the job I was elected to do is to be that bad guy once in a while. I find myself sometimes thinking that it's amazing I have made it this long, and I can only hope others can learn from the mistakes I have made.
I ain't perfect - none of us are - but the bad decisions and the memories of "what the "f" was I thinking should help all of us to prevent others from making those same follies - and hopefully keep them alive another day.
If your drivers are fully aware of the ramifications that can and do happen if they have an accident, AND those sitting in the Officer's Seat are aware that they too could be held liable for the driver's actions - then by all means, let them drive.
I really hate to put it this way - but scaring the s*** out of your drivers is the best way to make them realize how huge of a responsibility it is to drive.

Every 18 year old says they can handle it. As a former 18 year old, I fully support a 21+ age limit.

I think the apparatus looks terrible. Do I think the Chevrons are helping?? Lets see My Engine 1 got hit by a Tractor trailer, Then there was Stratford shortly (2 rigs) therafter so I'm gonna go with no on this one. as for the vest we have to don they get a BIG thumbs down.
Lets stick with two rigs taking the lane of traffic and leave the striping and the vest back in the store where they belong.

I dont think you can fairly judge what his intentions are, this seemed like a relatively harmless post. On the other hand your statements were right off the bat argumentative and attacking. We should be looking at incidents like this and having a healthy albeit heated discussion in the aims of preventing similar situations from developing in the field. It shouldn't be about placing blame and who is right or wrong but how we can improve. That is one of the great things about this website, it allows the different sectors in the emergency services come together and talk about issues and open communication. Of course officer safety should be an important topic to you as is FF and EMS safety is to me, I respect that you are passionate about it.

abaduck may be very liberal, but he has never been anti-police. He usually goes to great lengths to point out he's not against police, he just questions the powers given to them. We NEED people to question. Question changes, question the status quo, question everything. He's not one of these whiney children bitching incessantly. He asks questions, makes points, sometimes changes his stance, and other times doesn't. Without debate, what's the point?

I'm also concerned how heritage hills residents have a negative effect on the volunteer morale. They are residents of the municipality, period. I'm not familiar with the area or the complex/community in question but regardless of who they are and how old or young they may be they are just as entitled to a timely and appropriate EMS response/treatment as anyone else. Either you're in it or you're not - it's pretty black and white in my book.

Oh please. Fire department based career EMS, and ALS in particular, is the very best pre hospital care option out there today. However, to properly run such a program takes manpower and money...something not alot of municipalities want to cough up right now, or even have for that matter.
You can see outstanding examples of such systems with the Arlington Fire District and LaGrange Fire District.

i have just read that fasny has just received 4.5 million dollars in safer grant money for what? more parties banners,tv ads. i cant believe it we have firehouses closing and firefighers getting laid off every day and they get 4.5 million tax dollars for recruitment something is wrog with that picture.

I rarely stick my 2 cents in on NYC issues as I feel there are many on this board more qualified to comment than I am, however, I must chime in here...
I am shocked that you could make this statement. You are a paramedic working in NYC and you are stating that the FDNY CFR program does not work and should be stopped?
You also state that if the CFR program was stopped "20 fire companies could be closed without a problem".
What did you smoke before typing??????

"Chicago FD Must Hire 111 Black Firefighters" ... No problem, all it will take is to have 111 black candidates study hard, work out hard and score high on the exam. There is no mystery to a fire department civil service exam, it's all about desire and dedication; if a candidate doesn't have that they don't belong 'on the job'.

Once again "quantity" over "quality"! It amazes me how our Military has higher Standards then the Fire Service. Can you imagine if the Navy Seals lowered their Standards.