x635

I really hate this line of work sometimes. Two guys go into work, a probaly ordinary Christmas night, never to return to their lives on earth. Cops, firefighters...it doesn't matter....we're all in this job to play the same game. Stuff like this is incomprehensible. Something as simple as blocking off a road can lead to this. It has saddened me a great deal....I have met several JC*ESU officers through this board who are members here and visit the site often, their enthusiastic spirit about their job has always amazed me, especially given the rough city they work in. I always ask myself why something like this happens, why? But when something like this occurs, I have learned from past experiences it always reaffirms my belief in fate and karma. There's no other explanation. There's a reason why everything happens, and I guess two more ESU officers were needed somewhere else but here. My thoughts and prayers go out to the fallen Emergency Service officers, their families and friends, and their fellow officers during this shocking tragedy. Rest in peace guys.

I love Christmas, I still believe in Santa, and so I love this website and is one of the things I look foward too each year. I better go to bed so Santa makes his stop here. Merry Christmas ! :-)

Merry Christmas!

This is great!

Date: 12-23-05 Time:1940hrs Location: Tappan Zee Bridge, South Side IAO Rockland shore Frequency: Units Operating: Central Nyack FD, Tarrytown FD, Stiloskis Marine Unit, Nyack EMS, Rockland Paramedics, NYSP Description Of Incident: NYSP receiving several calls of a disabled vehicle in the lane of traffic, and male standing over the edge of guardrail. Witness then reported male jumped into the river from the causeway section of the bridge, and arriving units confirmed when no driver was near the vehicle on the bridge. Victim located near a pylon and rescued by Stiloskis and Central Nyack marine units. Patient transported to Nyack Hospital. Writer: x635

Sounds pretty neat! This is long-overdue for the LEO's of the WC.

(Photo:Matthew Brown, www.thejournalnews.com) Anybody know the brand/model or any more details?

Date: 12-21-05 Time: Location: Van Nuys, CA (City Of Los Angeles) Departments: Los Angeles City FD, LAPD Description: Read Incident writeup in link below. Incident started with a hostage standoff, and was complicated by unstable dynamite, which required the FD to burn the building down. Links: http://www.lafirephotos.com/incidents/2005/dec21/index.htm Writer: x635

Found this on another forum....interesting and kinda funny!!! What are people thinking sometimes???

Wow, I can't believe 14 of some of the best weeks of my life went by that fast. Since I was 14 years old, and first visited the training center, I had always hoped to one day see my name up on a Career Academy plaque. I remember wandering the halls at 3AM, back in the 60 Control days, and hoping my dream would one day come true. Seeing my name on the Career Academy Plaque Class 03-2005 gave me feelings so great I cannot even describe. I am so proud to have my name on that plaque, finally, and proud to be on that plaque with some of the finest people I know. The academy was such an amazing, awesome experience. I've learned and grown so much, both professionally and personally. One of my favorite things about the class was that the instructors not only taught us how to fight fires and effect rescues, but they taught us about the spirit of firefighting and how to be better people. I am truly blessed and appreciative to have the oppurtunity to serve in my dream department, to get hired with my good friend "Buffsdale" , to get to go to the academy with my now 36 brothers, and have instructors who made us who we are now. I am very humbled by the award that was bestowed on me. I'm still in shock over it. I'm honored that T-Mac, who has been a mentor to me for a long time now, both as a firefighter and paramedic, awarded it. Everybody in that class deserves that award. I am also thrilled that my long time friend Novell also recieved the award-he came a long way in the academy. I can't say much else, since I am still shocked by it. We all helped each other through the class. I've grown a lot at 4 Dana Rd over the years. Capt. Ferguson, Lt Van Voorhies, Capt. Dempsey, FF/PM/SFI MacPherson, DC Gerardi and all the other instructors....I will forever be indebted to you for not only being a teacher, but being an lifelong influence. To my fellow probies: Thanks for always being there, having an encouraging word, helpful advice, making me laugh constantly, and giving me different perspectives. We did, and passed everything, all of us, together. I will miss you all quite a bit, in fact I already do, but I know we'll have to have "refresher training" at some point....we can't let Cap get too attached to that armchair!!! To all my awesome friends and everybody who supported me throughout the beginning of this great career, thank you!! I hope to blog my academy experience when things settle down a bit. Until the next class reunion!!! 17 Forever!!!! -x635, Proud Member of Squad 1, and Probie Class 03-2005 P.S. VSquared-Can't wait to see the photos!

Congrats to our counterparts from across the street!

I believe the new trucks will be similar to the current 72/73, and be on the HME chasis. Boy, JJPinto, 901, and Truck4 will have their work cut out for them in the first half of '06!!! Can anyone say: Engine 3?? spy shot? Thanks again to the member who provided this photo !

I'm not saying "probies are better trained", in that sense, then senior guys...who may have more classes and experinece that always will outweigh. I am saying that maybe the probie has learned something in school that the senior guy was never exposed to, or during life, that is valuable. Although the probie should keep their mouth shut, just because a probie is a probie doesn't mean that the senior guy should automatically shut them out when their information can be more recent (for example, we had a chance in school to learn about Metro-North's newest M-7 trains in person) and could lead to a life being saved. As I've said, experience is always a great and unreplicated eductator. Definetly read that article (August 2005), it is awesome and a must read for every probie!! Here's a quote from the article: Here's the full article (Registration Required) http://fe.pennnet.com/articles/article_dis...DS=rookies&p=25

Actually, I don't think getting burned in a metal container is doing something wrong no matter what the nozzle type you are using. Putting out a fire in a metal box is a lot different then one in a concrete or wood one....you are basically crawling on and in a supercharged, even/unified heat. If you noticed, metal training buildings and containers that are properly converted use some sort of "liner" to prevent this. Even if you don't lean up against a wall, you are still exposed and vunerable to this different type of heat. I can't remember where, but someone was telling me about a training container possibly upstate that was shut down due to FF's damaging their turnout gear in the container.

I don't think that this opinion applies to all probies, as some departments will see next week. I absolutely agree that the senior man should be respected, taken care of, and also, learned from. In turn, the senior man should take the time to teach the probies from his experiences as well. As for the statement that the newest generation is always more educated then the previous, that is true....but experience is a great educator as well. Additionally, Probies nowadays recieve more training on average then their predeccesor....though the men on the job may have more training and experience, the probie may have picked up something-like Metro North trains-that a senior man might not have been exposed to. There is a great article in last month's Fire Engineering called "The Rookies Guide To Survival"....defintely a must-read, and some words to live by.

Date: 12-12-05 Time: 0230hrs Location:In the parking lot of Extended Stay America- 520 North Bell Ave, Carnegie PA (off Exit 1B of I-279/"Parkway West", near Pittsburgh) Departments: Pennyslvania State Police, Carnegie Police, Pittsburgh Police Description: Officer Cpl. Joseph Pokorny, 45 years old and a 22 year vetran of the Pennsylvania State Police, was found by a Carnegie Borough PD officer who, while on routine patrol, noticed him parked with his door open, slumped over the wheel of his patrol car in hotel parking lot near the highway he was patrolling and has just completed a traffic stop on. The Carnegie officer found PO Pokorny shot multiple times, with his weapon missing from his holster. PO Pokorny was assigned to Troop B, Pittsburgh where he served as a Patrol Supervisor. Writer: x635 1300hrs: PD has 2 possible suspects, 1 male and female, in custody after standoff/raid at a residence on the south side of Pittsburgh, 5 miles from the scene. Police are still looking for a black 2001 Mercury Sable, Pennsylvania license plate FXE-6527. Links: PA State Police Press Release

http://www.firefeeds.com/

Is it just me, maybe my phone being an older model (i730), or is Nextel's service getting worse by the day? The reception quality SUCKS...big time, even in areas with a strong signal that have been great in the past. The person you're talking too is always garbled. My calls get dropped. Sometimes, I call someone and it will disconnect me for no reason while the call is ringing, or I can't even get a tower/signal with the phone showing full bars. I'd switch from Nextel in a heartbeat, but I feel like I am trapped, I have so many people's Direct Connect ID only. And I do love that feature, but with service quality the way it is lately, and the price I pay, I don't know if it's even worth it now. And although maybe's it my phone, in order to get a new phone for a reasonable price, I have to commit to 2 years more of Nextel. Maybe it's just the merger of the two systems, and things will get better as things become cohesive....but for now it's becoming very,very frusterating.

During this holiday season, I have noticed or heard of a number of FD's selling Christmas Trees. Since Christmas trees pose an enormous fire hazard, I was wondering if any FD utilized the oppurtunity of a tree sale to further their fire prevention activities. Something simple, such as when someone buys a tree, they get a pamphlet about Christmas tree safety, and maybe some other fire prevention goodies. Or have the person selling the tree discuss it with them. And to those departments that don't sell trees, but have places that sell them within their jurisdiction, why not make pamphlets and packets available to them and ask that they distribute one with each tree? Fire Prevention's not just a week in October.

Great find Mike! The more and more I see, the more and more I want to build one. x635 Training Buildings, Incorporated.

Check out this new feature I found over on NYCFire.net. Interactive map of Manhattan fire station locations utilizing Google Maps. http://www.nycfire.net/mnfiremap Really neat when you view it with the satellite map too.

http://www.wonderlandchristmas.com/av/Wizards.wmv And turn up the volume......

Yesterday's fire in Mount Vernon at 27 Roosvelt Sqaure affected 2 of our own. Novil Kittil, Mount Vernon FD Probie, Port Chester EMS Paramedic and Empress EMS Paramedic, and Greg Valdez, Empress EMS EMT, both had an apartment directly above the fire floor. Their apartment, and contents, are were mostly a loss, and Greg's dog was sadly a victim of the fire. Novil (can be seen flexing in our latest class photos on the site) is scheduled to graduate next week from Probie Class 03-2005, and will hit the streets as a FF in MV shortly thereafter. He made our class party last night, after the fire, and was last seen having a very good time. Both's spirits are high, but please keep both in your thoughts. We are the public we serve too sometimes. They are bother taken care of right now, there has been an great outpouring of support from the agencies that love these two, and information on a collection should be available shortly. Related: Incident Alert-27 Roosevelt Square