v85

Got mine on Friday as well.

I agree. I have been hearing for quite a while that "homegrown" extremists, whether Muslim or otherwise, are becoming the next big threat, if they are not already

Does anyone know around when we should be hearing back from Putnam County civil service after sending the application?

Just heard Newburgh FD dispatch an engine to a BLS medical call. Is this something new?

If at 18 you have 2 years of driving experience, how do you at 21 only have 3 years? I think it should be five Also, I wonder if those statistics from objectivesafety.com took police officers into account? I just did a little preliminary research on odmp.org and came up with the numbers of the average age of a police officer being involved in a fatal MVA, in which their driving played a factor (ie. NOT a situation where a drunk blew a red light etc) was an average of 41.5 years old, a mode age of 39, and a median age of 39. When an outlier of 76 years old was removed, it was a median age of 39, a mode age of 39 and an average age of 40. I will probably break it down by code 3 response as well, but not right now.

The data would probably be skewed since most places require a minimum age of 21+ to drive. I tend to agree though that years experience is a great factor and one that IS borne by facts. The NYPD was (is ?) having a problem because many of their officers got there drivers licenses 6 months before the academy, and they were still learning the basics of driving while being asked to drive code in city traffic. I also think that another problem is over-reliance on the emergency equipment and assuming that other traffic will not only see/hear you, but respond in an appropriate fashion. Now, to hopefully put this issue to rest, I am approaching 21, which is when I would be allowed to take EVOC. I honestly do not know if I will. The reason is because I know of the risks, and I do get concerned thinking about the responsibility for the lives of the patient and the other crew members.

Most of the departments in Orange County are the same, 21 years old, clean driving record for the past 3 to 5 years, and completion of an EVOC type programming. This goes for both FD and EMS. The only exceptions that I know of are the paid companies because of staffing and crew issues. (ie. a crew of 2 with an 18 y.o. EMT and a Paramedic, and its an ALS level call) But I think this thread kind of went off topic. Although I agree that sometimes emergency services, not just EMS use their RLS excessivley, I don't think that abandoning them, as the author mentioned is the answer. I would also love to know the demographics of the towns where the "research" is being conducted that says RLS only cuts a minute or so off of response times. Not to mention if it is true that "every second counts" than "only" an extra 1:30 isn't so inconsequential. Now with that being said I do believe that sensible policies are needed, ie "No running code to an alpha or public service call", "No running code to after being told to come in non-emergency", "Stop and clear all intersections where you have the red light or stop sign" etc...

I don't think it has to do with respect as much as with fireground experience. My town's department does have or at least had, a few captains/lts in their mid twenties, with only around 5 to 8 years of interior experience, as opposed to a past chief with 20 + years of experience And not all ex-chiefs are on the line, I believe we do have a few company lieutenants who are past chiefs as well.

In my town's volunteer fire department if, for some reason, none of the 3 regular chiefs or the duty chief (who is an ex-chief that is permanently kept as Car 4) are available, the ex-chief on scene becomes IC until a regular chief or the duty chief(also technically an ex-chief) arrives. I would imagine it is the same in other departments as referenced above

London (England) has a similar, although much more established and indepth program called Ambulance Community Responders http://www.londonambulance.nhs.uk/working_for_us/volunteering_with_us/tony_jenkins_-_ambulance_commu.aspx A way to get around any potential liability issues would be to have the people sign up officailly with the department and maybe pass a fingerprint investigation. Although I could imagine something like that would cause problems with the unions.

I agree that the driver of the car should bear responsibility for it, I was simply stating the reason that was probably used by the lawyers. This could also be a case of "qualified immunity". Was the FF also held personally liable? If not, then it is the same as with a police officer. Correct me if I am wrong but if an officer gets into a shooting, and is within departmental guidelines, any civil liabilities will be borne by his employer, correct? Was it the same case here?

I think they are saying the town is liable because when the dispatcher "encouraged" him to follow the other vehicle he was acting as an agent of the town (ie. under their (presumed at least) authority."

I sent in my application too. Waiting to hear back from them

I really don't know what the solution is, to the whole scene safety issue, maybe have at least some PD members with EMS training so they can start treatment in the hot zone. Kind of like an extended Tactical EMS program?

It looks like sometype of engine for industrial equipment

Chiefs needing four radios just to talk to their routine mutual aid departments

Date: 01/08/2011 Time: 1320 Location: Pallisades Interstate Parkway IAO bookstore Frequency: 44 Control Units Operating: 18-1, 18-2, 18-3, 18-4, 18-5, 18-7, 18-1000, 18-1500, 18-Tanker, 18-EQ, Rockland Paramedics, EMS, New York State Park Police, NYSP 2F84 Weather Conditions: Description Of Incident: MVA Rollover 3 Occupants Entrapped Reporters: Writer: v85 State Police and Dept. 18 Dispatched for a car off the road way. 18-3 O/S reporting 1 vehicle rolled over with 3 occupants entrapped, requesting Dept. 18 Units, EMS, ALS to roll ASAP. Stat-Flite with 22 min. ETA if needed 1322- 18-Tanker to Stand by in quarters 1326: 18-1 O/S 1329: 18-Command requesting Res-Q Jacks ready upon arrival of 18-EQ, 18-1000 to stage in bookstore parking lot 1332: State Police 2F84 O/S 1335: 18-1500 to enter bookstore parking lot, stretch a line; reports EMS just passed them 1336: 18-Command reporting all victims extricated; all other Dept. 18 units to proceed with caution 1341: Signal 11(Under Control) called 1349: 18-1 Terminating Command

To give some background information, this thread stems from an incident that happened in Orange County. Basically, a fire department had, as its SOG's not to roll to MVA's unless confirmed entrapment or fire. This area had a report of a car into the woods, but no confirmed entrapment. As per SOG, only PD and EMS were sent. Upon arriving on scene they found a patient (later determined to be DOA) entrapped in the vehicle. This resulted in a delayed dispatch of FD. The discussion is now what the FD's response policy should be for MVA's. Should FD respond on all, or almost all, MVA's, or only on certain ones?( this can also be extended to include EMS, ALS, Medevac's on standby, etc) Personally, I see pros and cons to both sides. Responding to all MVA's Pros: + Resources are there, or at least closer if needed + More experience for members Cons: - Increased risk of apparatus accidents - Burn-out of members (If the tones are dropping 20+ times a day for fender benders with barely a scratch, eventually people will stop responding) - A "too many cooks spoil the broth" situation on scene - More apparatus out of service/unavailable for other calls -Not sustainable in severe weather situations (There is only a fixed amount of apparatus, to say nothing of medevac's or ALS rigs) Responding to certain MVA's Pros: + Preventing all of the cons listed above Cons - Delay in accessing a patient in critical need of care I personally like the approach the district that I live in FD takes. They will respond to any MVA with reported fire, major fluids leaking, roll-over, ejection, entrapment, car into tree, car into pole, car into water, or head on collision. Dispatch also has the discretion to send them any time they feel an FD response is needed. The original thread, in case anyone is interested is available here: http://thewatchdesk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=593371#post593371 What do you think?

Date: 12/27/2010<BR>Time: <BR>Location: 75 Peenpack Trail<BR>Frequency: 154.205, 46.16<BR>Units Operating: Huguenot (Full Department), Port Jervis (Car 3, E-825), Cuddebackville (TA-800 to Huguenot quarters, other manpower SBIQ), Milford (FAST 33-Rescue-1 to Scene), 36-3, 36-11<BR>Weather Conditions: Windy<BR>Description Of Incident: Chimney Fire<BR>Reporters: <BR>Writer: v85<BR><BR>Working Chimney Fire at Residence

ecscanning.com is showing a two new Port Jervis units, one designated 073F, which is a fly car, and one designated 073M. Orange County doesn't usually repeat identifiers, so I don't know if this is two different units, a typo, or something else, but it looks like PJ has at least one fly car.

What is NIFRS, is that the FD eqiuvalent to a PCR?

Helicopper brought up a good point. Does your agency have the capability for "car-to-car" communications between PD/FD/EMS without having to go through dispatch, or only having to go through one dispatcher? In my town, two of the fire districts' car 1's are police officers for the town. It is not uncommon, therefore, to hear them provide police information about MVA's to responding officers using their take-home police radios.

For those of you who said that you go on MVA's, I'm just curious in finding out what your department responds with. The FD in my town responds with 2 engines (the zone engine and the rescue company's engine) and 1 rescue. On a major incident the Fire Police support vehicle(s) also respond. This is in addition to the members that respond in POV's

If it has come to the point of billing for FD responses, why did they choose to bill for MVA's, which are real emergencies? Why not bill for repeated false alarms, or basement pumpouts and other "public service" calls? Doesn't that make more sense then billing for real emergencies?

Do you trust the numbers? NYC is showing an increase because they got in trouble for cooking the books. Google "Schoolcraft tapes" for more information