x635

Date: 3-6-06 Time: 0730hrs Location: 733 Ocean Parkway (Parkville Section) Frequency: Units Operating: FDNY w/ Collapse Rescue Assignment including R-2 & Collapse 2, FDNY*EMS, NYPD Description Of Incident: Foundation under construction collapsed on top of and pinned worker in trench. Firefighters worked to shore up the collapse debris and extricate the victim, and transported him to a local hospital where he was pronounced. At same incident, a FF was struck by a car while operating, reported minor injuries. Writer: x635

Boston FD is known for their aggresive aerial placement. During any working fire, you can often find several aerials up and operating, as well as multiple ground ladders. Here's a neat shot demonstrating such, and how Boston truck chaffeurs often have to manuver into tight spaces in this old city to get the aerial up. The outrigger system on the E-One RM aerials really contribute to being able to do this. http://www.massmetrofire.org/temp/Boston030306.jpg (Photo from www.firenews.org, from a fire in Boston on March 3rd, 2006)

Another sudden, tragic loss and another grab by fate. Bob was well known amongst the Rivertowns fire service community, where he gained much respect for his knowledge and leadership. I remember how impressed I was with the length of his tenure when he stepped down as Chief of Hastings, and also remember him being appointed as B-14 and the positive impact it had in bringing Battalion 14 together more. I will remember when I met him on various occasions, his enthusiasm for the fire service. I also always appreciated him expressing his enthusiasm for this site, in which he was an active member, and his always inviting myself to take photos of various Rivertown firematic drills and events. Thoughts, prayers, and condolences to his family. Rest in peace, Bob.

Recently, I got some awesome inside information from a very good friend who's also a very reliable and well-connected source. FDNY.....who are very unhappy with the E-One/Saulsbury's and their downtime, is planning to buy a new Rescue to be assigned as a spare, and also as a protype for future purchases. The plan is to purchase this with WMD grant money. Here's the best part.....it's looking like it is going to be a Pierce Arrow XT!!! (Pierce's new Heavy Duty urban chasis) Dealer will be FireMatic, of Long Island. And there is a blueprint of this unit in circulation. The Pierce Arrow XT biggest user is LA City FD, which has several engines on this chasis, with over 20 more slated for delivery over the next year, as well as new USAR units and possibly other new units on this chasis. Other users include Providence, RI and Clifton, NJ. This is also my favorite fire apparatus chasis.

Until we get can it posted on EMTBravo, here's some photos of this awesome looking tanker from 4Guys website: http://www.4guysfire.com/bethelf2363archive.asp

Date: 3-3-06 Time: 1225hrs Location: 75 North Broadway X Wells Ave/Ashburton Ave Frequency: 484.7125, 46.5000 Units Operating: See Below Description Of Incident: Heavy fire in the basement of a 5-story OMD with extension up a pipe chase. Writer: x635, HFD23, Truck4 *, tbendick*, DFFD227 * 901* *=(O/S w/ camera) 1225hrs- 10-29/10-30 for fire in an OMD, heavy smoke showing from basement. E-303, 306, 309, 308; TL-71, L-72; R-1, B-1, Car 5. 10-30 Engine: 304 1229hrs- B-1 transmitting 2nd Alarm. Fire in the basement with residents being removed from fire escapes. 2nd Alarm: E-312, 310; TL-75, B-2 1234hrs- B-1 rpts heavy fire condition in the basement. Req. E-312 to drop supply line from Ashburton Ave to bring "big water" to E-308, 309. PD enroute for traffic. 1240hrs- Co's have multiple L/S/O. Truck co's opening up and co's opening walls around pipe chase and checking for extension. 1244hrs- 3rd Alarm transmitted. 3rd Alarm co's to report to front of building with masks and hooks. 3rd Alarm: E-311, 307; L-74 1246hrs- L-70 relocated to Station 12. 1300hrs- Interior co's rpts heavy fire in the north end of the basement. Co's continue to open up walls on upper floors. 1323hrs- Battalion 1 reports main body of fire knocked down, checking for extension. 1500hrs- Multiple other calls within the city being handled by YFD units. 1502hrs- Battalion 1 reports all units in service and in the process of clearing the scene, building turned over to owner.

Just wanted to give people who are Code 3 club members a heads up on an awesome clearance sale by Code 3. Many great and recent releases....1/64 Engines, Ladders, Helicopters between $18-23. Some FDNY, Chicago, LA releases in there. Definetly great values, especially if you are looking to add to your collections. For example: New York Yankees and NY Mets Diamond Plate Seagrave Engine 1/32.......only $46 FDNY Mets (L-149), Yankees (L-49) and L-26 commemartive edition rearmount ladders only $23 http://www.code3.net/fire/fr_special.asp?id=908 GREAT mixed bag of value! Diamonds plates, fireboats, and others in there too! I've never seen prices like this.

Finally! Such a simple procedure, and defintely a good addition to an EMT's toolbox.

Harrison Engine 13 Photo by and © of x635

Although not an MTV fan, I find their "True Life" series to be quite interesting. Tommorow night (Wednesday), at 10PM, they are airing an episode of "True Life" in which they follow California prison inmates who are trained utilized as camp crews, or wildland firefighters. The program is used as "rehabilitation" for the criminals. Seems pretty interesting. I'll be Tivo-ing.

Date: 2-27-06 Time: 1745hrs Location: Palmer Road East Of Cental Park Ave. Frequency: 484.7125 (FD) Units Operating: Squad 311, Ladder 75, Rescue 1, Battalion 1 , YPD*ESU, YPD Sector & Supervisor, Empress EMS Description Of Incident: Rollover with entrappment. Pole down with high voltage wire near car, Con Ed Electric requested with a rush. Writer: x635, jklam3, Truck4 (O/S) 1743hrs- Numerous calls for MVA with pole and wires down. 1744hrs- R/C 203 and 205 on scene report numerous wires down and elderly female trapped in car. S/C Rescue 1. 1745hrs- ESU Truck 2 and K-9 on scene confirming. ESU 851 (ESU LT) req. Con Ed with rush. ESU Truck 3 and Truck 4 enroute. 1750hrs- Units have victim out of vehicle. Numerous wires down, none arching. 1800hrs- Empress has victim and is preparing for transport. Victim is concious.

I find this notion interesting. I am sitting here, reading the article, and the point is that this credit is to be used as an incentive to recruit and retain volunteers in order to avoid hiring paid staff and the associated costs. So, if you volunteer to get this credit, and supplement the departments manpower, then effectively you are blocking yourself from getting hired. Another interesting point, this proposal states that this credit can also be used toward promotional exams. I'm not going to go into the other issues stated in this letter, but people who TRULY want to volunteer are going to do so, regardless of these bonuses and incentives. There are also people who really want to be career Firefighters and Police Officers, who don't have the time or can't afford to volunteer. Or better yet, can't volunteer because of geographic location or because they don't believe in the principles of the agency (such as those who put politics and partys before protection) If an emergency services agency needs manpower, then it needs to be provided defintively no matter what the cost, and not by offering these incentives and hoping people will join. I agree that people who volunteer already demonstrate an interest, and should be given some sort of recruiting track depending on their performance, training, and behavior......but in the context this proposal is presented in is flawed. If those who volunteer truly want to "get on", then they need to help make the oppurtunities for themselves happen, and not fight against them (where those positions are needed).

I know the notion seems a bit silly, but I was wondering. With all the advances in safety and technology, where will firefighters be in 50,100, 200 or even 300 years from now? Improvments in building codes, roadways, cars, and everything else that factors into our job have decreased our run volumes already. Will advances affect the job from the way we know it now? For instance, think if they finally get automatic alarm systems to be very reliable and accurate, how much will our run volumes drop at that point? Will there still be firefighters in the future? Will manning be more or less, or there at all? I think there will always be a need for firefighters, in some capacity, because people will always do stupid things and bad things will always happen. I don't think firefighters will just fight fires in the future, as it is already becoming...firefighters will become a community's emergency multi-tool.

Date:2-27-06 Time: 14:53hrs Location: Dead-end of Dalewood Drive, C/S North Central Ave in Hartsdale Frequency: 46.26 Units Operating: E-169, E-170, TL-15, C-2172 Description Of Incident: Large brush fire deep in heavily wooded area and ravine, with adjacent residential structures. Moderate winds and cold tempatures. Writer: x635, HFD23 14:55 C-2172 on scene assuming command with heavy smoke showing from the woods 15:00 Fairview Engine 175 to Hartsdale Station 2 (West Hartsdale) to cover 15:01 E-170 2 1 3/4 lines operating off 2 1/2" source line 15:20 TL-15 10-8 16:20 E-169 10-8, E-175 released and returning to Fairview Station 2 (Worthington Road)

I was wondering why it was neccesary for some Firefighters to wear Structural Turnout gear to medical EMS calls? Why isn't a station uniform good enough? The only reason I point this out is that if you are fighting a fire, you are exposed to chemicals and other nasty substances, that often embed a pleasantly dangerous odor among other things in your gear, and besides dirt on your boots. Now, somebody calls for an ambulance. It's a little old lady having diffculty breathing. She, like many eldery females, are neurotic about cleanliness in her house. She's embarrased to call for the ambulance, but is feeling really sick and doesn't have a choice. She calls, and the department she has responding is an FD that also provides EMS, or in somes cases just provides ambulance service. The FD just clears a brush fire, and some members are still in their bunkers and boots, which smell terribly of burning brush and their boots are covered with mud. However, they place their gear back on and respond from the station to this call. Why is this necceasary to track this dirt, mud, and chemical into this ladys house? Why is it neccasary to expose her to the odor? Is the patient on fire? Would you want people walking into your house like this if you were sick? And would you want numerous people in your house?

Just another notch up those who are Paramedics have to getting on.

What a tragic and strange accident. Thoughts and prayers to the Trooper and his family.

Date: 2-20-06 Time: 0230hrs (Approx) Location: Grassy Point Road, at the at Minisceongo Yacht Club (Stony Point) Frequency: Units Operating: Stony Point FD Description Of Incident: Command reporting several boats on fire upon arrival Writer: x635

I think this is a really neat idea!

Well, the weather kinda cooperated today. 17 shots of the new Ladder 51 have been posted on EMTBravo.com.

I had the chance yesterday and today to view the new Ladder 51 in person, and it is an awesome truck. Not only am I happy to see a Seagrave ladder in Yorktown, but the specs were really thought out, and once it is in service, many people will be impressed with it. Even with the pump, there is still a lot of room for equipment. It's good to see all the new apparatus coming into this county spec'd to work for the department it serves. Unfortunely, the weather is not cooperating with me getting good photos. I shot some today, but once me and the sun are on better terms, there will be better and more shots posted on EMTBravo.com (Hopefully soon!) And just to note, when in service, Ladder 51 will respond from Station 1 (Downtown Yorktown) and L-68 from Station 2 (Locksley Road/ Route 132) For now, check out the front page feature photo of EMTBravo.com And here's a bonus photo for the meantime (Photo by me):

This is a great website from the Long Beach, CA Fire Academy. VERY in-depth, it goes into what it's like to participate, as well as what is expected and how the academy is run as well as principles, a virtual tour of the facility, and other great materials. http://www.lbfdtraining.com/academy.html

Date: 2-17-06 Time: 0736hrs Location: Saw Mill River Parkway, Northbound @ I-87 Interchange (Irvington) Frequency: Units Operating: Irvington FD, Irvington VAC, Dobbs Ferry VAC, GPD*EMS, Westchester County PD Description Of Incident: 11 car chain reaction accident due to a traffic backup caused by a tractor trailer on the parkway delivering construction materials to a nearby site. Parkway closed for 1 1.5 hours afterwards, 4 reported injuries, seven vehicles towed. Writer: x635

Uh huh. Read below. Whoever conducted this study isn't paying attention to EMS in the real or urban world. Although I do somewhat agree that SOMETIMES care is given faster to patients coming in via ambulance, I feel that is because of the assesment skills and conveyance of findings by EMS people that get the care started quicker. Maybe the study needs to look at the inadequate triage sytem in ED's and the overworked nurses and ED staff as the reason why care is given faster to those coming in by ambulance.

I like this idea. For Billy Malone's recent funeral, Yonkers FD was kind enough to lend Fairview Engine 317 (the former Engine 306 Mack CF). The benefit of this rig was it's low hosebed, allowing easy removal of the casket. Members of Fairview FD cleaned and polished the rig, made a temporary modification of the hosebed, and built- from scratch- a platform with rails for the casket to slide in and out of the hosebed area. A Fairview FD magentic patch went over the Yonkers patch on the front door, and a "Rescue 3" signwas slid into a slot where the engine number usually is. Today, that setup was removed, and the engine returned to service as an engine. It was a nice tribute that he could ride out on a fire engine. FDNY also has a Spartan/Quality (?) engine that was donated after 9/11 dedicated for use as a caisson unit, complete with hydraulic casket lift in place of the hosebed. Many of today's modern rigs can't carry a casket, which can weigh over 500lbs, easily, due to complicated layouts and an elevated hosebed. Not to mention it's hard for some departments to take rigs out of service for this purpose. It would be nice to have a rig like this easily available and I do think it's possible. In fact, an old Yonkers or FDNY Mack CF with some bodywork and new paint might do the trick.