lt411

I went to FLSTP (First line supervisor training program) with Bill Fitz when he was promoted to Lieut. in YFD and I was promoted to Lieut. in FDNY. I knew he would go up the ranks pretty quick! Nice job, Bill, on making the YFD SOC what it is today. You and the brothers in YFD have a lot to be proud of. Enjoy your retirement from YFD, and what life brings you next. The other "Fitz"

Sorry- didn't do my post right. Anyway, I took my "probationary firefighter candidate" medical exam at this firehouse, on the 3rd floor. As we shuffled from room to room to see the various doctors, we passed a hall closet with a partially open door, with the light off. Out of the dark closet, as we passed by, a voice whispered "what day of the week is it?". That was the extent of my hearing test! Ah, the good old days!

Tom used to say that the only way to get into Rescue 3 was to have a metal plate in your head. The Captain would hold a magnet over your head, during the interview for entrance to the company, and see if it attached to your scalp.He was quite a character, and quite a fireman. His "post-retirement" job was driving a dynamite delivery truck! Need I say more?

Anyone have any knowledge as to how the "paid EMS crew" in the Brewster-Southeast Fire District is working out? I believe that the two (2) EMTs actually work for Transcare; use a BFD ambulance;wear BFD uniform; work Mon-Fri 0600 to 1800. Any word on whether this has been a success? Have the volunteers been able to get the 2nd bus on the road if needed as additional or a simultaneous call? Has this affected BLS 4 in a negative way, due to their responses to the Brewster district slowing down? Thanks for your responses! Have a great and safe holiday season.

Joey was a "plank holder" in Squad Co. 61 (Bronx), when we were "transformed" by DC Ray Downey (RIP 9-11-01) from an engine co. to a squad co. in SOC. As a newly formed co. we were constantly drilling and preparing to "go-online" as a squad, and many members of the hand-picked company were the original engine members. Joey loved going to the "Rock" every day tour for the months of training- he was always "up" for any type of hands-on activity. Especially when it came to "ropes". He was one of my "rope fairies"- guys who loved to take out the high-angle and confined space gear and rig up scenarios to drill on. I remember one "24" tour where we had spent the whole day training at the "Rock";came back to quarters for the night tour and had chow;drilled again for an hour on "firefighter removal" from the cellar, and then the brothers sat in the kitchem while I did paperwork in the co. office. Around midnight I heard footsteps (not Santa's reindeer) on the roof, so I climbed the scuttle ladder to check it out. There on the roof was Joey and the rest of the crew, setting up to do a "pickoff" from the top floor bunkroom. I was beat, and looking forward to lying down on the couch- but what could I say? I became the "victim" in the window for them to "rescue". You had to admire Joe's burning desire to excel at all phases of firefighting and rescue. When I got promoted up a rank, he made me a "cutdown" halligan as an officers tool, w/ my nickname welded on it- that was the type of guy Joe was! His Dad (Joe,Sr) is a retired and well-loved Deputy Chief from the South Bronx (Div 6) and my heart gors out to him and the family, and the brothers who knew Joey on FDNY and LI where Joey was also a volly in his hometown. Sorry for this rambling message, but I'm surely going to miss Joey and his quiet but infectious smile and personality. Joey, R.I.P.,brother!

I worked in E40/L35 w/ your dad,( Bob), and Bruce Gary and Steve Mercado, who both died on 9-11. Bruce was my chauffeur for several yrs, and Steve was one of my best guys on the nozzle. Great memories! Never forget!

No, NYPD ESU was not formed during the "war years" to assist in fire suppression duties. They have been the NYPD "SWAT" team for years, and do bridge jumper jobs and assist the Bomb squad w/ suspicious packages,etc. They have SCBA which is carried for use in contaiminated atmospheres (old DOA jobs;confined space jobs,etc). Now that NYPD is officially in charge of HazMat they have another reason to have SCBA. ESU has never been trained by FDNY to assist in fire duties. After FDNY Rescue 1 carried PO LaSala ESU Truck#1 from a burning bldg on 20th st. in the early 80's, PD requested training and bunker gear, but it was denied. ESU is great at what they do, but when duplication of services starts to expand, problems will multiply.

E88/L38 in Da Bronx ,also had divided qtrs that were then joined by a door in the rear and at housewatch. I remember when I first covered there, the companies still had separate kitchens/sitting rooms. Each company cooked every other month for "the house". I was working in the truck (L38); "chow's on " was called; I got my plate in E88's kitchen (it was their month to cook) and sat down. The senior man in the truck (my chauffer for the tour) whispered in my ear- no Loo (Lieutenant), your're in the truck- we eat "on our side"! It was just tradition- the two companies got along great w/ each other, but they ate separately. Hey M'Ave- is it still that way? Many great memories- man, do I miss it!

Per Wall Street Journal 4/7/11, Mayor Bloomberg has decided to drop his idea of a "FDNY crash tax". It was designed to allow the city to charge motorists involved in MVAs to be billed for FDNY services.The FDNY members were never in favor of the idea, and City Council president Quinn finally got Bloomie to back off.

M'Ave- I'm retired and you are not, so I defer to your up-to-date knowledge. As far as the tactical training unit, I think they go to visit/train the 25 SSL (Soc support ladder) companies throughout the city. For others on this site, the SSL companies assist the SOC units (rescues/squads) at emergecy ops- haz-mat;decon;confined space;trench coll;bldg. coll;entrapment;,etc. They may be special-called to a scene to start SOC ops if assigned rescue/squad are not available, pending arrival of out-of-borough units. They respond w/ their ladder app. and a second smaller utility truck ,the RRV (rapid response vehicle). The RRV carries some technical rope gear;meters;tripod for vertical removals;hand tools;etc. The RRV's can be put in service as a stand-alone unit during major emergency/heavy alarm activity (power blackouts;hurricane/tornado/snowstorm)- they would handle wires down;trees down;water conditions,etc

The Command Tactical vehicle responds on multiple alarms w/ a firefighter. His/her job is to provide a "real-time" video feed to FDOC (Fire Dept Operations Center) in Headqtrs, as well as to provide video tape to reviewed at a later time. The aim in the future is to have a live video feed at the Command Post for the IC to view. The firefighter is mobile, covering views of the fire/emergency from exposure rooftops (higher bldgs) or adjoining yards. Also,in the future, a live video feed from the ARC Battalion (Air recon Chief) in the NYPD helicopter can be fed from the CTV to the IC.

I believe you are referring to the UFA (Uniformed Firefighters Assn-Local 94 IAFF) and the UFOA (Uniformed Fire Officers Assn- Local 854). The FDNY unions are appealing to the court that the Roster Staffing agreement was considered part of the contract, and even though it expires at midnight, it should continue until negotiated between the city and the unions. The crux of the matter, in my firehouse lawyer thinking, is that the agreement was added on to the contract as an addendum, and so the city says it was not actually part of the current contract. It will take a while to play out, and will cost the unions many dollars to fight.

In the FDNY, The OV position is the "outside vent" firefighter. There are five firefighters in a ladder comapny at the start of the tour, in addition to the officer (lieutenant or captain). The positions are as follows: LCC- ladder company chauffeur, usually one of the most senior men; "Roof man"- another senior position- objective is to do vertical vent from the roof, and then drop down above the fire for search;"OV"- search fire area from the outside (via fire escape;portable ladder; aerial ladder;) to provide another way into the apt.-does ventilation and search/rescue; inside team- officer; "can man" (usually junior man, w/ 2-1/2 gal water extinguisher and 6 ft hook ;"irons man" -w/halligan tool and flathead axe and hydra-ram (bunny tool). They enter from interior and search for fire and victims. Second due ladder takes the floor above, and the outside positions team up w/ 1st due truck members. EVERYBODY, in all positions (engines;trucks;rescues;squads;etc) has their own radio ("handie-talkie") for safety and coordination of assignments. The fact that FDNY has SOP's for all the differnet types of bldgs. encountered, makes things go much smoother (everything is relative,of course). Hope this helps

The active-duty FDNY members may be able to add to this (and correct an old retired guy), but there are basically three (3) category of engine companies, as far as staffing (can't say MANning, as that would be politically incorrect). Group A engines consist of sixty companies throughout the city, picked due to being: high-activity; single companies; high rise area;target-hazards first due;etc. These 60 engines would start the tour w/ 5 firefighters (unless medical-leave usage city-wide is above a certain percentage. Group B engines start w/ 5 firefighters if there are surplus firefighters after group A is taken care of. Group C engines are almost always at 4 men (OUCH- can't say men- I mean firefighters). Remember that all ladder companies;rescue companies;squad companies;haz-tech engine companies start the tour w/ 5 firefighters (haz-Mat co.1 and marine companies are different). After the start of the tour, if anyone goes on medical leave, the manning (sorry-staffing) becomes like a chess game, where DSCO (division staffing control office) at HQ moves people around. At the end of this month the city is stating that they will take away the Roster staffing agreement, which basically means that all engine companies will be at four firefighters per shift. The UFA will contest this, but it will be tied up in the courts or arbitration for a long,long time. Maybe M'Ave can add to this and correct any errors. Hope this clarifies things.

Unfortunately this is not true for FDNY. There are many companies shut-down /closed/browned-out for the day tours during the week. These companies are scheduled for "educational day at the "Rock" and for company medicals at the Bureau of Health Services (BHS). Any members scheduled to work those tours that have recently had their medicals or annual training day, are detailed out to other companies. Rumor has it that the companies OOS on those day tours may be the companies that will also be closed on that night tour, if Bloomberg's "20 companies closed at night" proposal goes through.

Thanks for that interview w/ Jeff Cool, Res.Co. 3 (FDNY). Brings back bittersweet memories. I worked w/ his partner, Joe DiBernardo (who's dad was a Deputy Chief in the Bronx). I was never surprised to hear that Joey had his own personal rope w/ him that day. He was always training w/ our ropes at Squad 61, before he transferred to R.3. (we kidded him that he was one of "the rope fairies").His offer to lower Jeff first (cause he had a wife and kids) was typical of the type of firefighter Joe was. The irony of that day was that years earlier we had personal bailout ropes, but then Comm. Tom VonEssen pulled them from service. He thought they were too exprensive and never used. stay safe brothers!

Don't remember seeing any info on the WNYF (With NY firefighters) magazine on this site in the last few years. This is a quarterly magazine that the FDNY puts out.It goes over various major alarm fires; Technical Rescue operations; Haz-mat; marine (fireboat) co ops; dept apparatus purchases; fire prevention,etc. You can subscribe by calling the FDNY Fire zone store at 212-698-4525 or e-mail at wnyf@fdnyfirezone.org. It is in the bibliography for all promotion exams in the FDNY, and most active (and some retired) members subscribe. If you have an interest in FDNY this is something you might want to subscribe to ($24 a yr)

When a front-line piece has to go to the shops (which is only after the emergency crew/dept mechanics determine they can't fix the problem in the field) the company picks up a spare rig . The reserve units are stored in specific quarters throughout the city, and are normally used only for special situations such as standbys for movie shoots; partial manpower recalls for unusual events/fires; or another massive emergency i.e. 9/11/01. All the tools/fittings to outfit those rigs are kept locked in those qtrs in a "job box"to be opened only if the rig is placed IS. There are times when all the spares in the city are in use, and then the reserve units can be utilized as spares. There are usually more rigs OOS at "the shops" than most large depts have in their fleet. FDNY is lucky to have two dept mechanics on duty 24/7 in rigs that respond city-wide; also there is a "tire truck" during the day that responds to flat tires; and a radio mechanic that responds to calls in the fireld for radio and MDT (mobile data terminal) and siren problems. With the cutbacks coming, these "luxuries" that smaller depts don't have may disappear from FDNY as well.

there are two mobile training uits, as far as I know. One in staten island and one in queens. They allow co's to stay in the districts and still do hands-on training, instead of being OOS for many hrs going to "the rock". Both were funded by their respective Borough President budgets.With so many co's OOS daily for educational day;training at rock; company medicals;special multi-unit drills, the hope is to keep co's skill levels up, while staying IS for fire duty. With the upcoming brownouts of 20 companies (or worse) at night, these units are a help.

due to the fact that this compactor unit is attached directly to the building, with the wall breached at the "compactor feeding point", this WOULD be considered a structure fire (at least in the dept. that I work in).

They were responding to a 10-76 (hi-rise fire) on upper east side- fire in sub-basement in an electrical control room. One of the "purple-k units" was also special-called in case the IC wanted to "hit the panels" before con ed arrived to cut the power.

The manning on all companies is the same on the day tour and on the night tour. There is more "running" during the day, but more possibility of life loss (people sleeping) and delayed discovery at night. The 5th man on 60 engine companies will probably be "taken" by the city at the end of this union (UFA) contract.

Buffy- remember our days on Jerome Ave and 183 St when the Bronx was burning? Lots of good memories! Stay safe! Your fellow retiree from midtown.