mstrang1

When I was at Firehouse Expo in Baltimore a few years back, we were at the MSA Booth and put on the MSA packs, although not in a working setting, they seemed pretty comfortable. I remember they had little details like a swivel at the base of the back, so as you lean forward, back, and side to side, the back and waist strap moved with you. Also, I recently saw that MSA now makes a bailout rope assembly integrated into the pack. I have not seen how this works, and if it works well, but it seems like a good idea. If anyone has used/seen it used, I would like to know how they performed. Correct me if I am wrong, but I think Westchester County is entirely Scott.

I'm just gonna put in another 2 cents of my opinion. We have a standby crew come in sometimes , whether it be for a funeral, parade, dinner, etc. We have this because members will be consuming alcohol, at a distant location, or, for a funeral, a quiet place. But what happens as soon as the department is back in district? Station coverage leaves, and the majority of the members may have been drinking. So, if a dept comes to do a standby in our quarters, and we release them at midnight, and at 0100 a fire comes in, and the members that were drinking alcohol a few hours earlier(or still drinking) are the "covering crew". I don't know how often this happens in other departments, but I know it happens in a few of them. Again, I am just stating what I have seen happen, and am not trying to condemn anyone by relating this.

My Volunteer dept, I am sorry to say, is a "parade department". The officers in the department do not let the apparatus get set up the way it should, because it looks sloppy for parade season. Training gets put off to clean appaaratus for parades. Ask a new member when classes are being held at the training center, s/he may or may not know, but they sure as hell know when the parades are. Ask a new member how to hook a hydrant, vent a roof search a room, crib a car, and they might know, but ask them how to wash a fire engine, they know that answer well! And I am sorry to bash my OWN DEPARTMENT. Also, the fact is that the most active responders are also the ones that go to the most parades. SO they are taking all the most active firefighters and all of the officers out of town at the same time. Not good in my book! Why don't I become an officer and try to change all that? Because everyone knows my opinions on things, and they would either not vote me in as officer, or would punish me for my ideals. Excuse me for wanting my family protected by a well trained fire department as opposed to clean fire engines. And yes, I have been involved in the fire service for over 10 years, the last 4 as a career firefighter.

You can have pride in your fire department without going to parades. My problems is also "and then spend countless hours if not weeks cleaning it." Instead of spending so much time cleaning the apparatus, why not spend that much time training how to PROPERLY use the equipment? And I get more pride out of saving someones house or life, or resolving whatever emergency we are called to handle than I EVER got at a parade! And you bring up Mutual Aid. If your Rescue/Engine is going to be out of town for an extended period of time and that apparatus holds your only hydraulic rescue tool, it would be advisable to warn neighboring depts that you may need their services for that time period, which usually happens. But when you are told, if getting called to an mva, to go investigate the scene on a major interstate, and if a hydraulic tool is needed, to call the neighboring dept, you are stuck with a thumb up your a$$ for upwards of 10 minutes while they respond. And of course, all the dept officers are at the parade, so the first on scene are a bunch of firefighters with (maybe) an ex officer. This situation is not one that a Chief should leave his/her firefighters in. "Why do we march in parades? Not take away from the taxpayers but to show off to them on what we can do. Just my opinion." We only show them we can walk in a straight line with a clean fire engine behind us. Sorry to be so blunt, but it's true. And to tie it in with another ongoing thread, when the members all have open containers of alcohol all over the place before and after the parade, it shows the general public that what we do, we do it while drinking beer at 11 on Saturday Morning! Sorry for the long RANT, but it is something that has bothered me for a long time.

It is my opinion, and not the opinion of my department, that both manpower and apparatus be left behind to respond to any calls. It is our responsibility first and foremost to respond to alarms. I have discussed this in other threads before, and not enough departments leave manpower and apparatus behind, especially for the HVVFA Parade held upstate, which many departments take most of the manpower and some APPARATUS away for the duration of a WEEKEND! The taxpayers paid SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS for that "toy" that gets schlepped up, on taxpayer fuel, to Lake George, out of service for 3 days! Remember when you bought that new Engine, Tower, Rescue, whatever, and you told the Town and the taxpayers how VITAL it was to have this new piece of equipment to ensure the safety of the residents?! Well, it is not doing any good 200 miles away, or for that matter all the way across county!

Common sense is not something that everyone has. Remember, lack of common sense of the public is our job security". We would have alot less work if everyone had it, but that is another thread. On top of it, the original post said they were in UNIFORM, not just a T-shirt. A uniform is something you should have pride in and respect for, and standing on a table stripping it off is NOT respecting the uniform. PS If anyone outside of the public has seen Rescue Me, there are several times we see Leary's character taking a swig from a flask as they are pulling up to a worker. So don't go assuming they think we wouldn't drink on the job!

In looking at the photos, the Metz aerial does not look like it has much, or any ground ladder storage area, especially in the quint model. Is this, in fact, true? If anyone is with Spring Valley FD, or knows anyone involved with them, I would like to know how they like theirs, as I believe they are the only west/rock/put dept that has one.

I found a Metz 100' single axle. I am unsure of Metz performance, but they supposedly are insanely versatile. If anyone has any more info, maybe a new thread can be started.

Do any manufacturers' make a 100' SINGLE axle vehicle?

Just looking at the photos of the Code 3 Squad 61, and was wondering about the second master stream on the roof. Is this prepiped as well? or is it just stored there? and what role does having a second gun on the roof play? Wouldn't it be better suited ina lower compartment for remote location use? Just wondering...

Oh ok.

I may be missing something, but how did USA Today get a hold of the example patient? Doesn't HIPPA have anything to say about patient confidentiality?

I am assuming the engine driver had properly placed the engine to avoid personnel being struck by a vehicle. Good thing he did, he saved those guys lives. Too many times drivers do not successfully block traffic from the scene, and distaster can and will eventually occur.

It's not only price, but electrical usage. If I remember correctly, a Q uses an insanely large amount of juice at full scream. Standard alternators on some engines could not be able to handle the added juice. So I've been told.

From Firehouse.com

Nicholas- It's not only the drivers you should be worried about! The guys in the back not only have to drive to the firehouse in their PV, but they have to do all the work once on scene. In addition, Chiefs are not immune to this as well. There have been instances of Chiefs working fires while intoxicated, as sad as it may be. I was told of one department whose Chief told the members that if they had a few to drink, that they should come to the firehouse to get a point, but not ride to the call. YES, you read that right! He told them to get into their PERSONAL VEHICLE and DRIVE to the firehouse, but to not get on the rig, just to get a point!! Now, problem 1 is this: He is telling the members to drive while intoxicated! Problem 2: If something happened besides a car accident while responding, ie an accident going HOME from the call, this opens alot of liability towards the department in that it is recorded on paper that the member involved just responded to an alarm, while intoxicated, and there was probably no proof that the member did not ride to the call, just noted that s/he responded to the call. Just some food for thought...

L31 states: "No bunker pants, turnout coat, helmet, boots, forget about the SCBAs or tools....and sadly....the Chief was guilty of this too." As stated in earlier forum threads, a Chief is supposed to stay outside of the building, or wherever a command post is located. Especially in early parts of an alarm, or fire, this is essential. A Chief cannot properly do his job while investigating an alarm or odor, or whatever. If he is at the command post like he/she should be, the only turnout gear he would need would be for environmental protection or identification purposes (ie white helmet).

LCFD, while it is true that numerous incidents stem from drinking in pubs and bars as opposed to firehouses, this may be because drinking is no longer allowed in many firehouses. It is the responsibilty of the individual at this point to be mature and professional enough to know when to not respond on an alarm. I have heard firefighters say, " when its a real fire, you sober up quickly on the fireground, and your adrenaline takes over". That sentence sickens me! If any of these people showed up at their "real jobs" drunk and expected to sober up instantly and magically, they'd surely be fired, or at minimum, reprimanded!! Why is our business, one where lives depend on our performance, taken so lightly?! I guess learning from other peoples mistakes doesn't happen anymore, not unless that person lives and works in Westchester, or more specifically, your department. The mindset is, that happens in PA, or Wisconsin, or Nebraska or WYOMING, but not here. I'm done.

Some of the foam units are still Macks I believe, aren't they?

I agree with everyone here. As a non-drinker, and as a firefighter, I am ashamed when people think that all we do is drink at the firehouse. And believe me, there are people in the public that think we are just a bunch of drunks. In addition, in my company, the PRESIDENT is in charge in the Company Room, and the Chief is only responsible downstairs. Understandably, the Chief does have a certain responsibility, but the ultimate responsibility lies with the President. But then the problem is when all the members leave the firehouse because they cannot drink there, and all go to the local pub. John Q. Public drives by and sees the Chiefs truck, the Asst chiefs truck, and a whole bunch of blue lights and fire dept license plates and stickers and whatnot parked at the pub. Now, even if you are a non-drinker like me, and are at the bar just to socialize, and a call comes in, the public does not know that I am drinking soda, they just know they see me leaving the bar and going on a fire call. HMmmm, problems all around. Sorry for that rant.

Hope you feel better soon, seth!

Another point to consider is true experience. Sometimes firefighters can go for months, even YEARS, without catching a fire. Not only does this put the firefighter ina state complacency, it lowers the experience level of the dept in general. When you catch fires weekly, you get better at it, and no amount of time in the burn building or the smokehouse or a flashover simulator can make up for that.

Can i just go to elmsford and donate for jimmy at any time?

The other day on my home from Stamford, I really had to visit a restroom, and a tree would not do, as I was in uniform. As I was passing Bedford FH, hoping someone was outside or door open or something, I was shocked and thankful to not only see someone outside, but a legal open parking space was available! So thanks to the guy washing his truck(forget his name....) for letting me relieve my bladder! Sorry, just wanted to get a thank you out there to Bedford FD. It's great to see that the door is always open to help someone, no matter how minor in ways...

All I wanted to do was say thanks for letting me use the head! I didnt mean to start a philosophical discussion on p!$$ing against a tree!