nysff

First Due Training, Capital Tech Rescue, Applied Rescue Technique, Tech Rescue Corp (from the Rochester Area) are all great. It all depends on what you are looking for. First Due and CTR work hand in hand with eachother and are even advertising together. I know the owners of all the companies listed and can tell you that they are all top notch.

The number is a little high, but yes the OT is coming quick and often as there is one shift that is shorter than the rest on manpower.

Yes, the officer counts as part of the 3. There are 3 total bodies per truck and engine and 2 per rescue (medic) units and 4 min. on the rescue squad. The driver generally stays with the first due engine and truck company, then it is up to the oic of the rig of the following due. Most of the time the driver of the later due goes to work or assists the first due.

Albany gives tests every three years, unless the eligibility list is exteneded. They just gave a test in January and have been holding the results until they hired this group of 15. The results most likely will be releasesed with in the month, meaning that a new test will not be given for at least three years. As far as mass retirements, there is a possibility of this happening if the city changes the insurance package given to retirees (which is proposed to take effect Jan.1 2012) which would require retirees to contribute to their medical benefits. If this happens anyone with 20 years can go. Also, Albany is an ALS agency. You do not have to be a medic to get hired, however you can not reach top of grade until you are a medic. You are required to be an EMT prior to hire. Some of the new hires that started their academy this morning are medics, which I would imagine helped their chances of getting the position. As far as staffing, the last class that was hired completed their academy in 2009. The city will still have vacancies once these 15 get out of the academy and will still rely on OT to fill the vacancies. There are 8 engine companies with 3, four ladder companies with 3, the rescue squad with minimum of 4 maximum of 6, and 3 stand alone rescue (medic) units staffed with 2. One of the engines is also a primary ALS unit (Engine 10).

I still have to disagree about the Verdoy quint. Latham and Shaker Road routinely arrive on scene with their respective truck companies or any called apparatus for that matter before Verdoy's 1st due is even enroute (Monty can attest to this), especially at night. Verdoy gets out quickly during the day because they staff the station with 3 "station keepers". I recall about two years ago Latham getting in with an engine 1st due well into Verdoy's district during the daytime as well. The only truck that is a little slow for Verdoy's district was Midway when it was running out of the central ave station. As far as Maplewood not needing a rescue is true, that is why they do not have one and never have. They do however have the required equipment on engine 422 to be called a rescue (cutters, spreaders, ram, power plant, onboard generator, and scene lighting). The chiefs at Maplewood decided long ago that they wanted to rely on Latham, Boght, and Schuyler Heights for extrication services depending on where the call was in the district. Every extrication they get 2 rescue companies automatic plus themselves with their tools on the engine. Consolidation is the what needs to be done. There is no one accountable for the town as a whole. Latham and Shaker Road "share" several buildings (business/buildings are split between two districts). The box assignments for the same building are completely different. Schuyler Heights and Menands is another example with Village One Apartments. 3/4 of the complex is in the village. The box on the village side is all apparatus from the village, a truck from Watervliet Arsenal, a FAST from Latham, a truck and engine from Schuyler Heights. The box on the heights side is All apparatus from Schuyler Heights, a truck from Menands, a FAST from Colonie Village, a rescue from Shaker Road(which no longer exists), and an engine from Maplewood. This is the same complex, same hydrant system, building construction two entirely different assignments.

Latham is not a fire district. It is a fire protection district (fpd), which is not bound by the law which accounts for fire distrcits, villages, and cities. They are a private corperation who contract with the town for the Latham Fire Protection District. An FPD is similar to a fire brigade is some ways as they are not municipal. This is going to be a really bad example as the following are an industrial giants, but does GE or IBM require their "firefighters" to go through an academy to obtain their 229 cert? The answer is no. Kodak on the other hand use to make their "firefighters" go through the city of Rochester's fire academy recruit class. Note: "firefighters" becuase their job titles may actually be Plant Protection or Facilities, however they are there to be on site firefighters. Even if the law applied to an FPD, the law states 6, which they only employ 5.

The Latham Paid Firefighters are not required to have their 229 certs and they should be. The membership at Latham believes the job is only a stepping stone and does not believe that they should have to go to an academy. Also, there are only 2 true heavy rescue vehicels in Colonie. All but 1 department (Maplewood) have very overloaded rescue pumpers and ALL 12 departments have extrication equipment. As far as Latham goes with their massive vehicle, it is a heavy rescue but their members have no clue what to do with it, as I have witnessed their operations first hand as a trained by stander on several of their pin jobs.

This article was poorly written in my opinion and written by a horrible investigative journalist. There is a story here to uncover in Colonie, but it is not the chief's vehicles, which is actually a wrong number. There are 36 fire chief officers in Colonie and only 34 cars, not 35 that he has reported. There are wastes and lots of redundancy. I have to laugh about former NYS Insurance Commish Serio, who is currently Chief of Verdoy. He just pushed his department to buy a quint so that they had their own ladder truck. Verdoy is surrounded on 3 sides by ladders, Midway, Shaker Road, and Latham. Their 4th border is the Mohawk River. A total waste of taxpayer money.

Date: 4/14/11 Time: 23:51 Location: 30 Ballina St. Frequency: Troy Fire 1 Units Operating: Engines 3,6,2, Truck 2, Rescue Squad, Car 4 Weather Conditions: clear 50 Description Of Incident: Report of fire in rear of structure. Engine 3 on location with heavy fire. Car 4 transmitted 2nd alarm. Engine 4 and Truck 1 to scene, Engine 1 to HQ. Green Island Engine, Watervliet Truck and chief, Colonie EMS 641 cover to HQ. Car 1 request recall of 6 from 3 rd platoon. Watervliet recalled 2nd platoon. Ranch style residence heavy fire. Multiple lines and crews to roof. Reporters/Writer: NYSFF

Date:3/3/2011<BR>Time:Approx. 5:30 PM<BR>Location: Freeman's Junk Yard, I787 at Tibbitts Ave.<BR>Frequency: Multiple Frequencies<BR>Units Operating: All Green Island Units, Cohoes Engines 2,3, Car 1, Ladder 1, Watervliet FD Engines 1,3, Truck 1, Car 1, Watervliet Arsenal FD Truck 1<BR>Weather Conditions: Cold, 31 degrees<BR>Description Of Incident:Fire in 3+ story mill on property Freeman's Junk Yard. Fire showing on all floors. Several ladder pipes in operation as well as multiple 2 1/2" lines and ground monitors. General Alarm for Green Island, Watervliet, and I believe Cohoes as well. Troy Fire will cover Cohoes from their Lansingburgh station.<BR>Reporters/Writer:NYSFF

Date:12-10-10 Time:1322 Location: McClellon Street Frequency: 460.600 Units Operating: All Schenectady units and Reserve units. At least 2 shift call back plus Carman Vol. FD, Niskayuna District 1, Stanford Heights Vol. FD, Scotia FD to scene and covers. Weather Conditions: Cold, Clear Description Of Incident:Fully Involved multiple dwelling with extention to adjacent.Interior Ops on exposure, exterior ops on main building. Reporters/Writer:NYSFF

For the second year in a row, the Town of Colonie is named the nations safest community. My link

This is not the first time that the two cities have investigated a combined fire department. Previous studies conducted in the 90's included combining Watervliet, Cohoes, Green Island, and the city of Troy into a regional fire department. That plan went as far as this plan most likely will. The current study calls for the elimination of Cohoes Ladder 1 and the closing of a Cohoes station. The city of Cohoes would then rely on the City of Watervliet/Village of Green Island tower, which is housed at Watervliet's station and staffed by 1 firefighter. When there is a request for the tower, more manpower is obtained by taking another unit out of service for Watervliet. Green Island does not provide manpower to staff the tower. Another interesting topic of the report is that Green Island is included in the studies data. The village did not want to be part of the study and the Mayor of Green Island wants to maintain their own fire department.

Albany does have a post. I believe that they meet at the Brevador Street station but I don't know the days. I would contact the twin rivers chapter of the boy scouts to get the proper contact info.

Date:7/20/2010 Time:Approx. 19:30 Hours Location: Hudson River (Albany County/Rensselear County) Frequency: Troy Fire 1, Watervliet Fire 1, Green Island Fire 1 Units Operating: City of Troy FD Rescue Squad, Truck 2, Engine 6, Medic 4, Boats 1 and 2 Cars 1,2,4 Watervliet Fire Car 1, Medic 8, Truck 1, Engine 1, Green Island Boat 1, NYSP Dive Team, Rensselear County Dive Team with boat, Albany City PD/FD Dive Team, Troy PD Weather Conditions: Clear, 70's Description Of Incident: Initial reports of two subjects in the water in trouble reported to Watervliet 911. Call determined to be on Troy side of river. Initial response was Watervliet and Green Island on the Albany County side and Troy Fire on the Rensselear County side. One subject still missing as of this time. Search called off last night at approx. 2200 hrs to resume this AM. See www.timeunion.com for more information Reporters/Writer:nysff

Date:12/21/09 Time:2102 Location: 125 Menands Road, Albany Rural Cemetary Frequency: Colonie Digital 800 Units Operating: Menands T-6, R-6, Car 36, Shaker Road Eng 449, Car 52, Safety 9, Maplewood Eng. 422, West Albany Eng. 454, Car 66, Car 67, Schuyler Heights R-8, Car 47, Latham (FAST) T-4 and Car 28, Colonie EMS, Menands PD, Town of Colonie Fire Investigation Weather Conditions: Cold - 18 degrees Description Of Incident:Fire in Cremetorium building. Heavy Fire through roof on arrival. Due to lack of hydrants, three additional engines added to the box. Rescue 8 first in encountered heavy fire in ceiling/roof area near the kiln. Command called Signal 20 after fire knocked down holding all and requesting 1 additional engine from Shaker Road to standby in thier quaters to cover the village. Reporters/Writer:Colonie Fire/EMS Dispatch and Menands Dispatcher

A rescue pumper versus a true heavy rescue is a decision that has to be based on your department and its situation. A true rescue has its place as does the rescue pumper. My preference is to have a heavy rescue and to share that resource with neighboring departments who might have limited capabilities, such as a rescue pumper. Usually a rescue pumper I have found has one cutter, one spreader, and one combi tool, and maybe a ram with a few air bags where a true rescue will have multiple setups of each, as well as other specialized equipment such as rope rescue gear, rigging equipment, and hazmat supplies. You can only put so much onto a pumper. I know that the City of Albany has recently switched back to a true rescue unit from a rescue pumper, which inturn allowed them to have prepiped hydraulics, multiple tools and the ability to combine another complete vehicle (Hazmat unit) into the rig. Albany however also has a compliment of extrication gear on the truck companies. I have personally been to multiple pinjobs where a rescue pumper just didn't have enough equipment to accomplish the tasks at hand. On one occasion the cutters blades blew apart, in came the combi tool which blades blew apart, which left just the spreaders and the next due rescue was a rescue pumper which only carried one of each tool and there were multiple vehicles with multiple entrapments. There just wasn't enough equipment to go around. These incidents tool failure are rare, but can happen, so having the room for a second cutter that a true rescue gives you is a positive. For fire suppression reasons, a rescue pumper is the way to go. A rescue without a pump is just a manpower unit. One option that is gaining popularity is to put a small CAFS onto true rescue units. I know upstate, Latham FD and Westmere FD have put 33 gallon CAFS onboard (which produce 300 plus gallons of finished product) and I have heard of a few more looking to do the same.

I have heard really good things about the CMC Rescue School. I have also heard excellent things about the Rocco classes. The concern that I would have prior to spending the money on any school is if the courses are 1. Equivalent to NYS training so that it "counts" towards your personal state credentialing and 2. that the training meets NFPA 1006. I have heard from people over the years that the state does not issue equivalency easily, not even for some courses that have occurred down on the island. Have you thought about taking the NYS Rope Rescue Series at Montour Falls? I have gone through this entire series, as well as taking training elsewhere. I have found the state's product on par if not ahead of some of the programs taught out of state.

I am not sure if anyone is aware of this or not, but the emtbravoupstate forum has been shutdown. I must admit that I never posted on the forum (or this one for that matter as this is my first post), however I was a regular follower of the incident alerts. What I would like to see is a subsection of this forum like what was done with Putnam, Orange, and Dutchess Counties. I know that there were quite a few followers from the Capital Region. I have to admit there were a few bad eggs but I think that as a whole, there is a demand for the forum.