NurseMedic

Yeah, put it all in your bag.

Personally, I think this just seems like a frivolous waste of money, It's just another form of duplication and excess, which if I'm correct is what most departments are trying to get away from. How do you justify such an expenditure when multiple systems are already in place for each aspect that it will be used for? Checking department e-mail? I'm sure each station has a computer, not to mention almost everyone has a smartphone or home computer (the few old school people I know who don't have either wouldn't care to check their department e-mail anyhow). Time card? I am fairly sure most employers prefer to have a supervisor handle timekeeping as opposed to the employees themselves, or in the case where no supervisor is present at a station they prefer a timekeeping system that can only be accessed at the workplace, not anywhere you take the iPad. As far as training goes, there is really no accountability for on-line training, there's no way to verify that the person doing it is actually the person it's intended for nor that they aren't just killing time in front of the computer while they have an answer sheet from someone else ready to copy from and fill out sections at appropriate times, I've seen it happen many a time. As far as dissemination of training information, what's going to make the employee read a training bulletin on an iPad if they are already the type who don't care to read it on paper? As far as patient care and written reports, I don't think each person needs one, maybe one per ambulance for PCR's, and one per station for community use in filing of reports, although it seems like the desktops or laptops that most fire stations already have could support this function, not to mention the fact that the majority of the time it is only one supervisor or member filling out the report, not each individual.
Many departments already have in place electronic systems to perform all of these functions, most can be easily accessed from a computer available to the employees at work or by logging on remotely from a personal device. Handing everyone an iPad and saying, "now this is only for work use", that's almost a challenge to some people, and expecting everyone to be on board, that's pretty naive, I have a teenage neighbor that if I wanted could have the thing unlocked in twenty minutes so I could use it how I pleased. You would probably be better off giving members unlocked iPads honestly. If it's locked down and can only be used for a few limited work functions its not really able to be customized to the employee and many members will simply throw it in a drawer as another extraneous piece of junk the job has handed them. If they can use it how they please they will be more likely to use it for personal and work use. As far as taking care of department business while off-duty, off-duty is off-duty, one of the great thing about most emergency services jobs is that you don't take your work home with you. If you want to read, train, and enrich yourself out of work that is one thing that I personally promote, but work, stays at work.
I also don't see any real efficiency savings, as you aren't really saving any money by spending more money. What can be eliminated now that everyone has an iPad? Saving paper maybe, but I doubt those savings will really make up the cost of your investment especially after maintenance and upkeep costs.
As far as the comparison to the expense of each member having a portable radio, how many lives do you think personal iPads will save? Will it give a Mayday for you? Are you going to carry it into the building with you? Is it your lifeline to other members when you are trapped or lost? Personal portable radios have been proven and documented to save lives, and not to sound hackneyed, but that is PRICELESS. Unless you can place efficiency on an equal footing with the life safety of members, then the cost of personal iPads cannot be compared to the cost of personal radios, period.
In my opinion, in this day and age of cost cutting, tightening budgets, and increased scrutiny by taxpayers as to where their money goes, this is a waste of money and will be conceived by the taxpayers as such. Many taxpayers and politicians have already begun to perceive the emergency services as a whole to be an expensive, extravagant, luxury item that can be slashed and cut down to the bone, lets not give them more fodder for their arguments. Spend money on the things we REALLY NEED and that are easily defensible to the public and politicians alike.

http://crimevoice.com/suspect-arrested-in-home-invasion-shooting-20538/
http://www.news10.net/news/article/222195/2/1-dead-in-Sacramento-home-invasion
http://www.examiner.com/article/armed-homeowner-shoots-intruders-while-children-have-sleepover
Despite being wounded himself, the homeowner maintained his composure and control of his weapon wounding all three of the suspects, one fatally.
I don't know why they targeted this house full of kids at the time but I'm glad the homeowner was able to defend them.

Must be nice to have only one training standard

Every time one of these treads comes up, I'm always reminded how comparatively smooth police mutual aid operates here in Westchester.

I don't know, but maybe feeling that she betrayed the future King is pretty devistating.

The track is going to change every 6 hours with every update from the forecasters and models. Then every meterologist will add their interpretation to impress their viewers so this thread will be as long as the Stamford merger thread if we post every update.
I figure we will either get rain or we won't. :-)

It's got nothing tto do with the city or how the memorial was designed, some people are just disprespectful period. I've been there twice, for the large amount of staff they have there, they seem to be doing an awful lot of nothing, no interpretation, no enforcement.. After the first incident with the school kids, there was an editorial from a retired Dep. Chief who summarized a sentiment I have heard before. This should be in the hands of the National Park Service, who run not only the Flight 92 National Memorial but as the chief mentioned World War II in the Pacific National Monument, (more commonly known as USS Arizona or Pearl Harbor). He was quite right in saying that the NPS does not tolerate any nonsense in running these sights and mantains a respecful and quiet atmosphere in deference to those lost.

So the guy blowing the rams horn from village to village is out?

Well, given some responses on quasi-related posts, it doesn't really matter. If a department says they "need" it, then they "need" it, right? Doesn't matter what unbiased, independant observers say, does it?

This was sent to us by our brothers out west. Real class acts!

Why does it matter aside from maybe helping figure out what is wrong with the patient? Forget about how its just wrong to treat someone differently based upon a medical condition, what if they don't know they're carrying some disease. Everyone gets treated the same unless I suspect an infection requiring droplet precautions.
Moderator note: This was the very last post made by Lenny, before he left us for keeps. RIP.

Less than what the 51 new FFs proposed in the SVFD plan would cost 5+ years from now.

If everyone would just keep that info in their purse or wallet none of this ice, yellow dot, etc junk would be necessary. Do yourselves a favor. Emergency contact, med history, allergies and medications. Date it, update it as needed, and burry it in your wallet. I will find it when I pick your pocket, I promise.

Seriously? My post on this thread was deleted? Is it not unreasonable to ask for a work warning heads up reference a link that shows a topless girl in bunker pants? What if I opened that link with a Boss in the room? Bravo is allowed....Breasts are not.
Guess looking out for a Brother is a thing of the past?

JJB:
I have carefully analyzed all the posts on this thread and the related one and it would now seem to me that ESU's choice is obvious:
1) Take action and get criticized on it on forums such as this one
2) Take no action, (get a picture of the ESU guys standing around in the NY Post), and get criticized in the media and by the public at large
So really, the choice is obvious. Just decide who you want to criticize your actions, and that will help guide you in you decision making matrix.

The criminal aspect and her healthcare are unrelated as far as privacy rights are concerned. There is no discussion about her mefical condition or details about why EMS was called. All of the information is pertinent to her arrest.
No one is going to pursue charges if there is a simple medical explanation for the violent behavior. That leads me to believe this was not a simple AMS or psychiatric emergency.

The uniform requirement in NYC was under the assumption that cops and firefighters generally only wear their uniforms on duty. Exceptions are infrequent enough as to be insignificant. As grumpy pointed out while they are technically riding for free they are expected to act in the event of an emergency. While these are rare, they are frequent enough that the vast majority of employed cops, firefighters, and ems happily pair their way so as to remain anonymous.
The LIRR shooting was a really big deal. This was not some random spraying of bullets into a crowded train. He walked through the train calmly shooting each passenger as they sat or hid in their seat. He was armed with more than 100 rounds of ammunition and was not stopped until 3 citizens jumped him while he attempted to load his third clip. The public was understandably upset and politicians wanted to get more cops riding the trains. There were proposals put forward to make any cop legally allowed to ride mass transit for free. What is the value of a human life? Not the emotional value, but real world civil court value of a life. One cop on that train and how many lives are saved? I don't agree with randomly handing out free rides to anyone. However if an officer wants to carry and be willing to act, welcome aboard. Its a much cheaper alternative to hiring a cop to ride the train.
How is a discount any different than a free pass? What's a fair break, 10%, 20%, or 99%?
How many joy rides do you think cruisers, fire trucks or ambulances take across the bridges and tunnels? Generally speaking we are making these crossings because we have to. We do not charge the MTA or TBTA for services rendered on their property so why would they charge us for using their crossings? At the start of the budget crunch there was an attempt by the TBTA to start billing emergency vehicles until this very point was made to them. The FD would happily develop a rate structure for responses on their property. Its bad enough that not having an EZPass or using a cash only lane causes actual delays in response while they attempt to record your vehicle number, license plate, and driver ID. Everything has a cost, just because you're not seeing it at the toll booth or turnstile doesn't mean it is not being recouped in another way.
No, but they do frequently receive discounts to all those places and more. How often are doctors, nurses, or lawyers experienced in handling whatever situation they may encounter outside the warm confines of their office? The fact of the matter is emergency service workers are experienced in handling not just the situation but the crowds and uncontrolled environment they find themselves in. Businesses give us discounts for both the goodwill it generates and to attract people that can and will help in an emergency.
The engineer was paid to design the train. Until an engineer voluntarily walks into the MTA's Brooklyn headquarters and hands over a useful design or schematic without outside compensation that's not a valid point. The MTA expects members riding for free to step up and help in an emergency.
For all the calls I handle in public places in Manhattan it is incredibly rare for a bystander not connected to emergency services to stop and help. Nurses are the only exception to this. Everyone else, whether they're suits or laborers all have a volunteer gig or previous career in emergency services.

3 simple rules to follow,
1. If you are going to dish it out, then you better be able to take it in return.
2. Before you dish it out, ask yourself how you would feel if the shoe was on the other foot.
3. When someone tells you to stop, stop, it is no longer busting chops but now harassment.

Nice pics. Should someone inform the shop that the URL on the side of the truck is wrong? (I know it's nitpicky, not even sure how I noticed it.)

Nice pics. Should someone inform the shop that the URL on the side of the truck is wrong? (I know it's nitpicky, not even sure how I noticed it.)

Nice pics. Should someone inform the shop that the URL on the side of the truck is wrong? (I know it's nitpicky, not even sure how I noticed it.)

While ISO does not use the terms career and volunteer, the MAJOR distinction they use is onduty (in the fire station) and oncall (at home, work or anywhere but the firehouse) and yes volunteer depts are rated the same as career IF they respond with inhouse crews 24/7.
Now while all the things you listed as going into the rating are true, the single biggest point catagory is personnel and its the only catagory ISO has that is unlimited. ISO wants a minimum of 2 engines and 1 ladder (or service company) on every fire call and at a minimum they want 4 firefighters (&or officers) per rig plus an IC. Now if you respond with onduty personnel you get 1.0 points for each, if you are using "oncall" members you get 0.33 points for each. so to get the same personnel rating you need 36 firefighters (&/or officers) + IC.
The 2nd biggest point area is for training and the way they calculate the training is they take every members hours and average them over the number of members. Since most departments do not meet the 290 hours per year per memebr average for inservice training and ISO will include the VFD's 75 y/o active members annual training in the average (even if they no longer fight fire) you are fighting a big uphill battle as well. Another component of the training requirement that is not commonly performed by VFD's is Fire Inspection & Prefire planning of all commercial and multi dwellings in its district.
Also, ISO requires a minimum of 240 hours for new fire fighter training and 40 hours of new driver training.
So 48% of the Fire Dept. ISO rating is for personnel & training. You can not make up for a poor score here with shinny trucks.
Would you also consider the 1,100 paid "housemen" in Long Island VFD's to be part of this?
1) I agree that the priority of the leadership should be the public's welfare, I find this is commonly not the priority. Last month I was sitting in a public hearing where the chairman of the Fire board publicly told the mayor and council that they did not want the anyone outside the FD to know how bad ISO said they were, in fact he felt it was none of the publics buisness to know. I wonder if he would have said that if he knew the cameras were running.
2) Do you include LOSAP in your incentive programs that created an environment in which that competency has improved? I know there are many volunteers here who have posted here that they hurt the depts more than they help.
Wow lets compare apples with oranges:
New City (a Hamlet within Clarkstown)
Population: 35,168
15.6 miles, 2254 people per mile
Income 2x state average at $111,747
Per capita income $46,000
Over 50% have BA degrees, 91% HS Deplomas
20% minority, 70% married
Unemployment (3/2011) 6.5% - Below state average
Hackensack
Population: 42,839
4.12 miles 10,398 people per mile
Income $59,504 (20% below state average).
Per capita $31,523
29% have BA degrees, 79% HS Deplomas
67% minority 42% married
Unemployment (3/2011) 10.1% - Above state average
Now lets compare Fire Departments:
New City: 2 eng, 1 TL, 1 tanker, 1 brush
Ambulance: No
EMS 1st Response: No
Hazmat: No, (provided by county)
TRT: No, (provided by county)
Hackensack: 5 eng, 2 lad, 2 amb, 1 rescue, 2 TRT units
Ambulance: Yes
EMS 1st Response: Yes
Hazmat: Yes
TRT: Yes
Now lets not forget that New City is a Hamlet within the Town of Clarkstown. Clarckstown has a population of 82,777
And has in addition to the New City Fire Dept: The Central Nyack FD, Congers FD, Nanuet FD, Rockland Lake FD, Valley Cottage FD and the West Nyack FD. Plus EMS provided by additional services and not the FD's.
So the New City FD spends $3,000,000 Less than HFD. They are not providing the same service level and the community is a very different type of community. I do not know how much all of those other FD's end up costing, but $3 million is sounding cheap.
Now what really counts to the tax payer is what the pay for service each year: The median property tax in New City is in 2009 was $9,015 and in Hackensack it was $6,430. I think I would rather pay $2,500 les per year.
Note: I am not trying to say anything negative about either dept. just they are clearly apples and oranges.
LOL...recently was 20 years ago. This report had more incorrect info than anything I have ever read. The money was based on the replacing 100% of the volunteers with career. So in one case a 150 member volunteer dept covering 1.5 square miles with 2 engines, 1 ladder & 1 rescue would need to build a new career fire station, buy 2 eng, 1, lad & 1 rescue (even though the rigs & station were owned by the village) and then hire 150 firefighters. Now multiply this by the 2,000 VFD's in the state and what a shock it would cost $2.9 billion.
Now if we dropped the number only in half (75 career), that would give us an onduty shift of 15 members 24/7. Thats more than double the shift of every career dept covering this size community. Based on these 2 sentences, the FASNY study is inflated by $1.45 Billion and that does not include the 2,000 new fire stations and 5,000 new apparatus they think the tax payers would have to buy. They also fail to mention the costs of LOSAP, House men, meals and other existing costs that would no longer be needed.

I didn't have to "paint a picture". Those were your own words. Advocating a work stoppage in the field of emergency services. I think it's clear to everyone now where you are coming from.

Are you nuts?! Stop with the self pitty. A quick look at the Police and In Memorium forums I found 2 LEO LODD in 2012, that combined have not received as many posts as this one thread. Too bad there have all ready been 12 officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty this year, including a detective in New Haven. As this is clearly a forum dominated by all thing fire related, did they fare any better? Nope, 7 LODD so far and I see zero mention of any of their deaths. Yet the medic that no one here knew, no one here worked with, and died not while confronting an armed assailant or saving a life has gotten more attention. Her death was no less or more important than any other. Like every single other death her family, friends, and co-workers are devastated. This is not the issue to plant your flag on the issue of disrespect. Express your condolences as you see fit and find a more appropriate forum for sharing your views on the perception of EMS.