FDNY 10-75

Ladder towers were used in medieval time to attack castles. Archers would shoot at the castle defender from the top. Game of Throwns starts soon. Tower Ladders are the safest type of ariels in the fire service. Rearmount ladders are unpredictable and have been known to hit firefighters in the head while operating at fires.

What really irks me, more then the article itself, is that we have a fellow emergency provider, someone who is supposed to be on the same team as all of us, trying to defend the abysmal staffing of what occurs in almost 99.9% of career departments (volunteer staffing is a different problem altogether, and I'm a volunteer). It's not safe for anyone, and anyone who sits there and tries to defend it is absolutely clueless about firefighting, the safety issues that we face (and manage to miraculously dodge fire after fire without more LODDs), and the politicians that we currently fight with day in and day out to provide a safe environment for the communities we've sworn to protect. All of the fire engines in the world mean absolutely nothing, if the correct staffing levels are not there to safely, correctly and efficiently do the job.
I am not a paramedic, and will never sit there and attempt to tell you your protocols need to change when it comes to dosage rates of atropine during a heart attack, because I don't have a damn clue about what I'm talking about. I am not a electrician, nor a painter, or a ditch digger, or a cable repair man, so I will never sit there and tell them how to do their job, or the correct and safe way to do it.
So until you strap on a pair of bunkers, make a hallway, pull a victim out, all while having a vertical vent simultaneously cut, with multiple handlines being stretched, don't tell me the safe way to do my job, because I've also done it the poor staffing way, and can tell you the horrible differences between the two.
This is a public forum now, and every reply that is posted can be read by the public, press, politicians, and those who vote. And for someone who is supposed to be on the same team, as stated in your affiliations under your user name, to sit there and say 2 guys on a rig is perfectly good, does absolutely nothing but hurt us, and all the years of work that unions have fought for.
/rant.

Politicians and the media have these people convinced that we are the enemy and as was stated a lot of them are the cheapest people you can come across.

I cannot imagine that GFD responds, on the first alarm within 8 minutes, this:



Anything less, and you're endangering life, of both your citizens, as well as the firefighters there.

It was in the news, I posted it for discussion. Are we not supposed to discuss the news anymore? A large majority of the real estate in Greenwich is expensive, and the Town has a sturdier tax base then most, and can afford a lot more then other communities can. I'm not an economist, but Greenwich is a lot better off then many others FD's. Regardless of the article, it must be a topic of discussion in Greenwich, and from what I take from your comments, a heated one.
Two man, first due engine companies or stations is not proper staffing by any means, regardless if they are backed up by volunteers or not (assuming they are not guaranteed to be at the station at the time of every call). Those two firefighters could arrive at a scene a few minutes before other firefighters or another company, especially depending on "chute" times, and those minutes could mean life or death, or complete property loss or an aggressive stop. Especially when you consider the large real estate in the "backwoods" of Greenwich require an additional response time for the additional Engine, Truck (more square footage to search and vent=more manpower) and FAST companies to get there. And, then on top of that, a large portion of the "backwoods" of Greenwich is not covered by a hydrant system, and there is a huge factor that plays in when you account for all the additional manpower and equipment you will need just to establish a water supply, let alone keep it going.
Let's not account for the other fire service needs in Greenwich, such as one of the busiest interstate highways for tractor trailer use with a high percentage carrying hazardous materials, one of the busiest commuter rail lines in the US with several stations, plus Amtrak and Freight traffic, a dangerous parkway, the Long Island Sound, a nearby airport, proximity to NYC, etc. Just the other week, 3 Greenwich Engine companies and one Rescue company were required for a 90 minute extrication. What if a major fire was to break out then?
Can you elaborate more against the items stated in the article, to give us the perspective of the "other side" as you state?

Politicians and the media have these people convinced that we are the enemy and as was stated a lot of them are the cheapest people you can come across.

Politicians and the media have these people convinced that we are the enemy and as was stated a lot of them are the cheapest people you can come across.

The reason many wealthy people have so much money is because they don't spend it. They tend to nickle and dime everyone to death in order to save money.

Delivery is scheduled for Friday 3/28.

Uh I don't know what you think a buff is, but this vehicle is the epitome of buffiness. Whoever the person who speced it was, they felt they were better than having to drive around in a vehicle that actually displays what it is. You want to be the Chief, be the Chief, not some undercover incognito guy rolling around looking like he could be part of a Blackwater mercenary squad in the Middle East somewhere. Its a shame the Commissioners of this district, or whoever signs the checks, allowed something like this to be purchased, its not the Chief's personal car, he should have input only into what he would like to have inside it that might be usefully applied towards the job he is supposed to be doing, he shouldn't have anything to say about how it looks, he gets a free car and free gas, take it as it comes.

Black huh? Another fire chiefs car that we don't want to look like a fire chiefs car? Who are we hiding from? Or are we just trying to look like a Secret Service motorcade?

According to http://itefire.com/BlueRidgeMtn.htm , it is a 176.5 wheelbase on the white Blue Ridge engine.
Less then $500,000.....I will work on getting a better number.

Maybe its just me, but I'm much more concerned that there are towns that have 9 Chiefs cars in service but only 5 Engines than I am with a PRIVATE company buying a large military tow rig.
Last I checked the owner of a private company can spend his money as he pleases. This being America and all.

Stiloskis Automotive Military Surplus Oshkosh Wrecker

EMTBravo welcomes and thanks our newest sponsor, Hudson Valley Fire Equipment. Check them out at the link below!

http://www.hudsonvalleyfire.com/

Ugly color but nice !

Not the bomb squad but NYPD also recently took delivery of this 2014 Sartin Services Medical Ambulance Bus

Not the bomb squad but NYPD also recently took delivery of this 2014 Sartin Services Medical Ambulance Bus

Not the bomb squad but NYPD also recently took delivery of this 2014 Sartin Services Medical Ambulance Bus

A feel good video if the ever was one.

The Town of Colonie is a suburb of Albany to it's North, home to Albany International Airport.
Old graphics:
Colonie, NY Police Department by witkowski.andrewb, on Flickr New graphics:CPD111 (2) by witkowski.andrewb, on FlickrCPD111 by witkowski.andrewb, on FlickrCPD 125 by witkowski.andrewb, on Flickr Interior of Caprice:CPD111 (1) by witkowski.andrewb, on Flickr

Looks awesome!
http://www.ford.com/commercial-trucks/f650-f750/2016/

RIP

Wanted to create an information source regarding new apparatus orders for the area, not limited just to Orange. Any new rigs for Ulster, Dutchess, Putnam, Bergen (NJ), Rockland, Nassau.....and of course, Westchester.
Any bids, orders, deliveries, "spy shots", etc. that anyone is willing to share, feel free to post 'em up!

Maybrook is in process of building a new engine to replace Engine 215. The new engine will be designated as Engine 218. From what I have heard, they are looking to make it a twin to Engine 210, 2012 Spartan ERV Metro Star.