mfc2257

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Posts posted by mfc2257

  1. Posted

    Few other quick notes....

    When I had control of an LZ it was always my policy to mark the landing zone with either cones with a handlight inside as previouslly mentioned, or eventually a specifically designed set of low intensity landing zone marker lights that we bought.

    I always made it a policy to have apparatus turn off all warning lights so as not to potentially blind or distract the pilot as they neared the ground. The choppers have lighting that allows them to see everything they need to see.

  2. Posted

    Make sure that you use correct information. No 747's were hijacked on September 11th 2001. The planes that were flown into the World Trade Center were 767's and the planes that were flown into the Pentagon and Shanksville, PA were 757's.

    It is extremely important that the details of that day are not lost in translation.

    Carry on!

    Off all the cities they have to do this "classified operation" with and for a photo op. It was only 8 years ago when 2 747's crashed into the trade center killing 3000 plus people.

    Nice job Commish's Kelly, McGoo and Mayor Bloomturd

    Chris

  5. Posted · Edited by mfc2257

    John was a good man. I knew him from the early 1990's. His attitude of work hard, play hard formed a basis for many of the firefighters that I knew from MFC in my rookie years. Neat, clean, organized, and ready for hard work sum up my memories of John. Afterword, a little ball breaking followed by words of wisdom and a beer to wash them down to keep your feelings from hurting were ususally in order.

    One of my fondest memories of John came in 1999 (or so) when he was back for a visit.... Maybe the MFC 75th anniversary... The evening before whatever event he was in town for, we had just finished preparations when we recieved a call for alarm bells sounding at a familiar false alarm facility off Shinglehouse Road. The chief's including his son-in-law Mike "Moe" Molnar pulled out along with E-245 (TS-2) and E-248 (TS-2's twin Kenworth down from Station 2). There were 3 of us left and I decided that John deserved a ride around the block in the brand spankin new E-247. I drove, John rode the officers seat, with one in the back. As we pulled off the ramp he handed the mic to me and said "you better talk"... I responded by saying "you've been doing this longer than I've been alive, I'm sure you'll be fine".... I tapped the "Q" as we pulled away and like an old pro he marked us on the air with a smile. We didn't even make it to the light at Rt-100 when the box was placed in service but you could tell that he appreciated the ride. He got his share of ribbing from the guys when we went out later in the night about how surprised they were that an old dude still knew how to talk on the radio. He washed the ribbing down with a beer.

    Real men don't become great firemen by being taught by sissies. John let you know how it was whether it felt good or not.

    I'll miss him even though it's been years since I've seen him.

    Condolances to the Deems family and all their extended members.

    -Alfee-

  6. Posted · Edited by mfc2257

    I think there is more than one person on this site that has done similar things. I always wanted to know how the vehicle I was operating would handle in snow and ice. To find an open parking lot with no hazards was priceless. The problem is that this group made it public as a music video.

    Absolutely agree.... Video = Stupid...

    Getting a feel for how a vehicle reacts on snowy roads by using a vacant obsticle free parking area is fine with me as long as someone in an official capacity knows that the vehicles are being operated and has approved the action.

  7. Posted · Edited by mfc2257

    Let us not forget, that.......

    "Government has nothing to give anybody except what it first takes from somebody, and a government that's big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take away everything you've got." (From Mr. Lawrence Reed)

    Everything that is going on today to "save" America is nothing more than taking from one and giving to another... Until this concept is realized, we will be giving handouts to people for years simply because they don't realize that it's a vicious cycle. The money they recieve now will only be temporary relief but corporate America, small business, and municipalities must not be overtaxed because it removes their ability to grow and produce new jobs.

    Be ware of the government that wants to save you. The worst thing you can ever hear is a knock on the door that says "I'm from the government and I'm here to help".....

  8. Posted

    I spent several years of my firefighting service in Gettysburg, PA which had several similar issues (and some additional ones). Much like FFD in Dutchess, Gettysburg had a vast majority of its first due area covered by National Park Land (battlefield), Gettysburg College, Lutheran Theological Seminary, Adams County Jail, as well as many historic not for profit properties that have been preserved within the Borough itself. To compound this, in PA the levying of a fire tax is very difficult unless you are a city.... Boroughs, Townships, etc., cannot levy a fire tax even on its residents and businesses. So what happens is the FD is left to handle fundraising on its own (carnival, bingo, shrip feed, golf tourney's) and the responsible businesses and citizens make contributions to the fund drive. Most municipalities make a nominal elective contribution to the fire department as well (5, 10, 15 thousand... not much).

    One vital componant to fundraising is to educate the community as to what they are getting as far as Fire-Rescue-EMS services. It is also important to work with the institutions that are tax-exempt so that they understand the load they put on the agency that is providing services and to help get an annual contribution. Gettysburg College just gave Gettysburg FD $200,000 towards the cost of their new 100ft Seagrave Truck... This was done after the truck was purchased and there was no expectation that the contribution would be made, but it underscores the relationship between the college and the FD. At the end of the day, the FD which is not a Fire District or an agency of the municipality, owns all its own equipment (Quint, Truck, Rescue-Engine, Engine, 2 Ambulances, Traffic Control Unit, Service Truck) and it's fire hall and pays for 24hr staffing of its ambulances.... This kind of situation is managable, however it requires a ton of work to overcome the challenges of a district that cannot provide funding that is commenserate with the level of protection that is required.

    Have the colleges been approached to see if they are willing to help pay the costs of the department. Have the other tax-exempt organizations been approached as well?

  10. Posted

    just drove back from florida myself.....

    .

    .

    did u happen to notice wjhat looked to be a graveyard of rigs on the side of 95 im not sure if it was georgia or south carolina

    If its what I think you're referring to (a bunch of ARFF trucks and a few fire apparatus) I believe it's a dealer.

  11. Posted

    I love chimney bombs and introduced them to Millwood about 10-12 years ago after using them extensively in Gettysburg, PA. I got a lot of pushback from folks who weren't progressive enough to see their benefit without hard proof. So I put them on all the rigs and it was a year or so before someone actually deployed one the way I had instructed, and it worked like a charm.... Chimney flares are crap!

    Close the damper, drop the bomb, and cover the chimney with a plate.... Plastic melts, dri chem chokes the fire with very little damage to the house.

    Don't use heavy duty bags as sometimes they don't melt fast enough... Use thin cheap bags like the ones you'd get fruit or vegetables in at the market.

  13. Posted

    A good buddy of mine did a stint in the "Not So Magic Kingdom" of Saudi Arabia as a FF and said that the money is great but that's about it.

    He is one of the best FF's I know and was on the job in Fairfax County, VA before taking the job in Saudi Arabia. He has since taken US Gov. FF job in Alaska.

    Sounded to me like it was a "buyer be ware" opportunity.

  14. Posted

    PLEASE everyone who is an interior FF... wear your hood up over your head EVERY time you're in a fire, on a roof, etc.

    Some of the saltier guys that are on here are right, they've never had an issue and the tops of their ears have served them well over the years as a barometer on how hot is too hot.

    BUT

    What many aren't taking into consideration here is that there are other people and other factors at work on the fire ground than just you, your ears, and your instincts. What happens if the truck company opens up at the wrong place at the wrong time and you get caught in a blowtorch.... What happens when the second due engine accidentally places an opposing 2.5 inch line against your 1.75 inch line and blows a wall of fire in your face.... What happens if you go through the roof or floor and are struggling to self extricate will you have time to "hood up"... nope. Also please don't underestimate the power that adrenalin has over your senses. When conditions are deteriorating rapidly and your body is pumping copious amounts of adrenalin into your system, your trusty ole ears will probably ignore the heat.... The same way a crab will start jettisoning legs/claws to keep its core warm when it lands on the deck of a fishing boat in sub-freezing temps…. When it really hits the fan, your brain will ignore your ears and it will be too late.

    Not pointing fingers at anyone, just stating what I believe to be the stronger argument and that is to wear it all the time.

  15. Posted

    That is an open cab and its important to remember that if the apparatus is refurbed it has to come to NFPA 1901 Appendix D which I believe requires the cab to be enclosed.

    I have to disagree with you. It's not open, its a canopy cab by definition.... Yes to you and I, we'd call it open, but by fire apparatus definition it falls into the canopy catagory because the rear facing FF's heads are covered.

  17. Posted · Edited by mfc2257

    This happened to me first hand in Gettysburg, PA in 1998 (maybe early 1999). It was the first major fire for the department's new 75ft Quint which was used as a first out engine with a 100ft truck and pumper to follow. We rolled up and myself, company officer, and backup man ran the 2.5 up to the third story of an 100 yr old middle unit row house with common attic (although divided by plywood). By the time we got up stairs and started putting a knock on it we were hearing lots of cracking that wasn't typical timber burning. We realized it was ammo and took cover in the stairs and used the roof joist and beams to dispurse the water flow throughout the attic. Shortly there after the fire was pretty well out and the truck was opening up...... When the daylight hit we realized that there were multiple gun cabinets with 1000's of rounds of ammo. Luckily, none of the rounds that discharged were chambered in the stored guns although some of those guns were loaded and a chambered round would have carried enough energy kill.

    Not a cool moment for me and my boys.

  18. Posted

    Mayor Bloomberg, although a lifelong social liberal, is a fiscal conservative who has already brought they city back from a major budget deficit once in his tenure. Many of the severe actions he took to save the city from financial ruin following the murders of 9/11/2001, he reversed after the city was in better financial shape.

    I would suspect that he will do the same following this financial downturn.

    I don't agree with him socially, but from a fiscal standpoint I think the city is in the best hands possible.

  19. Posted

    I've used Turbo Tax for the past 6 or so years online.

    Whether HR Block's version is better I can't say... Turbo Tax however has never given me a problem and always given me timely answers to items that I needed guidence on.

  20. Posted · Edited by mfc2257

    For those who aren't familiar with the apparatus numbers....

    L50 Ardsley

    TL27 Chappaqua

    TL44 Croton

    L16 Eastchester

    L55 Elmsford

    TL21 Elmsford

    TL1 Thornwood (Not a quint it has no tank)

    L4 Greenville

    L56 Hawthorn

    TL12 Hawthorn

    L36 Irvington

    L52 Millwood

    L10 Mohegan

    L35 Mohegan

    TL8 Montrose

    L47 North WP

    TL45 Peekskill

    TL53 Purchase

    L30 Rye Brook

    TL78 Tarrytown

    TL46 Verplank

    L34 White Plains (this might be L-32)

    L51 Yorktown

  21. Posted

    Reality is the most important factor to consider when purchasing a quint.

    A 75ft single axle quint is an engine with an aerial device. They should be labled as engines in the CAD as well... Yup.. Ladder 47, 50, 10, 52.... should all be running as engines.

    A 100ft tandem axle quint is a truck with a pump, tank, hose.... It's never going to be a driveway piece.

    Where departments make HUGE mistakes is when they kid themselves (exit reality) and think that a 100ft quint on tandems will replace an engine, OR a 75ft quint on a single will replace a truck.

    I cant stress it enough... reality is the most important factor when considering the purchase of a quint. Basic rule of thumb... 75footers run as engines 100footers run as trucks and there isn't much room between.

  22. Posted

    I hate to break anyone's bubble who thinks that if this had happened further north that it could be handled by the agencies between the GWB and TZB or the TZB and the BMB. One NY Waterway vessel took 50+ passengers off that plane or roughly 1/3 of the load. Had they not been there, even in NYC with NYPD/FDNY/Park Police/Coast Guard and any other agencies that assisted, this would have had a different outcome. I'm not saying that it wouldn't have been successful, but it would have been different trying to get 150 people onto the smaller NYPD & FDNY Boats.

    Now back to everything from the Bronx to the north where all those smaller emergency craft are 10-15-20-30 mintues out.... There simply aren't the number of vessels available to effect this type of rescue outside of the harbor area. That is reality. Chief Flynn even admitted that Yonkers couldn't get to a bunch of guys in a Cessna not too long ago.

    Realistic expectations will help to realistically preplan this type of event if it did happen in Westchester/Rockland. About the only thing that comes to mind would be the ability to have one swift vessel available run multiple auxiliary rapid deployment rafts to the scene that can temporarily get folks off the plane or other disabled vehicle in question until other resources arrive.... Realistically... 20-30 mintues later to provide sustainable aid. Other than that, I'm not sure that these folks, even with a preplan are going to get help any faster north of the GWB.

  23. Posted · Edited by mfc2257

    I believe they are mis-interpreting the by-law which states something to the effect of: A member of an IAFF Local may not volunteer for a department that would be considered a direct competitor of another IAFF Local. For example, a FF from New Rochelle who lives in Mohegan would not be able to volunteer in Mohegan or Peekskill but there shouldn't be any reason why they couldn't volunteer in Put Valley or Yorktown as those departments do not have IAFF Locals.... A Career Firefighter who works for Prince Georges County Fire Rescue should not be volunteering at Kentand, Bladensburg, or Ritchie but there is no reason why they couldn't volunteer for Gettysburg or New Oxford if they lived in Pennsylvania.

    Quoted from the resolution that I brought up months back:

    Resolution No. 2

    COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Constitution & By-Laws

    Re: Secondary Employment

    ".....WHEREAS, numerous affiliates expressed strong feelings that the language of this provision should be amended to ensure clarity of intent and consistency of enforcement and to clearly prohibit IAFF members from working secondary employment as a firefighter, emergency medical services worker, public safety or law enforcement officer, or as a worker in a related service, where such job is within the work jurisdiction of any IAFF affiliate or materially erodes the conditions of work of any affiliate;"

  24. Posted · Edited by mfc2257

    From wesh.com Orlando Local NBC Affiliate

    Demings Sworn In As Orange Co. Sheriff

    By Jeff Lennox - www.wesh.com - January 6, 2008

    ORLANDO, Fla. -- Orange County's new sheriff faced his first full day on the job on Tuesday....Demings bring 28 years of experience in law enforcement. He is married to Orlando Police Chief Val Demings.

    FULL STORY: http://www.wesh.com/news/18419366/detail.html

    The City of Orlando is completely surrounded by Orange County or other independent municipalities within Orange County such as my city of Winter Park. What are the chances that a husband and wife would hold these offices at the same time. She is an appointed position by the city, he is elected by the residents.

    OCSO is the agency that has been in charge of the Kasey/Caley Anthony case that has been in the news since last summer.

  25. Posted

    In most Vol depts they have a chief and 2-3 asst Chiefs,in the absence of the capt or lieuts to work inside assigning the jr a/c is fine inside,when you have the jr officers inside the other Chiefs IMO should be outside assisting the Chief by either covering a sector of the bldg or assigned a task such as a safety officer,water supply officer etc. Stay outside and command where it is needed.

    I totally agree... My point is that there are many resources available to the volly IC to tap for a defacto aide. I think most often what happens is that they don't assign someone to this specific task and are left with doing it themselves, OR someone takes on the task informally (read: ineffeciently) and the effective use of an aide is lost.

    In short:

    Career BC Aide is an invaluable resource.

    Volly IC needs to take 30 seconds to establish a dedicated Aide on the scene to assist with functional role of command. Many resources to pull from, the IC just has to take the time to do it instead of the "I'll handle it all" tunnel vision approach.