x635

NYC is a unique animal. But there are other cities that get socked. Maybe they should look at cities like Toronto and Chicago (I don't know how well either does, though). Also, in all the footage I've seen down here, it seems many city vehicles that should have chains don't. Why is this? Seems like they should add to the spec of all ambulances, police cars, plows, etc 2 sets of snow chains. NYC being parylyzed like this is not good, though. They have plans for everything else, now they need to make sure something like this doesn't happen again or at least they are trained, equipped, and prepared for it. And how are essential hospital and other personel getting to work?

That's an awesome concept for a show! It's always been a popular topic on this forum. Thanks for the heads up!

That video was featured nationally on NBC's "The Today Show" this morning. I'm sure there will be a flood of similar videos.

It's suprising that NYC Sanitation is not more on top of this. I know conditions are difficult, but if you look at the resources they have available, I think it comes down to planning, control, and priorities. I remember one year when Times Square got heavy snow on New Years Eve, yet it was removed within several hours. Most of their fleet of garbage trucks are equipped with plows. They have numerous additional vehicles (all of them with the orange paint scheme), such as plow/sanders, front end loaders, jet snow melters, etc dedicated especially for snow removal. They also have numerous heavy wreckers which can be used to dislodge vehicles. They could also have a plan with the hundreds of contractors with front end loaders and dump trucks to clear major routes. As far as the plows that are traveling without plowing, there is equipment blowing hydraulic lines, etc...and NYC, of course, has cut back as part of it's budget the amount of mechanics and other resources designed to handle this. Also, NYC*DOT has a large amount of dump trucks, some with plows, and payloaders. http://www.x635photos.com/thumbnails-2.html I'm also suprised that FDNY doesn't keep a stable of 4x4 ambulances.

Here's an example of a Fort Worth FD Quint. Quint 33- 2009 Spartan/Smeal 105'/1500/500

Today, I took a trip about an hour to the east to Washington County, TX to visit Washington County EMS for some photos of their awesome fleet. For more on information this awesome EMS agency: http://www.co.washington.tx.us/ips/cms/WCEMS/ Let's start with Squad 1, a Ford F-250/Frazer Bilt, which is staffed by the on-duty Lt. (Shift Commander) out of Station 2 (HQ): Speaking of Station 2, it opened in 2008 on Hwy 290 South in Brenham, TX: Washington County EMS-1 (Cheif) operates this Ford F-150 Washington County EMS Medic 4 runs with this Ford F-350/Frazer Bilt I've never seen an EMS boat before. They are first due for water rescues in a lot of cases, and they have a large recreational lake and other independent bodies of water throughout the district. Let's take a closer look through Squad 1: And now, let's take a look around and inside Medic 2 . Medic 2 is a Frazer-Bilt, which is unique because the module is powered by a generator (gasoline powered and whisper quiet) that makes the module completly independent from the chasis power, with straightfoward wiring and easily remountable. It also makes the A/C turn the module into a fridge quick. They are also built in Houston, and very popular throughout the state. Very rugged build, and very nice and durable inside layout: http://www.frazerbilt.com/flash.php And some of the equipment at Station 1: For more info on Washington County EMS: http://www.co.washington.tx.us/ips/cms/WCEMS/ And, then there's the Brenham Fire Museum, which is a absolutely meticolous and beautiful building with painstakely restored classic apparatus in the bays: Brenham FD Rescue 1: Brenham Engine 4: Brenham Brush 1: Links: For more on this awesome EMS agency: http://www.co.washington.tx.us/ips/cms/WCEMS/ And their apparatus: http://www.frazerbilt.com/flash.php Brenham Heritage Fire Museum: http://www.ci.brenham.tx.us/FireMuseum.cfm

Washington County EMS is paid for by the county and local/state/federal/corporate grants. Brenham FD is a volunteer department. They do get city tax money, but are very thrifty. They hold spaghetti dinners and baseball tournements, etc to raise money to purchase the rescue. The Engine, Brush,and two new Ladders were paid for by the city. From what I understand, it's to take the tax burden off the City so they can hire more staff, etc. Their history is actually quite interesting: http://www.ci.brenham.tx.us/bfdhistory.cfm

I should add, a majority of the EMS SOD equipment was paid for through grants.

Rest in peace..

Hope everyone is having a happy, healthy, and safe holiday! Merry Christmas!

Does Greenburgh employ more civilian EMT's, or just this one position? Hopefully, they will staff a full ambulance, and not rely on another police officer or firefighter to drive the ambulance to the hospital, therefore taking two officers off the streets for a couple of hours. This was a long time coming, somehthing that actually took too long, IMHO. Maybe it has to do with the new Police Chief?

http://www.lohud.com/article/201012180340 Best wishes to all for a safe, productive, and succesful career!

http://www.lohud.com/article/20101220/NEWS01/12200315/Northern-Westchester-fire-departments-seek-volunteers

From "The Secret List"

Photo slideshow: http://abclocal.go.com/wls/gallery?section=news/local&id=7858152&photo=1 Audio feed from first 90 minutes of incident: http://alertpage1.posterous.com/chicagoil-building-collapse-and-mayday-1744-7 Live Chicago FD streaming radio traffic: http://www.radioreference.com/apps/audio/?action=wp&feedId=909

Chicago FD confirming 2 firefighters dead. One died upon arrival at Christ Medical Center, the other Firefighter died upon arrival at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. 1 firefighter critically injured, and one firefighter condition not being released at this time. They were among the 16 firefighters injured at the scene. 6 of those firefighters injured in serious to critical condition.

I was just about to post about the Stockyard fire, which killed 21 firefighters, and it being the 100th anniversary of that. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-stockyard-fire-anniversary-20101219,0,1931758.story?obref=obnetwork Thoughts and prayers.

Date: 12-22-10 Time: 06:54 hrs CST (Approx) Location: 1700 Blk E. 75th St Frequency: Units Operating: Chicago FD Weather Conditions: 23 degrees F and overcast, with wind and snow Alarm Level: Chicago 3-11 alarm and EMS Plan 2 Description Of Incident: Firefighters operating at a fire inside a brick abandoned warehouse believed to be inhabited by several homeless squatters looking for shelter from the cold. Building possibly a former car wash or dry cleaners. Bow string truss roof. Brick wall collapsed during overhaul. Several maydays transmitted. 2 firefighter removed in critical condition, 2 firefighers still missing in rubble. Collapse team operating, front end loaders operating, and manual digging. Engines having trouble with frozen hydrants. Chicago PD escorting ambulances to the hospital and closing down routes from the scene to the hospital. Reporters: Writer: x635 Today is the 100th anniversaty of the Chicago Stockyard fire, which killed 21 firefighters in 1910. 0800hrs CST (Approx):Numerous firefighters digging through rubble 08:30hrs CST All firefighters accounted for, including injured 08:56hrs CST: Incident still breaking news, reported 10 firefighters injured, 2 critical, 2 missing. Department chaplain at Northwestern Memorial Hosptial, where 10 firefighters have been transported to. Press conference at hospital at 0930hrs CST to discuss condtion of firefighters transported there. 09:30hrs CST: Chicago FD and Cook County Medical Examiners Officer confirming 2 firefighters dead. One died upon arrival at Christ Medical Center, the other Firefighter died upon arrival at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. 1 firefighter critically injured, and one firefighter condition not being released at this time. 09:45 CST: At least 16 firefighters injured, including the two deceased. 6 of those firefighters injured serious to critically. Firefighters at the hopsitals and scene very distraught. Building rubble still being searched for possible homeless squatters. 10:00 CST: Story still breaking, additional details to follow and will be updated as available. EMTBravo Discussion Topic And Further Info: http://www.emtbravo.net/index.php?showtopic=39875

For those of you in the private sector with no union and have health benefits, paid vacation, etc....thank a union worker for that.

Down here, they can't recruit qualified canidates fast enough. They've come up with lateral entry programs, which not only gets firefighters out on the streets faster (and cops), but it saves them the money of having to train a civilian. http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/hr/jobdesc/rpts/jobreport.cfm?codeid=5061 Unfortunately, a lot of firefighters in certain departments that send firefighters through the WC academy also take transfers, which screws up the entire process. Maybe if some of these departments stop tooking transfers and hired off the list, there would be enough canidates for a class. Also, what about teaming up with other departments in Connecticut or New Jersey, to have a "regional" academy? I know each state has it's laws and what the academy has to teach, but I'm sure they could develop a curriculum that suits everyone's needs. It's not fair to make these guys have to leave their families to go to Montour Falls for weeks. Or maybe the WC academy can take people who want to put themselves through the academy, and then give them preference on the exam?

Awesome. Thanks for the shots! I like the new paint scheme, sort of similar to APD's new scheme. The old 914, I guess it's 50-B-2 now? Did they add on to the building so both ambulances are housed? They've come a long way since when my grandfather founded the ambulance corps and it ran out of my grandmother's house until the old bank arrived, lol!

In Austin, firefighters dispatch firefighters and takes phone calls for the fire department. EMS you have to be an EMT, and they take phone calls, EMD, and dispatch EMS. They both work from the same facility, with the PD too. The firefighters work with a regular group, on a 24/48/24/72 schedule. There is a captain and firefighter specialists who have at least 5-10 years in an engine or truck, and they can determine the appropriate responses using their knowledge. And they have a lot of leeway. However, sometimes that leeway comes back to bite you: http://www.txcn.com/sharedcontent/dws/txcn/austin/stories/012407kvueBertsfirefolo-cb.15667790.html

What about the fact that Croton Falls, Lewisboro, etc have gone, like most Westchester communities, from a working class community to a bedroom community for the rich. I've worked a ton of calls with the guys in northeastern Westchester when I worked 45-M-3. These are dedicated guys, but they are fading. It's always the same people running calls. I think one of the main reasons.....housing prices and taxes. The volunteer's simply can't afford to live in their communities any more. And that is sad. Would a paid fire department do the trick? I don't think so. I'd rather see better staffing in Mount Vernon and places where life and property are more dense. Maybe daytime staffing or having shifts of volunteers would help. I hope this recruitment drive is a success, but I don't think that there's a large pool of volunteers to recruit from. Also, if daytime staff were to be hiring, they should be civil service career firefighters so they get the protection and rights they deserve...and not people who are hired as "custodians", etc. Those types of people hoolding job titles are just screwing themselves, and it's a band aid fix to the problem. I don't think volunteers should do it for any sort of compensation, like health benefits or pension. The real volunteer firefighters don't do it for those reasons. I think affordable housing is an option, but, in a way, that's like hiring paid staff. Or, on the other hand, live in firefighters. But you have no guarentee of staffing with affordable housing. The only realistic, temporary solution, and I don't know if this is permitted by New York State law, but allow these firefighters to respond to any call within the Battalion, especially now that electronic accountability and response tracking systems are in place.

And one more plaque showing community involvement with the Fire Museum, or "Fire Truck Building":

That's awesome. It allows those who took the test, but had to wait for all the legal BS to end while they passed the age limit, to test. I can only imagine the flood of returning applicants in addition to all the new ones AND the people on the old lists.