JBE

I tend to be very traditional when it comes to apparatus paint jobs. This is a place where I make an exception because of how well I've been received. Always helps to have old family friends who are captains, and a chief who is a D-911 dispatcher(THANX KENNY!!!) Yup, you guessed it, Rombout. So here we go, 62-2, 11, 12, 45 and the new 55 a BEAST of a rig. And of course this behemoth..I LIKE IT!!! And so, I bid adeiu to the Caddy Creme gang, knocked on my aunts door and nobody was home, or they heard I was coming and hid. Ran to Carmel to see some friends and headed on home. Not bad, 20 plus rigs in 4 hours. If there is anyone in the OC of NY, or up in Dutchess, or Westchester, or Putnam who wants me to come out. Let me know. I'll check my schedule and we'll work something out. As always, Enjoy!!!

So, I got a bit more time to kill and figured I'd hit Middletown. I've gone out drinking at a bar down the block from the main house enough times and promised myself I'd get over there eventually. After explaining who I was and that I was shooting pix not only for my personal collection, but to put up on this site(Shameless Plug, I know) out they came for me. Here's Engine 1, 1994 Pierce. JACKPOT!!!! Truck 1, 1989 Simon.LTI Tiller!!! Engine 2, Spartan RD Murray I like the White/Orange.. Truck 3, 112 foot Pierce Platform. I liked the little step that comes out when you open the door, nice touch. Engine 6, 2009 KME. I looked at this at the Expo last year, but would rather get it out in the sun. Not my greatest shot, but I'm not a perfectionist when it comes to this stuff. Engines 4 and 5, once again, not the greatest angles, and I have to figure out what setting on this new camera works best for rigs. I may even bring out the old one just to help out. Next stop, two exits over the Newburgh/Beacon Bridge..

So after a nearly three hour ride from JFK to the Chateau(DAMN YOU NYC TRANSIT!!!) I spent Saturday giving the tour to the Lake Carmel Explorers. The least I can do for the department that got me my start in the fire service 23 years ago. It was then up to the special lady friends house, and upon awakening on a beautiful Sunday, what more can I do since I'm alone in the house?? You got it, out and about I go!!! First stop, Port Jervis Engine 4, a 1999 ALF with a 54 foot Squrt. I will say this about the Port, they are quite colorful.. Next up, Engine 2, a 2007 KME Rescue Pumper. Turns out they had a job right across the street earlier Sunday AM. Rescue 823 1994 Simon/Saulsbury Engine 5, 2005 Seagrave. I looked at this and started channeling Joe Pesci, the Metallic Mint Green... Next time I get the ladder, Engine 1 and Engine 6. Drove over the bridge into PA to seek out Matamoras and Westfall. Stopped at Westfall first. Engine 39-390, I wanna say late 90's Pierce. Jeeper can fill in the details I hope. Tanker 39, Big Friend. I didn't get specifics. Jeeper, you're up pal!!! Headed back down Pennsylvania Avenue past the Turkey Hill(GREAT subs and Orange Iced Tea!!!) and down to Matamoras. Rescue 32, 2000 International with a Rescue 1 body Tower 321 2002?? Pierce with an 85 foot platform. Next stop, Middletown!!

Thank you gents, I didn't preceive it as a slight in as much as a question of distance.

Here's a silly question, this fire was less than 4 miles from the NYC/Yonkers border, how come FDNY wasn't requested mutual aid??

Regardless of the financial situation, kudos to the Chief for speaking his mind. HOWEVER, bad move for making statements like that at the scene of a fatal fire. There is a code of conduct that we in the emergency services have to follow. There are also other ways for making your feelings known. Like speaking as a citizen and not a member of a municipal agency. I tend to follow free speech cases since I am a firm believer in it. I have no background in law either, just a little bit of common sense. There's a difference between free speech, and responsible speech. Maybe it's the fact that I'm exhausted, or just an interpretation of what the Founding Fathers meant. You can say whatever you want, just use your head when you say it. For example, I have every right to say, "I don't like (a specific group of people)" However, I say that loudly in a crowd of those people in the middle of a holiday parade for those people, and I get my @$$ kicked, and a riot breaks out, I'm not being responsible. Bottom line, it's just like being a member of this board, Think before you speak.

Nice shots guys..

The Chief makes a good point. How about this?? If it's a small boat that is on a trailer, or on top of a very large Rescue and does not have pumping capabilities, it's just that, a BOAT. Hence, it should be referred to as a Boat, or Small Boat. If it has pumping capabilities, it's a Marine Unit. IC asks for a boat for a rescue in a pond. Dispatcher answers back, "Received, Mahopac Falls is responding with their boat and 19-6-1." IC asks for a boat for a possible jumper off the TZ. "You have Marine XX responding from wherever, or if it's in Rockland, XX-Marine" Just a thought from your friendly neighborhood Supervising Dispatcher.

BAH DUM BUMP!!! Nice one, Chief. Yonkers had an old Coast Guard 41 foot Utility Boat. But, back to the point, what would you call a boat that's used for water emergencies that's usually trailered?? We call them MARC's in the city, Marine Auxiliary Rescue Craft.

Check your PM's Cap

Certain times the manning goes up, during anticipated storms. Not to be a harbinger of doom, but we've been sitting in the office trying to figure out, what would happen if we lose as many companies as the mayor wants to shut down. Probably going to see a lot of times we go into Fallback. We're also waiting to see if there are more cuts on our end of the job.

Ordered. Now if I can only get Marine 9 for that cheap.

Just a sloppy mess of a mix here in the Bronx..I'm not impressed.

Yes, my dear friend, but both those BT engines are both easily 20 yrs, if not close to 20 yrs old. Some of those departments in that area are right on top of each other, within 5-8 minutes.

EMS moved out of Maspeth close to 10 years ago. This wasn't a UCT mistake, as they don't do EMD. This was an NYPD 911 call taker mistake. Unfortunately, this happens a lot more often than you think. It's just that there was a fatality involved, which makes it newsworthy. The FDNY Fire Alarm Dispatcher called EMS to confirm when the Engine company was sent to the wrong address in Brooklyn. We then turned out an Engine to the correct address in Manhattan. Unfortunately, it was too late to help that kid. I remember about 10 years ago, sending Engine 16 to East 25th Street and Park Avenue South for an unconcious on the platform. Not too far of a stretch, because there is a 6 train stop on the subway at 23rd Street. Turns out, it was on the Metro North at 125th Street and Park Avenue. 5 plus miles away. I got a call reporting a fire on the IRT Subway at 61st Street and Roosevelt Drive in Manhattan. The 911 operator actually became indignant when I said there was no such thing. Turned out to be 61st Street and Roosevelt Avenue in Queens. This is a problem that has been going on for years. The question is, how do we fix it?? They've got ANI ALI and mapping. How else can we improve a system that is obviously flawed??

Friday night 2-12 into Saturday morning 2-13?? Saw one landing alongside 84 just west of Middletown. Anyone got any info??

I do remember seeing what looked to be a medevac helicopter doing what I thought were touch and go's in the vicinity of the Crystal Run Galleria a few months back.

I wouldn't necessarily say the guy is a Dumb @$$ for what he did, no different that the actualy FIREFIGHTERS who brought a device into the firehouse a few years ago. Sometimes people just don't know any better. Just remember, ignorance, stupidity, all that stuff=Job Security!!!

I gotta agree with Seth and Chief Flynn here. I actually got stopped one day going into my apartment, one of the locals thought the city paid for the meals Firefighters and Dispatchers ate. I explained that it came out of our pockets. I was up in Boston last month, and my buddys' truck company was operating a spare that looked like it was at least late 80's vintage. Maybe Joe SH!#ForBrains should look into the lousy apparatus these guys have to work with.

Guess it was waywayanda. I had been heading back from the Galleria and spotted it on my left. I would say it was between 3 and 4 on 84. Thanx guys.

Mona and Cocaine Charlie will be well served by the Tigers. Let's hear it for the Corona Plumbing Company, the Yak will be pleased. And there will be mooooooooovement!!! (ALL FDNY DISPATCHER INSIDE JOKES!!!!)

RIP Phil.

We called it an OBA Oxygen Breathing Apparatus. It was worn on the chest with two bladders on either side. I also remember having to move a certain way for the hot canister, and then punching holes in it and dropping it in a bucket before dumping it overboard.

It is sad that 1/3 of the force had to be laid off. Not a good sign. Watch crime rates spike.

Much ado about nothing...