NWFDMedic

Four bargaining units refused to consider renegotiating a contract. I guess they'll be able to look their unemployed brothers or sisters in the eye and say they did everything they could for them.

Wow, who said things would get interesting??? Yup, this guy. Good luck to everyone involved. Although the political banter is always interesting, there are both lives and livelihoods at stake here so I hope everything gets worked out. And no, I haven't heard anything official (or unofficial for that matter) about any of the upcoming contract issues, so don't ask me.

I can't agree with you more about the highway garage. As accommodating as the guys were once you got to know them, it is a disgusting environment in which to put your EMS providers.

I would bet it was more of an oversight than anything else. When Sloper, Alamo, and Empire covered Pawling, they all had a CON for the area, so it was not necessary for the municipality to get a CON. NDP's application for a CON for Southern Dutchess was rejected several years ago, so they need the municipalities to apply for a municipal CON (and coincidentally they should be using a different agency code on their PCR's when operating there). Getting a municipal CON is easier than buying a cup of coffee at Starbucks, they just need someone to fill out the proper paperwork.

Congratulations to my friends at Alamo. Everyone I talked to pretty much was saying the Alamo employees were getting a raw deal anyway. Should make for an interesting few months of EMS politics in Dutchess County. Happy Holidays to all.

Union or non-union really doesn't faze me in the auto industry. The Japanese (and other Asian) automakers are putting facilities in the US knowing that it decreases their profit margin a bit because of higher taxes, regulatory hurdles, and higher wages. However, it's purely a political move to placate the American people. The bottom line is that the real wealth associated with selling a new car is going to some rich people in Japan as opposed to staying in our economy. They've put pennies back in the economy by building plants here, but are still robbing the dollars. The auto industry is just part of the iceberg. Our economy's consumption far outpaces its productivity and we are beginning to see the results. Heck, in the last few years, not only have we been losing production jobs, service jobs are going overseas as well. We better start providing something for the domestic and global markets or WE will eventually be the third world country.

It seems to be a common topic here about regionalization of services and it comes up in different places at different levels and in every facet of emergency services. In some systems it might work; in others, it can be horribly ineffective. I've already said that I really know nothing about lower Westchester, so I can't make an argument one way or the other. I happen to think my town would benefit from a town-wide fire department. It would likely be more cost effective and it could result in some better protection. However, by another example, the medic system in Putnam is a county-wide system and a complete disaster. The townships would be much better served having their own ALS providers and it would probably be more financially sensible as well. So, I guess the answer is yes and no, regionalization can work but sometimes it's not the best option. For Lower Westchester, I would imagine the best answer would be to bring someone in who could provide a non-partisan opinion... but who is ever going to pay for that?

I don't know the first thing about it either; heck I could barely find most of those towns on a map. Is it possible that Port Chester's ladder is more adaptable to the needs of the village. I know in some of our residential areas, it would be more beneficial to get the smaller ladder from a bit further away than the monster next to us that would be parked 2 blocks away.

While I love the old style, less bulky stairchairs, the numbers don't lie. We simply aren't losing manhours due to stairchair related lifting with the track style chair. The oxygen bottle holder is just a waste of time. Just get an oxygen duffle with hooks and you're all set rather than having to take the bottle out of the bag and strap it into the chair.

That's right, we'll just let more of this country's wealth leave the country. Hiring some American workers in American plants is one thing; our wealth is still going to parts unknown. Buy American and tariff the heck out of autos from countries that don't pay a liveable wage to their employees.

This is law for mental health transports. Do you guys do it for general transports as well?

From the Times-Herald Record: http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...2150335/-1/NEWS The article mentions manpower as a problem but it fails to mention the other issues that we all know increase mutual aid requests: FAST team requirements, NFPA rehab requirements, and the general increase of call volume in the Hudson Valley that goes to the pace of 10% per year.

I guess that begs the question what is an appropriate level of staffing. I don't think anyone would argue that the City of Newburgh is understaffed with 2 engines and a truck on duty. The staffing on the pieces themselves has gotten better than it has been at some time in the past and having worked in the City for many years, I can tell you that they put out one heck of a lot of fire with their limited resources. They generally handle "routine" fires with only a mutual aid FAST team and a backfill engine and truck to cover subsequent alarms until callback staff arrives. Should they have the resources on duty to handle a "routine" fire and a subsequent alarm? Well, that's a matter for debate. As far as my fire district is concerned, I would be happy if we have the manpower resources to handle the initial stages of a fire ... the time when quite frankly a fire can be controlled or lost. We have automatic aid set up for daytime alarms of confirmed fire but we always get a crew out to handle the immediate situation (and lately it's been 2 engines before second dispatch). I don't find it to be a bad thing that the backup or additional resources may come from our neighbors. We provide the same daytime aid for our neighbors as needed. We haven't had the occasion where additional life or property has been lost due to delayed response, so I'd say that's pretty darn good. Sometimes on the border the puke green trucks may beat the red trucks or vice versa, but the job is getting done. I guess it all comes down to the individual district. Fire districts have an advantage because the commissioners should be there to monitor the adequacy of equipment and manpower in their district. Cities and villages that have officials with other concerns can have problems.

It's sad but true, while this article sits on the front page of PoJo, there's a local brief about a free mental health screening that is taking place in Beacon. The state seems to understand that in these difficult financial times with foreclosures, unemployment, etc. that mental health takes a hit. They seem to be willing to commit the money to tell you if you need help; providing the help... different story. Also, a good number of the dollars that go to mental health services are wasted by those who are "playing the system" and those who actually need and could benefit from the help get left in the cold. From what I've seen, Saints appears to be extremely efficient in figuring out which patients can benefit from help and getting them to the proper place for help, but I'm sure an already inundated system won't be helped by cutbacks.

Thanks for the great info. Our chiefs have the old 4 radio thing too because we are primary mutual aid to departments that use UHF, low band, high band, and 800 MHz. It's a tough system sometimes in Orange County; working in Dutchess is communications heaven.

Personally, I think mileage is a waste of radio traffic but I understand it's policy for some agencies. I already know it takes 17 miles, we'll say, to get from the City of Beacon to St. Francis. Giving the mileage only implies that I can give 2 fake numbers on the radio, it doesn't account for the time or what you did during that time; it doesn't even insure that you went directly from point A to point B. It really doesn't even say that it took a reasonable time to get from point A to point B. Using the same example, it could take 25 minutes to do those 17 miles at 6am, but at 2pm yesterday it took 55 minutes with the holiday traffic.

All of my female partners know how to do a 12 lead EKG and if there is the opportunity for me to let a female provider that I trust do the potentially uncomfortable procedure, I will make sure it happens. I had a call a few months ago where I wanted a female patient's bleeding assessed and we quickly cleared the room, my female partner checked, and she gave me her assessment. However, the threat of a lawsuit would never stop me from doing my job. I will take precautions as necessary (gloves, back of hand procedure for EKG, etc., etc.) and I will inform my patient what I'm doing, but that's first for the comfort of the patient and second to protect myself. Most female patients are a lot more comfortable with males performing procedures than male patients are of a female provider performing procedures. Female patients are also a lot more in tune to what's appropriate and what's not. Remember, most females visit a GYN regularly and with the exception of a couple once-in-a-lifetime procedures during childbirth, there is never a reason to get so involved as their GYN does. (My guess is if you are stuck going up to the operating room with your hand protecting the baby, the mother will probably vouch for the necessity of the procedure.)

There are a lot of considerations and most DOT supervisors would tell you they'd rather have 2 feet of snow than a storm in the 30-35 degree range. I worked Wednesday night and the temperature hovered between 31 and 33 degrees all night in the rain. If they spread sand at 2am, 3am, 4am, etc., it would have been a waste and washed out by the time it finally froze at 8:30. That's a considerable expense, not to mention the environmental impact of laying product over the river. I can remember one Monday morning a few years ago when the same thing happened in the Newburgh area. I was on duty crew for NWVAC and we got called for 2 rigs to an MVA. By the time car 2 called on to assist a minute or 2 later, we had the initial accident covered, but the dispatcher told him there were 4 other MVA's in town that all happened simultaneously. All in all, we did something like of 15 calls in 90 minutes as everything turned to ice.

Unless things have changed, the westbound span is covered by Dutchess and the eastbound span is covered by Orange. Unless traffic flow is completely obstructed (like yesterday), getting to the accident from the side opposite traffic flow would be deadly. I don't know if Beacon and Middlehope have any way to coordinate as MHFD is on 800's and Beacon is on UHF. As far as ambulance response is concerned, I know TONVAC has 155.745 and can at least coordinate with DC911 if not BVAC directly. Mobile Life has the ability in all eastern Orange units to communicate with DC911 on UHF and should soon have UHF capability fleet-wide. I don't know if Alamo or BVAC have the ability to talk to Orange County.

It definitely looks like they are ahead of schedule; our new station is supposed to be done in June and they are still just finishing up the slab. I drove by the new NHFD the other night on my way back from a transport to Manhattan... looks like a nice building, functional but not crazy with frills. Good luck with the rest of the process.

I did a meet with TONVAC last weekend and was stuck sitting in the back of an orange ambulance with a captain's chair that resembled a carnival ride it was so bouncy. I knew they got new ambulances, but haven't really seen them. Oh... was that you on M-241 that I heard today? I had to look up what an M-241 was; we didn't have one of those when I was in the real company in Walden.

Dan, I was looking through the pictures on the record, who's ambulance is that with the blue and white chevrons on the back? It looks pretty sharp. I'd also hate to be that prison bus... I'm sure the clients on board must have been just joyous to deal with.

Good to see you are ok. I was actually destined to be in the spot when it happened, but I spent a few extra minutes chatting with my relief when they came in this morning in Fishkill. It was bad that I got stuck on the wrong side, but I guess better than actually being in the pileup.

In our newer vehicles, the pedals are fine if you have a good pair of boots. The problem I have, believe it or not is width. I generally have rope in one bunker pocket and gloves and a hood in the other bunker pocket. Between that stuff and my legs, I'm squishing myself just to get the door closed. If your driver is included in the 2 in/2 out, then they must be in full turnout gear and have an SCBA at the ready. It's interesting the debate on SCBA and drivers. There may be a need to wear them, at least temporarily, and I know my department wouldn't have one available to the drive if we leave with a full interior crew. I just think it's a good idea to wear gear as an apparatus operator at the scene if you're actually pumping or operating a platform. We are doing emergency work with hoses under high pressure, many of which don't get used every day. It's just good extra protection if something breaks or blows.

In fact Chris, this very thing has happened. It didn't happen on Sunday night, but it has happened. All of the other agencies in the county (Alamo, Mobile Life, NDP, and Transcare) have times when their resources are limited and they have to rely on mutual aid. When units have to cover HVP/Regional, the aid is far from mutual. The Regional territories are starting to feel the strain of HVP as well ... when Regional is sending an ALS unit code 3 from New Windsor to a facility in Peekskill and then attempting to cover an ALS call in New Windsor from Chester or Middletown.