joetnymedic

Wanted to share this for those interested. First its from JEMS and FREE (lol) and 2nd, you might just learn i trick or two from it, so I wanted to pass it on.
http://app.bronto.com/public/?q=preview_message&fn=Link&t=1&ssid=10530&id=btl8n5skghsljq6emi4p6u44sr80o&id2=e5xyhttc5kvmdm7g3go6skcv8nqce&subscriber_id=aegmryromfgqsimddhcomfgiktyvbpf&messageversion_id=bcqqvczerfzpovzdtalhrbuyracsbnm&delivery_id=bqkjgkljuzduwlbldljnalykhcmeblh&tid=3.KSI.A4F-Jw.CQ6f.QCFc..g1T-.b..l.AqEx.b.UC5xiA.UC5xiA.tjmnsA
Stay Safe out there everyone
Joe

How true is this - Good Piece for sure.
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120522/EDIT/305210136

How true is this - Good Piece for sure.
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120522/EDIT/305210136

HA,HA,HA - Don't we all wish-LOL except for us fat guys like me.

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Wife-of-Houston-firefighter-allegedly-tried-to-3389607.php

I will say the same. Thank you to those who serve both here and abroad. I myself am kind of bent that we will have a parade for a sports team (not against it) but no for those returning from service in iraq and afghanistan. I read a statement from a u.s. rep in a magazine article months ago saying it woul send the wrong message. REALLY? and how's that?

To the guys at HFD, you did a wonderful thing for Christopher. His story is very touching and I wish him the best. Christopher, it is my understanding you are a big fan of EMT Bravo and read it quite often, with that in mind, let me say this, Get well son and NEVER give up on your dreams. You will always have friends here.
Joe - Retired Medic and Proud member of EMT Bravo

To the guys at HFD, you did a wonderful thing for Christopher. His story is very touching and I wish him the best. Christopher, it is my understanding you are a big fan of EMT Bravo and read it quite often, with that in mind, let me say this, Get well son and NEVER give up on your dreams. You will always have friends here.
Joe - Retired Medic and Proud member of EMT Bravo

To the guys at HFD, you did a wonderful thing for Christopher. His story is very touching and I wish him the best. Christopher, it is my understanding you are a big fan of EMT Bravo and read it quite often, with that in mind, let me say this, Get well son and NEVER give up on your dreams. You will always have friends here.
Joe - Retired Medic and Proud member of EMT Bravo

So much for Brotherhood, eh?
There's a difference between giving honors to an active member who passes away and a Line of Duty Funeral. A BIG difference. But I have absolutely no problem putting on my Class A's to pay respect to a Brother who dies on duty or off. Regardless of the circumstances, Mahopac FD lost one of their family members in a really horrific way, and if they decide they want to do a service for him, that's their business.
All the guys and gals I've met from Mahopac are stand-up people who take care of their own, and despite all the other BS that goes on in the fire service, when it comes down to it, that's one of the core elements of who we are and what we do. THAT'S the Brotherhood, its more than just a T-shirt or a sticker on your helmet. THAT means something.
Having been to LODD funerals for both Fire and Police Brothers who have paid the Ultimate Sacrifice, I can tell you there IS a difference. Even if the two services were exactly the same, you can just feel the difference in the air. I pray that those of us who have experienced that never have to again. And if you never have had the honor of attending one of those services, count yourself among the lucky.
Stay safe Brothers and Sisters.

hey guys, feeling like crap today so stayed home instead of going to my daughters today, but i have a lot to be thankful for. got my transplant letter last week, thankful for my family and my second family from EMS and the FD and all of you guys here. I have all the memories of all the good times I have in the field and I give thanks for all my brothers and sisters out there in public safety out there today and everyday holding things down and all those guys and girls in the military out there keeping our country safe, so yeah, lots of stuff to be thankful for. stay safe out there people
Joe

That's Great!!!! May the be many more to come!!!

guys, don't murder the guy come on. he had a good idea, making gas available at a discount to "ACTIVE" members. Plus someone brought up the program of per call. that locks in for no abuse. you do the call you get the gas, end of story. i know where some of you guys are coming from. i actually know of a dept that is nothing but a social club. i'm not going to say which or where but this dept doesn't even have a truck. But there is a difference between rewarding those who do serve and playing favorites. So please guys, give this person a chance. Explain why it would or wouldn't work, including the ways it could be open for abuse like you guys have. I respect each and everyone of you on this board and your opinion is very important as are your ideas, experiences, etc. At least to me they are.
Stay Safe Out There
Joe

I know a lot of you guys are running into this stuff out there on the streets these days and I don't envy yous. West Haven PD here has managed to get most places to voluntarily pull this stuff from their shelves - SO KUDOS TO THE WHPD!!! For those of you who don't know what this stuff is, here's a little video for you to watch and learn from. This is some bad crap.
http://www.kfvs12.com/story/15960589/exclusive-video-shows-what-bath-salts-can-do-to-a-person

Stay Safe Out There....
Joe

i worked WEMS from when they first started until Feb. 12, 2002. This was when Doug and Billy Dawson were road supervisors. Now some of the other medics I worked with are supervisors themselves and some went the supervisor route and went back to being road medics (probably not worth the aggravation- who knows) Anyway there were 3 medics back then just as there are now and the supervisor had an extra flycar (was a dodge ram pick up back then which was actually painted to the WEMS colors after being bought in "baywatch yellow" WAS967 will remember that, as well as the champagne toast)When resources would run low or if a unit needed a hand, the supervisor would respond to that particular scene. While it's been awhile and I'm sure the call volumes have risen, I still think the 3 flycar system with that 4th unit being able to get out there can work. WEMS used to use system status management and they did it pretty effectively back then. I'm not sure who else on the board may work up here in CT in "The Valley" or if Will Pendleton is even on this board, but he's be able to tell you guys. Here in CT we have a service called VEMS (Valley EMS) which is a flycar system that is independent, but run through Griffin Hospital in Derby. They have 3 flycars out there covering jobs all day long and two supervisors that can be called into service as an ALS unit at any given moment. That system works and it works very well. Hardly ever do they have to go to mutual aid now. Back in the old days, before the "new VEMS" at night, units from AMR Bridgeport would constantly get called in for coverage, but the system was gone over and changes were made. Maybe that's what needs to be done here if there is a constant need for mutual aid medics. But from what I'm reading, that's not the story. The other thing is, and the Villages and Towns need to realize this, if you need and want another unit out there, it's going to cost money, so if you want it or even if you need it, you have to be prepared to pay for it. As for the medics being professional, etc. They were back then, they most likely are now and will be in the future. WEMS handpicked their medics when they started. They were the best of the best, They hired people from all over just to provide the best that money could buy. Being a WEMS medic wasn't just a job, it was an honor. I'm sure that the guys working the road now feel that way now, just as we felt back then.
Joe

My son David is an avid race fan and was watching when the wreck happened. The guy won 2 indy's and was only 33 years old. he started racing in 2002 according to reports tonight. 33 years old, what a shame. The guy pretty much had his whole life ahead of him. During the break they were showing all of the drivers talking to each other including Danica Patrick (I think she's a doll) anyway, you could see the concern on their faces. I think it was pretty decent that they did the 5 lap tribute for him. From what we were listening to I guess his wife and family were there too and watched the crash. Like I said 33....that is just too young to go. But hey the man upstairs must have had plans for him. i tend to say that when young people are taken from this earth, always have. I'm not a god freak, but I do believe there is someone higher than us in charge of things. RIP #77

My son David is an avid race fan and was watching when the wreck happened. The guy won 2 indy's and was only 33 years old. he started racing in 2002 according to reports tonight. 33 years old, what a shame. The guy pretty much had his whole life ahead of him. During the break they were showing all of the drivers talking to each other including Danica Patrick (I think she's a doll) anyway, you could see the concern on their faces. I think it was pretty decent that they did the 5 lap tribute for him. From what we were listening to I guess his wife and family were there too and watched the crash. Like I said 33....that is just too young to go. But hey the man upstairs must have had plans for him. i tend to say that when young people are taken from this earth, always have. I'm not a god freak, but I do believe there is someone higher than us in charge of things. RIP #77

Joe,
I truly appreciate your input.
However, I just want to reiterate we have tried strategy after strategy for 8 years now to keep this site civil. It's a fine balance. No matter what we do, it's wrong to some people (not you) and they throw unfair accusations our way. I've probaly been labeled everything in the book.
As staff, we basically just enforce policy, and if members were respectful towards one another and kept things positive and constructive, then we wouldn't have problems. And sometimes, I behave like some of the members, and I get called on it by another staff member.
We have a really strong team of staff on this forum that basically works 24/7 handling everything that goes on in this forum. Every one of our staff members has a lot of responsiblity and a high workload, and this site wouldn't be here if it wasn't for them. We all work together on everything that goes on with this site, as there is a LOT of behind the scenes phone calls, emails,reported content, etc that goes on. We try to be as accesible as possible to our members and their concerns.
And, it really bothers me that more members don't show appreciation towards our staff, regardess, for the above reasons.
As for me, yes, I can make the final decisions and overide certain things, but I rarely do (like below). The all-volunteer staff of this site does a good job with operations and policy. If I have an idea, I will present it for discussion. I spend A LOT of time keeping this site funded, and doing the technical work on the forums, maintaining the server, etc. I also handle a lot of other administrative things which keep me quite busy. I also have a busy life beyond this site. That's why having such a great staff on the same level with moderation policy and supports me and this site is crucial.
I love a lot of the good that this site has done, and believe we can always improve and be better, and I still spend every free minute that I can thinking about and working on this webite. Keeps me up for hours some nights. Sometimes, I will hire a babysitter so I can get the work on the site I need done, whether it is fixing a bug, helping members with log in problems or name changes, keeping up with advertisers invoices, trying to get new advertisers, some which I have to design ads for. I also just launched a site which I am very proud of that I have a lot of ideas for the concept that allows people who don't or can't use this forum to still be "in the know".
Now, I usually discuss this with the staff before making this kind of decision.....but I would like to offer you a spot as a Moderator on these forums. I handpick staff based on what I see would be right for the site, and I think you'd be a great addition, as do the 22 people and probaly more who repped you. That way, you can see what goes on behind the scenes, and help to influence the policy on this forum from your viewpoint. Email me to seth@emtbravo.com if you want to take me up on this and help out this site. It's rare that a member comes along and cares enough about this site to make a resepectful post like yours, and I hope you will step up and accept the offer. You have also been a longtime member of this site and have demonstrated your ability to offer guidances in a productive manner.
Seth G.
Founder, EMTBravo
P.S.: Please, anyone interested in becoming a staff member now or in the past can contact me VIA EMAIL at seth@emtbravo.com . I can't "overstaff" any more right now, but I will build a list for consideration based on what I feel the strengths of the kind of member that I need for a certain roles. It's nothing personal, and many of you I have considered but I can't make every great member a staff member....then we'd have no members!
(BTW-wraftery I really liked your post as well!)

I would never, talk down firefighting or EMS as a career as 10570 and JFLYNN pointed out, college is a must do. You never know what can happen down the road and trust me, you'll need that college education to get you by. I can attest to that first hand. I was involved in a volly department just a bit and I was doing EMS full time for a job and I loved it, but something happened ( I caught some really screwed up crap) and I had no choice but to stop doing what I loved. It's really great when you can wake up in the morning and actually be happy that you are going to work at a job you love, you can trust me on that 110%. But when you have to stop doing it, you best have a good cushion to fall back on. It took me 9, almost 10 years of fighting before the insurance company finally did the right thing and stepped up to the plate, and even now I still have to fight for stuff. I will say this though, Never, ever, if I had the chance to do it all again, would I not do what I did. Those that I worked with, as well as those that I vollied with and some are on this board, are some of the best people,and friends a guy could have. I am proud to call these guys my other "family". It's something nobody can ever take away from me and something I will cherish till the day I take my last breath. But remember, you have to do what's best for you at all times and you can't help anyone if you can't take care of yourself. Good luck with what you choose to do in life.
Joe

While I'd say some of the views here are interesting and the writers are entitled to their opinions, I don't believe the fire department or any branch of public safety for that fact is just there to keep people employed.. While I think foam and sprinklers are good things I hardly think all the foam or sprinklers in the world are gonna stop every fire from happening. SMH
Take a read at the sprinkler and foam articles in the current edition. BTW - This is what your mayors and probably some Governors are reading and people wonder why things are so screwed up -
http://webapps.icma.org/pm/9307/
Stay safe out there Guys (and ladies)
Joe

While I'd say some of the views here are interesting and the writers are entitled to their opinions, I don't believe the fire department or any branch of public safety for that fact is just there to keep people employed.. While I think foam and sprinklers are good things I hardly think all the foam or sprinklers in the world are gonna stop every fire from happening. SMH
Take a read at the sprinkler and foam articles in the current edition. BTW - This is what your mayors and probably some Governors are reading and people wonder why things are so screwed up -
http://webapps.icma.org/pm/9307/
Stay safe out there Guys (and ladies)
Joe

Date:7/28/11
Time:6:38pm
Location: 72 Clover Street
Frequency: LTR
Units Operating: Waterbury full assignment
Weather Conditions: dry/warm
Description Of Incident: 3 alarm fire in a 3 story structure 2 DOA's came in around 6:38pm went to a second around 6:52pm then a 3rd at approx 7:05pm 2 fatalities confirmed so far. request for fire marshal from state fire marsals office and detectives. this has been declared a crime scene
Reporters: joetnymedic
Writer: joetnymedic

as far as the actual emergency declaration goes. The journal news published that the crash radio traffic is available on liveatc.net. this guy was a pilot with over 50 years of flying experience and had done an emergency landing in the past, where all on board walked away, so it's quite obvious that something went drastically wrong that he couldn't make it back to the airport. In the beginning he actually held it together and was really calm on the radio. That's as far as I'm going to go with that. I will say that I listened to quite a bit of radio traffic that day and it sounded (obviously I wasn't there so I'm just going by what I heard) like things were very well run. A good point as to the weather, and terrain, etc was made also. Maybe it was overkill, but I too am of the better to respond with more than you need then have the rigs put back in to service then to respond with less and have to call for additional help. Remember to a degree, if you have to wait for additional manpower and apparatus to arrive, it may slow things down a little bit. I think the main thing here is that this was a very tragic accident and there were 4 people including two kids that lost their lives here. Having worked 45 medic 1 back in the day and knowing the departments that responded, I doubt (at least to a degree) that people stayed out of service to gawk at the site for any extended period of time. People who have not seen a plane crash up close and personal may have stayed for a few minutes, but I doubt anyone came even close to staying until the bodies were offloaded as I'm sure each and every one of us have seen plenty of bodies in our careers. Maybe the policy regarding response to this type of incident needs to be reviewed as I'm sure it will be, but in my honest opinion, you're gonna be damned if you do or damned if you don't in this scenerio. Send too many units out and it's overkill, don't send enough units and you didn't take the situation serious enough. Quite frankly I'd rather be the dispatcher getting my butt chewed for sending too much stuff there. I also think that we all know plenty of people who work 60 Control and know that they are some of the most professional and well trained dispatch staff out there.