spin_the_wheel

If the facts are correct in this letter, and by all reports it seems it is, then every PBA and Fire Union in NJ should get together spend the money and take a full page ad out in every major paper in the state and reprint this letter.

I find it very hard to believe that at 60 control 3 different dispatchers were putting Fairview out for 3 different call types all in the same area, and each did not know the others were doing the same thing. I would think that there would be 1 radio dispatcher for Fairview. In this day and age with cell phones a ped struck at a major intersection at the right time of day can generate a dozen calls to a dispatch center, the dispatcher should relay all the info on to the responding agency, including variations of the call type. Maybe the IC had 60 control tone out each alarm and location instead of checking to see if they were all one in the same. I'm sure there is more to that story. But as is the case in Nassau County if an agency does not want to go to the County for dispatch, they will come up with many reasons why they should not, including the popular "our dispatchers know the area better" defense.

If its not about cutting 1 firefighter from the budget, it appears there are 2 Ladders and 2 Engines in the house. I understand Middletown is a very strong volunteer based FD, if this is the case would it be so out of the question to have the career staff man 1 Engine and 1 ladder. Split the 5 on duty HQ members between 2 rigs and have the Volunteers run the tiller and 1 Engine. Now you are getting 1 and 1 to the scene with 5.

Is every unit staffed with 1 career driver? (Tiller with 2) Are there any other paid F/F's?

I always thought this rig was neat, not a squirt or snozzle, but a mini snorkel on a small wheel base ALF. The problem I have with alot of thses quint type rigs, is they are usually billed as the do all "swiss army knife fire truck". Problem is alot of places espiecially volunteer don't have the manpower to run this rig as its billed. They usually end up acting as an Engine only, because there isnt enough of a crew to work both sides on an initial attack. The idea works better if alot of your fleet includes these sort of rigs. I think St.Louis runs almost all quints, and the roles of the rigs and crews change on every alarm, depending on who's first due. Makes for an interesting day for sure!

Mutual Aid Lancaster County Pa and our friends the Amish for a good old fashioned Firehouse raising!!!

The Long Island situation was maybe 25 or 30 years ago. The 2 fire Depts in question now have an automatic mutual aid in thier procedures for these areas now. The dept. that covers the area is alerted as well as the nearest station for the other district on the same tone out. Levittown FD was formed in 1950, thus their area was "plucked" from exsisting dept.s areas and a very odd district map was created. Levittown has this automatic tone out with Bethpage and East Meadow fire districts, and they have it in turn with levittown.

Time flies....I was looking through some old firehouse pics to post on another thread, when I realized I had quite a few pics of some Westchester houses that are no longer in service. These pics were taken 10 or so years ago...not really a long time in the scheme of things. Time marches on and so does progress. old Port Chester House. Briarcliff Manor house Mamaro house Mamoroneck ladder 20 house. Ossining HQ/Patrol/dispatch Ossining L41....with the old Maxim sitting there. An old timer was sitting outside on that chair. here is Croton HQ under construction...another old maxim Ladder sitting there. Port Chester "Tin House"

Here is another pic I took from the lot of where the tin house was, you could see the old firehouse in the distance. also found a pic of the old Ardsley firehouse.

Not to many places can produce a lineup of past and present rigs like that, also very nice to see another all volunteer company continue running a tiller!! Way to go Haverstraw Rescue Hook and ladder!

If I remember right, I stopped to talk with a member who pulled up while I was taking the pics...the Yellow Maxim was here, and the other Eng that was with it at the old firehouse was at HQ. This was becuase the old house was condemned, I dont think they started building the new station yet. Not sure of the year I think it was 2000.

Found a few of the pics I took that day.

Not going but my Depts.s new Ferrara Engine will be there. Eng 3.

Last time I was in the "Port" the tin house was up for E3, still had the Yellow Maxim. Question....does the career crew run 24/7, or are they like Ryebrook with a 7-7pm staffing? Good luck with the rig!

If you are a Chief officer you can check out your Dept.s ratings by going to www.isogov.com They will verify you are who you are, you will then get a password to the site once your verified.

I did a power point training with another member of my Dept. a few weeks back for one of the companies in my Dept. that lost a lot of senior members the past 5 years or so. They do not have that senior leadership to "crack the whip" so to speak and most of the company is younger and do not "get" the fire service as a whole to this point. Some of the topics we brought up were if you associate yourself with an organization, like a FD, Paid or Volunteer, all of your actions, right or wrong, reflect back to the organization. From responding to the firehouse with your blue light and driving like an idiot, to wearing FD t-shirts, jackets in public and having your actions embarrass yourself and the FD. ( I once heard it said that firefighters should have a good set of party/drinking clothes...nothing that says FD anywhere on it!) We discussed a new topic that we never had to worry about 10 years ago, the ramifications of posting on social networks like face book, and how far is to far. Fair or not all the negative stuff you do comes back to the Department, including posting certain things and being part of certain "groups". I would say most Departments do not have a policy in regards to face book or others of this sort, and it is your right to say what you want, but a line must be drawn at some point when your face book page has a large logo of your Department patch, but you are also posting negative statements about the Dept. or fire service in general. And this does not have to be about your own Dept., it can be comments about your neighboring dept.s. Even harmless jokes or an "inside joke" to a friend from another Dept.may be taken the wrong way by others of that same Dept. Stuff like this travels fast, and it's not just the young guys who are taking part in this social network. I have experienced this first hand, and stress to our new members to be very careful what you post. News people are not stupid, if they get word of something negative about your Dept. they may search out a Dept. roster, most websites list all active members, and search individual members who may have a face book page. If you post the "dirty laundry" for all to see, you have just helped towards more negative publicity towards your dept. Not to mention if what you say is not the truth or "stretch the truth a bit", the news people will run with this and write about it. It's very hard to enforce the "what goes on in the firehouse, stays in the firehouse" these days. These things could come back to haunt you later in your career as well. firefighters have good memories, a controversy you were part of when you were a rookie and could care less can come back and sabotage you as you try and rise through the ranks one day, both paid and Volunteer. To the young guys out there your proud to show and tell the world who you are and what organization you are part of, but think twice before you hit the "send", "join" or "accept" buttons!

Really, I had thought u needed an "in house" crew to be able to make a 1 rating. Interesting I stand corrected.

Yes the lower the # the better. There really is not that much of a difference % wise between the 1,2 and 3 ratings. If I recall right a 4 to a 3 or 2 is a big % jump, and of course a 9 or 8 to a 4 is a big jump. FYI there are a few volunteer Depts that have a 1 rating, very few but it can be done. None of them have a home response system, its in house crews though.

I would think if you have 2 ladder companies, the best option for your "tool box of weapons" would be to have 1 tower and 1 straight stick. Most Depts with 2 ladders have 1 of each, not all but most. I know Ossining has always had 2 sticks going way back to the Maxims I think, but with all the taxpayers, and older buildingsthey have a tower ladder would fit their needs.

Some of the revisions the ISO is considering.... credit for automatic mutual aid personnel responding in on structure fires and full credit recognition on automatic mutual aid plans as long as a common fireground communications channel exsits and common sog's are shared. As is the nature of the FD's in this region it may be hard to do, but for Dept.s that dont have the manpower this will be a way to upgrade your score.

RIP

"I'm 60 I don't get called names" I guess he doesnt want to manage a ball club again.

You can hear good and bad about every truck builder out there, but Seagrave quality has had some major problems in the last few years. Some of the FDNY guys I know that have been there for a long time think the Seagrave stuff now being delivered is crap compared to the quality stuff 15 to 25 years ago. Part of the reason may be due to the large contracts to FDNY over the years. FDNY is now all Seagrave, remember Mack and American LaFrance were well represented in almost all eras of FDNY... will see what happens to Ferrara when they take on FDNY.

Wont be to long before Tower Ladders are going to be built if Ferrarra can come up with a design that meets the current specs. I heard all the new tower Ladders from Seagrave from the last delivery were put out of service. A new one in Queens lost a wheel coming out of quarters.

Any info on the new Ladder for Hastings? Will it be a Tiller? Thanks guys Be Safe.