Deception In Tarrytown (Tarrytown DPW Truck)

[x635 4,066]

What at a glance you may think is a Tarrytown FD Chiefs car.....

[attachmentid=2662]

...is really a DPW vehicle.

[Remember585 815]

Our old Chiefs suburban is still around town assigned to the DPW buildings & grounds guy.

[helicopper 1,050]

They didn't spare any expense relettering it, did they?

[COMMANDCHIEF 4]

I think the door seal is a nice touch. You should take a sander to that thing while it's parked on night.

[Stepjam 118]

Good thing Code 3 didn't release that to go with the Tower. It would have been a two-door Blazer.

[gpdexplorer 46]

I know back in they day, they did run a two door blazer as Car 6, which is currently the old 2463. Car 6 is the fleet mechanic's truck.

[x635 4,066]

First, to put "DPW" in the maltese cross is disrespectful to the fire service. It's a fire service symbol.

As far as I know, all Tarrytowns Chiefs cars are striped this way. So, this car represents Tarrytown FD. Wonder why they couldn't take some Easy-Off and vinyl stripe remover and remove the letterring?

[64FFMJK 21]

The FD should have striped the lettering off before turning it over but I want to know why there are still red lenses in the lightbar???

[vodoly 535]

He Responds to fire calls no probelm

[gpdexplorer 46]

The chief's vehicles, as well as all other FD apparatus and equipment, belong to the village and not the FD, therefore we can't touch them.

[Guest]

Some years ago our old Suburban ended up at the Sewer Dept. It was repainted. Our current Tahoe came over from the Sewer Dept. Hmmm.

[calhobs 110]

Is it really that big of a deal???

[ailc307 1]

First, to put "DPW" in the maltese cross is disrespectful to the fire service. It's a fire service symbol.

←

I agree 100%. I think it is very disrespectful as well.

If one of our units goes to the dpw we personally stripe it of all lights, decals & radio's.

[Guest partyrock]

You have got to be kidding me. You guys really have to start reading more for yourselves and stop listening to what everyone tells you. While the fire service cross is all most without exception refered to as the malteese cross, it is in no way related to the Island of Malta or the Order of St John, Knights Hospitaller. The fire service cross is actually called the "cross form nowe" (I'm pretty sure I spelled it wrong). Our cross does look very simmilar to St. Florians Cross (our patron saint as well as the patron saint of chimney sweeps), but its arguable as to who came first. There is a progression in cross design from the knghts of Malta through several different variants to a form used by some of the first English fire brigades that could suggest a transormation through the years to what we have. But even assuming this linneage each variant has had a distinct name associated with a specific order of knights.

Now as for how disrespectful the DPW thing is...the actual cross is used for everything from Military units to sports teams. Our version its fairly unique with its 4 wide arms and bumps as opposed to valleys or points at each arm, but its close enough to several military awards and a few fraternities that the average joe isn't gonna know the difference. In the end I'm just trying to say relax. Its not being used to run drugs. Its being used by some hard working guys whp probably work along side us in the firehouse.

[TR54 239]

H6 Tarrytown DPW

[efdny2003 16]

I'm only an explorer, but I'm going to attempt to give my opiniion and not have anyone yell at me or anything. I personally associate the maltese cross with the fire service, that is the one thing I always wanted was to be a firefighter, so I'm proud to wear the maltese cross on whether it be a shirt or jacket. I don't quite see how it is disrespectful that they put D.P.W. on it, big deal...that's what it is...a D.P.W. truck. I too question why the lightbar still has red lenses in it, and wonder if it still has all the sirens and everything. But unless someone from Tarrytown D.P.W. takes it and tries passing himself off as a chief, is it really that big a deal? While I dont see anything really wrong with the fact that they kept most lettering and just removed all fire department markings, I do think that they should remove the red lenses from the lightbar. It is a D.P.W. truck and at least I associate amber lights with any municipal service like D.P.W. or Highway, and red lights with police, fire and E.M.S. So I agree they should remove anything from the truck that might make it an emergency vehicle i.e. red lights and any sirens, but as for the lettering, it's just lettering. That's my opinion...but keep in mind I'm just an explorer in the fire service giving his opinion.

[x635 4,066]

I don't quite see how it is disrespectful that they put D.P.W. on it, big

←

Because when you have that lettering on, you essentially are driving a big business card. That type of lettering and seal, the public associates with emergency services, especially with the lightbar still on.

[ONLOCATION 24]

ok, no offense..........who really cares, I mean yes I understand the points but there are seriously more important s*** to worry about, point blank..... the Fire Department should have stripped the lettering.......they did it to the Caprice Wagon that was assigned to the DPW about 4-5 years ago.....and that is still rollin around

[Guest WolfEMT]

OK, here's my two cents. The vehicle is clearly marked in at least 2 spots with the letters "D," "P," and "W" in successive order. If Joe Citizen assumes the truck is a fire vehicle because of the cross and the appearance of a lightbar, all while failing to read the proper markings, then he's a moron in plain English.

And as far as the cross being disrespectful, lets face it: there are plenty of other things - like some of the stereotypes out there about fire fighters - that are far more disrespectful and far more demanding of our attention.

[Remember585 815]

I don't think putting "DPW" in the maltese cross on this car is any more disrespectful (to those of us that try and be professional) then "Absolut Firefighter," "Co-Ed Naked Firefighter" or anything similar that people piss away money on.

The maltese cross, or any cross that is similar gets used in all kinds of logos and designs. Off hand I remember seeing it used for Harley Davidson, Tony Hawk and several bands products.

Does the public even know what it is there for? Do we as firefigters even know the history behing the maltese cross?

Joe Public isn't paying attention to that vehicle and it's lettering. Just like nobody in our community cares if the Ambulance says VAC or EMS on it.

As a person in the fire service and someone who grew up around it, I too think of the maltese cross as our "bat signal." But don't assume the public does, unless they need us or we do something to annoy them we really don't exist!

Edited May 10, 2007 by Remember585

[AFS1970 504]

When I was a kid, visiting my Grandmother in Milton, MA there was a Firehouse just up the street in the town complex. On the same property was an old garage that had the FD's old snorkel-like truck still red, with one letter changed on the doors to mark it for the "MILTON WIRE DEPARTMENT".