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I can't believe this actually happens! In some cases, I can see how the mistake is made though. And it is a common occurence, in a variety of places due to a variety of errors! FULL STORY: http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110105/ts_yblog_thelookout/pittsburgh-man-latest-to-have-home-accidentally-demolished

But wait-wouldn't they immediately notify the FD, do they understand their lives could be in danger? Who dispatches for Port Chester nowadays? Could this info be added to the CIDS database?

FULL STORY: http://www.lohud.com/article/20110101/NEWS02/101010322/Yonkers-may-delay-start-for-new-police-recruits-citing-budget-troubles Doesn't Yonkers have Officers who were laid off?

Awesome news! Thanks for keeping us up to date!

Of all the practical skills in High School that can be applied in life, I think that Drivers Ed should be a mandatory class. Not just driving around in a stupid car, but a whole class. Including how to jump start a car, change a tire, check the oil, etc. It's amazing to me how many kids don't know this stuff nowadays.

Bump for tonight.....

Williamson County, TX Emergency Medical Services Medic 32 2011 Ford F-450 Super Duty/MedTec Module with remount/refurb done by Southeastern Specialty Vehicles Williamson County EMS replaces ambulances once every two years. The first time, it is new and reaches two years or a certain mileage, in which it would be rotateed to a slower station. The second time, it is refurbished/remounted onto a new chasis. After 2 more years, it serves in the spare pool. And, after that, it is assigned to support services, hazmat team, etc or traded in. Note the 2011 Ford F-450 Superduty has been given a facelift by Ford for 2011.

I love that Nashville Tower Ladder! Also, that's a very interesting Q placement on that Nashville Engine...never seen that before. When I moved down here, I passed through Tennesee. It was not at all what I expecteed. I stopped over in Knoxville, and it was really, really nice! The whole portions of the state I passed through (including Memphis and Nashville) from the highway was very pictureesque. Now, once I crossed the border into the swamps of Arkansas, that's a whole different story! (BTW, if you went to Nashville for music, you went to the wrong place. Austin,TX-live music captiol of the world!)

Awesome! Thanks for sharing the link to the pix! What's going to happen to the chasis? I could see Noroton Heights wanting it...

The Canon lens it came with, do you mean the 18-55 with Image Stabilization? (Indicated by IS) I find that lens personally to be excellent for photographing fire apparatus. I also use a Tamron 18-270, which is an excellent "walkaround" lens for everyday use. Wide angle to telezoom in one lens is a great convience, especially when photographing incidents. I don't know if Joe Pinto, Mike Messar, Mike Martinelli, Bill Johhson, Eli Gill, or the many other great apparatus photographers use a certain type of lens for their shots of apparatus, but I'd sure like to know! Tommy Bendick also posted an awesome tutorial on this forum several years back on how a circular polarizer can really enhance an apparatus shot:

Let's not forget, this guy also severly injured other firefighters as well. The fact that this guy, according to the article through his lawyer, make excuses for his actions and tries to blames others because he doesn't want to do life in prison is cowardly. He needs to man up to his actiions. I hope that he is punished for that as well. I hope the Joyce family gets what they want for the punishment of this guy, but I also hope this menace is appropriately removed from society. I know he's not going to get the death penalty in NY because there's too many ways to challenge it, but it still disgusts me that the same people he affected are technically going to pay thousands, if not millions, for his housing, food, healthcare, protection, legal fees, etc for numerous years.

FULL STORY: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_plunge_trash_heap

It's great there's this new law....now they just need the cops (to clarify-PD's staffed properly) to enforce it. Down here, they get some federal and state funding. You'll see every now and then motorcycle officers waiting to pull over offenders while the incident is in progress. Although most of the time if they can get it to the shoulder they can get it off the highway completly, which is the preffered method and why PD cars have push bumpers. Otherwise, they block the scene with as many vehicles as are available. The next State Legislative session is going to make the law even stronger, and there will be a lot of public relations and enforcement to make the point.

vBulletin was considered several years ago when we were upgrading from phpBB. A lot of hosting company's wouldn't let you run vBulletin on a shared server. vBulletin also has higher license fees and would cost us just as much, if not more.. I really like the software we have now. It's very robust, and has many features. I've grown used to it, as has the membeship. It's easy to adminstrate and moderate. The company I work with has given us excellent service and support at very low costs. I've also learned a lot about how the forum works technically, and have made many customizations to the software. Bandwith, etc is not an issue....we have our own server. We're financially OK since we have had over a hundred members step up and make donations last year, and I hope the membership will continue to contribute when/if they can this year. I'm also hoping that we will find some new advertisers. The shutdown was an impulsive move by me, I had several personal things going on in my life, and didn't wan't the site to add to my worries-especially financially. I should have talked it over with the staff and other members before I made any kind of decision or announcement. I've learned my lesson, and that won't happen again. (I also learned how much this site means to people) With all that said, I don't see the need for the change, but appreciate the concern.

FULL STORY: http://www.statesman.com/news/nation/plane-helicopter-collide-in-virginia-2-killed-1156190.html RIP to those in the Cessena. It's amazing the helicopter was able to make a safe landing. Sounds like poor communications. PHI is a gigantic helicopter company, that mostly ferries oil workers to and from drilling rigs in the Gulf. They also have a huge medical aviation arm, which is big in Texas. Unfortunately, they had a crash near San Antonio about 2 years ago, killing the local (to here in Austin) crew. The helicopter was so entrenched in the woods, they had to hire special equipment just to get to the site. http://www.phihelico.com/

Awesome! Thanks for sharing!

Was this an FDNY ambulance?

Congrats to Eastchester, but for being one of the wealthiest areas, they sure seem to be stingy when it comes to FD spending, especially with the population density and large apartment buildings. If they didn't get this money, would the air packs still be replaced in a timely manner? http://www.lohud.com/article/20101230/NEWS02/12300318/Eastchester-Fire-Department-gets-204-000-grant-for-new-air-packs

FULL ARTICLE: http://www.lohud.com/article/20101231/NEWS03/12310319/Hudson-Valley-Regional-Poison-Center-to-close

Several Fort Worth, TX Engine companies sported pink recently to raise awareness for breast cancer:

I've used the old kind on a tablet that weighed 10 pounds. I hated it because it's battery life was short, it was heavy, and it has a small keyboard that attached via USB port. I've tried some e-PCR systems from different vendors at the two Texas EMS conferences I went to this year, and I really, really like the Panosonic Toughbook, with docking station in the cab and patient care areas. I write a book with every call sheet, so it's nice to have the keyboard. Also, it's great if the e-PCR system could pull up the patient's name and previous medical history that can auto-populate some of the fields. I know there are some HIPPA things attached to that, especially in EMS though. However, with electronic medical records becoming the mandate (I think) in 2014, it would be great if we could get some previous history on the patient. It's also good for statiscal data for EMS operations, clinical care, and keeping the public safe and healthy,(tracking of flu like symptoms, easier tracking for following up for call audits, etc)

Fairview Fire Department has been adding awesome photos from it's collection over the entire history of the department to it's Facebook page, in the photo section. There's several albums, and there are so many great photos being added every day, it's hard to pick just one that's my favorite. I just noticed the Doug's Tow Truck swapping bodies on Engine 175 in house at Station 2. Whoever is taking the time to scan and post these photos, keep up the great work! Hope you will share some with us here on EMTBravo! Photos can be found at: http://www.facebook.com/FairviewFire

Last month, I read an article in "Trains" magazine about snow removal mostly on freight tracks in some of the more snow prone areas of the country. With all these cancelled and stuck trains, I wonder, what does Metro North and NYC Transit do to clear trackage of snow and ice? Do they have a snowthrower or other type of snow removal train? How do they do it?

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/heart_stopping_medics_limit_cpr_7Ahv46Qfw6NXpYklWpMhiO

Awesome shots! Looks like some very tough conditions! Glad to see you back sharing your talent with us here!