robert benz

so this is the grand conspiracy by the career firefighters to get rid of volunteers very devious lol

what happened to the 5 guys Mt Vernon was supposed to hire for the next probie class?

ok since it was brought up and i wonder how often do you start your saws, who starts them, and it isnt just the gas in the saw if the gas in the can hasnt been changed.... also do you fully empty the can to refill to keep the right mixture? do you guess? who is reading this and doesnt have a clue as to what i am asking?

like anything else it works when it works and.... we tried it last week on a plywood roof/ with a couple of layers of shingles and they broke their butts used the axe the "right" way and it wasnt all that much better. like most stuff in our world always and never (except for a few things ie seatbelts) dont really work[

QUOTE(RWC130 @ Mar 3 2008, 08:41 PM) Is this any different then taking an Engine, Ladder, Rescue, or ALL of the above and half the Manpower in 10 mile radius out of town to a Parade or Convention? Rob you bring up a good point. Does / should the dept that sends all that apparatus out of town for a parade backfill with mutual aid? Another thread mentioned too many chiefs leaving the district they serve, what happens when the rigs are tied up in a parade, and a fire call comes in? has it ever happened to anyone on here?

ok I will bite one more time, what was your perception? that the chief was pretty brave, that such a nice car might be stolen, crashed into? AND THEN HE WOULD HAVE TO EXPLAIN WHY HIS CAR WAS IN MANHATTAN IFO A RESTAURANT, or the other side of it are the "extra" (might be FD members, might not be) people in the vehicle covered by the dept if they are injured in an accident while on personal errands. Are you the driver covered by the FD if you are on personal business? I guess it is up to each depts by-laws and insurance. That was a big issue for stopping ride alongs on apparatus.

except for any meetings the chiefs have to go to couldnt the same thing be said for every vol in the dept using his own POV? Nobody changed the rules while "you or whoever" were rising up thru the ranks, when you started the pay was zero and now that "whoever is the chief" the pay is zero. Is it a very time consuming endever, yes, does it make it difficult to retain good members yes, that is why some dept's started "pension plans" to give back something for all the sacrifice. I dont believe, and of course it is my opinion, that a chief deserves any benefits that go outside the scope of being the fire chief. The chiefs car is not a personal vehicle to be driven to points where you can't respond from, unless you are on dept business. Should you be able to take a fd vehicle to the Montour Falls Fire Academy, of course, To Giants Stadium I dont think so. and this is not a bash on vol firefighters it is a rant against the perception that i am owed something for doing what i was going to do anyway, for free. You Highlite "FOR NOTHING" isnt that what the word volunteer means?

I dont think it is as much a screw you thing as a perception problem. We know the difference, and we cant agree. What do you think the taxpayers are saying at group functions, parties, etc if the subject gets brought up? Come donation time, maybe they wont put a check in the envelope if they think their $$$ are being abused.

I am missing something what is wrong with coming back to man spare apparatus? In the career depts you are getting paid to do it. It might free up the m/a depts in to cover your dept while the recall is being completed. I dont know any dept's that are not fighting for more manpower, But if it is an issue that your dept does not call back members on overtime to cover the apparatus, then I agree, dont offer your services. Or if your dept runs below your min manning standard without calling ot, again, you have a problem that has to be addressed.

here is my 2 cents worth, fires are down everywhere, there are plenty of firefighters from the probie to the chief that need experience at every level. Let the chiefs go and learn something, it may save your butt one day. Do all the chiefs call one another if they have to go out of town to shop? is it possible all 3 could be at work at the same time? If they go to the scene to throw orders around, well that has to be addressed right away. If they go and learn something great, if they go just to get their white helmet dirty well thats another topic.

with the county setup how do you notify the "team" is it a page and the first guys to answer get it ?? who gets the fast team bag / gear so that 6 different people are wasting time looking for gear already picked up? why isnt it already on a run card that xyz fast is toned out the second the words "working fire are uttered by the IC" You can always get them moving sooner based on what you hear from dispatch or cancel them if not needed my point is it should already be in place so a chief cant "not call"

how many safety officers have to watch that boom when it is in use, we (as a fire service) have enough trouble with a straight aerial around wires. I guess the idea is to never have to escape from that roller coaster cus how the hell do you get down no second means of egress lol And good point about industrial use that i can see as a place for this monster

Ok, I guess if you have it pre planned for such use and it is available, wouldnt waste $$$ to go out and buy one just for surround and drown. the outcome is going to be the same with or without that rig. What am I looking at in the background, is that one or two guys on the end of that stick while it is flowing water???

Gregg Rigos from the New Rochelle Fire Dept Does all the graphics for our dept and has done work for other depts in Westchester If you are interested I will give you his info

A quick note on the water pump pliers modification, bend the 90 degree key tool to the outside and you wont pinch your fingers and it will be easier to use

tormentors should be pushing until the ladder is vertical, then one member takes his tormentor to the side so it is 90 degrees away from the other pole now the ladder can be stabilized while it is being raised. once lowered into position both poles are brought foreword and placed against the building. If you are doing a church raise for "skill building" you should also use some rope (1/2") on each tip of each beam to help stabilize the ladder for a little extra safety. Not good to lose a ladder extended 45' or more with a member climbing over the tip. Yup we used to and I am sure it is still done, climb up one side of the ladder use the ladder belt to clip on, climb over the top and come down the other side.

so if the rope and carabineer save one life and is inexpensive it isnt worth it??? I do agree with the statement TRAIN WITH WHATEVER SYSTEM THAT YOU HAVE

what is wrong with the rope and carabineer?

If you issued them thru the dept then they should be considered part of your ppe, therefore anytime a member is asked to produce it....

I have found several very useful video's on youtube that i have passed on to the rest of my dept. This one could be of use to show what not to do and how big a deal it can become when posted. As for assuming, they are drinking in an apparatus, they are using fire dept safety equipment for fun, and it did wind up on the internet because somebody on that apparatus let that happen. if that is taking shots at somebody good, they deserve it. Other than that no problems on this end brother. stay safe and I am off this topic

I am the guy who stated that the driver should not move the apparatus while that is going on, SORRY I MISSED THE OBVIOUS!!!. I HAVE BEEN IN THE FIRE SERVICE FOR 27 YRS AN OFFICER FOR ALMOST 20 OF THEM AND I HAVE NEVER DONE ANYTHING STUPID WHILE IN UNIFORM, DRUNK OR OTHERWISE. AND I ALSO STAND BY MY STATEMENT THAT THIS IS A VERY STUPID ACT FOR IT TO WIND UP ON THE INTERNET. As an ex officer, would have accepted this behavior since you are quick to point out the negative responses?

it is amazing how this even turned into a career vs vollie issue. This is more a leadership and youth issue. The leadership of this Dept allowed this in the first place by not having strict guidelines forbidding drinking and riding any apparatus parade or not. The second problem is todays youth, instant stardom if i can post something with my name attached on the internet. EFD like it or not there is enough stupidity on both sides of the fire service to go around. It is a small part of the fire service that causes the black eye for the rest of us that try to do the right thing and not disgrace the patch on our uniform.

i "We even have a unwritten policy for parades. If your going to drink and be a a** take of your uniform and put civilian clothes on." I tried not to respond but.... great that you have such a rule, BUT WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE THE a**. THAT IS USUALLY RESERVED FOR EVERYBODY ELSE. As for the video, there was more than enough a** to pass around, was it the firefighter drinking, the fact that someone turned on the pass alarm, the rest of the guys who thought they were having fun, the "officer" who should have been in the front seat and in charge of the apparatus, the driver for driving with all that distraction, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST THE a****** WHO SHOT THE VIDEO,PUT IT ON U-TUBE, AND BROUGHT DISGRACE TO HIS WHOLE DEPT. STUPID CAN NOT BE TAUGHT

I think it is great placement so long as you are not in a collapse zone, it is all about knowing your apparatus and using your head for more than having a place for your helmet

Turk is 100% right about the Unions yea there would be things to work out but a union with 400-500 members is stronger than individual 50 - 175 member locals