x635

International has come out with a new line of over-the-road trucks. Besides the bold styling, they come with a wide variety of options, including multi-tone paint, chrome, etc. Looks like it belongs more in a hot-rod show then on the highway towing a trailer, but still sets it apart from their many competitors in this market! 2009 International "Lonestar" Photo by me

Interesting. http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/a...46&id=63727

I thought the visibility on this Chief's vehicle of this volunteer/"retained" FD in Ireland was cool....... Co. Kerry, Ireland Fire & Rescue Service Incident Command Vehicle

Date: 5-6-09 Time: Location: Camp Bulls Rd. @ Construction Site Departments: 26 companies from the City Of San Antonio FD Description: Trenching machine ruptured 24" gas main. Subsequent explosion and heavy fire. Exteme radiant heat in area. All companies working to cool surrounding area until gas company could shut off main and fire could burn itself out. Damage to nearby structure and cars, fire could be seen from miles around, shooting hundreds of feet into the air. Writer: x635 FULL STORY: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/Ruptured_...on_NW_side.html VIDEO: http://www.ksat.com/video/19385350/index.html

An excerpt from my local paper regarding a 4th Alarm in Austin on Monday. I've got to give the Austin-American Statesman props, they do a great job of reporting on both the good...and sometimes the bad. This article is an example of how they went to the correct source, got some great facts, and this is how they presented it to the public....I don't think Austin-ite's would settle for anything less. FULL STORY: http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news...6/0506fire.html

A quick side note, from Jim's hundreds of friends, some of which are on Facebook, Jim just joined us! Add him to your friends list! (click his "Facebook" icon to the left of his post above)

Since the taxpayers pay our salaries, and there's the Freedom Of Information Law, the information is there for the public to review, if they dig for it. I like to know where my money goes, but I think that there's some encroachment on people's personal space. I don't mind seeing the average of what a FF, Lt, etc makes...but to list every person and their name is not a fair part of the FOIL act. I think here in Texas you can actually sign something so the public can't queury your personal salary information. The Journal News has dug for it, and like a lot of newspapers around the country, are using every angle they can to obtain "new" information, and kind of re-invent themsevles in order to survive. I think civil servants in our sectors deserve what they earn, and are entitled to it after hard work and a LONG time fighting for a decent wage....which, with some of the salaries noted, isn't even comprable with the cost of living in Westchester!!! You can't even come close to raising a family of four even with a dual income household!! It also doesn't detail or highlight the dedication to the community, the long hours, weekends, nights, and holidays away from your family, the ongoing training, etc etc. You guys prove it day in and day out, the public sees it, and I seriously don't think that there's going to be much public uproar over salaries. People move from NYC or live in Pelham in part because of the safety and convience that living in Pelham provides. That comes at a cost.

Houston,TX- LODD 5-5-09 Fire Cadet Conway M. Johnson It's been a tough month for Houston, a major apparatus vs. apparatus MVA, a double LODD during a structure fire, and now this. Thoughts and prayers are with all those affected. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headli...ro/6409516.html

At least around here, it seems almost every agency is switching back to black-and-white cruisers. Is there something behind this, or is the traditional look the new "fad"? I find the black to be less visible (good for when you don't want to be seen), but not good when you're at a traffic incident or patrolling. It's also harder to distinguish agencies. Given the graphics technology out there today, there's a million ways to make a sharp cruiser.

The photo below shows a major structure with two attached exposures. This was a bar on the famous 6th Street nightlife area in Austin. There was heavy fire on arrival. Crews quickly knocked down the fire in the center building (now demolished), and the adjacent businesses opened only a couple of days later with minor damage. (The pub to the left decided to keep the awning as a reminder. The adjacent buildings were shored up, and a new building is currently beeing planned. I've seen many stops such as this while I've been down here. Austin Fire-Rescue impresses me. They are really bread-and-butter, very into their jobs and they see a lot of fires and other incidents. They train hard, and are seriously into safety. They staf properly, and have plenty of coverage. Every incident seems smoothly run, simple, and efficient, despite the size or scope.

FROM: http://www.efrsales.com/webpages/vehicles.asp?sectionType=3 Looks like Lifeline is continuing their stampede into the lower Hudson Valley.......I'm not suprised, Lifeline builds a GREAT custom ambulance!!!

I would think most departments would have to have a Sexual Harrasement policy, isn't that Federal Law now?

Yesterday, there was a 4 alarm fire in Austin, TX. It was a third alarm upon arrival, with heavy fire showing and residents jumping from balconies. Numerous rescues were made by first due firefighters using ground and aerial ladders. I though the below was a great shot of Austin-Travis County EMS in action (ATCEMS has full turnout gear): http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news.../lkv-fire9.html And more about the fire: http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news...5/0505fire.html

Looks great! Is this replacing a vehicle, or is this a new addition?

I'm predicting this will go to AMR. I'm hoping that these towns which have money will do the right thing and start their own Paramedic service. Do they do just ALS, or transports as well?

I understand this ambulance has been delivered....anyone have photos they can post?

Thanks for the link...can't wait to see the finished product posted....anyone have a timeframe on when it's going to be delivered? Crimson puts out a solid product, and really coming in with reasonable bids. They are very popular here in Texas. It's great to see Scarsdale getting not only the Crimson Ladder, but this Engine as well. Hopefully, this will serve them much better then previous apparatus purchases...it looks like the new Engine will be very well equipped and functional. With Campbell Supply now dealing Crimson, and a stronger northeast network, I think you'll see even more Crimson deliveries up in the northeast in the future. Here's a recent Crimson delivery here in Texas that I photographed (our Crimson dealer is one of the best in the nation): http://www.emtbravo.com/NewDeliveries/rrfde1.html

Most of the departments here in Central Texas are career. Austin FD runs with 4-5 man engine companies, 6 man Quint companies, and 5-6 man truck companies. The first due were an Engine and a Quint from only a few blocks away. I wish I had taken a photo before the demolition begun. I should point out, they use CAFS and/or Class A foam down here aggressively, and both first due apparatus were equipped with such. I'm trying to find the rest of the photos from this fire, but this was a two story, wood frame garden style apartment, with heavy fire showing from the top quarter of the building. This was from a department just north of Austin, in Round Rock, also a great department. If you look at the rest of the building, although there is heavy smoke damage throughout and some water damage below, they stopped the fire quickly. In fact, they just removed the debris and rebuilt the apartment recently, and redided the others in the building....you would have never known there was a fire there. http://www.x635photos.com/displayimage-41-27.html

I know a while back, NYPD was experimenting with Dodge Chargers. Some were assigned to the Highway Patrol (the Hemi's), and some were assigned to regular patrol for evaluation. Has NYPD ordered any more Dodge Chargers since?

Saw this at a street festival......Paramedic runs this as his side business. Pretty neat idea. (There are so many special events in Austin every weekend, Austin-Travis County EMS will not pick up the tab nor diminish service to it's area to service these events. EMS has a lot of funding due to good managment (starting pay of $20/hr w 23 year retirment). So, the organizers of this event are responsible for contracting out. However, this is a first-response service only. ATCEMS will respond like it's a normal call if needed, and also shift more units to the area if needed. ) They do, however, handle the larger scale events in the city.

Man, if this wasn't on another FD's website, I could have sworn that this could have been the replacement for Hartsdale's TL-15, lol!!! An awesome AERIALSCOPE II: http://www.hazletwpfirerescue.com/images/m...27-09_lg_26.JPG FULL PHOTOS: http://www.hazletwpfirerescue.com/truck2.html And another set: http://www.hazletwpfirerescue.com/truck.htm Also contains some great photos from the Seagrave factory.

Date: 5-2-09 Time: 1530hrs Location: Dallas Cowboys Training Facility, Irving, Texas (Dallas County) Departments: Irving FD, Irving FD EMS, Irving PD, Dallas FD-TX USAR Task Force 2 Description: A Dallas Cowboy Rookie training camp was in session inside a tent when severe weather broke out and collapsed the fabric and metal structure. 10 people hit by falling debris with minor injuries, 2 pinnned. 1 subject is now repotedly parylzed from the waist down, the other has a broken vertabrae. Injured subjects removed to Baylor University Medical Center and Parkland Hospital, both in serious condition. Numerous high level Dallas Cowboy (NFL Team) players, coaches, trainers, and other officials within the organization were inside the tent during this incident. Links: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dw...n2.4a6a883.html Writer: x635

I would just like to point out this AWESOME Incident Alert by gpdexplorer and Truck4. Very descriptive, and very well written. A fine example of our many great IA's written by our many great members and maintained by Truck4. http://www.emtbravo.net/index.php?showtopic=31707 Great job, guys!!!! That's what our IA section is all about!

From the Incident Alert ( http://www.emtbravo.net/index.php?showtopic=31707 ), sounds like it was a very well run, organized incident. Well done by all involved! This incident should set an example on how more incidents should operate in Westchester County!!! And, once again, Greenville SSU 15 and WCPD Aviation are proving how handy and versatile they can be! My question, however: was WCDES Fieldcom on scene to help coordinate operations???

There are plenty of people from White Plains on here...anyone got the scoop? Why does the Journal News know more then us? $350,000 would be more in line with the price of the new (Hackney) Haz-Mat 1, unless they quoted the price of the former HM-1 when it was purchased new and fully equipped.