x635

I agree with SHAC7301 for the most part. Mutual aid is a vital part (Unfortunetly) of EMS in Westchester. However, response times are the main issue. Communities should be able to provide at least 1 fully staffed ambulance (depending on their district size and volume, maybe more) 24/7 without having to rely on MA. I also strongly beleive in a "3 minute rule", If you dont have anybody responding within three minutes, go to the next line ambulance. People in WC pay enough in taxes, they should have the right to have the ambulance and services from their community first due asap when possible. After all, when they call the town garbage truck, fire truck, snowplow, police car, school bus,water dept truck, etc, they get them.......why aren't they getting THEIR ambulance? As I've said before, egos need to be put aside and people need to know when to ask for help. If corps are having trouble surviving with staffing, maybe they should consolidate with other corps and/ or hire a paid staff for those hours they cannot cover . Or try innovative kinds of things, like training local FD members to drive the ambulance, or as riding EMT's. It's a conterversial issue bringing paid staff into a volunteer agency, but peoples lives are on the line, and thats what is often forgotten and placed on the back burner secondary to political issues and egos. This goes for ALS agencies too. Communities need to fund so there is enough money for proper ALS coverage 24/7. As SHAC said, how would we feel waiting for an ambulance? View that side of the issue.

Eastchester FD Chester Heights Firehouse (Engine 30) needs a new floor: http://www.thejournalnews.com/newsroom/021...17eastfire.html

It SO better be red!!!!

Congrats to both!!

Firehouse.com: http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/a...nId=46&id=26397 Got a nice screenshot of Utility 12.

Relaying O/S update from MedicOfDrkness, 2152hrs : 2 story OMD, still poss entrapment, fully involved Buchanan, Montrose, and Verplank working Croton and Peekskill FAST Cortlandt VAC/Cortlandt ALS also O/S. Also BFD1054 O/S

Photo:CTPost.com

West Harrison- 197? Mack CF/ Baker Aerialscope now serving MVFD as a spare.

For more information on the new chasis from KME: http://kovatch.com/predator

You've kept us in suspense long enough :poke: C'mon, tell us there dc2T!

I absolutely agree. I like that excellent article on FOOPs about how cable companies are required to respond in a certain amount of time in NJ but not EMS, and the other relevant issues in that article. It's a good companion read to this story for anybody who has not seen it http://www.foops.org/modules.php?op=modloa...artid=15&page=1 I think that there needs to be an EMS grant, just like the FIRE act grants. Also, I'd like to see a COPS type grant, to pay for personel at places that need extra staffing, but cannot neccarily afford it. EMS agencies need to get out there and do some public education campaigns and raise awareness to our politicians that this money is needed. One of the major hurdles in this is peoples egos, nobody wants to admit that they need help. Also, a few years ago, when a municipality contracted with a company to provide fire services, there was an uproar. Complaints were vioced about dollar over lives, inferior training, inferior equipment, and non union non civil service labor. Yet many communities have no problem contracting for EMS service. That's another big part of the issue. Medical transportation needs to be clearly defined from EMS. As long as problems keep getting hidden or "fixed with duct tape", nothing is going to ever get solved. Politicians, for the most part, are reactive, not proactive IMO. People need to put egos and pride aside, and admit they need help. ASAP. EMS is not the same old scoop and run game it used to be. It's the 21st century, and it is a profession. EMS interventions, coupled with acceptable response times can flat out mean the difference between life and death. How many people are going to have to suffer before we realize that certain ways of doing things are obsolete? What's everybody else's thoughts on this issue?

Why do you say that? There are some department's out there who use Seagrave, have no problems, and love the product, in fact, they are repeat customers. Same goes for all manufacturers. Each of them are all capable, and ALL have put out duds. You can make that general comment about anything nowadays, but the truth of the matter is that all manufacturers and the custom built vehicles they produce have their share of issues. Some vehicles more than others. This is no different then Ford vs. Chevy.

The new Thumper? I've never seen or heard of this device before. Anybody ever use it? Is it even allowed for use in NYS yet, or is this a pilot program? If it actually delivers consisent and appropriate compression, this could definelty be a benfit, especially for those with limited crews. I just wonder about the manpower and time required to set it up. Could it also just be another piece of equipment to get in the way and break. think time will tell, and I'm interested to see how this device will fare in Mohegan and if anybody else countywide will use it. Howver, effective compressions should be one of the backbones of our certs, and to be proficient in that you need to practice. News Article From the Journal News, 02/05/04 http://www.thejournalnews.com For More Information On The Device, http://www.zoll.com/autopulsebyrevivant.htm

It's great for Pelham, but it is too bad it took a tradgedy like that for that to happen. I only hope this "patriotism" and sense of community service doesn't wear off, which I'm seeing it is already with some folk. It seems like when we went to war with Iraq, most of the nation had forgotten 9/11 already. Many people forget or could care less about our men and women fighting for our ideals overseas......it used to be that everyone in the community knew who from the community was serving, and those pesons were heroes in that community.American flags were flown regularly and Vetrans day was more than a day off or a discount. Just a little off topic rant, I'm sorry, but patriotism as a "fad' ticks me off. Everybody needs to take more a role in their community, and their nation, whether it is with your local FD or library, everybody should contribute somehow for life. With the Yuppie and Manhattanite invasion of Westchester, we're losing our "communities". And FD's need to be more aggressive when it comes to letting the community know what they need......and this doesnt mean posting signs at the town's busiest intersection. They need to get out there and interact with the community, and show them what their all about.

This was published at an unknown date by an unknown author in the North County Times, Riverside County California Note: Any anti-paid or anti-volunteer comments or responses to this article will be deleted immedietly. I posted this here because I found it interesting, not to start a "who is better" debate

So I guess a KME crossing sign will be going up now, lol? :-P

That sounds like it could be a pretty interesting per-diem job. Wonder what the pay is?

You can now catch the firefighter reality show, "The Bravest" every night at 1900hrs and 0200hrs (Dish Network Channel 190) Other shows aired on the Reality Channel are America's Most Wanted, Rescue 911, LAPD, To Serve And Protect. I don't have Dish Network :sad: Here's hoping Cablevision brings us the Reality Channel BEFORE they take these shows off, lol. We got TV Land the day after they stopped showing "Emergency!" http://www.realitycentral.com

Ladder 1 is for sale. Anybody Interested? http://www.fairviewfire.org/apparatus_for_sale.htm

http://www.jems.com One of Boston EMS's new GMC 6500/Braun Medium Duty Ambo's Posing on the new Zakim Bridge. (Crown jewel part of the "Big Dig" project) It's one the cover of this month's JEMS-Feb '04 Also, the EMS action shot bi-fold is of UMass-Lifeflight at the scene of an MVA in Millbury, Mass....I was invloved at the recieving end of that call. Some more photos of the BEMS ambulance inside and live BEMS audio: http://www.boston-ems.com/NewGMC.htm Just thought I would share.

Looks like an awesome event. Great instructors, great classes, great hands on experience.

http://www.thejournalnews.com/newsroom/021...schoolfire.html

A Special Feature On http://www.Firenews.org (New England Firenews) http://www.firenews.org/Iraq2.html http://www.firenews.org/Iraq.html