Danger

 
Duplication of services is always going to be an issue, but so is geography. Depending on call volume and population also may justify more apparatus when factors are combined. I recently had a discussion with a career officer, and we both agreed that a staffed ladder company needed to be added to an area, not because of call volume or even fire load, but because of the distance the area was from other staffed ladders, all of which are in areas that are heavily populated and thus make relocation a bad prospect. 
 
As for the rescues, if you are going to compare apples and oranges to make a point, go right ahead. However the functions that most of those rescues in Nassau County are set up for are handled by truck companies in NYC, so to compare a truly honest example you would have to add in every truck company to those 5 rescues. You might even need to add in the Tac units and the Haz-Mat / Squad companies also. The numbers might show a little difference then.
 
Why are T-Shirts a bad thing? Don't they show company pride, just like having unit specific shoulder patches or even multiple variations of a union sticker for the same local? The fire service is nothing if not proud. How many guys have firematic rooms at home? Lots. I have seen more than I can count.
 
 
Why do we cry out about Quints as manpower killers but love Rescue/Engines?
 
Why do we never look at the historical reasons for all the departments & districts, some of which are certainly outdated? Many FDNY companies can cheerfully tell you exactly which volunteer company they trace their roots to. There is an example of a department that has certainly modernized but has not done it by totally eradicating history. NYC is a neighborhood oriented city. I think if efforts to consolidate did more than talk about what is broken they might be more successful. Nobody like to hear that they are the problem, even when they are. Coming in and announcing you can do it better or cheaper, while technically true is the proverbial vinegar that catches fewer flies.
 
There is work to be done, and identifying the problem is certainly a key step. I read about a career department (I forget where) a few years ago that closed and consolidated several companies because of a geographic feature in the city that no longer existed making the department have a great deal of duplication. I do not remember if the companies were closed via attrition or if they laid off, but it was a single department that took steps to modernize operations. However the article I read did not shy away from the area history and why things were the way they were, how the city had changed and it presented the department in a very respectful way.
 

First off I loved riding the back step and would do it again anytime. That said, it's a T-shirt,  a simple T-shirt...it means absolutely nothing unless you're a whacker.  People are free to do as they please no matter how ridiculous they'll look or what it may seem to others. Bottom line... if you don't like it...don't buy it. 

One of the nicest ladder trucks out there. A 2014 Seagrave Marauder II 100' Rearmount. Nice and simple.
 
Wakefield, MA is located just outside of Boston.
 

 

When those soldiers who are standing fast are called to service they will be capable of shooting the enemy because they're all fully trained and qualified.  When these so called "fully trained exterior firefighters are called to push into a dwelling fire, he or she cannot.

I wish they'd come to DC.

Please forgive me for being "off base".  I didn't realize that you were only referring to small communities when you stated the "country as a whole".

I like how some here will continue to try and sugar-coat what this story is about (very predictable).
 
It is also cute how one clown had such a "strong" defense of his fellow volunteers that he blurted out the "get a life, get a job" rebuttal (that kind of response could get you on the fast track for a Chief's position in Port Chester). 
 
Sorry folks...."it is what it is"..... and that is a poorly orchestrated plan to retaliate against Union firefighters for blowing the whistle about actual problems within someone's little kingdom. 
 
I know that many volunteers have traditionally cherished the "victim role" in the endless career vs. volunteer saga, but this piece of history should not be looked upon for anything more that exactly what it is = textbook anti-union animus . 
 
This story will not have a happy ending for those who had a hand in the release of these firefighters.
 
 

 
 Excellent point. Apparently those THREE Chiefs have not only put the citizens and their property at risk, but with their decision to eliminate those eight career firefighters, they have put their own members at risk as well. I am very glad to see that some of Port Chester's own volunteer firefighters realize that. It doesn't really matter which T-shirt or uniform you wear. Firefighters get hurt and even sometimes die while performing their duties.
 
  Those three chiefs should have NEVER recommended the removal of the "PC8". The chiefs have apparently proven to many the real lack of knowledge within the fire service they have. As well as the total lack of concern they have for those who must depend on them. For any fire chief to recommend the elimination of any firefighters under their command goes AGAINST everything taught or learned from past experience.
 
 The best thing those chiefs can do is to make amends and admit their foolish mistake by bringing back those eight career firefighters. The first step is to bring back those eight firefighters. The next thing for those chiefs is to readily admit how wrong they were. Fire Chiefs are human too. They make mistakes as well. But it is much easier to admit a mistake like this now, Rather than NOT admit a mistake today and attend a funeral later because they wouldn't.

The 3  stooge's in charge have asked the captains for a list of volunteers that will work over night   to cover the Rye Brook station . 5 of the 7 company's so far have turned them down with no answer from the other 2 . 

Today PC gets toned out for a automatic alarm in a commercial establishment. I heard only 1 engine sign on it was 62.  Maybe I am wrong but I only heard one. thought PC had 300 volunteers?  1 engine with maybe 2 or 3 guys. If you have 300 volleys that truck/ engine should be out the door on the drop of a dime.   Oh all 300 were working or at their homes up north.   Hmmmm 

It was obvious from the start that no Village Board would have done this without assurances from the Volunteers, that they could pick up the duties of the Paid Firefighters and fulfill the Rye Brook contract. How many of the Vollies are AFL-CIO or Teamster members . How could they be party to putting fellow Union members and their families"out in the street". Remember the Port Chester local is part of the AFL-CIO

 
How is this even acceptable? outisde of this recent issue....idc if you are career and vollunteer at home, but to vollunteer in a combo dept? do those "double dippers" run mutal aid into other career depts with PCFD?
 
Before this gets out of hand, im career and vollunteer in my boonedock town in no whereville CT, but i dont run mutal aid fires into the neighbooring iaff city, nor does anyone else whos career and vollys with me.

Any Career Firefighter from other Departments volunteering in Port Chester must resign forthwith, The volunteer members must ban together and think of a sane way to reverse this situation, as they hold the upper hand in this battle, Remember Port Chester is a densely populated compressed community with a high fire risk not some pristine Norman Rockwell community,

Aux officers are not properly trained to be a police officer.  They are a peace officer if I'm right. and in Westchester I believe most Aux while in uniform performing such duties they carry a gun.  For the most part Aux are just a security force at local events, parades, fireworks, sporting event etc...   Usually don't take action and call for regular patrol car if something happens.   In NYC they don't carry guns and usually are at street fair events etc..   They don't have training and or take classes in law which basically will protect you.  And basically don't go through tactics training.   At least a volunteer FF is given some type of training for Interior FF or Haz Mat.  But professional FF and professional cops go through an academy spending months training to do what we do.  We also go through hours of training every year to keep certified and stay sharp on our skills.  And last but not least professional cops and FF can't disappear for years or months and then just come back and go to alarms. 

Cause there are no volunteer cops, the town can get away with laying off these guys by having the "volunteer security blanket"

Now we're gonna see if the Port Chester Volunteers are truely Brothers. They should all resign immediatly. All of the westchester fire depts should remove themselves from Port Chester mutual aide response until the Board reverses the descision. 

Because they had a fresh class of 180 PROPERLY TRAINED EMTs (with no bad habbits or egos) who earned the privilege of wearing that patch on their sleeve through time and commitment.  The City is picking up the slack just fine with another beefed up class to follow.  They may not be street smart right now but they have the proper training to meet the Cities expectations of the best pre hospital care in the world with academic reinforcement of human anatomy & physiology.  The FDNY expects all EMTs to be trained for all the job entails and is done so through the academy....NYC & NYS BLS protocols, Hazmat scenarios, subway safety, driving emergency vehicles, Vehicle extrication, donning specialized PPE,  highway operations, understanding chain of command, fire scene operations,  etc.  Give the graduating probie class a week or 2 in the bronx and they will be plenty street smart.  
 
If they wanted a secure job they should of signed up in September rather than rely on a private,  for-profit company.  Just my opinion.  The option is always there. Every september the test seems to come out. 

No mention of Blue Card certified

The guys from Empress are literally in the picture.

Looks like this district stepped up and did the right thing when no one else in the Town wanted to do anything.

You should get a job in the media.They pay top dollar for sensationalizing things.

I am going to add my semi UN-qualified 2 cents. I have been an Empress medic for 28 years, and I am the VP of our Union, IAEP Local 20.
As for stability mentioned by LTNRFD (Mark, shouldn't you add "ret" after that name?):
When Empress lost the NR contract about 20 years or so ago, only ONE medic and ONE EMT changed over to the new vendor. Everyone else stayed, no one got laid off.
When Empress lost the WMC contract about 10 years or so ago, NO ONE left, and no one was laid off. It was a MUCH smaller contract then, only 3 providers 24X7. We got it back 3 years ago. Now it is 6 spots, 24X7 plus a lot of Txp's.
When Empress lost the MV contract a while back, NO ONE went to the new vendor, no one got laid off.
When Empress was displaced from the Harrison EMS flycar when Harrison started to be their own ALS rather than contracting, NO ONE switched over, no one got laid off.
There was a lay off about 20 years ago, which involved about 12 EMT's. ALL of which were re-called in less than 8 weeks, and in line with our contract. This was in relation to a company strategy to avoid serving clients that were far away and time consuming. I guess it worked.
I was speaking with a friend who began as a medic, like me, in 1988. He has been with TC from the beginning. I don't think Transcare existed in Westchester that early, so he may have come over from Abby.
He makes about $7/hr less than I do. I also get a $4000 annual longevity bonus. So about $18,000 annual difference.
What I did NOT ask is: what is his medical plan cost and coverage, how many paid days off does he get, and is there a retirement or 401K. My 401 K is well up in the 6 digits, 99% of which is Empress money from unused sick and vacation time. So it cost me almost nothing to accumulate that.
I guess my point is that there some stability. Never a medic laid off in company Hx. 1 episode of EMT layoffs and all quickly recalled with seniority as contract stipulates. Decent pay and benefits, but ya gotta work hard and put in your time.
One more thing, after age 50 (that's me this year!) and 25 years on the job (that's me already!) you can work 20 hrs a week and keep your benefits.

This is what is wrong with the step child of emergency services. When any municipality puts EMS out to bid you do not get stability in service. Over the years every system goes through a cycle. The lowest bidder. Now most of the current EMS employees of TransCare NR will be looking to switch over to Empress. Thus losing seniority and pay grade. This is no way to maintain quality EMS personal.
EMS must be part of the municipality just as Police and Fire is. EMS must be the third service.

There will never be stability in EMS when there is a profit to be made.

That's what I got in it for. Who wants to fight fires when there's all that sweet paper work to do !

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