x635

Verplank is 0.8 of a square mile large. Verplank has a population of 1,729 residents. Montrose FD has a Ladder Tower only minutes away. Verplank has no structures that Montrose, Peekskill's, or Croton's ladders can't handle. Mostly residential and except for the Gypsum plant, no real commercial or industral areas. And if it's for Indian Point, if that place ever catches fire, I would think that the Indian Point Fire Brigade should be able to handle with the existing area Tower Ladders. They may or may not be selling it with plans to buy another aerial. $50,000 minimum for a truck like that is very suspicous. So, if they are selling it, I ask, why just so the facts are straight? And if Verplank desperately needed an Aerial, why would it be a Tower Ladder? The area is saturated by them. Why not get something like this? As far as I know, there aren't any rear mount sticks in the area. A 75' Quint is a good deal for an area like Verplank.

Is this the same Empire Ambulance that used to serve Putnam County? Personally, give the FD the entire EMS system. Other systems, including for profit companies, always have some sort of drama component. You know the FD ain't going anywhere, and if they already have ALS first response, they are already halfway there. It should also be noted that Saratoga Springs also hosts one of the preimer throughbred horse race, the Travers, in August. It's also a beautiful place to live from what I understand. That's if you don't need an ambulance.

One EMT? That's a "solution"? If getting volunteers is a problem, shouldn't they staff a full ambulance, maybe even an ALS one?

$50,000 minimum for a Bronto Skylift? Has the truck been damaged? This truck is what, 11 years old? Orignally about a one million dollar or more truck. Are they planning on getting a new truck, and please tell me no. Even if the Bronto doesn't work for them, why would they even need another ladder? A 75' Quint maybe, but another TL? As we've discussed in another thread, Montrose already has a Tower Ladder only minutes away. Good eye, Steve.

Thanks for sharing the photos of the new trucks! Noticed onoe is going to 87-A-1 to cover the Grasslands Campus. Are the new Type II's Wheeled Coach? Are the Type III's for the critical care portion of the WMC contract? Also, are Yonkers units still running Type III's, or everyone is using Type II's now? Looking forward to more photos!

We often hear negative stories about EMS providers on this forum. I want to hear the positives. The time you made a diffence in a patients life. The agency you work for adopting a new protocol or equipment to help save lives. Why you love EMS? Fire away.

I know Engines respond to MVA's. But in theory, if there is no Rescue company, shouldn't a truck company be responsible for extrication or "pin ins"? It is more related to truck company disciplines after all.

I mean when you hit the brake when the ambulance is parked and running, it shuts off the ambulance and requires a hidden button or something similar to restart. People are crazy abour jobs now. They worry if they are late they will get fired, and in this economy, they are easily replaced. A Patrol Car with weapons is a totally diffent story. It all comes down to being considerate and providing excellent customer service. The Officer could have secured the vehicle when he already had to warn someone about it.

What if they were working on a patient in a Type I ambulance? Why isn't this a NYS*DOH requirment to have ignition interlock devices and to secure your vehicle? Here's some more info on systems available: http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/facts-research/systems-technology/product-guides/vehicle-disabling.htm And could the Police Officer just have moved the ambulance out of the way? I don't know what type of call it was or what type of situation, but if the Officer took 1 minute to move the ambulance, or secured it after the initial event, couldn't this have been avoided?

Fire Department's spend a lot of time at grade schools doing fire prevention and education. Maybe, if we tried different methods with the publc, they'd have a better understanding of what we do and what we need. Give great customer service and the Community will give back. They don't know what the FD or PD needs and why. As far as the leaf piles, they are very visible everyday. They also create a traffic hazard, especially when it snows. We work with the DPW guys who are also essential to the City's operations and infastructure. I'm sure if ads were taken out explaining the situation of Police Officers and Firefighters being laid off and why people can lose property or worse, lives. They can also explain the millions of dollars of givebacks that the city gave developers of all these projects and delayed tax payments, when these developers would have built regardless but they know how to play the situation. And White Plains has always tried to go the cheapest possible route with the FD for as long as I can remember. But back to the Hartsdale Tower Ladder 15 topic.

Finally! I rode out with the City Of Taylor Quint 1 last month, and they had a Brush Truck from Weir and Coupeland on loan. Also, due to the drought and brush fire situation, the brush truck responds on every call, with one of the firefighters assigned to Quint 1. Wildfire for those not from the area, a custom Brush Truck manufacturer located in the DFW Metroplex area. Next to be replaced is Quint 1, the 1999 Pierce 75' Quint that is the only remaining rejected truck of a multiple order from Houston FD. They also have a new Chief with a great backround who is from the DFW area, and is very progressive, so you're going to see a lot of things changing. They are already installing MDT's tied to the Williamson County CAD system. Thanks for the photos, Billy!

Final inspection was today. *SPY SHOT* by and special thanks to TR54, is posted on http://www.emtbravo.com As the Featured Photo. I've also seen some other angles, and FFD did a very impressive job of spec'ing out a rescue truck of this size utilizing every inch of space to carry as much gear as safely as possible.

I'd like to know the same! It was a pretty simple one, too.

TL-15 was a 95' Baker Aerialscope. I agree completly with you about the staffing. But with Hartsdale's staffing, no apparatus would be suited for it. The plan, or the best I can explain it at the time I left in 2008, is that manpower would come from Engine 170 (like it does on mutual aid),or Engine 169 depending on the situation and what is primarily needed at the scene. By generally that time, Fairview or Greenville would be there and take on whatever was needed. But Hartsdale can't afford and doesn't value manpower or place emphasis on it. They would rather pay a fully qualified interior firefighter on overtime to dispatch/keep records at the firehouse then let 60 Control dispatch for free and put another firefighter on the truck instead of the desk. I also must add the truck can be set up and ready to go with one person in 2 minutes or less. Trust me, we were tested on it! Also, a question. Can Hartsdale FD "add on" to an FDNY order, like a lot of departments did ways back? (that's if they can afford it)

After operating that truck and seeing what it can do at numerous locations in Hartsdale and A LOT of training from numerous guys in the department during our probie period, I really think that TL-15 (the original) is really suited for communities like Hartsdale, which need the ability to push a lot of water into a ground level storefront, or pile elderly residents from the 6th floor of a 7 story wood frame OMD and deliver them to the ground. Add in the tight streets and outrigger spread (not that the E-One doesn't have a great jacking system), and the ability to push through a parapet or similar obstacle, I think it is a solution made for Hartsdale. And have also been told that by members and officers of Hartsdale,. I'm just suprised this is acceptable to the Union, FDNY has that 10 year rule in place for a reason...I understand FDNY is different with the demands placed on their apparatus, but a 23 year old Aerial Truck for the foreseable future for Hartsdale is acceptable to them? I do acknowledge that TL-15 spent many weeks and months at a time out of service, because of the ORIGINAL manufacturer, BAKER, built it horribly and Hartsdale did not make sure it was getting service by trained Aerialscope people and Aerialscope parts for it's life. Aerialscope nowadays is a MUCH better quality product and has basically been internally reinvented, and over 40 years of use and still more orders by FDNY prove why it's still the best. Examples (memories) shown below:

From knowing the buidlings, walking through them, having to learn and know each and every one of those building's challenges during my Probie phase, I'm betting it was difficult fire. The building was built in the 50's or 60's if not earlier, I believe, There's only one easy exposure you can access the fire from (a building on either side, and a golf course and small river running behind the building which drops below grade. There are also narrow stairwells and hallways, and a small elevator. Top that off with a bunch of elderly residents, and you have quite the job even if it's a small fire. I also feel that the fires in these buildings are why Tower Ladder 15 (the original) was purchased. Glad to hear there's a temporary subsiture, but it can't hold the same weight in the bucket nor does it have the manuverability to evacuate residents several at a time from difficult locations and deliver them to the ground. I hope to hear from a Hartsdale member for further on this job, but not putting my money on it.

Awesome! I really think that antique apparatus is something to be preserved, whether in public or private. It's sad to see an engine rotting away when once people were proud of her, and the many lives and property she saved. Can't wait to see the "after" photos! Congrats on the aqquistion! BTW, can I use it as the Feature Photo?

Was the ambulance locked or did she break in? And don't all ambulances have to have an ignition interlock device? Seems like you hear about these stories a lot...I remember when the Cortlant flycar was stolen, the Empress ambulance was jacked at gunpoint and then totalled into a tree, and Transcare (Metrocare at the time) got stolen from a scene.

Do taxpayers who pay relatively high taxes for Fire, Police, and/or EMS expect more? Do they deserve more? Do they know if they are going to get their money's worth if the time comes when they need it? Is it our responsiblity to educate them about what (and who) they are getting for the money, in good times, or only in bad times?

Some additonal information....Mount Vernon's Tower Ladder is 23 YEARS OLD, and served in Mount Vernon, an inner urban city with a high fire load and crappy streets. It's in great condition for a spare, but to run as a frontline? Personally, the only reason I think it's still alive is because of Mount Vernon FD's ONE talented mechanic who was basically not given the proper resources needed to maintain this truck. From the photo, it looks great cosmetically, but does it meet the unique needs that TL-15 was desinged for? Even before this situation, Hatsdale's Tower Ladder 15 was 14 years old, and there had been no prior replacement plans or anticipated,dedicated or allocated savings to replace it.

TL-15, the 1994 FWD/Baker will never return to service. There are a variety of conflicts between everyone involved, as to who is responsible for what, with a lot of misunderstandings thrown in the mix. This will prevent the truck from being fixed or refurbised. Mount Vernon Ladder 4 was apparently purchased for a VERY reasonable price, and will be used for the foreseable future. I'm told it's in great condition, and the members of HFD really like it. It fits in Station 2 (West Hartsdale Ave), and will be quartered there. It will assume the "TL-15" designator. Common everyday staffing will remain 1 firefighter, who is also the apparatus operator only. There is no word whether a new or used TL is being spec'd, or will be purchased.

Very well said, X2321!! You hit the nail on the head. +1 In a nutshell, this is the answer to any question or debate in this thread.

But, shouldn't it be our job to educate them proactively, so when the time comes for cuts, the citizens know the value of what is being cut, and understand how the cuts will affect them from that previous initative? Or, do we wait for stuff to happen, and have a reactive response? Having the "Nothing happens and nothing will" is a very, very poor attitude to have. The problem isn't the finger pointing, it's the lack of people wanting to take initiative. And the whole "people having to die" to get FD attention to fix issues may be a very popular misconception, but that one person is a fellow human being and someone's loved one. God forbid, put yourself in their shoes and wonder why something didn't happen. And for others, ask YOURSELF what you could have done? Explain to the family why you knew about a problem but didn't do anything about it because of so-and-so and this or that.

Changes on LoHud.com end anonymous comments Written by Ed Forbes 12:26 AM, Nov. 27, 2011 http://www.lohud.com/article/20111127/NEWS01/111270341/Changes-LoHud-com-end-anonymous-comments-?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Frontpage|s

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