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Looks GREAT! Thanks for the detail shots as well. Also, is this a new color scheme for Carmel VAC?

Pig, Pig, and more Pig FULL STORY: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/28/dining/2...no_interstitial

Kind of sobering. FULL STORY: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090129/ap_on_...e/army_suicides

I live a little over an hour south of Fort Hood, and worked EMS in an area the encompasses Fort Hood. Got to know a lot of soldiers that served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. These 18 and 19 year old kids, just out of high school, go over there, and come back totally different. Although there are no visible wounds, I really think that PTSD is the signature disease of this war, and it seems that the medical community agrees. But, these tragedies shed light on this issue, and I hope the new adminsitration is more generous with their mental health care. I've seen guys go to the VA and try to get help but get turned away. Disgusting the way we treat our vetrans. I've also been SHOCKED at how much crime there is within the military itself, both in combat, at bases, and in the cities surrounding comitted by soliders.

I've heard of those before......how do they actually taste? It sounds like a gross combination, but it must be good.

It's done at several agencies in Texas, too. One agency I know of. Restock is accomplished via a dedicated EMS restick Pyxis in the ED, and each medic has a set of narcs in a small plastic box that's in a somehwat bulky nylon pouch on your belt. Each medic is assigned their own set of narcs, for which they are completly responsible for, every medic has a mini safe that's controlled by a central computer for storing off duty. Carrying them with you is a neccesity, as sometimes you may not be near the ambulance, or may get put on someone else's ambulance, etc. In the summer heat, most agencies have A/C units that run on shorline power to keep the drugs cool, or warm sometimes in winter. Also, some agencies are spec'ing fridges or space for coolers for when pre-hospital cooling gets implemented.

Austin, TX FD Shift Commander 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe w/ "slicktop" lighting package. Note: Austin has several Battalion Chiefs, this Chief is in charge of the entire shift on more of an admin level and responds only to larger incidents. I thought this was one awesome looking truck, that's why I'm sharing it here.

Austin-Travis County EMS with Tomar LED's in "Park" mode. Taken in bright sunlight, however my digital camera subdued it some.

Umm, not from what I've seen, and I'm looking at LED with the sun setting from the West right now. But I do agree with you on the rest. Also, I must add that some LED's need a "night" mode, so you don't blind motorists instead of warning them.

Actually, you should let the staff of this forum decide what is discussed here and what isn't. Some people wish to discuss these topics, much to the annoyance of some who often take the posts way off topic which is the main cause of the issue. This issue may not be important or of interest to you, but it might be of interest to other members. We don't want to have these same discussions over and over, but all members should feel free to ask questions and discuss or debate emergency service issues on this site. To those making comments about there not being similar discussions on training issues, that's not true, and if you believe that, then why not start some interesting training discussion yourself? If people hate lights so much and think they are of no significance, then why don't we just remove them from all apparatus and just respond normal traffic?

Actually, I've noticed a difference on several occasions. When I worked for WEMS on 45-M-1, and we were using a 4010, a 1999 Ford Expedition/Odyssey with a rotator/halogen package with no grill lights or wig-wags that was further weakend by the altenator, not a lot of people pulled over right away. The day I put the new 4016 in service, a 2005 Ford/Specialty Warning Systems with an LED lighting package, I noticed an immediate and significant difference in the amount of people who pulled over to the side sooner. I've had the same experience when I recently switched from an ambulance with a halogen lighting package into a brand new one with an LED package. Granted, I've driven fire apparatus and ambulances for over 12 years now, and I know some people will hardly pull over, but I feel there is and should be a medium between "not enough" and "too much", and I wonder why the NFPA hasn't required more warning in this zone in the past. Also, I feel that reflective chevrons on the front bumper help tremendously as well.

I can't say, but I wish I could!

I was told that the move was more due to finances and a new chief's administrative preferences then actual field operations. Especially since a Quint costs much more to purchase and maintain then a standard Engine. We shall see, from what I'm hearing there may be a very interesting solution in the works.....

Austin PD has almost the exact same vehicle, but in their black-and-white paint scheme.

I come from a department (Ardsley Quint 1, now known as Ladder 50) that, during my tenure, operated a quint very succesfully as a first-due structural apparatus. I know staffing down here on Austin FD's Quint companies are a firefighter-apparatus operator, officer, and FOUR firefighters (most of the time) for a total of 6 assigned to a Quint company. I've seen them put to work utilizing both the aerial for members to access the roof and stretch a handline on the first due, even with an engine arriving at the same time. As far as basic structural firefighting, it's not rocket science. The average firefighter should be able to learn and maintain profiency in both. Having guys who can only do "truck" or "engine" work on a fire scene is a waste, having firefighters who can do both makes them more versatile, in both career and volunteer departments with limited manpower. But then again, I pay 1/4 of the taxes I paid in Westchester to live here, and have far better fire (and EMS) coverage, with career departments with appropriately staffed apparatus all around me. I guess it's a whole different world. I don't feel we've moved off topic, as some people obviously have different definitions of Quint.

That really depends on the department and the spec of the apparatus. A Quint can be a very versatile piece of apparatus, and down here in Central Texas they are very popular....and they don't use them to replace and engine or truck company in most cases..

FULL STORY: http://www.lohud.com/article/20090127/NEWS...270377/0/NEWS02

FULL STORY: http://www.nypost.com/seven/01242009/news/...nter_151686.htm

Thoughts and prayers are with all those involved. I will be attending the services.

One of my local EMS agencies, which is very well funded, has rolled out a new concept in ALS response: FULL STORY: http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/local/EMS_bik...e_around_Austin

Has anyone seen this commercial?? Pretty funny. (And for Third Watch fans, yes, that is the ambulance used in later seasons)

I can't even believe they made that comparison. FULL STORY: http://www.lohud.com/article/20090125/NEWS01/301250014

Wooden ladders were briefly mentioned in another thread. For those who don't think wooden ladders are modern, or who don't know much about them, the following article is a great read. FULL STORY: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?...BAGELQL66L1.DTL

New Rochelle FD New Engine 25 2008 Pierce Arrow XT Pumper Taken during 12/17-18/08 Pierce Factory Trip Delivery at the end of January Special thanks to BNECHIS for the photos!! PHOTOS BY BNECHIS AND POSTED WITH PERMISSION PHOTOS BY BNECHIS AND POSTED WITH PERMISSION

It's cool what the Croton DPW shops can do. One of my fellow probies in the fire academy who is now a LaGrange firefighter helped with the last Croton command vehicle, the F-350. I remember it being assembled there, and they did a great job.