JBE

God bless Happy. May he rest in peace.

Get in line....

Haven't heard anything about spares, but at least SI has the Roll off rig so if RC-5 goes OOS, they at least have something close. Pudge, it's more of a serious "Holy $&*%!!!!" in the sense that 10-60's don't get dumped very often. I can count maybe 10 that have been transmitted in my 8 years in the job. It doesn't make me hate the job, there are plenty of other factors that cause me to dislike aspects of the job, but you are correct in there is a LOT of movement. I don't have the response policy for a 10-60 in front of me but there's a lot of movement just on the transmission of it. It's a lot of units going at one time and then the subsequent relocations/backfilling. It's some serious sharpening of skills.

I think there is some relevance to it, even if my own personal opinion is I'm glad certain portions of the tapes were not released. There are people who lost loved ones who want to know where they were in the buildings. What they were doing. There are others who want accountability. Not a day goes by that I don't think about that day, and I am reminded of it every time I go to work. Seeing the faces of those lost, or remembering conversations I had with lost friends. Nightmares, you name it. Some may call it satisfaction of morbid curiosity, I don't necessarily see it that way, as much as people want some sort of closure. To hear what their loved ones were doing or where they were in their final moments. Especially if they had no body to bring home. I see it as a reminder of that day, especially to those who may have forgotten what has happened. People become complacent and tend to want to move on, especially if they haven't lost a loved one or friend. I personally don't have an interest in hearing this stuff because I lived it. I don't need the nightmares. I believe there is a list out there of what Westchester County apparatus went mutual aid, either to relocate or to the scene.

Lobo, THE MAIN MAN YA FRAGGIN BASTICHES!!!!! Followed in no particular order by, The Punisher Deadpool Hellboy and Cable. Why??? Because each and every one of them is BADA$$!!!!!

It's out there if you look for it.

They are just calling it a task force. It's really the Rescue, the Collapse Unit, and the Truck company taking the Collapse unit.(Unless it's R-3 or R-5) As for the 10-60, it's FDNY lingo for a Major Emergency. Airplane Crash(except at the airports) Train Derailment, MCI, Building Collapse. It's usually followed by two words from the Dispatcher. Usually Holy $%&* or Ahhhhh $%&*!!!!!

I was on the radio for maybe two transmissions. The rest of the time I took phone calls from the towers. If fate had been a little different, I probably would have been on the radio for a good chunk of it. There's more to it than just the guy or girl on the radio. Just a historical note, if anyone had seen the French brothers video, I was the one who took the call for that gas leak at Church and Lispenard Streets a little while before the first plane hit. There were a number of people on the radio that morning. You probably won't hear my voice on more than two transmissions. If they had released the phone calls, you would have heard me.

At the time 40 Adam was Chief Downey. I don't remember who 40 Charlie was. Possibly Chief of Haz Mat operations, memory is kinda fuzzy. These car numbers were all changed in the months following the 11th. Just a little info. I was a dispatcher in Manhattan that morning. I took calls from people inside those towers. I have mixed emotions about these tapes being released. I am glad the 911 calls to FDNY were not released. That's something nobody needs to hear. I don't talk about it much, I do mention that I was working that day, and usually that's it. If pressed, I relate a story of one particular phone call that even shook me, and that usually shuts the person right up. There are some positives and negatives to this particular situation. The positives to it, IMHO are that there are lessons to be learned from this. Not only by FDNY, but by agencies worldwide. The negatives, are fairly obvious. Reopening old wounds, more ammunition for the families who want to point blame for the loss of their loved ones, etc.

It is sad when someone so young dies in a manner such as this. Nobody in the press bothers to ask where the parents were. As is becoming more and more common in this "Don't blame me", "Sue everyone" society. Hush money will probably, and unfortunately have to be paid by the county to compensate the family. As for my feelings about the press, I think I have vented my thoughts on News 12, especially after a fatal third alarm I took in a number of years ago in the Bronx, or for the funeral of FF Lynch of 32 Truck in '02. Most of them know very little, or don't care to learn about what goes on at a fire/emergency scene, and they rarely do their homework when it comes to unit numbers or names of departments. True enough if it bleeds it leads, but at least know what you're talking about before you get in front of that camera. Bottom line, give your kids a hug and a kiss today and keep an eye on them.

Although my end of the job is Uniformed, we don't have a specific uniform to wear. Mine is usually T-shirts and jeans. Occasionally I wear shorts. It is frowned upon by my management. The one time I decided to wear shorts to work, I'm on my way in and hear one of our big bosses sign off the air at my office. I cursed myself all the way in. He mentioned I looked like I had been on vacation, but that was about it.

While we're on the subject, would someone PM me about coming up to visit?? I'd like to see how things are done up there. I like seeing how the other half lives, and then get embarrassed when I tell them I am working with a CAD system older than most of my dispatchers.

I'm still waiting to hear back from them about applying for dispatcher.

St Louis is still working with quints. Richmond, Virginia went to it about 10 years ago. The light force that was mentioned by my pal from C3 is not much unlike the old Combination Fire Companies we had in FDNY in the 70's. It was an engine, and a TL, staffed by two full crews but commanded by one officer. Didn't last too long. It's nice to have the flexibility, but, you also have to look at budget/manpower. Personally, I think quints are an example of trying to do more with less.

Like I mentioned in another spot. This guy is waaaaay over priced as is Fire Zone. Fire Zone doesn't sell company shirts, and they really should. With the agreement that X amount of profit goes right back to the firehouse. The other problem this particular store has is his shirts aren't authentic company shirts, as you stated.

It depends on the size of the display and location. Macys usually gets all the fireboats along with a bunch of land based companies(more for an MCI/Decon than anything). We usually special call an engine and one of the fireboats for standby for most of them. Fire Preventions Fireworks Safety Unit is around as well. The Engine that goes is crewed by members on straight time. As for who goes, it depends on the situation. Sometimes it's the first due engine, other times it is a predetermined engine company.

Or, you can just PM me, and give me the location(cross streets). I can probably pull it off the top of my head unless it's Staten Island.

34/21 38th between 9th and 10th E-26 37th between 7th and 8th E-23 58th between 7th and Broadway E-65 43rd between 5th and 6th

I thought SOC stood for the Secret Overtime Club??

Thanx for the info...

I'll be dropping off my application this week for a part time slot as a dispatcher.

It was known as a Mobile Emergency Room Vehicle. I believe it is now known as a Major Emergency Response Vehicle. They roll on large scale MCI's. Occasionally, you may see one at a multiple alarm fire. I know MERV 1 is based out of Bellevue.

Out and about Saturday Afternoon....rolled up on a little All Hands job on Brewer Bloulevard and Linden Boulevard...Enjoy!!! Ladder 133, first due. Ladder 126, Second Due. Squad 270 driving reserve Squad 800, all photos taken by ME!!! Enjoy!!

Whoops....

I have yet to see Harold and Kumar. I will recommend Super Troopers, and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. JNSB is probably a great movie unless you aren't a Kevin Smith fan.