efdcapt115

Sorry one more thing. The smaller career jobs in lower Westchester. From Eastchester to Fairview to Port Chester and Pelham. In so many ways, some of these jobs are so advanced and sophisticated operations. Cops and fire. Witness the Pelham job recently. According to the IA it read beautifully regarding the dispatch from 60-control, with units moving in from all sides mostly. This is a de facto Westchester Fire Department, that the jobs (well the three Greenburgh FDs are WAY ahead in this category) have been utilizing more and more effectively. Eastchester (last I knew) has a AFG equipped,fully staffed, trained and experienced FAST mutual aid company in TL-17. They are right in the middle of lower Westchester. In my opinion they are under-utilized in mutual aid. Yes if I have it right, it's a combination of a 2 man engine and a 2 man truck /Lt. But a "way to go" to everyone involved in getting cross border fire companies into the act. The politicians haven't acted, but the jobs have, and I enjoy reading what all these professionals have to say.

Good morning Brothers, Interesting replies. Like it or not, the moderation team HAS kept this site, for NINE years from becoming a P.O.S. I can give you plenty of examples of sites that are "THEE" worst. You want to go there because of who the people on these sites purportedly are. They come from big city jobs, and those guys opinions let's face it, are probably some of the most sought after pieces to read. I want to know what these guys think. They work within systems that are the biggest, with the most complicated action plans, and cultures that we, as brother emergency services people from smaller career jobs, many volunteer departments, would emulate given the chance. Perfect example is how a "10-75" NYC code for working fire has become nearly a standard for many parts of the northern counties. Job innovations have traditionally come out of the cities. My ego is of such, that I freely admit to the curiosity of what my brothers from the cities New York, New Rochelle, Yonkers, Mt. Vernon and all cities beyond, KNOW. Yes I'd like to hear what their experiences have led them to learn. But I go to a couple of sites, and I see high-school styled bullying and bashing. What a disappointment. I hope Seth is okay with my giving a shout out to NYCFire.net. THE best NYC site on the web in my opinion. There's a civility and professionalism there that is quite organized. A great thing about EMTBravo is that our city brothers have joined and participate on a Westchester and northern counties website. Valuable. Cool. Nice of them. And then we have a colorful amalgam of career emergency services and volunteer. We all know from time to time younger members will come in here and it's almost sad to watch. You can read their anger right into their posts. Without the moderation that has taken place, these kids would have never stopped, and the quality of the site would have declined long ago. Over moderation? I had no idea this was a festering issue behind the scenes. Maybe some of the brothers who have felt so strongly about this issue would consider what I have stated above. The photo thing? In my opinion that goes to "EMTCity" website problem that occurred a few years ago. Now when I looked early on with the new software package and saw the 9/11 Remembrance Wall had been removed, I had to admit, certainly I had used images gleaned from searches as backgrounds for collages that I created to respect the 343. With that gone, I could stamp my feet about how long it took to create some of those posts, rather I'm just going to have to admit it had to come down because of these copyright issues; regardless if the thread was about a Remembrance, and certainly wasn't about making money or anything. At the time, I had NO IDEA about these infringement issues. These guys had to deal with a serious issue just like that when somebody gleaned something off another site recently. Thankfully the other site is made of up good decent people. but the photographer apparently got upset. So that's that. In the future, I think this site needs to seriously consider changing the NAME of the site to something that connects better with a national base of readers. EMTbravo has spread, initially by word of mouth (thinking about the night a brother came into my office and told me about EMTBravo back in the dark ages of the internet) and reputation. So keep the URL and change the name to Westchester Emergency Services or whatever. Just my opinion, but I think you could expand the base and certainly would get more search hits. Yeah so it's an old familiar place this site. Today I live on a corral reef in between Florida Bay and the Atlantic. But this site, ah hell it's as familiar and comfortable as my old cardigan sweater that I can't wear anymore where I live. lol Good luck everybody. Just go for it. Like Joe said, make the site what you want, just stay within the rules of civility. I've posted at times loaded with curses, and been removed. Later you admit to yourself it wasn't appropriate, and you go on. We're all emergency services or used to be's. We all make mistakes every day in spite of our quest for perfection in every thing we do. After all we're just human beings. Here's my Edit: When I say guys and brothers, I want the sisters who are members here to know, it always includes them.

So what's up people? Just an opinion, since the site has undergone the software change, feels to me like the "environment" has changed as well. To the career firefighting Brothers: I realize there is immense pressure on the home-front these days, meaning the jobs are under pressure. Nobody can get a contract, morale is suffering, making it harder to do what you do, Yonkers wants to mess with the job again. Regarding a website like this, there is a new awareness that social media can have real world ramifications. Witness the Miami-Dade fire captain who recently posted a rant on facebook about the George Zimmerman case. That got him demoted to buck private. I guess he's lucky he's still on the job. The rules in Florida for civil servants can be severe, but I guess that's true everywhere. Just more severe in some places. And I guess that's why a lot of Brothers and Sisters who used to post more frequently have pulled back as of late. Not that they rant, rather they're being hesitant. It's smart to CYA. You gotta. Once again just an opinion but the direction can change for the positive. The discussions about firefighting, experiences, the posting of photos of apparatus, these types of posts should be expanded upon, so more people will come back in to the discussion boards. I think many are hesitant to post anything, and it's in direct connect to the job now. We all knew that was coming. Word was out on this site long ago. Remember the "Cameras are everywhere" thread? Take a look at the NY Post this morning. they are attempting to vilify an NYPD Sgt. who was speaking on the street to the local thugeries that only understand street. One little rat videoed him, and bango, front page of the Post. I watched that video. There is nothing surprising or vile in it. The vile is a morality dictate from the "so morally pure" organization that prints it. You know the one with the phone tap scandal going on. Those morally pure folk. Trying to destroy an Sgt doing the job the way it gets done in some places. Dealing with a subject with a reported 20 arrests. Nice guy. And the paper exploits this dirtbag to denigrate the NYPD. Why? The point of this post is directed at the career Brothers and the cops, and ems, and volunteer firefighters who make up this online forum/community. There is so much you can still talk/write about. It will lift morale for guys to get back to discussing the stuff we all learn from. Happy Monday morning. You know what that media saturation of bad news, it hits everybody. We ll need to stay vigilant enough to realize, just take a look around you, and you'll see the American economy is still vibrantly active, sure there are big problems with the GOVT, but Americans mostly yawn and go back to work. the gazzilion stories of the 10 percent who are unemployed struggling is indeed worthy of attention. But take a look around you at the thriving, the commerce, the technology, the defeat of terrorists. This country is tired and worked out, but it never gives up. And that's why things are going to be okay. That's why eventually the GOVT will figure out what the hell they are doing. Someday things will come back. The dread, the doom, you know what it's just not worth worrying about it. It'll make you sick unless you step up and put it all down, and continue to do what you do. So how about some more postings? I yearn to read more from just about everybody here. Like the Summerville Brother said, have a great day.

Ain't people from the south nice? One of the FDNY Brothers that frequent this site will have an answer for you pretty quick I'm betting. I just wanted to comment on the tone and politeness of your post. Have a great day in Summerville Bro.

True booster line story. Reported smoke in the bathroom of a private dwelling. The duty officer calls for one engine and the car. I have the pleasure of driving the officer this sunny day. Upon arrival Engine 29's one firefighter finds fire in the wall of the bathroom caused by a plumber soldering. E-29-One is on scene for a couple of minutes by himself, and his old schooling of minimal staffed jobbing; he stretches the booster. So we roll up, I take a haligan, officer takes a light and radio, I am ordered to break down a ceramic tiled bathtub wall, starting at the brass fixtures. "Was he having a bad day?" I thought about my boss as the three of us dealt with a working house fire. And no calls for additional help. Not even for overhaul. (I found out later he and the other firefighter had a lovely relationship with a lengthy history) Ah the magical power of the booster line! I was just "probie Do", but I learned a lot of lessons about the job, no longer naive about how things could fester on the job. Yeah, they were a tough bunch at times. Now back to your regularly scheduled Mack CF. How about the twin 24's? Do they come with her as well? Hmm? lol

The body looks pretty good. I'm thinking the rear half of the rig is rebuilt. Faded cab in comparison to the brighter boxes. But I noticed the diamond plate under the pump panel is rotted through. Must have seen enough hours of pumping to do that. Twin Boosters. Bring back the booster line! Okay I'll take it.

We had a mid-fifties ALF pumper with a three speed and gas motor. Most could drive it, but throw it in pump.....under the pressures of a working fire, now there was the challenge (not that I ever did it, it was a spare and we used it "sparingly"). But I used to think about the old timers and the fact that for EVERY rig they drove they had to master the art of PTO transfer with a manual shift. That was a savvy part of the craft of earlier firefighting, completely lost and forgotten with today's apparatus.

Pardon'....OP. How do you say LOL in French...lol

Le PO est le poste "d'origine."

Manual transmission! That's gotta be rare for a CF Mack. Anybody else ever seen that?

At a condo fire, members operating on the roof. Be sure and full screen the video as the news helicopter actually caught video of the member falling through the roof. http://www.kgw.com/n...-151802715.html

I loved a leather strap and carry-case. Ended up with a radio pocket in the end. It would be unfortunate if what Sage is saying ends up having an affect on how you can carry your radio though.

I'd be happier if they just started showing re-runs of Emergency during prime-time in HD!

One thing I've noticed as of late; something I thought had finally been passed over as being antiquated, is the disagreeing that is still occurring between the mighty forces of Emergency Services Unit and Special Operations Command. Disagreement expressed on these pages could to be a good thing, as it might foster better understanding between those agencies who likely cooperate 98 percent of the time without incident, but disagree occasionally, and it comes off like a competition on those rare events. But thinking about it, is this situation any different than what occurs in a majority of places, between emergency personnel? Isn't it true that a contingent of volunteer firefighters still look upon their career counterparts with some sort of disdain? Aren't there a few career firefighters, who cannot see any gray areas in the fire service and therefore conclude that ALL volunteer services are undermanned shams? (and how many of them were formerly volunteers with the exact opposite views) Aren't there some cops who will always view the fire department showing up as just another inconvenient blocking of their highway? Aren't there obstructionists in every branch of emergency services who would rather die or watch as constituents continue to die, than give up one inch of their authority or admit that changes need to be made to operations? The imperfections of the systems in place in the greater New York area, serve to demoralize ALL who work within the systems. The ability to adapt to simple operational changes, that in many cases wouldn't cost an additional tax-dollar, or donation-buck, and many times would save money overall, are continually looked at with disdain. With inaction. With resistance. Each individual however can still have an impact on positive change; if they would direct their energies toward the positive improvements and shun the negative energy. None of us alone will change the emergency services world during our careers. Let me repeat that; none of us alone..... But collectively, smaller positive contributions all add up in the end toward building momentum for inevitable and productive change. Most of the positive changes that have come about have been those individual contributions. Think about Chief Haligan. He invented a tool. Think about the guy/s gal/s who thought up 2in 2out. The person who invented exhaust extraction systems. Sure, some were collective improvements made by groups of people tasked with inventing that improvement. But Chief Haligan went back into the shop somewhere at a firehouse and pulled out a length of hardened steel and started thinking about it. Coupled with his experience at defeating doors and locks. So you keep it simple, like he did and the sky is the limit. It's about an idea, more than what you can do in a steel shop. Your contribution might be ideas, gathered on paper; ideas about how to consolidate a bunch of smaller departments into one larger one, that would become a vast improvement in delivery of fire services. Captain Nechis's ideas, analytic thinking is his haligan tool. Whether it get built or not is still in question. Time however will prove he and his counterparts were years ahead of their time with their ideas. Ideas are empowerment. What can you do individually to improve emergency services? Think about it, you might just be on to something big.

Good luck with the new radios grumpy. Hope this helps you with safer ops.

C'mon fellas. We need lots of forehead rubs for tonight!

Dino, That's an excellently written post. Makes a ton of sense. I'm going to disagree with you on one item. The endorsement of an individual's position in recent news article regarding the Stamford Fire Rescue situation. I've read enough of that thread to think (I'll not claim to KNOW anything for sure about the SFRD sit.) that there are obstructionists who will not move out of the way and let SFR do what should be done, now. Cover their entire city, get all of these associated agencies in line with what needs to be done. In others words get in line or get out of the way. Those actions to preserve an organization at the possible expense of lives and property within that district appear to me to be self serving over serving the citizens. Other than that, you've raised a great point with your opinion, and I respect it.

How did you know? lol

Please allow me to expand on the idea for a second. In my former department's case, we had to fight for years just to get two firefighters on each rig. Power to the people, it eventually happened thanks to some political help from oncerned citizens within the community, some of which served as Fire Commissioner. Great now we had four two-man engines and two two-man trucks. I spent considerable time trying to alter my squads thinking about job function. You take four two-man engines (women included of course) and those two trucks and I would bring them together and say, forget about how many rigs you showed up on; we've got eight engine-men, and four truckies. An ideal number to begin a fire attack on a private residence. We adjusted for "two-out" and wrote a RIT grant for that job function. Add the tour commander and aide, and the two chiefs, bingo there's your initial fire attack. First and second engine become one engine, doubled up to stretch the initial attack line. Third and fourth engines equals a second engine company to cover necessary assignments. Firt ruck, two guys make the iniitial decision for exterior rescue or go together, two firefighters as the interior team. Second truck arrives with two firefighters and completes one truck company. The third and fourth truck position assignments fall to them. It never went anywhere though, because one chief wasn't on board with efficiency changes to operations. If I would have taken that asst. chief's job I would have worked for even more consolidation within the department, as well as maintaining existing equipment and physical plants to be able to rapidly expand upon call-back. My point is, with internal improvements like that in town, village, fire district fire departments, it is possible to bring them out of their areas with enough personnel staffing a rig to be a company and perform RIT for surrounding cities. To have progressed enough internally that they cn now fit into an auto agreement.

Barry if all the chiefs from the departments included in the consolidation study came together, couldn't you bring every department into a standard of operation; making necessary adjustments as manpower availability decreases in towns and villages? In other words lay a piece of the groundwork for the future, however long it takes to get there.

Imagine that..... http://www.omaha.com...01/705099884/-1

There's a lot of fingers crossed in a lot of places, and people praying their fragile bubble doesn't burst. There's also a ton of ignorance on the part of the public in areas where emergency coverage is questionable at best. It'll never happen to them; until it does.

Date: May 10th 2012 Time: News Report w/live aerial coverage commenced @1800 hrs. Location: The Florida Turnpike/ Miami-Dade/ Hollywood Blvd. Exit Area Frequency: http://www.nbcmiami.com/ Units Operating: multiple PD/FD/EMS Units, FHP probably lead investigative agency Weather Conditions: Description Of Incident: A Federal ICE Agent and a Key Biscanne Police Officer shot in an incident on the roadway of the Florida Turnpike. One perp apparently laying under a yellow tarp in the middle of the southbound lanes. Traffic stopped in both directions for extended AI. Reporters: NBC 6 Miami/efdcapt115

Sounds like a good judgement call.

I agree, well written post Joe. We didn't look at these calls as nuisance though. We used to ride around the district and I'd spend a lot of time staring out the window at the neat row after row of little pink houses, block after block, ain't that America. Aided's, lift assists, water conditions, all the service calls gets all of that look behind the doors and locks of the little pink houses. The encounters would soften the hardest cigar chomping brutes of the job. They softened everybody. There'd be the poor, frail elderly and oft neglected by remaining family or friends, victim; stuck in some torturous position for God knows how many hours, wedged behind a fixture, soiled, humiliate, scared, confused. And the compassion that flew forth from otherwise stoic members of the services was always warming. Yet the whole scene always enveloped me. The old photos on the wall from when the husband was still alive, from their younger days of love, family, children, photos from later when those kids grew up, got married, moved on... In the end, this poor compassion-needy person is stuck, helpless on the floor of her bathroom with acid burns from having been unable to relieve herself properly. Each and every single call, heartbreaking in a way. Makes the self-preservation instinct kick in for a lot. Trying to fit humor in some where when picking up. In a way, Americans are all victims of our collective success, relatively luxurious compared with much of the rest of the world. Yet, here we are, all separated, elderly abandoned and left to their own means. Isolated. Alone. Half of everybody in this country has got some kind of head problem because of how we are all so alone so much even within the hustle and bustle of large populated areas. Yeah, those lift assists. You've got to construct an iron ring around your heart for the time you do these jobs, because if you let all of that despairing into yours...it leaves scars.