BIGRED1

Sad for some involved. However it seems like the smart, fiscal thing to do. 
 
The article stated that there was a concern that there wouldn't be enough volunteers in the future. Why spend all that money if there aren't enough members to sufficiently operate?
 
Consolidate with surrounding depts and let the Roosevelt membership join. 
 
Again, I'm sure this hurts for the members. But if it's what is right for the community, then so be it.  

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/new-jersey-roosevelt-volunteer-fire-department-bond-vote-badge-417487813.html
Link to the story.
Why should a town of 900 people, and not even 2 square miles have its own FD ? Great merge it with nearby departments and let the members join other departments in the area.

They can call Port Chester  volunteers they have over 300 !

 
 

Let's watch the Yonkers smoke and mirror show......and see what develops,if I know Yonkers it will be a doozy .
 
They need a house in Ridge Hill!!!

Looking at this i have to wonder, do they staff the firehouse now? Like are there 4-6 guys per rig in the station 24/7? That to me would be what that sign is saying. I know in some towns (not Westchester), the house is manned at all times. There are bunks and rooms where guys sleep the over night. I have a feeling that while their hearts are in the right place, they are not giving the people of Port Chester what they deserve. I don;t think we have to wait for someone to die or be seriously hurt to start doing what is right. Letting guys go solely to help a line in the budget was not a good move. As a career guy i am also offended that they say they are "Professionally Staffed". This is not their job. This is what they volunteer to do. The guys who's profession this was were let go in the most egregious manner possible. 

Earlier this week, I had the chance to go to Los Angeles. I'll be sharing some of the photos on this thread over the next couple of days.
 
For those who haven't seen it, my photos of LA City FD's Heavy Rescue 56 can be found here.
 
First up is Los Angeles County FD, they had this 2017 KME Tractor sitting at the shops, awaiting mating with a USAR Trailer.
 

Looking at this i have to wonder, do they staff the firehouse now? Like are there 4-6 guys per rig in the station 24/7? That to me would be what that sign is saying. I know in some towns (not Westchester), the house is manned at all times. There are bunks and rooms where guys sleep the over night. I have a feeling that while their hearts are in the right place, they are not giving the people of Port Chester what they deserve. I don;t think we have to wait for someone to die or be seriously hurt to start doing what is right. Letting guys go solely to help a line in the budget was not a good move. As a career guy i am also offended that they say they are "Professionally Staffed". This is not their job. This is what they volunteer to do. The guys who's profession this was were let go in the most egregious manner possible. 

Looking at this i have to wonder, do they staff the firehouse now? Like are there 4-6 guys per rig in the station 24/7? That to me would be what that sign is saying. I know in some towns (not Westchester), the house is manned at all times. There are bunks and rooms where guys sleep the over night. I have a feeling that while their hearts are in the right place, they are not giving the people of Port Chester what they deserve. I don;t think we have to wait for someone to die or be seriously hurt to start doing what is right. Letting guys go solely to help a line in the budget was not a good move. As a career guy i am also offended that they say they are "Professionally Staffed". This is not their job. This is what they volunteer to do. The guys who's profession this was were let go in the most egregious manner possible. 

Under the circumstances this is really BUSH LEAGUE

Looking at this i have to wonder, do they staff the firehouse now? Like are there 4-6 guys per rig in the station 24/7? That to me would be what that sign is saying. I know in some towns (not Westchester), the house is manned at all times. There are bunks and rooms where guys sleep the over night. I have a feeling that while their hearts are in the right place, they are not giving the people of Port Chester what they deserve. I don;t think we have to wait for someone to die or be seriously hurt to start doing what is right. Letting guys go solely to help a line in the budget was not a good move. As a career guy i am also offended that they say they are "Professionally Staffed". This is not their job. This is what they volunteer to do. The guys who's profession this was were let go in the most egregious manner possible. 

Big deal made one out of 3/4 in PVC 20 years ago to clean my plow trucks in my driveway with hot water from my home hot water heater

PCFD EN58
 
Please share a little more if you don't mind:
 
1) I believe at one point dispatch was done at the fire stations. If E58 had to respond, then E59 station would handle dispatch & vise-versa. Did that end years ago and how is dispatch handled now?
 
2) I read about the PCFD would put a career firefighter in Rye Brook on the overnights. Is that correct? If so, how did they manage that with only 8 firefighters? With 58 & 59 staffed 24/7 who would go to Rye Brook? 
 
3) I didn't realize there were 16 career personnel at one time. When did they start reducing staff through attrition?
 
Sorry if my questions aren't exactly correct or are taking you back into ancient history, but it's been 25 years since I've been in Westchester. I do remember hearing "KNEZ 923 Village of Portchester on the air transmitting Box XXXX for XXXXXXXX, E58 or E59 with 2 volunteer engines, 1 ladder & the rescue....." 

Saw this today on my way to Costco. Seems a little bit unprofessional  if you ask me due to the circumstance

Very well said, and I KNOW a lot of people are watching....

Shouldn't that say "Professionally Staffed by a guy who lives in FL during the winter cause its cold up here. He is old and only makes 4 calls a year but hey we need the numbers". Maybe that is a bit to long. Bring back the Actual Professional firefighters and release your rolls. Are they still scared people will see what a fraud you have been perpetrating with these claims of 300 active members?

If the members currently assigned to this firehouse want to be considered "professional" then they must meet those "professional standards". Beginning with a quick response out the door when the alarm comes in. The question is, "will they be able to replace the laid off professional career firefighters who once operated out of that firehouse" ? That means 24 hours a day/7 days a week.
 
 Any one who has ever been inside a burning building knows very well how dangerous it is and how quickly that heat and smoke can build up. As firefighters operating inside those buildings we get to appreciate our protective equipment, and our life saving air pack giving us fresh air. It's tough enough for those guys, BUT for the UNtrained and Unprotected citizens trapped in there, "IT's VERY MUCH WORSE".
 
  THEY CAN NOT SEE
  THEY CAN NOT BREATHE
  THEY BECOME DISORINATED
  THEIR SKIN MAY START TO BURN
 
 Every passing second counts as they try to breathe. For those people there may be no way out. The super heated air that's left starts to burn their lungs as every breath they try to take. They are the one's that will truly decide at that moment who the Professionals really are. The Professionals will make the utmost attempt at getting them out because that's their job and there is NO TIME TO WASTE. This is NOT a Game or some Make Believe Training session. But in a matter of minutes, people could die. Somebodies mother, father, brother, sister, friend. Maybe somebody you know.
 
 At least to me, I consider BOTH Career and Volunteer Firefighters to be Professionals with a very important job to do. But here in Port Chester, it was decided that this job can be completed WITHOUT the use of any career firefighters. Most places these days find it to be quite the OPPOSITE though. Due to todays very busy work schedules and much more training requirements, the volunteer numbers are dwindling and it is necessary to hire MORE Career Firefighters. Not really because they want to, but because they HAVE TO. It is just more and more difficult these days to count on the skills of the required number of volunteer firefighters.
 
 We can assume that Port Chester is about to prove otherwise. As Professionals, those Volunteer Firefighters should be able to prove themselves "Each and Every Time", without the use of any Career Firefighters. So with this unique, newly created situation, many of those involved in todays fire service will be closely watching. "I know I will". But most importantly, for the Citizens who live and work in Port Chester, and for those PROFESSIONALS that Protect Them, "IT'S SHOWTIME".
 
  

 
I guess you can assume from this that the volunteers have accepted that there will be no paid personnel in, at least, the near future. And, I agree this is in poor taste given the circumstances by which their paid 'brothers' lost their jobs and livelihood.
 

1) What good? In our case they are with 2 or 3 experienced EMTs. They get to start seeing what goes on and they get to help as a gopher. I find it makes a better EMS student when they can relate their EMT training to calls they are participating in.
 
2) The state reimburses a portion of the tuition for EMT, but only if the agency has an agency code. They do not cover the cost of the students, the supervisors or the OT that's being generated by them not being in company. Also each union contract is different as to how they are compensated, if at all.
 
3) if a department is not supporting on going CFR training, what makes you think that they will support EMT?
 
4) yes each department pays approximately $4,500 per Probie. A very unfair practice to the taxpayers in communities with career staff. We get to pay for our career training and for the volunteers "free" training.

$$$$$

Since almost every dept is requiring EMT. Doing CFR and then EMT a few months later is a waste of time

I heard that CFR (Certified First Responder) training is no longer given in Westchester's career fire academy. I remember when I went through the academy in 2005, it was required by the state to pass.  I also didn't find it in the required courses on the NYS website:
 
http://www.dhses.ny.gov/ofpc/training/fire-academy/state-certifications.cfm
 
Since a majority of career departments call volume are EMS, over 80% in some districts, I really feel that being an EMT should be a perquisite, or training should be provided in the academy.

That's the pre 2013 alarm.  Back when each manufacturer had a proprietary alarms.  NFPA wanted the sound to be universal for universal recognition.

 
It seems with each new iteration of the PASS alarm receives a higher pitch.  The old school alarm is definitely at a much lower octave with more bass.
 
I was told that new alarm sounds are higher pitched due to a higher percentage of low frequency hearing loss among firefighters....Has anyone heard or know of any truth behind this?  Or is the higher pitch just easier to hear in a noisy environment?

 
With all due respect, fire, police and ems are civil servants. Criticism comes with the territory and yes, these departments do need to answer to the general public who they are sworn to serve.