M' Ave

CoOps and such aside....

They spec'd an Aerialscpoe.....so seagrave it is.  Theyre the owners of that aerial brand.

Agreed on the hose bed...I'm always baffled by some of the high hose beds I see.  We've had many changes in cab and manufacturer in the FDNY, but the hose bed has remained largely unchanged.  Additionally, roll-ups and fittings are still easily accesible.  

Looks like a nice, purpose-built rig.  Painted, steel bumpers with 45* corners (an FDNY inovation, I'm told...)

There is no doubt in my mind that housing costs are NUMBER ONE.  There are many realities here, many that have set in in the Tri-state area.  Everyone, even people buying the million dollar home, is working harder and longer.  Many households have two working parents.  How about time spent commuting?  Thats getting longer too.

I haven't volunteered in a few years.  One day, I could find myself living in a place where I could volunteer again, but the reality is....I probably won't.  Why?  Because I have to work a second job, or I stay home with my child on days off while my wife is at work.  After work, well, that's the time we get to spend together, not much time left for drill, meetings, ect.  I'll have an hour, hour and half drive home from work...not looking to spend more time away from home.

I think volunteering is great in some communities.  I think it's a storied and proud institution, but in many places, it's days are numbered (or they should be).  Entirely necessary training requierments have become more and more onorous.  attendance in some places is dropping.  Smaller dept.s are calling for Mx aide every single time there is a fire.

What's the answer?  Consolidation.  Use the dedicated volunteer force more efficiently, let them handle a larger call volume and coverage area.  Supplement that force with a reasonable career organization and spread them out as well.  This all sounds familiar....like something a certain captain put out years ago.....I gues we're all still looking out for our little kingdoms and lot the greater good.

2 minutes ago, 16fire5 said:

While these statements were true a few years ago.  Engine Companies are increasingly being dispatched BLS calls.  The Major Injury calls are a good example.  They have added to the CFRD matrix a few years ago.  While the non-FDNY people on here will think yeah they should go on major injury calls, major injury calls are anything but major injuries and that's why they only send BLS.  Engine Companies have been increasingly sent on runs when the BLS unit reports responding with a delay.  In the grand scheme of things, this is nothing new the LAFD has used a matrix based on response times for a while.  The issue is the workload on some FDNY engines is pretty high.  My company has done well over 5K runs for quite a few years.  While it sounds great to work in a busy place and we do enjoy it, a company that is that busy as mine is is out of service over 20% of the time.  When people have real emergencies they have a 1 in 5 chance of the first due engine being unavailable.  

I agree.  I was just giving the, "by-the-book" protocol.  Reality....yes, "Major Injury" has come to mean a nose bleed in some cases....

The UCT call takers code things with an insane amount of caution...I assume it's a C.Y.A. move for the city...

Also, you're right, the workload is crazy.  In the last 5 years our runs are up 20%.... thats a more dramatic uptick than in years prior to the most recent 5....

On 2/9/2017 at 6:36 PM, x635 said:

Does anyone know how they select which calls the Flycar goes on?

Good question, one that I don't have a definitive answer to.  However, I can say that EMS runs are coded 1-9.  Engine Co's are dispatched on all 1-3 coded runs.  Those are: Arrests (cardiac and resp.), all cardiac and resp. distress calls, major injury/bleeding and obstetric emergencies.  Grouped in there would be runs related to Seizures, Unresponsive, ect..

Eng. Co's should only respond to runs when Medics are assigned, with the exception being car accidents/trauma runs.  So, I'd assume that the Fly Cars are assigned in a similar manner to Engines.  Any run that would normally get two busses (one ALS, one BLS) is eligible to have a fly car replace the ALS bus that would normally be assigned.

I did work a few days ago for a cardiac arrest run.  The first unit to arrive after my engine was a fly car.  The medics began working up the patient while we continued CPR, ventilations, ect.  The BLS unit arrived some minutes later with a scoop, ect.  They tranasported.

3 minutes ago, EmsFirePolice said:

We'll find out soon

YOU'RE finding out now, because experts are telling you.  WE'VE known for some time now, seeing as we work in this system and have been for quite some time.  This flycar thing AINT that new.

1 hour ago, EmsFirePolice said:

 

Did you even read my second line? Change will be minimal. I don't think it would be a colossal change. The ALS unit might still be stuck in traffic, and who knows, the ambulance may even arrive before the ALS fly car. I don't think we can bet on anything yet, you know how NYC traffic is.

I work in the city....in the boro where this is being piloted.  The change is tangable and significant.  Bet on that.  The End.

6 hours ago, Jybehofd said:

It's doesn't make sense but if it works.  Has NYC changed the ALS protocols that a medic can work alone without a medic partner ? If so I think this is good

They have not changed the protocol.  It would not be good if they did either.  All that would happen is, the city would start looking to cut the number of medics down and save money by using more EMTs. 

This is pretty old info being rehashed.  There is no official discussion of any changes.......THANKFULLY.  Our structure and staffing, on both the fire and ems side, are our greatest asset

3 hours ago, x635 said:

I think it's an interesting tactical move. Hopefully their existence isn't just as a "clock stopper". 

No, it seems to be helpful.  The fly car often arrives soon after us in an engine and long before a Bus.

 

It states there are two Paramedics to each flycar. Are they able to split up when one goes aboard a BLS bus, or do both have to go? 

If one rides in the bus to help during a tansport, the fly car follows and picks up the other medic before going 10~8

3 hours ago, x635 said:

 

It would be  very interesting if FDNY was to assign a Paramedic to each Engine company. 

No thank you!  Engines in the city still respond to far more fire runs than medical runs....and most of the medical runs do not requier our assitance.  A medic would be a waste of money and would lead to more involvment at EMS runs, taking engines away from their primary function.  

My Co. has had a KME engine for a little over 2 years.  With 25k miles and almost 4k hours, I can say it's held up well.  I typically believe the builder has less to do with the quality of the apparatus and the Spec is key...However, the Truck in my quarters is a Ferrara, and it's junk.  Assembly and fit/finish is far superior in the KME product.  More care was taken in running wires and assembling compartments.

All in all....The KME rig is a good one and the company has been quick to address issues and then taken preventative steps on the rest of the fleet.  We must have about 100 of these engines by now and I haven't heard much grumbling from the shops.

21 hours ago, Tcs said:

it's a little thing called Mutual Aid if you're too far away with a ladder you call for another one

That is not what MX is for.  Let's not forget ....that neighboring ladder is also at the parade .  You shouldn't take equipment out of town if it completely removed some lifesaving capability, like an aerial.

To address the issue of vehicles put of town for training, well, ya gotta train and a quick phone call to the neighbors to be on standby and a request with dispatch to automatically send another Dept's truck Co. can solve this problem.  

For training.  Not parades.

I remember seeing Broad Channel F.D. units at Westchester parades.  That's a looking haul.  Now, I know they just buff FDNY runs and the area is still covered, but if you can drive your ladder from Queens to Westchester.....you look unesccesary.

2 hours ago, KJ8806 said:

im not sure of the right thinking on this but my guess would be its the cheifs choice on what a department sends if a department wants to send a ladder then thats what they send same with a engine,rescue, my department sends our rescue to parades 

Yes, I'm sure chief's make these calls.  That doesn't make it a good plan.  

Does your Rescue carry extrication tools?  Do any of your other apparatus have them?

1 hour ago, AndyC3J said:

There are enough people who will complain about an engine being sent to an out of town event, even if it's not the first due piece and there's plenty of manpower left behind.   

 

I see your point, however, and it is a good one.  

People would complain, and they'd be wrong.  If you have three engines and you send one, with a small crew to a parade, nothing wrong with that.  It's thought out and well planned.  The issue only arrises when you take a non-duplicative resource away.

About 15 years ago my volunteer dept. went to a parade, 5 minutes away, next town over.  Chiefs order....the ladder doesnt go.  Well, that was disregarded and it went.  A Liut. and 4 firemen we're suspended.  Imagine that, consequences.  

I will most definitely be at my next village board meeting.  That rig seems to go to plenty of parades, but more often than not, doesn't make it on the road for alarms.

This is not a new topic...but it hits close to home.  I live in a 6 story, fire-proof multiple dwelling.  This means...there are no fire escapes.  If a fire were to occur on the 4th, 5th or 6th floors, a resident could potentially be blocked from their front door....the only means of egress.  Whats the other way out?  An aerial ladder.  What good is that aerial ladder when its 20 minutes away at a parade?  Maybe farther!  My local FD has several engines and one, single ladder.  Why does that ladder, the only means of high-rise rescue, EVER leave town?  To win a trophy?  To show off?  To look cool?

If there were ever a tragedy, I'd expect those responsible to see criminal charges.

Im all for parades.  Im all for tradition.  Our volunteers give time and these kind of events are joyful and proper compensation for dedication.  We should have fun and maintain freindly relationships with neighboring dept's through social activities.

However, our first mission is life-safety.  If a town has 3 or 4 engines and 1 ladder....um....the ladder doesnt go to parades.  Smarten up, send an engine.

There wasnt a need to include a dept. name, because this dept. is not unique.  The list of offenders is long, sadly.

28 minutes ago, trauma74 said:

Who staffs the Field Com Units? Fire Alarm Dispatchers?

It is staffed with dispatchers (2, I think) and firemen and officers. 

There is also the other BS contingency plan....

Staffing RRV units with 2 firemen and an officer to respond solely to EMS.  This is nothing more than a "stop-the-clock" measure....

Wanna free up more ALS/BLS units?  Start a PSA about when you should call 911 and when you should buck-up for a cab!  Too often the "patient" having the emergency has all the ability to stop in the bathroom, get dressed and walk themselves downstairs....THATS NOT AN EMERGENCY CONDITION....

100% true!

They also leave out the part where they dispatch fire companies on initial reports without any information, leaving dispatchers little time to fill us in while we're reaponding.  All too frequently we'll hear the dispatcher say, "upon further interagation of the caller", meaning....the PD call taker finally let us ask the important stuff!

4 hours ago, 61MACKBR1 said:

Yonkers FD is rumored to be working on the specifications for a replacement to their 2007 American LaFrance Tandem Axel Rescue Truck. With the fact that Yonkers has been taking on Ferrara's for their recent apparatus acquisitions, one has to be interested in knowing whether or not Yonkers FD will look at who FDNY goes with as far as their New Rescue 1 rig is concerned.

Ya gotta remember, the lowest bidder who meets the spec gets the bid.  There's no preference given to any builder.  

^^^ This

Nice shot of 8 Engine. Where were they quartered at the time?

We're (Fire) are getting killed with this right along with NYPD and EMS. We three agencies have the most contact with people on the streets and so we are utilized to treat the homeless.

This serves one purpose...get the homeless out of the public eye. Clearly this has become a political hot-potato for diBlasio (aka Red Bill) and Cuomo. It doesn't fix the issue, just sweeps it under the rug by running engine companies and EMS units into the ground....

Is there any preference given to MTA employees? I always thought that those inside got first crack at change in craft.

The best and largest fire department in the world just put out a GARBAGE TRUCK FIRE without even having

A garbage truck is not a structure fire. Its also not comparable to a structure fire. Personally, i didnt have a problem with FPFD not wearing their masks. If they felt comfortable taking a dash for a peak inside, fine. Save your air for when its absolutely necessary...personal choice about how much you expose yoirself to toxins.

Organization, process and tactics were the more glaring issue for me.

3:30.....no one has stretched a line. No one seems to have completed a primary of the original fire occupancy, some dude is cutting like hell to open a Bilco door and another guy has his hood up under his helmet.....no face piece on....

This is confusing me....and looks terrible

Without manpower lost?

There isn't a guy driving a second or third truck now. These are designed to eliminate jobs.

I get that it all costs money, I do. I pay taxes too. But anytime something like this comes up, jobs are lost. Either thru attrition or cuts, jobs are lost.

Cities try out quints. Jobs are lost. Wow, we can have four guys in a station on one truck instead of eight on two??!! Wow, that's neat. And EFFICIENT. Anytime an administrator uses that word, there's likely an axe swinging somewhere.

...i get ya, but if this works an it saves money in the long run, tough to argue....