Department Policy On Chiefs Vehicles

[EJS1810 7]

Hey Hudson, how are you going to pull a boat with your weenie wagon already in tow??

Maybe he has a CDL with Double/Triple endorsements

[Bnechis 3,961]

Again we will agree to disagree...if you really want to get down to $ and cents...the taxpayer is getting a break, as a Volly Chief you are doing a job that would pay that person upwards of $100,000 not counting medical, and your doing it for free. I think use of the Chiefs car is a deal for the taxpayer.

The taxpayer is only getting a break if the chief and the department are doing a good job. If they have a poor ISO rating they are costing the taxpayers millions of $$$ per year.

In the 1990's one dept. in Suffolk county (alonge with another 3,000 or so depts nation wide) refused to submit the minimum paperwork to ISO and got rate as a 10. Which means the insurance industry considers that there is no fire dept. and they will charge up to 80% higher premiums for the next 15 years. On a $400,000 home thats an extra $1,200 per year for that house. In this case if there are more than 84 homes in the district it might have been cheaper to pay for the chief.

[firefighter36 52]

What does everyone think if Chiefs were issued unmarked vehicles? Would anyone care if they didn't know the vehicle was owned by a Fire or Police Department? Would this make a difference in perception from the public? It seems as though all the sightings and stories are marked vehicles with light bars, striping, decals, etc. What if they were a simple dark color, tinted SUV, Car, or Truck with a hideaway package and siren?

[ex-commish 490]

What does everyone think if Chiefs were issued unmarked vehicles? Would anyone care if they didn't know the vehicle was owned by a Fire or Police Department? Would this make a difference in perception from the public? It seems as though all the sightings and stories are marked vehicles with light bars, striping, decals, etc. What if they were a simple dark color, tinted SUV, Car, or Truck with a hideaway package and siren?

I think it is a great idea. All that glitter draws too much attention. Would probably save some money for the taxpayers as well.

[Bnechis 3,961]

NY is in the stone age, they should all have a siren in their car. They would have to come up with a use policy and a class for it, but if it was your house on fire you would want those guys there faster than a bugs a$$ hits his face on your windshield! Having a siren does not mean you have the right to drive like an idiot. The laws of physics should be taught too, ya know, no two pieces of matter (steel, aluminum, automobiles) can occupy the same space!

Don't we have enough LODD each year without this!

If you wreak your private vehicle with RLS on it your insurance company is going to drop you if they didn't know about it. and if they do know they are going to charge you more.

If it was my house I'd want the crews on duty in the station ready to respond.

Actually if its my house I get 3E, 2L, 1 IC...19+ onduty ff's from 3 directions all within 1.5 miles (ISO requirement for over 100 years) and if its a real incident there is another 2E &1L. My cost for all of this is $275/yr.