x635

Great shots! I love the one of Truck 61 operating under the L.

Photos from today's NYPD REMA (Retired Emergency Man's Association) Day of Remembrance at Floydd Bennet Field. Wasn't feeling so great, so only got a couple of shots and then left. Got more shots, will try and post later.

After almost 5 years in Austin, TX, and having a couple years experience on both ends of 60 Control and agencies in Texas, I'm pretty much familiar with the way things I thought "were". I never really listened online, but I've been monitoring the past couple of days. So I'm back monitoring, and it is basically EXACTLY the same then when I left. Everyone's still on 46.26, stepping all over each other. 60 Control will dispatch, and then the agency will dispatch. There are repeaters and cross band systems that add to the confusion. What the heck is the new radio system for? I expected one dispatch, and a channel assignment system. Is it just for fireground, and do responders have a pre-assigned channel? Also, what the heck happened to size up? A Chief or first due will arrive on scene....and nothing. To top it off, they work in an obsolete, cramped, and unhealthy facilty with an every increasing workload and even more equipment being crammed in. They make a ridiculously low salary Dispatchers are just as important as Police Officers. However, most cops in Westchester make $90,000+ while Dispatchers make $40,000, and they have to hustle for that. Where's the parity? The administration fights and fights, but until something happens, the County won't care. What will it take to have bring 60 Control to where it needs to be? And let me be clear, the staff at 60 Control is awesome! What is expected of them is above and beyond, and completly "unique". Sorry, I guess I expected more. But that is the politics and home rule still costing lives in this county.

MPG1, I completely agree with you that the pay and benefits can be excellent, especially the ones the county offers. I was basing my figures off of SeeThroughNY, and now see that I'm off quite a bit. However, the holdovers, the facilities, and the workload all take a serious toll on your health. What is the turnover rate? Is the morale kept up on, and employee reconition, kept up on? Are their open positions, or ones that need to be added? And even $70,000 is not enough to live comfortably around here. It's a great place to work, but it has potential to be a world class place to work, if the County would just fund it better. And 60 Control dispatchers are some of the best in the Country, and they deserve every tool....including a properly disciplined radio system countywide. Small steps, I guess.

Pretty neat idea. http://greenburgh.dailyvoice.com/police-fire/elmsford-fire-department-plans-volunteer-open-houses

Date: 5-1-13 Time: 1040 hrs Incident Type: Structure Fire District: Mount Vernon Location: 3 Sherman Ave C/S Columbus Ave and the CCP Units: Mount Vernon full department response, Pelham Engine to the scene and New Rochelle to cover. Frequency: 154.145 Weather Conditions: Sunny, clear, 60F Reporters: x635 Description: Heavy fire showing upon arrival on the third floor of a three story OMD. Defensive attack.

I've noticed departments that are starting to issue Under Armour or similar garments for T-shirts. Is there any hazard that would be associated with this garment while doing our job(s)?

Without dispatchers, the rest of the response would be useless. They have a tremendous responsiblity to get the information to prevent field responders to prevent them from getting injured, and to make sure that the right resources get to the right places at the right time. They also give instructions to callers like instructions on CPR, when response times in parts of the counties could be over 10 minutes. A 60 Control Dispatcher made about $40,000 last year. Career firefighters and police officers who "worked the desk" either on a regular or overtime basis made $100,000+. Heck, some public sanitation workers made $70,000 as their base salary. Yet our 911 Dispatchers are the least valuable? Here's a great article on Dispatchers written by Chief William Goldfeder over 10 years ago, and I like to post every now and again: http://www.firefighterclosecalls.com/news/fullstory/newsid/79849 Remember585, thanks for the info. It just still seems like it could be a very confusing system.

According to an NYPD ESU Commander whose name I forgot, they are the new TSU's which carry jumper down equipment, such as nets, airbags, and retrieval boats. One for each borough.

Does anyone know how the green Mack's operated when they were in service, vs. today's ESU?

You can always call anyone about anything. That would make this website, as well as thousands of others, obsolete. I initially asked if Hartsdale was still borrowing MVFD TL-3.....it's a yes or no question. My secondary question is that, if Hartsdale ever trades it in for a new Ladder, who gets the funds, Hartsdale or Mount Vernon? I don't understand why this is such a big deal.

Here's some more from REMA Day:

Which is it? The entire thread is incorrect, or only three things are true? And which three things? And the initial question was simple, is Hartsdale still borrowing MVFD's Ladder or not? I stand by my questions, they are valid.

Read more: http://www.nj.com/middlesex/index.ssf/2013/04/after_nearly_80_years_serving.html

We're still looking for ways to make our template better. As much as I want to pack it with information, I don't want to slow down members trying to get it up quick;y. Is there a balance?

I've always wanted to go to FDIC, but have never had the chance. Wondering from those who attended this year, what presentations or training did you find exciting or interesting? As far as the Expo floor, what tools, equipment, and apparautus caught your eye?

From what I understand about SFFD, first choice of overtime is always given to the senior man...so firefighters junior to him may have wanted the overtime but didn't have a chance. Also, the mandatory overtime system that's supposed to be in place is not used. Let's not also forget that SFFD provides ambulances, so a lot of the open shifts represent that.

Funny your brought this up. I have been searching...and searching for a case for my HTC One X with Otterbox Defender. I found one really cheaply made one on Aamazon, but it fell apart. I wish Nite-Eyze, Bucket Boss, Rugged, B&D or someone would offer a bigger pouch.

Just out of curiousity, were the HELP trucks there or NYS*DOT? They should be helping with traffic control, like they do in other major situations. And one of the biggest challenges....you can't route commericial vehicles to the Taconic, and when one person thinks they know a better detour, everyone else follows that one person, throws everything off. And there is no real north-south detour nearby. As for County PD not being out of their cars, they should be directing traffic, which I'm sure they were at some places. HOWEVER, WCPD Officers get struck by vehicles on an almost routine basis. Why put themselves in harms way with frantic rush hour drivers who aren't paying attention?

This will basically allow, for example, smaller builders like Gowans Knight, 4 Guys, Alexis, Custom, Marion, etc to build with Spartan ERV ladders (former Crimson) instead of RK. From a Spartan ERV press release: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/spartan-chassis-expands-product-portfolio-123000982.html

Quality Fire Apparatus and Luverne Fire Apparatus were merged into Crimson a number of years ago. Recently, Crimson changed their name to Spartan ERV, in part to be a "Single Source" manufacturers while continuing the name of their OEM chasis division.

Town Of Bedford PD New Car 36 2013 Ford Police Interceptor Featuring new black and white paint scheme Photo by me

I've been hearing a lot about Crossfit training and now Crossfit gyms? How does it work, does it really work, and how time consuming is it every day? And, most importantly, how much does it cost?

What's really disgusting is these contractors, hired and D/B/A Westchester County hauling trash via tractor trailers from transfer stations to Charles Point, basically think they own the road and drive at very high speeds and without a ca. Add on top of the fact is that 9A is just yet another severely outdated and obsolete roadway, especially for the trucks.

Here's another angle: