PVFD113

 
This is brought up EVERY parade season.  The answers never change, and neither does the inadequate level of response.

No. About 4 or 5 years ago the RFD went back to the Ening/Ladder system. The ladders are still quints, for the most part. I think only 1 ladder is not a quint. I remember one of the midi's went to the academy, the rest were sold off.
On another note, good job to the RFD! That's an old building, and undoubtedly a tough fire to extinguish.

In my dept, the requirements for being an house or fire officer is spelled out clearly in the dept bylaws. We have time in the dept AND classes needed to be considered for running for a position. If you don't meet the requirements, you cant run. And to be able to vote on an officer as a member, you have to attend certain percentages of calls, drills, meetings, fund raisers, etc. We have a committee that oversees everything. It has worked well for us.

It runs hot and cold. Fatalities may be down but the incident count seems to be on the rise. There were also talks of shutting the cross over as they did up North. The really bad spot is really between BPR and PHR. North of PHR has its share but again - it is better than it was.

The TSP is handled by 24-2-1 which is a 2005 KME 1000/1000 Engine/Rescue. Roll up doors do allow us to position closer to the rail and still have accequipmentquiment. The abbreviated list of equipment includes Holmatro rescue tools, Stabil struts, cribbing, high pressure air bags, portable winch (power at all 4 sides of the rig with a 2" receiver for the winch. It is kept at Station 2 on Peekskill Hollow Roaresponserespons with a minimum crew of 4. If additional personnel are needed, they are brought by out crew cab utility, a Chiefs car, or another piece of apparatus. We generally respond directly to scenes but to the parkway SOP is Fire Police POV and official vehicles only on the parkway.
As for space being tight--of course accidents rarely happen on the wide and straight part so yes at times navigating the "course" can be challenging -- especially when cars are stacked bumper to bumper and you have a guide rail on the left, and stone wall of guide rail on the right. This is where we would either cut off any traffic slipping past the incident and respond in the "wrong" way, or take (shut) a lane on the other side of the center rail (opposite direction of travel) -- IE scene is in the NB lanes, we would shut the left lane in the SB lanes and operathererom ther as a last resort.
And I was told that the "average" speed on our stretch of the TSP is 85 m.p.h. People are always trying to pass apparatus and try and blow through the scene before "WE cause a traffic back up". It can be CRAZY out there. Forget about the bad weather.....thats another story

The TSP is handled by 24-2-1 which is a 2005 KME 1000/1000 Engine/Rescue. Roll up doors do allow us to position closer to the rail and still have accequipmentquiment. The abbreviated list of equipment includes Holmatro rescue tools, Stabil struts, cribbing, high pressure air bags, portable winch (power at all 4 sides of the rig with a 2" receiver for the winch. It is kept at Station 2 on Peekskill Hollow Roaresponserespons with a minimum crew of 4. If additional personnel are needed, they are brought by out crew cab utility, a Chiefs car, or another piece of apparatus. We generally respond directly to scenes but to the parkway SOP is Fire Police POV and official vehicles only on the parkway.
As for space being tight--of course accidents rarely happen on the wide and straight part so yes at times navigating the "course" can be challenging -- especially when cars are stacked bumper to bumper and you have a guide rail on the left, and stone wall of guide rail on the right. This is where we would either cut off any traffic slipping past the incident and respond in the "wrong" way, or take (shut) a lane on the other side of the center rail (opposite direction of travel) -- IE scene is in the NB lanes, we would shut the left lane in the SB lanes and operathererom ther as a last resort.
And I was told that the "average" speed on our stretch of the TSP is 85 m.p.h. People are always trying to pass apparatus and try and blow through the scene before "WE cause a traffic back up". It can be CRAZY out there. Forget about the bad weather.....thats another story

As it does happen more frequently the past few years, after traffic going in the direction of travel has been confirmed stopped completely by PD or Fire units on scene, the apparatus is generally directed to enter the parkway from the next access and head the opposite direction of the designated direction of travel - in this case--traffic in the NB lanes was shut completely South of Peekskill Hollow Rd. Apparatus would then enter (after confirmed closed) at PHR and proceed cautiously South in the NB lane. If no units are o/l, generally the first unit would head (in this case) South in the SB lane to size up the scene and close confirmcorfirm no traffic flow.

Yes service at some point will be affected. If nothing else - the customer experience will suffer to some extent. I think that BOTH sides have to come to the table and also come to reality on a few things. The old 1 or 2 jobs a day stereo type, fix one break one, etc--this must stop - and if it is not true - make that known. A good portion of hard working middle class employees all over the country pay in to their health care. It is not like they make minimum wage so maybe they can give a little there. They have a great delivery platform in FiOS. Any corporation is greedy to some point. They are not in it to "be nice people". They are in it to make money - plain and simple. The union is very quick to publicize their points on what they want and so on. Have we heard from the other side yet?
There are people that went from making $100k+ a year plus benefits that lost their jobs and are now making half their salary with no benefits - and they still COME TO WORK. Glad to have the opportunity to make some kind of money.
Striking hurts the customers sometimes more than the company. But when the customers are unhappy, they leave and find other choices. When they do, the company suffers, and then the employees suffer (and they may need less of them).
I am by no means taking sides here. Just illustrating some of MY thoughts.sincerelyrily hope that no one gets hurt because of or at the walkout (that includes those that may not have a phone due to a delay in repair times and cannot call for assistance)

We welcome the newest addition to our family today. Brianna Cecilia was delivered at 0824 hrs weighing 7lbs 12oz, 19 inches. Mom, Brianna, Big brother A.J., and yes dad are all doing fine.