M' Ave

Unfortunatly, this issue is not confined to "rural" NY. Declining volunteerism is an issue from the city line, north. That said, there are a lot of dedicated volunteers who could (and would like) to do more. The current system is truely a hindrance and a serious overhaul is needed. Smaller town and village fire departments shouuld be combined into larger area districts. The pool of active volunteers would better service a larger area and more call volume. In areas where necessary, by population and call volume, could be supplemented by a career staff.
Towns and villages really need to give up a little control and allow for a vastly superior, efficient reorganization. Emergency services can operate more effectivly on economies of scale, to some degree.
I live in Westchester, in a high-tax community. I work in the poorest congressional district in the United States. The residents of said congressional district recieve vastly superior Fire and EMS service. Why does anyone think this is acceptatble? Everyone, regardless of municipality should demand equal emergency service protections.
This is not a volunteer/career issue. This is not one municipality vs. another....this is a life safety issue for citizens and responders. We can better utilize our emergency personel, improve and better utilize volunteer service and compliment with career firemen when needed.
Lets smarten up.

Unfortunatly, this issue is not confined to "rural" NY. Declining volunteerism is an issue from the city line, north. That said, there are a lot of dedicated volunteers who could (and would like) to do more. The current system is truely a hindrance and a serious overhaul is needed. Smaller town and village fire departments shouuld be combined into larger area districts. The pool of active volunteers would better service a larger area and more call volume. In areas where necessary, by population and call volume, could be supplemented by a career staff.
Towns and villages really need to give up a little control and allow for a vastly superior, efficient reorganization. Emergency services can operate more effectivly on economies of scale, to some degree.
I live in Westchester, in a high-tax community. I work in the poorest congressional district in the United States. The residents of said congressional district recieve vastly superior Fire and EMS service. Why does anyone think this is acceptatble? Everyone, regardless of municipality should demand equal emergency service protections.
This is not a volunteer/career issue. This is not one municipality vs. another....this is a life safety issue for citizens and responders. We can better utilize our emergency personel, improve and better utilize volunteer service and compliment with career firemen when needed.
Lets smarten up.

Unfortunatly, this issue is not confined to "rural" NY. Declining volunteerism is an issue from the city line, north. That said, there are a lot of dedicated volunteers who could (and would like) to do more. The current system is truely a hindrance and a serious overhaul is needed. Smaller town and village fire departments shouuld be combined into larger area districts. The pool of active volunteers would better service a larger area and more call volume. In areas where necessary, by population and call volume, could be supplemented by a career staff.
Towns and villages really need to give up a little control and allow for a vastly superior, efficient reorganization. Emergency services can operate more effectivly on economies of scale, to some degree.
I live in Westchester, in a high-tax community. I work in the poorest congressional district in the United States. The residents of said congressional district recieve vastly superior Fire and EMS service. Why does anyone think this is acceptatble? Everyone, regardless of municipality should demand equal emergency service protections.
This is not a volunteer/career issue. This is not one municipality vs. another....this is a life safety issue for citizens and responders. We can better utilize our emergency personel, improve and better utilize volunteer service and compliment with career firemen when needed.
Lets smarten up.

Unfortunatly, this issue is not confined to "rural" NY. Declining volunteerism is an issue from the city line, north. That said, there are a lot of dedicated volunteers who could (and would like) to do more. The current system is truely a hindrance and a serious overhaul is needed. Smaller town and village fire departments shouuld be combined into larger area districts. The pool of active volunteers would better service a larger area and more call volume. In areas where necessary, by population and call volume, could be supplemented by a career staff.
Towns and villages really need to give up a little control and allow for a vastly superior, efficient reorganization. Emergency services can operate more effectivly on economies of scale, to some degree.
I live in Westchester, in a high-tax community. I work in the poorest congressional district in the United States. The residents of said congressional district recieve vastly superior Fire and EMS service. Why does anyone think this is acceptatble? Everyone, regardless of municipality should demand equal emergency service protections.
This is not a volunteer/career issue. This is not one municipality vs. another....this is a life safety issue for citizens and responders. We can better utilize our emergency personel, improve and better utilize volunteer service and compliment with career firemen when needed.
Lets smarten up.

Where exactly in the county is there both no cell or pager service?

This is kind of a rhetorical question, no? Reality is, New Rochelle FD should be able to handle more than an All-hands without outside assistance or coverage, but that's on the politicians who refuse to properly fund adequate staffing and coverage.
This is a "bigger picture" discussion. It's my opinion that, if a department must call MX aide upon every transmission of a "working fire", they are under-funded and thus, under staffed. The same applies to volunteer departments. Everything bread-and-butter (yes, this includes a 1 or 2 line fire) should be handled by the responsible department without help.

This is kind of a rhetorical question, no? Reality is, New Rochelle FD should be able to handle more than an All-hands without outside assistance or coverage, but that's on the politicians who refuse to properly fund adequate staffing and coverage.
This is a "bigger picture" discussion. It's my opinion that, if a department must call MX aide upon every transmission of a "working fire", they are under-funded and thus, under staffed. The same applies to volunteer departments. Everything bread-and-butter (yes, this includes a 1 or 2 line fire) should be handled by the responsible department without help.

This is kind of a rhetorical question, no? Reality is, New Rochelle FD should be able to handle more than an All-hands without outside assistance or coverage, but that's on the politicians who refuse to properly fund adequate staffing and coverage.
This is a "bigger picture" discussion. It's my opinion that, if a department must call MX aide upon every transmission of a "working fire", they are under-funded and thus, under staffed. The same applies to volunteer departments. Everything bread-and-butter (yes, this includes a 1 or 2 line fire) should be handled by the responsible department without help.

Let's get to the bottom line. An individual who did not meet the physical standards of the FDNY was nonetheless graduated and placed into service. That individual, ten days into their career, has suffered a significant and no doubt career ending injury. This individual will now be on medical leave which will eventually become permanent disability leave and the taxpayer will support this individual for the the rest of their life. This was a line of duty injury to a person who could not meet the physical requirements of the job but was, for the sake of diversity, allowed to advance.

FDNY does not regularly do this. The FDNY prides itself on aggressive interior attack.
As far as the discussion goes, making conditions more tenable sounds great except, 75% of fire victims die from smoke inhalation. Flowing water through a window to make conditions more "tenable" for firefighters to enter won't save victims. Getting them out of the building will. Since when does a firefighter put the rescue of a civilian at the bottom of the list? The training of firefighters is about developing skills. Firefighters are taught to put out fires from the interior advancing through a structure a certain way. These are just the basics and the basics take time and is not something that is taught in 5 minutes. Firefighters who have battled fires from the inside learn from experience and repetition how to do it better and more effective which allows firefighters to have the skill levels to extinguish fires from inside. When a firefighter shoots a stream through a window all of the skill development is over. There is no skill level to that and only lowers our skills and is a fire service failure. Another example of fire service failure is that we still have firefighters who cannot operate a 2.5 inch line due to poor technique and education.
"A fire department that writes off civilians faster than an express line of 6 reasons or less is not progressive, it's dangerous, because it's run by fear. Fear does not save lives, it endangers them." -- Lt. Ray McCormack FDNY
http://www.firehouse.com/blog/10631380/transitional-attack-is-whack

Keep France in your thoughts. Remember, the ideals that fueled this assault and murder, would seek to cause the same harm and more to all of us. **Never Forget**
Beginning at 1800hrs today,FDNY will staff all 1st. And 3rd. Division Engines with 5 firemen. Additionally, Rescue 6, an additional Squad, Reserve SOC Support Truck and Rescue Battallion 2 will be in service Until Further Orders.
Though not specific, clearly the threat of violent activity is being taken very seriously.

Keep France in your thoughts. Remember, the ideals that fueled this assault and murder, would seek to cause the same harm and more to all of us. **Never Forget**
Beginning at 1800hrs today,FDNY will staff all 1st. And 3rd. Division Engines with 5 firemen. Additionally, Rescue 6, an additional Squad, Reserve SOC Support Truck and Rescue Battallion 2 will be in service Until Further Orders.
Though not specific, clearly the threat of violent activity is being taken very seriously.

That thing is too big for Centereach too....but shhhhhhh, don't tell anyone. They're surrounded by rescues too, but we all know that L.I. story....

That thing is too big for Centereach too....but shhhhhhh, don't tell anyone. They're surrounded by rescues too, but we all know that L.I. story....

If only we'd learn from the past and stop doing it over and over again in the future....
I can be a little hawkish....but we're digging a lot of holes for ourselves....
On the flip-side, I'd like to see us actually fight someone, and not in the media and the television cameras. War is ugly, now it has to deal with the flow of easy information and public perception.

This situation is a disgrace. The handling and management of resources in The Village of Lachmont is hollow. They are a career dept., which is understaffed. They have few volunteers and they've spent decades reducing the relevance and responsibility of that outfit. So, what you're left with, as with many of the local "combo" fire departments, is an illusion of safety. It's a great big gamble that the politicians typically win. Luck eventually runs out.
What has happened, twice, recently in Larchmont is an indicative of 2 problems:
1) Many FD's in Westchester lack any semblance of adequate staffing. This is a problem that some have tried to address through a regional consolidation plan....but no one has the stones to see it through, not to mention the fact that many are entrenched in guarding their own little fiefdom...
2) In this example, in this municipality, it appears that a serious lack of judgement was made. The residents of Larchmont pay some of the highest taxes in the NATION and they should expect the fire protection they pay for. What? Everyone was just so excited to go Yonkers they shut the lights and call the TMFD? This is gross-negligence in management. If someone died in a house fire in Larchmont, I would expect the LFD chief to go to jail. The LFD's first responsibility is to the residents of Larchmont. Mx aide is important to give and receive, but if you can't continue to perform your primary duties, you can't perform them for another municipality.

This situation is a disgrace. The handling and management of resources in The Village of Lachmont is hollow. They are a career dept., which is understaffed. They have few volunteers and they've spent decades reducing the relevance and responsibility of that outfit. So, what you're left with, as with many of the local "combo" fire departments, is an illusion of safety. It's a great big gamble that the politicians typically win. Luck eventually runs out.
What has happened, twice, recently in Larchmont is an indicative of 2 problems:
1) Many FD's in Westchester lack any semblance of adequate staffing. This is a problem that some have tried to address through a regional consolidation plan....but no one has the stones to see it through, not to mention the fact that many are entrenched in guarding their own little fiefdom...
2) In this example, in this municipality, it appears that a serious lack of judgement was made. The residents of Larchmont pay some of the highest taxes in the NATION and they should expect the fire protection they pay for. What? Everyone was just so excited to go Yonkers they shut the lights and call the TMFD? This is gross-negligence in management. If someone died in a house fire in Larchmont, I would expect the LFD chief to go to jail. The LFD's first responsibility is to the residents of Larchmont. Mx aide is important to give and receive, but if you can't continue to perform your primary duties, you can't perform them for another municipality.

Consolidation is a separate issue. In the broader picture, it's key. However, it doesn't address the fact that NRFD units are understaffed and forced to operate short-handed. Consolidated or not, the 5 engines and 3 ladders protecting that area need the proper staffing and supervision.

If only we'd learn from the past and stop doing it over and over again in the future....
I can be a little hawkish....but we're digging a lot of holes for ourselves....
On the flip-side, I'd like to see us actually fight someone, and not in the media and the television cameras. War is ugly, now it has to deal with the flow of easy information and public perception.

Consolidation is a separate issue. In the broader picture, it's key. However, it doesn't address the fact that NRFD units are understaffed and forced to operate short-handed. Consolidated or not, the 5 engines and 3 ladders protecting that area need the proper staffing and supervision.

This situation is a disgrace. The handling and management of resources in The Village of Lachmont is hollow. They are a career dept., which is understaffed. They have few volunteers and they've spent decades reducing the relevance and responsibility of that outfit. So, what you're left with, as with many of the local "combo" fire departments, is an illusion of safety. It's a great big gamble that the politicians typically win. Luck eventually runs out.
What has happened, twice, recently in Larchmont is an indicative of 2 problems:
1) Many FD's in Westchester lack any semblance of adequate staffing. This is a problem that some have tried to address through a regional consolidation plan....but no one has the stones to see it through, not to mention the fact that many are entrenched in guarding their own little fiefdom...
2) In this example, in this municipality, it appears that a serious lack of judgement was made. The residents of Larchmont pay some of the highest taxes in the NATION and they should expect the fire protection they pay for. What? Everyone was just so excited to go Yonkers they shut the lights and call the TMFD? This is gross-negligence in management. If someone died in a house fire in Larchmont, I would expect the LFD chief to go to jail. The LFD's first responsibility is to the residents of Larchmont. Mx aide is important to give and receive, but if you can't continue to perform your primary duties, you can't perform them for another municipality.

This situation is a disgrace. The handling and management of resources in The Village of Lachmont is hollow. They are a career dept., which is understaffed. They have few volunteers and they've spent decades reducing the relevance and responsibility of that outfit. So, what you're left with, as with many of the local "combo" fire departments, is an illusion of safety. It's a great big gamble that the politicians typically win. Luck eventually runs out.
What has happened, twice, recently in Larchmont is an indicative of 2 problems:
1) Many FD's in Westchester lack any semblance of adequate staffing. This is a problem that some have tried to address through a regional consolidation plan....but no one has the stones to see it through, not to mention the fact that many are entrenched in guarding their own little fiefdom...
2) In this example, in this municipality, it appears that a serious lack of judgement was made. The residents of Larchmont pay some of the highest taxes in the NATION and they should expect the fire protection they pay for. What? Everyone was just so excited to go Yonkers they shut the lights and call the TMFD? This is gross-negligence in management. If someone died in a house fire in Larchmont, I would expect the LFD chief to go to jail. The LFD's first responsibility is to the residents of Larchmont. Mx aide is important to give and receive, but if you can't continue to perform your primary duties, you can't perform them for another municipality.

If only we'd learn from the past and stop doing it over and over again in the future....
I can be a little hawkish....but we're digging a lot of holes for ourselves....
On the flip-side, I'd like to see us actually fight someone, and not in the media and the television cameras. War is ugly, now it has to deal with the flow of easy information and public perception.

You mean like the billions we spend annually doing just that around the world, including in some of those very same places that are now in anarchy. The results of trying to buy security in those ways have proven to be less than effective to say the least.
"Walk softly and carry a big stick"
Theodore Roosevelt
Interesting view, but obviously I disagree. I'm confident history, especially the history of the 20th century, shows that true security comes from military strength not negotiating with tyrants and fanatics . Far more often than not it is the knowledge that your adversaries possess overwhelming military force and the willingness and ability to project it that is the deterrent, not kind words and piles of cash.

This situation is a disgrace. The handling and management of resources in The Village of Lachmont is hollow. They are a career dept., which is understaffed. They have few volunteers and they've spent decades reducing the relevance and responsibility of that outfit. So, what you're left with, as with many of the local "combo" fire departments, is an illusion of safety. It's a great big gamble that the politicians typically win. Luck eventually runs out.
What has happened, twice, recently in Larchmont is an indicative of 2 problems:
1) Many FD's in Westchester lack any semblance of adequate staffing. This is a problem that some have tried to address through a regional consolidation plan....but no one has the stones to see it through, not to mention the fact that many are entrenched in guarding their own little fiefdom...
2) In this example, in this municipality, it appears that a serious lack of judgement was made. The residents of Larchmont pay some of the highest taxes in the NATION and they should expect the fire protection they pay for. What? Everyone was just so excited to go Yonkers they shut the lights and call the TMFD? This is gross-negligence in management. If someone died in a house fire in Larchmont, I would expect the LFD chief to go to jail. The LFD's first responsibility is to the residents of Larchmont. Mx aide is important to give and receive, but if you can't continue to perform your primary duties, you can't perform them for another municipality.