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Somebody finally figured out how to install missle launchers on an ambulance.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity along with other members of Detroit Box 42, to tour the new Chicago Fire Boat, under construction at Hike Metal, in Wheatley, Ontario (Wheatley is approximately 40 miles south of Detroit on the north shore of Lake Erie) As you will see in the pictures, Hike employees were busy getting ready for delivery of the boat, as it leaves Wheatly for Chicago this coming Friday, April 15th.
Here is a brief description of the vessel:
90 feet long
7 1/2 feet of draw
Steel hull, aluminum superstructure, boat is designed for ice breaking duties
Powered by 2 1400 horsepower Cat Marine Diesels, top speed 13 1/2 knots (consumes 100 gallons of diesel per hour at top speed)
Two 7,000 gallon pumps each powered by a 1,000 horse Cat Marine Diesels
Two 30 Kw diesel powered generators
2500 gallon diesel tank
Two 500 gallon foam tanks
4 monitors, 3 on the bow, 1 on the stern, stern monitor elevates to a height of 30 feet
Mast can be stowed hydraulically to allow passage under the bridges on the Chicago River system

The WPFD vollie's do absolutely nothing but take 1% of the 2% money the city gets. it's a disgrace to even call the vollie's since they do nothing. All the 2% money the city gets should go to the real firefighters of the city, they use that money for their eyeglass and dental, which is ran by the union, and every penny can be accounted for. the vollies throw parties which was investigated years ago by the reporter dispatch. I CANNOT SAY IT ENOUGH THEY ARE A DISGRACE.
They provide NO SUPPORT, they do NOTHING, but rob money. To call them volunteer firefighters is a disgrace. They should be called a social club.
on a day to day basis, not sure but i know one thing........ HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OF WHITE PLAINS

Where in the definition of "Volunteer" does it say lack responsibility? It seems to me to be the ever growing "attitude" within volunteers. Whether it is a new mandate for training , or a change in operations for better overall function of your home dept. It seems to me that the "excuse" of "I'm a volunteer, why should I have to take OSHA," or "I'm a volunteer why should I have to be at my ambulance when I am rostering that time." The last time I checked when I became a volunteer at the age of 16, I joined because it was something I enjoyed doing and wanted to help. Just because you don't receive any type of monetary payments does not mean you cant uphold yourself to the same standards as everyone else. I for one feel that without changing that outlook, volunteers will be a rapidly dying breed. Now for those that don't me, and may think I am "voly bashing" get your facts straight. I have been in my dept for 10 years, and put as many hours as any other active voly. I have not forgotten where I came from, and continue to provide the service and have the attitude as of a volunteer just as I would at work. The main objective of this topic is to answer the following ques. and agree or disagree with the above statement, (Because I am a volunteer I don't have to uphold responsibility.) Is this attitude moral oriented? Is it something that can be changed? If so how?

Call me whatever...just reflect it in my pay and don't be late on it every 2 weeks.

Lately it seem to me that good BLS has  fallen by the way side and the lack of skills on the EMT part and some ALS providers have been lacking in BLS skills, I have been on calls where the BLS crew waited 10 plus minutes for the medic to get there before they take a blood pressure or start taking a history on the patient???? the EMT just walking in with the clipboard on someone with difficult breathing still doesn't help the patient. I have seen other bring every single bag out of the ambulance inside when the medic is already there and treating the patient and the bags just get in the way because they drop them and go get the stretcher... does anyone have an idea on how to change this?

As some ex-Empress EMS EMT's would say, including two members of this forum, "ALS is just a luxury, BLS is a neccesity".
I am a Paramedic, and know ALS interventions can save lives. BUT, as I was taught, BLS before ALS always. If you don't have strong BLS, then your ALS isn't going to matter.
I think the problem is, and has been for a while, is that some providers become "Flycar Dependent", and Paramedics don't help the situation by delegating tasks to let EMT's learn.
I think there are a lot of EMT's with good intentions, but have become too dependent on Paramedics for everything.

Lately it seem to me that good BLS has  fallen by the way side and the lack of skills on the EMT part and some ALS providers have been lacking in BLS skills, I have been on calls where the BLS crew waited 10 plus minutes for the medic to get there before they take a blood pressure or start taking a history on the patient???? the EMT just walking in with the clipboard on someone with difficult breathing still doesn't help the patient. I have seen other bring every single bag out of the ambulance inside when the medic is already there and treating the patient and the bags just get in the way because they drop them and go get the stretcher... does anyone have an idea on how to change this?

I was reading the "ghost lettering" thread and as per on of the administrators suggested to start a new topic, so here goes............
Left me first say this isn't a knock at any specific department per say but an observation that I have seen for a while now that would fall under this topic
using "your chiefs" car to go to another county and park it at the train station when you work in NYC. I think that this example is a total waste of resources for 10-12 hours a day it's sitting in a parking lot not even in your response area, its used as a glorified station car. Plus add in the tolls (if there is any) and gas
just my thoughts....

Sounds like any volunteer officer election to me... should fit in seamlessly with the board then

I'm a little confused by your post, but what I did get from it is the arguement that is made by a lot of Tactical EMS practicioners that "it's easier to train a medic to be a cop then it is to train a cop to be a medic". In my opinion, this does hold some level of truth. I've tried to keep my personal opinion about this topic to myself, but here it is (if anyone cares, lol).
First and foremost, if a Tactical Team is going to utilize a civilian EMS provider as their Tactical Medic (in the TEMS world the term "medic" is used to describe both EMT's and Paramedics), they have to select the right person. The individual needs to be put through the hiring process as if they were going for a job with the Law Enforcement agency they're going to be working with, including interviews, psychological exams, drug tests, background checks, etc. Secondly, they need to pass the SWAT physical/agility just as if they were trying out for the team as a regular LEO. Face it, not every LEO is cut out for the type of work that Tactical Teams perform. We like to think of Tactical operators as "the best of the best", true masters of the craft of high risk tactical operations. Experts in firearms control, marksmanship, and tactics. Individuals who can carry out specialized tactical operations that require such a highly motivated and skilled LEO. Civilian TEMS providers should be held to that same standard.
In regards to training, any civilian TEMS provider should attend some form of Law Enforcement training to attain a title similiar to peace officer status. In addition, all TEMS providers must attend some form of TEMS training to learn how to take the medical skills they already possess and apply it to the tactical environment, as well as learn those skills and methodologies they are not accustomed to which are specific to the field of Tactical EMS (i.e. remote patient assessments, medical threat assessments, barricade medicine, etc.)
You can't just take a civilian medical provider, throw a heavy vest and helmet on them, and call them a Tactical Medic. There needs to be a stringent, rigid set of standards and training before any civilian EMS provider can attain such a status. There needs to be written medical and operation protocols, continual joint training between the Tactical Team and the TEMS providers, training standards set forth by the agency, medical directors should be involved, etc.
Operationally, I don't necessarily believe in putting a civilian TEMS provider in the stack. I do agree that civilian TEMS providers, if properly outfitted with the necessary PPE (heavy vest, etc.), can be placed in the inner perimeter, staged at the point of entry. A civilian TEMS provider in the stack does nothing to benefit the Tactical Team; it's just another individual to get in their way of what they have to do. Tactical Teams have a mission, and that mission is carried out through speed, suprise, and violence of action. Sometimes more is not better, and this is one of thoses cases where unnecessary personnel running around the inside of a location can be more of a hinderance then a help. One of the main ideas of the TEMS program is to cut down on the time for an injured person to receive medical aide. Having your civilian medical provider staged at the point of entry, where they are not in the way of LEO's as they carry out their operation, but still close enough that they can be on top of an injured party in seconds, is not only effective, but ensures a higher level of safety for the TEMS provider.
Am I against civilian TEMS providers? No, as long as they follow the strict standards and guidelines I spoke of before. There are a hundred reasons why most LEO's are against the idea of civilian TEMS providers, and I don't disagree with them. There are liability concerns, safety concerns, OPSEC concerns, and so on. Neither way of thinking is right or wrong in my opinion. Both concepts can work, it's simply up to the Tactical Team to decide which is going to be the best means of providing tactical medical care. The only thing that I don't agree with is to shun away from civilian EMS providers simply because they're "civilians" and have no idea about law enforcement or combat. You know how many combat veterans are returning back from overseas and going back to their jobs stocking shelves at the local grocery or department store? These individuals have more combat experience then most LEO's out there. Keep an open mind. There are many civilian EMS providers out there with significant military experience serving multiple tours overseas. They're an untapped resource for such a program that should not be overlooked just because they're not an LEO.

well workers that go into sewers and other small places underground that are very poorly ventilated actually have or suppose to have SCBA and gas detectors and other proper equipment for entry into the space. if you read up on what happened in tarrytown alot of towns are checking to see if they meet standards now. Its a shame it took two lives to be lost to make this happen