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Awesome shots as always! You keep topping yourself!

(Photo Courtesy Hudson Valley Fire Equipment) More Photos: http://www.hudsonvalleyfire.com/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=16 Hudson Valley Fire's New Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hudson-Valley-Fire-Equipment-Sales-LLC/116645911758221 Like them to see all their Seagrave creations... Features Ford F-550 4X4 Chassis / SD Crew Cab 6.7L OHV Power Stroke Diesel V8 6 Speed Automatic w/ OD Dual Alternators In Cab Storage Compartment Two-Tone Cab Paint Kussmaul Auto Charger 2" Receiver Tow Hitch Center Console Panisonic Toughbook 29 Docking Station Whelen LED Warning Lights ROM LED Compartment Lights Custom Aluminum Rescue Body Forward Transverse Compartment Rooftop Compartments Stokes Basket Storage Rear Access Ladder Harrison 6 kw Hydraulic Generator Hannay Cord Reel Wilburt Night-Scan Light Tower

Understood, and I'm aware Lincoln Hall has it's issues. Leake and Watts was the same way in 1997, maybe even worse. You could go into one of their cottages and get assaulted or a riot could break out, it was a madhouse. In my opinion, Lincoln Hall is failing in their mission, and instead of being a "catholic charity" or rehabilition/correctional facility, they want or need to be a moneybox and have dropped their standards, mostly due to lack of state funding, and "charity" funding. They don't have enough qualified staff or enough staff at all, or facilities, to handle what they are doing. But the root cause are the kids, the system (and politicians) fails them everywhere they go in NY. There are a lot of kids that are dangerous, but NYS is so incredibly inefficient that their classification,placement, and oversight system is so obsolete, it's scary. But again, these kids have nothing to do, and how can we not accept any blame as a society for these 12 years old kids? Sports, vocational training, and mentorship all are strong factors in giving kids a CHANCE to succeed. Of course, some won't. But some will, and go on to lead a productive and valuable life, and hopefully pass it on. The mess that is Lincoln Hall only breeds a new generation of criminals. http://www.lincolnhall.org/pdf/LHAnnualReport2007.pdf

Nice work, VMFD! FULL ARTICLE: http://www.lohud.com/article/20110713/NEWS02/107130344?odyssey=obinsite

My next question is, why doesn't Ossining ans Croton just merge into one district, for better operational efficiency?

Specs: (Special thanks to sympathomedic) 95 foot TL No pump 6 seat cab 500 HP engine 5 speed Allison Transmission with overdrive 13KW hydraulic generator Two cord reels Pre-piped waterway, two big guns. Flowminder for the waterway Remote control spot light on bucket Headphone/intercom system Federal Q2 mechanical siren Electronic siren has TWO control heads- one driver one officer Should be 10-8 tonight with temporary radios possibly installed. FD in Georgia wants it and needs it ASAP. Driver training is ongoing. If any qualified driver of TL-18 and L-48 is going to be around Somers Thursday afternoon, or any Somers officer, please email me as soon as possible. My email address is seth@emtbravo.com

New article in today's Journal News. I assume that "Mid-Hudson EMS" is an new name for OVAC? That's a pretty good wage, I think. I just don't understand why they don't just fund a BLS crew. http://www.lohud.com/article/20110717/NEWS02/107170353/Croton-moves-fast-hire-paid-EMT-cites-concern-over-response-times?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Westchester County, New York

I've responded on EMS calls to Lincoln Hall in Somers, and to Leake and Watts in Yonkers, which is just as bad, Four Winds in Katonah, Woodfield Cottage, Children's Village, and many group homes. I've also responded to adult maximum security correctional facilities. If you show empathy to these kids, even if agitated, I've found that the majority of the time, they can be really nice kids. If you talk to most of them, you can see what led them down the path. I strongly believe that these facilities are reactionary, and not proactive. A couple of years ago, I responded (here in Texas) to a small town (population about 200). It was a foster kid, about 16ish I think. I found out he was from Sanford, Florida which has extremly high crime rates. He was in a gang, and his grandmother sent him to live with what became foster parents in Texas a couple years back. He had no oppurtunites in Florida-no sports team to join, school district didn't care if he was truant, didn't own a TV, slept on a well worn matteress on the floor, didn't know his father and his mother was a junkie. His grandmother got out of jail and took custody of him. He was a football star for his hometown HS football team, a good kid from every one that knew him. He did have a couple of small minor run ins with the law, but the law consisted of the police chief and that's it. So instead of jail, he was punished by his parents. Anyways, HS Football coach was giving him "supplements", and that caused an acute medical problem. We had about an hour ride to the closest hospital, where I got his story, which was backed by his foster parents at the hospital. He LOVED football, knew everything about the game-but never had been to one. I got him and his foster dad tickets to a University Of Texas game vs. University Of Central Florida game, and he loved it. He worked hard, and he ended up getting a scholarship to a good college. I asked him about his life in Sanford, and he said he definetly would have been in a gang or dead had he stayed in Sanford, and if he ever becomes a football star, he wants to help as many of those kids as possible. And from what I've read on him, he's doing just that..... That simple act by his grandmother completly changed his life. Maybe more simple acts could change more lives. I understand why people think that LH residents are beyond help, but I don't believe that they should be given up on, especially at 12. They should be given every chance that every other kid in Westchester gets.

Thanks you, FD28. You understood a lot of my points. To others, what is the answer? To keep throwing these kids into facilities for their lives? To make them more of a criminal, so they pose a risk to the community for the rest of their lives? With less and less police officers on the street, there's going to be more oppurtunities for these children to commit criminal acts. And it's not just a police officer's job to lock people up, it's also to prevent and deter crime, and set an example. Lincoln Hall isn't just for children who committed criminal acts. It's also for children who have emotional, mental, and substance abuse issues to go alonng with it. A lot of money that goes into these "welfare programs" doesn't end up where it should. Many FD and EMS members want to help the community....but they want the action, putting out fires, etc. They should use their "role model" status to influence good. Instead, most seem to be predudiced about these children, and lump them into a group instead of an individual. No one considers thier background, and most seem to hold grudges. A lot of these kids, they've never been to a ballgame, an amusement park. They've never had anything constructive to do. No one to look up to. They've been on the streets and shown the bad. Look at the neighborhoods where they come from. Make it an incentive at LH for good behavior to join an FD Explorer post. If escape is an issue, hold a "boot camp" and the program at the facility. There are a number of Fire/EMS/PD based youth programs throughout the nation. One that involves adults, is in California. They use, and train, inmates on good behavior, to be "camp crews", meaning they assist with the manual taks of fighting wildland fires. When they get out, a lot of these ex-cons end up working for the federal government or CalFire as forest firefighters. And again, what if you were born and led the life of one of these Lincoln Hall children? Would you feel hopeless, and make trouble because that's all you know and that's how you get attention and noteriety? Seems people would rather volunteer for causes to help themselves or are "fun" then ones that help the community in other ways as well.

The kids' 12. He'll loop through the system again, and what will be the benefit? He'll come out more of a criminal then before. The false alarm issues can get someone killed in a variety of ways, and needs to be stopped. However, why not try to point these kids in the right direction, if applicable? Have them pack hose, mow the lawns at the firehouse and do janitorial duties, get if they prove themselves, get them to join the explorer program. I think there needs to be more social responsibilty instead of ignoring these kids and the impact they can have if allowed to go untreated. (burden on law enforcement, courts, corrections over their lifespan). Most people on this forum are lucky to have been born into a good part of society and have, for the most part, had a upbringing where someone cared about them. These kid's don't have that. Nobody ever cared about them. They grew up in poverty and violence. They know that trouble brings them status, attention. Again, this kid is 12. It's not too late.

I loved Rescue 35. I saw it at a trade show and it was very well spec'd. It was the one with the command center in the cab if I remember correctly? I had always hoped to photograph it, but it will be back in some form. Stuff like this happens. It's happened to FDNY and other departments using other manufacturers. I don't know what caused the fire, but I hope it was under warranty so that Rescue 35 can be repaired or replaced at no cost.

Excellent shots, Kyle! I especially love that Ford E-450/Lifeline slopeside! You don't see too many of those around!

I actually really like that design...I would never advertise on my POV, but those would look better on emergency vehicles that the current yellow plates. It's also stange they have "Water Rescue Team" on there. And no IAFF plates, either. Down here, we have just about every specialized license plate under the sun. And if there's a big enough group, they can sponsor a custom plate designed just for them. https://rts.texasonline.state.tx.us/NASApp/txdotrts/SpecialPlateOrderServlet

http://www.lohud.com/article/20110715/NEWS02/107150339/Poughkeepsie-couple-Westchester-County-s-3rd-river-rescue-week

http://www.lohud.com/article/20110715/NEWS03/107150365/Monsey-fire-dept-begins-sounding-its-horn-again?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Frontpage

FULL ARTICLE: http://www.newhavenadvocate.com/news/blogs/peltos-point/nh-malloy-sends-57-connecticut-state-troopers-to-the-unemployment-line-20110714,0,2539591.story

Here's the aluminum tower I got to see. It is Frisco, TX Truck 601, a 2011 Pierce Veocity. They are quickly moving to an all Pierce fleet, after years of using E-Ones. If Pierce didn't make an RM Aluminum tower, they probaly would have gone with an E-One tower. One of the things I like most about it is that the bucket doesn't block the windshield. It also can operate below grade. And it (if spec'd) comes with a bunch of tech rescue accesories.

Doesn't MICCOM dispatch Hackensack (in addition to other EMS agencies) EMS? Also, were those civilian EMT's offered jobs at HUMC/Vanguard or Hackensack FD? I remember meeting two of the guys and they were super nice and highly skilled. What a crazy system they have.

I've had the chance to see both the Pierce Aluminum straightstick (Houston, TX and San Antonio, TX) and the Aluminum tower (Frisco, TX). Both were built pretty heavy duty, and have firefighters a lot more room on the ladder then a steel ladder would. Also seem to be much lighter, leading to fuel and maintainence savings (from the apparatus committees, I am told). All three cities were big E-One departments at one time and had aluminum aerials that probaly see more work in a year then some trucks in Westchester see in a lifetime. The rearmount aluminum tower has a lot of interesting helpful bells and whistles. I could picture the above truck in many communities.... I'll look for detail shots tommorow.

FULL ARTICLE AND PHOTO: http://www.statesman.com/news/local/medics-to-ride-to-the-rescue-on-motorcycles-1606352.html

I think you should have to be 21+, with a relevant clean drivers license, and 5 years driving experience. 18 is WAY too young. I know this is a rural area, and it is a tanker which are prone to rollovers, especially poorly engineered ones, but still..... FULL ARTICLE: http://www2.tricities.com/news/2011/jul/05/18-year-old-firefighter-crashes-tanker-truck-ar-1153675/

I just have a small request. When you send me a private message through this forum or an email, please sign with at least your first name. While I know the majority of our members' first names, I don't know them all or am not sure. This is so I can address you personally, which is much nicer then addressing you by your screename. Thanks! Seth

As firefighter59 mentioned, I've learned HFD has been assigning a FF to ride on FFD L1 for the past 2 months or so. L1 has been covering HFD's structual runs since they took L46 out of service sometime earlier in the year.

Two questions: Should you decon during this call? Could a firefighter potentially get a "secondary" high?

A piece of construction equipment hit TL-15 while it was at Station 2, further complicating existing problems and damage from unqualified repair shops. . For the Hatsdale FD TL-15 info and discussion thread: http://www.emtbravo.net/index.php/topic/42291-hartsdale-tower-ladder-15-status/