billfitz

Yonkers is awaiting a Smeal/Spartan pumper no frills - 1500 gpm $440K - add a little gold leaf, some chrome - a few bells & whistles and perhaps some equipment you can easily go over 600K for a pumper

PCFD ENG58 - Thanks for the inside tour - what a collection!!!!

The NYC UAWG is considering purchasing these types of units in the near future utilizing UASI Homeland Security funds. (NYC, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Yonkers & Port Authority of NY & NJ)

John Flynn is correct - not only the first WTC bombing, Oklahoma City & the Sarin Nerve agent attack in Japan - created the first programs to prepare this country - it was then known as the "Domestic Preparedness Program" also known as the Nunn, Lugar, Domenici act named after the congressional delegation who originally sponsored it - it was based on 120 cities. Post 9/11 DHS was created and took control over all grant progams. It was more threat based - versus just the 120 populated areas. Even the AFG's are under the umbrella of DHS.

most likely a year or so

This money was from the 07 Federal Budget (UASI or Urban Area Security Initiative)- Westchester, Nassau & Suffolk also recived 2M - The Journal news picked up on ours because the City Council just recently voted to accept & ammend our City budget to utilize these funds - White Plains, New Rochelle, Mount Vernon also received money from this program under the SUASP( Supplemental Urban Area Support Program - Do not know the $$ amounts) As for the boats PD & FD had to receive waivers from NYS OHS to purchase the boats and justify the need - which we did.

Rigging equipment such as - chain hoist, come alongs, wire rope slings & webbing slings can be oredered from many industrial supply houses such as Grainger, Fastenal and Crosby just to name a few. Just be sure to order rated slings etc. with the rated capacities stamped, marked or otherwise identified on the equipment - when building a system just remember a chain is only as strong as its weakest link (Don't use a 1 ton chain hoist with a sling rated for 12 ton when stabilizing a 10 ton load)

While low pressure bags generally have 1/7 the lifting capacity of high pressure bags - they can be extremely dangerous if you are not well versed in their use: Ex- high pressure bags generally only lift 3-8" at a time before resetting - thus you are almost forced to crib (lift an inch crib an inch) as you go - the low pressure bags may lift their max height 30" plus in one shot - the danger lies if you do not stabilize the load before you lift (utilizing a chain hoist w/ webbing or wire rope). You must do this in addition to cribbing as you go - these bags resemble a tire tube in construction. and the load may roll off the bag causing deadly consequences - be careful - we carry 4 sets in the field (Rescue & Squad 11) as well as three sets on the USAR Trailer

It should be mentioned the host FD is the Incident Commander just as any Fire M/A incident -(as per NYS law home rule) whether they are career, combo or volunteer this can not be delegated - any tech rescue or Hazmat team would report to the local IC and function under "Operations" of the local Fire Chief.

hey Bull - it is not about Yonkers we are not advertising a team to respond - if you go back to post 13 the County sent a fax out advertising their team - still no one wants to answer the questions about the County Team - and thats a lot of bull - no pun intended -lol

Well we might as well move on if no one wants to answer the questions raised regarding the County HazMat & Tech Rescue Team we should all put on our rose colored glasses and have a nice day!

For ICS & accountability purposes they should respond w/ POV to staging area to check in and respond as a group - not respond directly to the scene one at time in POV's - local VFD's may operate that way but a specialized team coming in on Mutual aid could not possibly function that way.

stick to the issue bull - Chris mentioned pre-assembling to respond - w/o prior knowledge how would you do this unless you were on duty? I never mentioned Yonkers Bro! the elements of the SOTF are throughout the County. NO ONE WANTS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE - RESPONSE TIME, TRAINING LEVELS, NUMBER OF MEMBERS AVAILABLE TO RESPOND = PIPE DREAM. Its a feel good mentality - again many individuals put in many long hard hours the problem is "It won't work" - No one has answered the questions regarding the response of the County HazMat - why? Because that does not work. All of you in the fantasy world of WCDES want to make it a paid / vollie issue - get over it -

Chris what do you mean by assembled? How is it a wash? Like Barry said with the tornado SOTF units where in Hawthorne in under 30 minutes probably faster than most members of the local dept. Does that mean they have prior notification of a disaster or emergency. From an ICS standpoint the mythical team with their mythical response time would have to respond to a central location to stage - even if it is not 60 control they can't just show up one at a time in their POV's - The only way they could be preassembled is to have them on duty all the time - and I think we call them - full time on duty professional firefighters.

At last years NYS HazMat leaders conference - I was told there was over 80 HazMat teams in NYS - I asked the following question - who certifies the teams - the answer I got from OFPC was "the honor system" thats comforting

Who said we had to resond from the southern tip of Westchester - how about White Plains, Greenburgh, Scarsdale - Where can I sign up for the Volunteer Bomb Squad - just in case!

If you are refering to the County - you will get the same rhetoric - they have no answers - Once again it will be the same as the County HazMat - w/o 3 days notice they could not get 25 + members to show unless it is a parade - don't be duped, just buy a t-shirt and go along with the back slappers - why make waves it is more politically expedient to jump on the band wagon - you are a bad machine if you buck the tide and ask questions - everything will be fine - sit back & enjoy the ride - what color is the sky in your world? - "The Emperor has no clothes" - "I want the truth - you all can't handle the truth!" BTW Ladder 55 that's Chief or sir to you - I believe I've earned it! - ( A few Good Men- lol) Can't take this to seriously because nobody else does. Food for thought for our law Enforcement brothers on the board - Why don't we start a County volunteer Bomb Squad - so we can be better protected and have a quicker response throughout the County in case the real bomb squad is not available? sound ridiculous? More Hats & T-shirts BRILLANT!!!!!

I still have not seen any of the answers to the tough questions posted here replied to ? - just everyone slapping each other on the back and wishing well - where are the answers??????????

Lets all stick our head in the sand and never ask any tough questions - this is not a paid vs. volunteer issue - its about getting the job done!

The doubt has been cast by WCDES stating they have a resource that does not exsist - "The Emperor has no clothes" ask the hard questions because they either won't answer them or give you rhetoric (Where do these team members work, can they leave work anytime to respond, members from other FD & PD's can they leave to respond - it is a pipe dream. the politicians all want to feel good about this whether it works or not - sell the equipment now before it depreciates any further. no one wants to hear the truth!!!!!!!! Look how the County Hazmat operates - it will be no different - don't be fooled.

The silence is deafening and speaks volumes = the "Emperor has no clothes"

As Barry said - this is not a personal attack on any individual for their time and committment - as I mentioned in my original post. "The Emperor has no clothes" everyone including the County will be quick to acknowledge the exsisitence of a team - but no one will have the guts to ask the questions which have been brought up here in public. How many are trained ? To what Level? What happened to the oversight committee? What is there response time? How long can they sustain operations? The concept seems good on the surface when you look into it falls apart. Like I said it will function as well as the County Hazmat - we all know how well that works (again not knocking anyones individual commitment) Can the HazMat respond with 30 people within 30 minutes provide entry, backup, decon, safety, reference, logistics, command and sustain multiple entry teams? The County HazMat should serve as an indicator of how well the tech rescue team will work! If everyone out there can be satisfied with a truck full of equipment showing up at the scene with 2 or 3 people then I guess you could call it a viable team. - it creates a dangerous perception and is false advertising - I hope some Incident Commander is not pinning his hopes of a successful conclusion to a Building Collapse waiting for the arrival of a fully functional - trained, equipped & manned tech Rescue team. Hopefully it will be sooner than later that WCDES realizes they cannot not field a viable team and follow the lead of Syosset and sell the equipment off - better yet give to White Plains FD.

I was also a member of the now vanquished committee!!!!!!!!!! - So I do have a little more insight than most on this board.

Chris - you are 100 % right - that is why I stated there needs to be verification & validation of training & resources - NIMS already outlines what the different levels of team are Type I. II. II. & IV. NFPA 1670 outlines training standards. Judging by the County's track record I am sure they will be just as effective as the County HazMat Team. "The Emperor Has No Clothes" - no one dare wants to say it or call them on it - the record speaks for itself. This is not a disparaging comment or an attack on any group but a statment based on reality!

I don't think I mentioned the Yonkers Fire Dept. in my post- I thought I was talking about training and certifications - which I mentioned I am sure several members of the County Team have - I think the point I was trying to make is that good intentions do not translate into responding to a Tech Rescue incident within 30 minutes with enough trained and qualified personnel M-F, 8-5 when most dept's can't get an engine or ambulance out the door. When you can guarnatee a minumum of 30 First Responders on the scene trained and ready to go - to operate at a collapse incident within 30 minutes with the proper equipment and PPE then will talk. until then -