chris 31

The reality is this is occuring in almost every VFD. Just change the names and the article can be reusedin every community.
The real issueis how will each department handle this new reality.
Way to many are either throwing dollars at recrutment/retention without a good return on investment or are ignoring the problem and are shrinking to a point they can no longer function.

Battalion 1


Battalion 2

With training and setting it up properly I don't have a problem finding my crosby hook? Its not buried under 50 feet of rope..

We fueled up at Nassau County DPW in Westbury.

Sounds about right! Same with the rest of the ENTIRE Hudson Valley!!

This an some of the other info is rather useful, but I see major limitations in much of what has been posted. Who bought what brand is general low on my list for specing (it is high for awarding a bid....quality, customer service, etc.)
1st one must look at your current and future operations. Are you going to use it as a nurse tanker, a shuttle tanker or both? I left out pumper or attack tanker (as its clear from what you wrote that thats not the direction your looking at). Will your operations or community change in the next 20+ years?
Since this is a critical part of your depts water supply plan for the non-hydrant area you need to consider how it will fit in with your mutual aid tankers. Standardization of fill and dump times is critical to success on the fire ground and getting credit under ISO.
The size of the tank is what most ff's think of, but the most important issue is the tanker GPM delivery during shuttles. I have seen tankers that can not unload quickly enough so they get sent home. I have also seen tankers that can not unload up to 25% of the load.
Side dumps can be at the front, middle or rear of each side and there are issues with each. Filling can be done from above or below and depending on how you set it up can require only 1 FF or 5. I'd rather have those other 4 at the fire.
Breaking and handling issues are critical with tankers and there are many systems to consider. Jakes, Telmas and transmition retarders (or a combination). Manuverability is also critical as turning around is common.
Most depts. buy either a replacement of what they have or what they see someone else has and rarely consider the performance needs. If you do not spec the performance (particularly the fill and dump times) then if you find your tanker is slow, you are stuck with it.
Good luck

OFPC has developed a Fire Department Best Practice document that is available on their website. The link to the document is below. This document outlines what they consider to be the "best practice" in regards to minimum training requirements for the fire service.http://www.dhses.ny.gov/ofpc/training/documents/training-best-practices.pdf

You know why the Trucks open the roof right?????
To see the real fireman at work!!!!!!!!
Guess I need to change my name now.

the red and clear would look good on my dodge!!

When (not if) the rig is involved in a crash, I want a solid bumper infront. Their is no way that this bumper is atttached to the frame structure so that its crash worthy.
Also willing to bet, that a very minor tap or even a minor contact with the ground (as when pulling into a steep driveway) will fold this bumper right up into the front of the rig.
And if you need to tow it or pull it out you better not secure to it.

First off - these pics pretty much suck as they were taken with my cell phone that I hate more than anything on earth, plus I was pretty busy.
JHK (Dover FD) was dispatched for a house fire yesterday around 1700ish. Additional calls reported a subject with injuries, poss burns. First due crews stretched to the finished section of a raised ranch basement and quickly knocked down the fire, containing it to a very packed room. The resident was removed via ambulance to a landing zone and flown out with severe 3rd degree burns from the waist down.
Mutual Aid was provided at the scene by Pawling, Wassaic, and Union Vale. Amenia stood by in Dover 1.
Standby Companies also responded to and handled an active chimney fire with Dover's ladder.
Later in the evening, while we were still at the house fire, we were dispatched for a rollover accident on Rt 343 (basically 100 yards from my house...of course). Mutual aid stand by companies responded along with our rescue engine to find a nice Mustang upside down in the roadway with one male with severe head injuries. A medevac was requested as well, and the patient also flown out. Dover and Millbrook remained on scene for traffic control for some time after.
It was no doubt, a very hectic night in the Harlem Valley, with serious incidents handled well by all responding companies. Good work Gentlemen.

I would ask the vendor what kind of guarantee they'll provide for painted roll-up doors. It seems to me that you're going to get lots of paint chipping from normal use unless they have some special way of painting them.

Engine 113 was the source pumper at the dry hydrant on Oscaleta road. E113 fed E112 and E140 that were the relay pumpers in line up to the fire scene. During the operation of the Tower Ladder 57, Tanker 2 was used to supply the master stream. I hope this clears everything thing up for the brothers that were not on the scene and are monday morning quaterbacking rural water operations...... Us up here in the North county do not always have the luxury of having those red things every 500 feet. Sometimes we need to get down and dirty and actually lay out an entire bed of hose.

No such thing as a rekindle its called not fully extinguished

It's pretty clear from the photos that these were Holsteins, not Black Angus. Holsteins are milking cows, not "steak cows". Get out of the "city" once in a while.

Summer of 2002, both my sister in law and little brother, as well as my wife and I, were expecting our firstborns. All was going great and we were all very excited.
About 3 weeks before they were due, the doctors noticed "something of concern" with their baby in the sonogram..and they were sent for a more detailed eval down in Westchester. The news was devastating to say the least. The baby's internal organs including the heart were not properly formed, among other abnormalities..they were told she would not survive birth.
In August, they were scheduled for delivery at Wetchester Med...still shell shocked from the news. I remember driving down on August 14th....not knowing what to say, especially since our child appeared to be totally healthy and trying to not be overly excited in front of them.
The delivery was tough to say the least...not only did my brother have to fear losing his first born, but his wife nearly died during the process...the staff at WMC worked their hardest, stabilizing her, and delivering the baby, a little girl, aptly named Faith. She did in fact survive birth...barely...and the second she was born she was whisked away to NICU for so many tests and procedures...
My brother couldnt talk...his wife couldn't even so much as open her eyes..we didn't know what to do, what to say..
My brother was shown how to baptise Faith by our Preist...which he did, as well as her Last Rites..could you imagine that!? I still can't.
We were able to see Faith quickly..and I will be honest..knowing what I knew..I thought it would be best of she passed quickly...when I met her...her eyes were wide open..her little fingers moving...so much about her that day was amazing, but I still can picture her beautiful blue eyes..the eyes of a fighter! I knew right then that no matter what actions needed to be taken, no matter the cost..that little Faith deserved every chance in the world to survive.
And fight she did!
She was taken to Columbia Pres by Stat Flight ground crew..the very same people I had worked with so many times on Empress chopper jobs...My brother was told not to expect her to live through the trip. BUT she did! Faith and her mother spent months living at Colmbia Pres...so many surgeries..rebuilt her heart, as she was born with a single chamber..her kidneys...a feeding tube, chest tubes, so many other things they patched, fixed, or made..amazing work..GOD'S WORK.
MY little brother aged 30 years in that time..barely working so they could be together as a family..just in case..so many times they were prepared for the inevitable.
In November, our Son was born, 100 precent healthy. I would be lying if I said we didnt feel a tinge of guilt, but moreso releived.
Right before Christmas 2002, little Faith came home. Amazing.
She was in and out of the hospital alot...for a long time..more surgeries..got very sick easy..
This all took one helluva toll on my Brother and his Wife. They lived like zombies..no emotion at all..just numb.
We were on vacation in Myrtle Beach the next summer when the house phone rang in the middle of the night..my brother crying that Faith was being airlifted to WMC by Stat Flight and she wasn't going to make it. And we are 13 hours away..
Well...she did survive another battle!
As she grew, she lived a very normal life..but was still plagued by medical issues..a long term feeding tube..frail..
Faith and her mother just returned from her first vacation to Scotland, where her mom was born and raised before coming to th US..
Today we got together to celebrate Faith's NINTH birthday.. This little FIGHTER is as normal as any other 9 year old today..she is the TOUGHEST, BRAVEST, SWEETEST person I know. She could teach volumes on being a survivor...she has more fight in her than I ever will. A NINTH birthday for a wee little lass who wasn't supposed to survive birth. Guess she showed them!
So even though we read daily that the police, fire, EMS, hospital, and medevac staffs are overpaid, under appreciated, overworked, etc..know that there are peopl eout there who benefited from your actions, your training, and your skills..people who appreciate you and what you do - because as little, well, not so little anymore, Faith can prove...you are needed and appreciated..from the Doctors who reconstructed her heart, to the nurses who changed her, to the medics that responded to their house when she collapsed, to the firemen who stood by while the chopper took off with her, to the Trooper who didn't ticket my mother on the TSP...all of you made a difference.
Thank you.
And HAPPY BIRTHDAY FAITHY...I LOVE YOU!

I want to see some one go into a trailer load of lets say angus cows that has rolled over, and tie them up no less. Some body is getting injured if you have never been around cattle.

I am reading this a little different than most of the other commenters. I have speced a number of vehicles for a number of different depts. and based on what you've written, you are working backwards.
It is very common for depts to decide on a manufacturer, before they decide what the depts needs are. Every dealer who reads your spec will know who you want and often few others will invest in bidding the rig (it costs them $1,000's and if they know you want something else, why waste their $$$). I have also seen depts. that make it so clear that they want one brand, that their is only one bid and they get hit with an extra $60,000 for the rig, because everyone knew that was the rig before the spec went out.
There are clearly differences from one manufacturer to the next. But the biggest differences when it comes to quality, reliability, service, etc. is your spec and the local dealer. I have seen many apparatus committee's that spend days figuring out if the light bar sould be red on the left and blue on the right (or vis versa), but have no idea what pump is right, or the difference between a jake brake and a telma retarder (and how that will affect maintenance). I have also seen good spec's that were not followed because the manufacture &/or dealer knew you'd accept whatever they built as long as the stripes and lights looked cool.
In the last 25 years my dept. has owned: ALF (2 different companies), LTI, Maxium, Pierce, RD Murry, Seagrave, Sutphen, SVI and we are soon to get a smeal. They have been on ALF, Pirce, Seagrave, Simon-Duplex, Spartan and Sutphen Chassies.
All have been fine and all have had major issues.
Almost every manufacture uses the same tires, wheels, axles, brakes, engines, transmissions, pumps, drivetrains, seats, mirrors, lights, filters, etc.
Write a good performance spec that meets your needs then let the dealers fight to prove who will build you what you want for the most reasonable (note: not cheapest) price.
If the bids are close, then consider reputations, recommendations and past experiences in making the final cut.
Remember your spec (and the follow thru) is what will make or break this engine.
Good luck

TL15

Shops

Date: 4/11/10
Time: 22:15 hours
Location: Grand St x Eldridge St
Frequency: FDNY Manhattan
Weather Conditions: humid, light drizzle
Description Of Incident: fire extended from the basement through the roof of a 6 story MD and into exposures 2, 2A, and 4. Companies initially unable to locate source of fire.
Reporters/Writer: ryang
Additional Info:
Chinatown, Manhattan, NY, 4/11/10
Address: 283 - 285 Grand St between Forsyth and Eldridge Sts
22:14 hours
Phone Box 259 - Report of smoke in the area
Engs. 9, 55, 15
T6, TL18
Battalion 4
10-75-259 - 22:16 hours
E28
T20 (FAST Truck)
Battalion 2
Squad 18
Rescue 1
Division 1
22:21 hours
Battalion 4: We're opening up at this time, we're trying to locate the source of the smoke. We're not sure if this is even the right building at this time. We have 1 line stretched, ready to go into operation.
22:25 hours
Division 1: We're going to change the address to 285 Grand St, we have a heavy smoke condition throughout the building, still trying to locate the source. 1 line stretched at this time, start out an extra engine and extra truck.
E7, L11 S/C
7-5-259 - 22:29 hours
DC1: We have a 20x80 mixed-occupancy type 6 story. We're still searching for the fire at this time. All-Hands at this time.
RAC1
Exposures are:
1 - street
2 - similar attached
3 - unknown
4 - similar
CIDs for 283 - 285 Grand St:
6 story 60x75 MD class 3. Rear fire escape. Solar panels on roof.
2-2-259 - 22:34 hours - Duration 20 minutes
Car 6 (AC James Esposito, Manhattan Borough Commander): Box 259, transmit a full 2nd alarm on this box, k. Box 259, right now we're using a 2nd alarm, heavy smoke in the cellar and 1st floor. Undetermined source of fire at this time, Trucks are still opening and searching for fire. This report by AC James Esposito, citywide tour commander.
Engs. 33, 5, 6, 10
E24 acting 9 w/ Satellite 1
TL9, L3 acting 6
Battalion 1 (Safety Officer)
Battalion 6 (Resource Unit Leader)
Safety, Rescue Battalions
Tactical Support 1
FieldCom, Command Tactical Unit
22:36 hours
Car 6: 2nd Alarm Box 259, 10-45 no code.
22:38 hours
Car 6: The satellite, let's get them on Grand St in front of the park on Eldridge, get the manifold set up right in front of the fire building. I want the two trucks into the command post ASAP, with their tools, k, they're going to work. Special call 1 additional truck on the 2nd
TL1 S/C
22:40 hours
The staging area is Grand St and Chrystie St
22:41 hours
Receiving apartment 4H at 45 Allen St reporting smoke.
22:42 hours
Car 6: Special call an additional truck above TL1.
L8 S/C
22:43 hours - Duration 29 minutes
Car 6: 2nd Alarm Box 259, another, 2nd, 10-45 no code
3-3-259 - 22:47 hours
Car 6: 259 box, transmit a full 3rd alarm. I want the entire third alarm to stage at the staging area
Engs. 4, 3, 16, 23 acting 55
L10, T5
Battalion 7
Battalion 35 (Staging Manager)
Battalion 43 (Air-Recon Chief)
Mask Service Unit

22:54 hours
Car 6: Have the 1st due trucks on the 3rd alarm respond in to the Command Post.
22:55 hours
Car 6: Call 2 trucks and have them go to staging.
TL21 acting 1, TL15 S/C
22:59 hours
Car 6: Give me 2 engines and 2 trucks off of staging, have them report in to the Command Post.
Engs. 4, 3, L10, T5 re-directed
23:00 hours
Car 6: Special call two Battalion Chiefs on this assignment, I want them at the command post.
Battalions 8, 57 S/C
23:00 hours
Battalion 31 replacing Battalion 57
4-4-259 - 23:01 hours
Car 6: Transmit a 4th Alarm! Have the 4th alarm report to staging, I have Battalion 35 at staging.
Engs. 8, 1, 54, 14
E262 w/ IMT Unit
TL7, TL12
Battalion 57 (Planning Sections Chief)
Car 4 (Chief of Operations Robert Sweeney)
Car 36B (Department Chaplain)
23:02 hours
Car 12A (Executive Assistant, Safety and Inspectional Services) is responding
Car 17 is 10-84
23:05 hours
FieldCom: 4th alarm Box 259, AC Esposito, Car 6, would like to request ConEd Gas and ConEd Electric to the scene, k.
23:08 hours
Fallback Step III has been implemented in the borough of Manhattan.
23:10 hours
Receiving report of person trapped in apartment 4C on the 6th floor
23:10 hours - Duration 57 minutes
FC: Progress report #6 on the 4th alarm Box 259, the correct address is 283 Grand St. Car 6, AC Esposito reports we have fire in the basement and 1st floor of the fire building, which is 283 Grand St, with possible extension into the 2nd floor. We have extension into exposure 2, which is 285 Grand St, into the 1st floor. They have 5 hands lines stretched and in operation, they are evacuating civilians from the upper floors, and they are getting water on the fire, primary searches are in progress, and the fire remains Doubtful Will Hold.
23:12 hours
Receiving apartment 14 at 285 Grand St reporting a person choking from smoke.
23:13 hours
FC: By orders of Car 6, AC Esposito, special call 2 Battalion Chiefs above the 4th Alarm.
Battalions 9, 32 acting 1 S/C
23:13 hours
Car 12 (DAC Stephen Raynis, Chief of Safety and Inspectional Services) is responding
23:16 hours
FC: Can you put in another call to ConEd, we need a supervisor forthwith and get an ETA
5-5-259 - 23:17 hours
FC: Per Car 6, AC Esposito, transmit a 5th Alarm!
Engs. 26, 226, 34 acting 24, 230 acting 10
6-6-259 - 23:23 hours
Engs. 205, 224, 210, 211
L154 acting 1, L24
23:26 hours - Duration 1 hour 12 minutes
FC: Progress report #7 for the 6th Alarm Box 259, at this time AC Esposito reports, 8 handlines stretched and in operation, fire on the 1st and 2nd floors of exposure 2, fire extended to the 3rd floor of the original fire building. Transmit 2 additional 10-45s, for a total of 4, still evacuating numerous civilians from the upper floors, and the fire remains Doubtful.
23:32 hours
Car 36A (Department Chaplain) is responding
23:34 hours
FC: Special call a 95 foot Tower Ladder, we need them to respond to Eldridge St adjacent to exposure 2.
TL14 acting 21 S/C
23:42 hours
FC: At this time the Chief of Operations, Chief Sweeney, is on scene. We have evacuated all members from the fire building and from exposure 2, and we are in the process of conducting a rollcall.
23:44 hours
Battalion 43 - Air Recon: Can you advise the FieldCom, from our vantage point we have heavy fire through the roof.
FC: Have the Air Recon Battalion switch to channel 5 while they conduct rollcall.
23:45 hours
Car 3 (Chief of Department Edward Kilduff) is 10-84
Car 1 (Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano) is responding
23:54 hours
Car 1E (Commissioner's Liaison) is responding
Car 14 (Chief Fire Marshal) is responding
7-7-259 - 23:55 hours
FC: At this time can you special call an additional FAST Truck, have them report to Battalion 9 on exposure 3. By orders of the Chief of Department, Chief Kilduff, transmit a 7th Alarm.
T118 (FAST Truck) S/C
23:56 hours
FC: By orders of Car 3, Chief Kilduff, we will only special call 2 engines.
Engs. 21 acting 15, 219 S/C*
((7th Alarm rescinded)
00:00 hours - 1 hour 46 minutes
FC: Progress report for the 6th Alarm Box 259, at this time Car 3, Chief of Department Kilduff reports they have heavy fire on all floors of the original fire building, and they have fire on all floors of exposure 2. They have 2 tower ladders set up and in operation: 1 on the fire building, and 1 on exposure 2. They have extension into exposure 2A, and have 3 handlines stretched into exposure 2A, and the fire remains Doubtful.
7-7-259 - 00:05 hours
FC: By orders of the Chief of Department, Chief Kilduff, transmit an additional alarm for the 7th alarm.
Engs 216, 258 acting 33, 271 acting 6, 202
L30 acting 3, TL146 acting 18
00:07 hours
FC: Can you special call an additional Deputy Chief.
Division 11 S/C
00:11 hours
RAC1: You're going to have to dispatch another RAC to the 7th Alarm here.
RAC2 S/C
00:27 hours
FC requests a mixer-off message.
00:33 hours
FC: Can you special call 1 additional battalion chief, have them report to the Command Post.
Battalion 44 S/C
00:46 hours
Receiving report of embers falling on Hester St between Eldridge and Forsyth Sts
00:46 hours - Duration 2 hours 32 minutes
FC: At this time Chief of Department Kilduff reports they have fire in exposure 2A on the 4th, 5th, 6th floors and in the cockloft, they have a tower ladder operation on the fire building, another tower ladder operating on exposures 2 and 2A. They had some extension into exposure 4 but that has been knocked down, and the fire remains Doubtful, k.
00:54 hours
FC: On the original 4 10-45 no codes, 2 of them are going to be code 2s (Red Tag, Immediate) and 2 will be code 4s (Green Tag, Minor).
01:14 hours
FC requests a mixer-off message.
01:25 hours
BC43 (Air Recon): Advise FieldCom we have re-fueled and are ready to take off again, ascertain if they have any special instructions and what handy-talky channel they want us to come in on.
01:26 hours
FC: You can notify the Air Recon as per the Chief they can go back in service.
01:35 hours - Duration 3 hours 22 minutes
FC: Progress report #10 for the 7th Alarm Box 259, the Chief of Department, Chief Kilduff, reports: at this time they have shut down all tower ladders, they have no visible fire in the original fire building, exposure 2, or exposure 2A. They are evaluating the structural stability of the original fire building and exposure 2, they will be going back to a handline operation in exposure 2A, and places the fire Probably Will Hold, k.
01:49 hours
FC: We have a correction on the 10-45s: originally we had a total of 4 1045s, it is now only 3. 2 will be code 2s, and 1 has been upgraded to a code 3 (Yellow Tag, Delayed).
01:51 hours
Rescue Battalion is 10-8 back to Citywide.
01:54 hours
Tactical Support 1 is 10-8 back to Citywide.
02:00 hours
Car 1 is 10-8.
02:12 hours - Duration 3 hours 58 minutes
FC: Progress report #11 on the 7th Alarm Box 259, the Chief of Department, Chief Kilduff, reports: at this time they have 1 tower ladder operating into exposure 2, they have 2 handlines stretched and in operation in exposure 2A knocking down pockets of fire in the shaft and cockloft, he's placing the fire Under Control, k.
Relocations:
Engines: 316/1, 292/3, 280/4, 271/6, 221/7, 24/9, 22/9, 306/22, 230/10, 35/10, 291/14, 21/15, 255/15, 319/21, 34/24, 325/24, 73/26, 237/28, 258/33, 259/33, 23/55, 74/55
Ladders: 21/1, 154/1, 115/1, 3/6, 30/3, 128/6, 163/7, 110/8, 16/11, 22/12, 111/15, 146/18, 119/18, 101/20, 14/21, 23/21, 54/14
Battalions: 32/1, 11/2, 10/4, 45/6, 52/8

Despite what this is officially called, this is an apparent act of domestic terrorism. This is similar in nature to events that took place in Miami after 9/11, Fort Hood, Oklahoma City and various others. We must read his words carefully. While they maybe the crazed rant of a delusional man blaming the IRS and the government as a whole for his problems, his words can not be simply ignored. They in fact represent a growing dissatisfaction and resentment of the current political system and government in place in Washington currently. This is neither a democratic nor republican issue. It is an issue regarding America as a whole. The growing populist, tea party movement in this country is an example of the bipartisan reaction to American policy dating back to Ronald Reagan and the fall of the Soviet Union. The populist anger that is being expressed in this country currently is and will continue to be a force to reckoned with. Whether you agree with this fellow or not, his actions were extreme, but despite that fact he represents the culmination of various forces and circumstances. We can not forget that there have been those before him and there will continue to be those who follow him in these reckless and extreme actions. It is our jobs as Americans to fix the problems with our great country, to right the wrongs that have been made, fix the problems that have occurred, prevent things like this from happening again and to restore our firm and unyielding footing at the top of the global political and power structure. But we can not do it alone, we must act as one, one nation, not one or two or three parties, but as one nation to correct the mess that we have made. This fellow was crazy, no doubt in my mind, but his points are not as crazy, it is our job now to stop the madness. When we do this we insure security for all Americans from this kind of anger and allow for economic growth and development to prosper for all Americans to do with it what they wish.

Discuss your department's chimney fire tactics...residential dwellings.
Do you use "chains" to knock the crap off the walls?
Plastic baggies with dry chem? Chimfex?
Stretch a line or not?