post4031

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Posts posted by post4031

  2. Posted

    I am not a Law officer or have complete knowledge of the legal rules of highways, but I think this....

    If I am the FD IC, and we shut down a road for Fire Departments duties, ( Fire, MVA, what ever ) in order to operate safely, that is my call and I am taking full liablity of my actions... We should act quickly to reopen the road...

    Now if a PD ( Trooper , etc. ) shows up and demands we open the road... would the right thing to do here is allow HIM or her, to re - open the road, provided that they ( the PD dept in question ) are able to safely control the traffic passing us ( meaning not just 1 officer and a patrol unit ) and that they (the PD dept in question ) will accept FULL, responsiblity for the safety of all Emergency workers on the scene... seeing how they are insistant on opening the roadway... This way " they are in between us and the on coming traffic, they and their Dept. fully holds the liability for the workers on the scene. Most Depts. do not want to accept such Liability...

    I do not know about other towns, but my Village has limited manpower and would not be able to control Route 9 traffic and fill out the required paperwork..

    opinions ?

    We always try and keep the traffic moving, we have enough vehicles on scene to act as blocking vehicles and Fire Police for traffic control. We have to do this ourselves because sometimes the trooper is responding from 20 miles away and when they get their don't bother getting out of the car.

    This has always been very touchy issue with me, especially considering the traffic on these roads, the vehicle sizes and the fact that they don't slow down for emergency scenes.

    We have had two very close calls on I84 and the TSP where our members have almost been hit. One recently, a month ago when a vehicle lost control on black ice and slammed into the back of the engine. We had two members stowing gear and the engine was minutes from leaving. THANK GOD, they were paying attention and got out of the way.

    Let's not forget the idiots trying to get a picture as they are driving by. A few months ago we had a guy swerve towards us with one hand out of his sunroof taking a snapshot and the trooper laughed!

    I've witnessed troopers get right in IC's face yelling and screaming over the issue. Once, while we were doing extrication which was hard enough without keeping an eye on the Chief. It was ugly!! His response was no problem, all fire and EMS are leaving, you can extricate the victim with your baton. The trooper saw the light went back to his car and pouted. Best part was one lane was still open.

    We have had meetings with the Captain responsible for the I84 corridor between Pennsylvania and Connecticut, explain our situation and his response was send an ambulance only to see what you have first then call for backup like we do. We explained the volunteer fire service to him and the distances for our responding equipment and it didn't matter at all.

    Then we had a 30 car pile up in a snow squall, no injuries, but a tom of people holed up in the rest rooms of the rest area. That one car concept worked great then!!

    Funny thing is when we a minor property damage incident we get four troopers in their cars.

    Sorry for the soap box!!

  3. Posted

    I agree with just about everything you wrote. If its a hazmat incident, state law says the IC must be to Ops level. NYSP are only required to be awarness (they have troopers at all levels) so if ops or tech trooper is not there, that MVA is leaking Hazmat.

    Remember if they threaten to arrest, dont resist, let them.........it will never happen again.

    You are correct, forgot about that HAZMAT stuff.

  4. Posted

    Technically, if it is an accident scene and no fire they are in charge. We have had the same argument with them for years in my department. It goes okay for a while then it starts back up again.

    One incident a few years ago we had a tractor trailer full of tires on fire and they were so adamant about opening the road the chief pulled us all off the scene. We got called back shortly after and they moved the trailer while it was on fire off the interstate to the yard so it could be dumped and extinguished.

    A recent scenario like you were describing happened and the Troopers response was to start pulling over chiefs and firefighters and issue tickets for whatever they could.

    It is a Troop T problem because we also work with Troop K on the TSP and it doesn't seem to be an issue. Next time remind them that we are all on the team and depend on each other's services. Also, remind them that last month two of their brothers were sent the trauma center after they were hit on the side of the road on a traffic stop.

    If the trooper on scene gives us a hassle about it we get what have to do done and get out there, patient care and see ya leave the mess for them to deal with.

    I have been responding on these two highways for 20+ years and could write a book on all the problems we've had there.

    It's absolutely crazy!

  12. Posted

    Personally, I think it was money well spent if it gets people's attention and they learn something from it. How many people really knew that the British continued to garrison New York City and Savannah GA for two whole years AFTER Cornwallis's "decisive" defeat at Yorktown? Or that the British eventually defeated the French after they intervened on our behalf? It saddens me when I hear so many of my countrymen know so little about our own history. The spotlights were a great idea; they got people talking!

    It shouldn't take spotlights to get people to talk about our history.

  14. Posted

    The NYS V&T Laws were changed to allow rear facing blue lights on Police Vehicles only. While I agree that fire vehicles can also benefit from the increased visibility that the blue lights give, they are still illegal on a fire vehicle under the current NYS laws.

    The Fire Services needs to lobby our lawmakers to allow us to leagally display the blue light to the rear. Until then we need to follow the existing laws.

    Yes you are right and it is being worked on already see below:

    A10412 Summary:

    BILL NO A10412

    SAME AS No same as

    SPONSOR Ball

    COSPNSR

    MLTSPNSR

    Amd S375, V & T L

    Allows affixing of blue light on emergency vehicles for rear projection

    only;affixing blue light to front of emergency vehicle exclusive to vehicle

    owned and operated by volunteer fireman.

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    A10412 Actions:

    BILL NO A10412

    03/28/2008 referred to transportation

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    A10412 Votes:

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    A10412 Memo:

    BILL NUMBER:A10412

    TITLE OF BILL:

    An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to authorizing

    certain lights to be affixed to emergency vehicles

    PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

    To authorize emergency vehicles to display blue lights for rear projec-

    tion only when engaged in an emergency operation.

    SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

    Amends Chapter 45 of the Laws of 2006. Section 1 amends Section

    375(41)(4)(a) of the Vehicle and Traffic Law to affirm that the affixing

    of a blue light to the front of a motor vehicle is exclusive to a motor

    vehicle owned by a volunteer firefighter. Further amends paragraph 4( B)

    of subdivision 41 to authorize other emergency vehicles, as defined in

    section 101 of the Vehicle Traffic Law, to display blue lights, in

    combination with red and white colored lights, for rear projection only

    when engaged in an emergency operation and authorizes the Commissioner

    of the Department of Motor Vehicles to promulgate rules regarding the

    use, placement, power and display of blue lights on emergency vehicles.

    JUSTIFICATION:

    Currently, only police departments are authorized under the Vehicle and

    Traffic Law to use rear projection blue lights as part of their emergen-

    cy equipment. Other emergency vehicles are currently authorized to use

    red and white colored lights.

    Several studies have determined that blue colored lights attract the

    attention of drivers better than any other color. For safety reasons,

    blue-colored lights in combination with red and white lights would

    greatly enhance safety for motorists and emergency response personnel.

    This legislation does not change current Vehicle and Traffic Law in

    regard to providing volunteer fire personnel with the exclusive use of

    blue colored lights when responding to emergency situations but author-

    izes the use of blue colored lights for rear projection only for other

    emergency vehicles.

    PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

    New bill.

    FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

    None.

    EFFECTIVE DATE:

    Immediately.

    I have personally spoken with our area representatives and explained our point of safety and the fact that the fire service responds to the same incidents as police departments with typically more personnel. The original law should have been passed for all emergency vehicles.

  15. Posted

    We really do not have alot of equipment I swear lol. 39-51 looked like a really nice truck (excuse me "Squad") in person! Now how come we still have to be stuck with 52 :( (at least we know.. ok I know.. that we can count on you guys getting out over Stormville) :lol:

    Firemt1671,

    This forum is not for bashing or airing our dirty laundry. I will assume since you are from Hopewell Jct that you are a member and if you have a concern there is a chain of command to be followed.

    Scott Post

    Chief

    EFFD

  22. Posted

    There will be a Pancake Breakfast on December 11th, 2005 at the Wiccopee Fire Company, 6 West Hook Rd, Hopewell Jct NY 12533. Hours will be from 8am to 11am, Adults (12 & Over) $6.00, Seniors $5.00, Child (3 to 11 yrs) $3.00, Child under 2 is free.

    100% of the proceeds will be donated to the family of Joann Jackson. Joann is one of our members who has been very ill and will have an extended stay at Westchester Medical Center.

    PLEASE!! Stop down, eat and support one of our own!!!!

  23. Posted

    Since I can't comment personnel issues, I will say that all of you in one way or another have hit the nail on the head. We have heard good and bad about the article. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Training standards need to be kept in order for everyone's safety! This was not an easy process and I am confident we made the right decision. I'll sleep better at night knowing my personnel are trained to the best of our ability and they won't endanger themselves or a brother member.

    Scott Post

    1st Assistant Chief

    EFFD