EMTbravo

Thanks to all for the input, it is appreciated. As I mentioned, I spent a majority of my Thanksgiving day and weekend on the redesign. I really like the grey, and I kind of like the blue...although I think the latter needs some tweaking. For the time being, I think I will simultaneously maintain both schemes. I've heard a lot from the Blue camp...any more fans of the grey out there?

This topic will be closed if further comments are likely or do deteriorate. There is no such thing as "Paid Drivers". There are fully-trained, fully-capable career firefighters, whos primary emergency responsiblity is the same as a regular firefighter. In the departments where firefighters are assigned, just like the nozzleman-as part of the team, to operate the apparatus, that may be the very important role they are needed in at that moment. In addition to many other duties as assigned by the indiviudal departments, such as fire suppresion, EMS calls and filling out manpower as needed that goes along with the training and physical fitness that they also have to keep up with. At one time, way back, departments did hire drivers to drive the rigs and thats where the term "paid driver" originated. In case some people haven't realized it, it's 2005 now and things have changed. Paid driivers may exist elsewhere, but they DO NOT exist in Westchester County. There is also no such term as "Paid Firefighter", it's "Career Firefighter....since being a firefighter are these men and womens professional career, something they have earned, NOT just something they get paid to do. Therefore for future reference, I view the term "Paid Driver" as a derragatory comment, and one that won't be tolerated on this board. There is no need to be throwing those types of comments out. If anyone uses this forum to grandstand and incite conflict between the two sides (P vs. V), please don't. If you have something constructive to add, please feel free to add your comments. Issues/Questions/Comments/Concerns with the above statement??? I take emails..... EMTBravo@EMTBravo.com

Even though the holiday season doesn't begin until Santa arrives in Herald Square, I was thinking of a contest for this holiday season. Members would submit photos of their firehouse, EMS station, or precinct decorated for the holidays. We would post the photos submitted, and have members of the site vote on their favorite. Just a holiday themed idea. Does anybody even do a nice job decorating their firehouses anymore??? And would anybody submit photos of their firehouse and/or participate?

Check out a special, limited editon blue background version of the new front page of EMTBravo.com Click Here

Check out a special, limited editon blue background version of the new front page of EMTBravo.com Click Here CAM502, you must have hit during a quick live scripting edit I was doing.

Just curious, what skin do you use to view the forums? Please vote above, and add your comments.

It's not broken. Click the "Refresh" button on your browser. Also, note it doesn't pull topics from some forums, such as "The Lounge", "Buy/Sell/Trade", or the IA forums.

Maybe we should have a top banner competition?

This would be an extremly difficult modification to do. At this time, there's a lot on my plate that I want to do with this site, and scripting something like that would take a while. I will look into it though. For the time being, you can always subscribe to the IA forum. That way, when a new IA is posted, a notification is sent to your email box.

You can still log in as invisible, but only through the login page I will see about adding it to the bar on the main page. But why would you want to?

After a hiatus during the upgrade to the new forum software, we are pleased to re-introduce the latest Incident Alerts to the front page of EMTBravo.com. This was a very popular feature, and many people voiced missing it during it's hiatus. We did have to do some major behind-the-scenes scripting and coding changes to EMTBravo.com (which will allow us to do some other things to the main page in the future) and want to make sure everybody can still navigate properly to EMTBravo.com and see the IA's. (Note if you have index.html bookmarked, it is now index.php) So, my question is (answer in this thread)- Can you see the Incident Alerts on the front page of EMTBravo.com????

Done. I think. Can you see the split?

We are redoing the membership groups system, and we will be releasing further information on the specific membership groups and corrsponding colors shown in the memberlist soon.

Exactly. I disagree with the first comment in this thread. I don't think it's quite accurate or fair to say that half this site is LA stuff. Yes, there is some LA stuff posted...mainly links to features over at LAFirePhotos.com. The majority of the feedback I get enjoys that content, including myself, which is why it is there. Is it really that big of a turnoff??? I like showing off some of the cool stuff out there, and the cool photos that come from that site (LAFirePhotos.com). Please note I also am part of the webteam over at that site. Additionally, since I am a big time LA buff.......posting my photos from LA and others photos is a a treat for me. I like the show off some of the things and differences out there. Please take a look at the front page right now. I think it represents the latest photos from the area quite well. I work a lot off feedback I get from members of this site. I spend hours upon hours processing, editing, and posting the photos I get. The more photos you send in of the area incidents and apparatus and other special features, the more that will be posted. Also, as far as the comment that this site started as a site for the NY/NJ/CT metro area, no. This site started exclusively for Westchester County news and photos. Due to member feedback, requests, and most importantly support, it grew to the NY/NJ/CT metro area....with a continuing primary focus on the Westchester area. This site will ALWAYS be a local region site. And BTW, thanks to all the members who continue to tell me why they LIKE this site, and who keep me going. Thanks also to all the members who continue to submit area news and photos.

Not at this time. It was a lot of work to just get them back up there, and it's a lot more work to make the script to sort between forums....however, it may occur sometime in the future.

Happy 2nd Birthday EMTBravo Network (Forums)!! In A Few Short Hours, On Monday, November 14th 2005 Marks The 2nd Birthday of EMTBravo Network Forums. (EMTBravo.com will be 3 years old on January 1st, 2006) The board, started from scratch on November 14th 2003 at 19:15 hrs, with 0 posts and 0 members. At this time last year, we had 1,081 members, 9,190 posts in 1,840 topics. As you can now see in your member information panel, we have grown a lot since this time last year, and hope the pace continues. You can now can look in the "Who's Online-Board Statistics" Section of the board to see which members are celebrating a 1 or 2 year anniversary as a member of this forum...updated daily. This past July, we upgraded to the new forum software "EMTBravo Network 2.0", which was completly new and different in many ways. We hope everyone is growing used to it by now and likes it just as much as the old forums. I don't know how I did without some of the features that are available on this software. The forum also got its own domain, www.emtbravo.net. Special thanks to ALL the members and moderators that actively read, post, support, understand and believe in this board, you guys are what makes the board go, grow, and who makes the board what it is.. To all members, please keep up the awesome activity and posting on this board, I know I am learning a ton, accessing information that was never easily accesible, as well as meeting some awesome new people through this board. Althoughthere have been some rough moments which in retrospect are just some evil blips, the good moments and things I have seen as a result of this forum far outweigh those moments and make producing these forums quite a worthwhile venture. We have also learned some things from some of those moments, that we will apply to improve this forum. Stick around, because as time allows there will always be growth and new things happening, and we hope to continue to make this forum the place to get local emergency services information. I also want to encourage those who just read the board to start posting and sharing your comments and information. Here's to the next year..........

We have re-introduced the Membership Anniversaries Section. This displays the members who are celebrating their x anniversary as members of this forum. It can be found in the Board Statistics/Who Is Online box on the bottom of the main forum page, right below the "Todays Birthdays" section and right above the Forthcoming Events section.

We have modified the header (top of the page) on the main page of these forums to include a "Member Information Box" This Member Info box will allow you to view your personal stats and the page stats each time you visit. As you can see, this will display: -Your avatar selection -The current time (based on your settings) -The time of your last visit -How many new posts in how many new topics since your last visit -New posts in the past 24 hours - Current #of registered members -Current # of topics -Current # of posts -Current # Of PM's in your inbox -What forum you are most active in -Percentage of the total posts your posts make up -Your total # of forum posts And will link you to: -View Latest Posts -Today's Active Topics -Your Last 10 Posts IF you do not like viewing this, you may click on the little red square on the top right corner of the Member info box to minimize this panel How do you like it?

We have released a new skin for the forum entitled "Blue Depth". This skin is the latest addition that will allow you to change the look of the board from the default look. To select this skin, scroll to the bottom of the forums, and select "Blue Depth" from the drop down menu. Once you select on the skin, it will automatically change. To change back or to any other skin, just use this process. Here is what the drop down bar should look like: (the bar will say what skin you are currently using)

We have released a new Links system called the "Toplist" The Toplist is accesible via the link in the header, or for your convience in this thread by clicking on the link below. http://emtbravo.net/index.php?act=toplist You may submit your links to this toplist, and rate other members links. The list order will be displayed based on inbound hits from the linked site, and members ratings. (The header link is currently available with the IPB Default template ONLY) How do you like it?

Thanks Paul, for your words and thought of the post. I truly appreciate it, it means a lot

RUNNING THIS BOARD ISN'T AS EASY OR STRAIGHTFOWARD AS IT SEEMS!!! I love how unappreciative some people are, and how quick some people are to give "constructive criticism" without fully knowing what's going on, or without discussing any of their issues with me first. A lot of members have no idea the work, time,effort or most importantly heart that goes into maintaining this forum, and the far reaching consequences of it.. I've a lot of mail regarding this site over the past couple of days. Some were filled with hate for me and this site....others lauded the actions I take to keep this forum positive. Many people voiced concern about the BS and other behavior that goes on on this forum. But the main theme I got from the emails....people come here for INFORMATION! I'm sorry, some on this thread have failed to convince me how using this forum to openly criticize departments or people, air "dirty laundry", or argue over issues would be beneficial to the area Fire and EMS service. These kinds of discussions breed tension, and turn the kind of members I want on this forum away, and have done so in the past. This forum WILL NOT become another "Watch Desk". I created this forum to be a positive, constructive, and respectful place to exhange information and ideas, and that's exactly what it's going to be always. I realize I may have deleted a little too much lately...... but, f your post gets deleted because it is deemed negative or inappropriate for this forum, then how is it my fault if you cannot follow the rules? My policy is posted in numerous places, and clear, and I have reminded members of it numerous times. I HATE deleting posts, no the "acceptable posts" list has not gotten shorter, the number of members making negative posts has gotten larger. I do PM members when I delete their posts, but in some cases, I don't. I have no issue with criticism. However, I like people to have an understanding of whats really going on before criticizing me based on assumptions. Regarding some members suggestions on actions I should take before deleting posts..... do they understand that I do that already...and how much time taking those actions consumes, and how frusterating it can be with the volume that's posted here, and doing it repeatedly. As far as the comment that I'm on an "ego trip".... that's got to be one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard. How can you even make such an unfounded comment like that without even knowing me? The comments on the "way I handled things" and calling me immature....those were just as unfounded and out of line. This thread just proves the predicament I've gotten myself into trying to be diplomatic to EVERYBODY, and trying to make each and every member happy. This is not "my site", it is everyone's. And as for the original intention of this thread......Remember585, the thread was moved to the Communications forum...it was more appropriate a forum then The Lounge for that discussion. But now, after reading it, how can I leave it up when you openly bash an agency, and allow it for you but not for other members? I would have rather discussed this with you via PM.. This site is open to all with an interest, however those with an interest should not try and overstep their bounds. I also shouldnt be the one to blame completly for the deleted posts...members who make the post should know the rules and whats acceptable. I never realized there was such tension and hate in regards to these forums. This is the first I'm hearing about a lot of these issues. There will be some changes coming up to try and make this more of an information resource. As always, I appreciate the input......however, just don't sling mud at me without knowledge of the whole situation first. I sent out the three email(s) this weekend to try and renew interest in the site, and to try and show the members that were turned away by some of the BS that we are taking actions to try and control it, and make this forum a place for information without negativity. I never expected in my wildest nightmares the reaction I would get from it. Again, there will be changes. I HATE running this site now, it's no longer fun or enjoyable. I put the forum in it's entirety back online temporarily 'till I figure out what to do, and to stop the flood of emails, phone calls, and in person comments I've been getting about the site........not that I don't apprecaite each and every one, it's that I don't have the time right now to be devoting all my energy to that. What's keeping this site going now? The many members who love it, and the impact I have seen it make. RUNNING THIS BOARD ISN'T AS EASY OR STRAIGHTFOWARD AS IT SEEMS!!!!

We would like to clear up some misunderstandings some members had in relation to the emails sent this weekend -The "Statement On Site Content" WAS NOT directed at any one member in particular. It was not directed at you, it was a general statement emailed to everyone who opted in on the EMTBravo Network Email List........ We are trying to maintain the site as a positive, constructive, respectful and friendly place to share information and ideas, and we will not allow it to become a bash or rant fest. NEGATIVITY will not be tolerated, and this email was an explanation of why and how. Also, note that we are not responsible for what each member posts. We encourage every member to read and abide by the forum rules. PLEASE DO NOT take the Statement On Site Content personally! -When you registered, you had the option to opt in to these emails. To unsubscribe to these email updates, please visit your email preferences (http://emtbravo.net/index.php?act=UserCP&CODE=02) and ensure that the box for 'Send me any updates sent by the board administrator' is unchecked and submit the form. If after unsubscribing, you continue to recieve emails, please contact us and we would be more then happy to remove you from the list. (NOTE we will be starting weekly EMTBravo.net Updates next week via this list) -If you lost your password, PLEASE use the "I Lost My Password" Utilty:http://emtbravo.net/index.php?act=Reg&CODE=10 If you continue to have login problems after using the information above, then please contact us. -If you just read the board, and don't post....it's no problem at all. We'd love to have you share the information you have, but are also glad to have you come and visit -Last, but not least, (intentional) poor spelling, IM lingo, and poor grammar is NOT tolerated, for reasons mentioned on the site. Please be assured that we will always work hard to bring you the latest information and photos in a positive format, and that there is plenty of new things in store for both EMTBravo.com and EMTBravo.net in the future. We feel strongly about the good of the board, and will not be deterred by those few who don't fully understand the concept, or those with nothing positive to contribute. hanks to all who voiced there support, and hope you will continue to visit, support, and contribute information to the EMTBravo Network forum community. -EMTBravo Network WebTeam http://emtbravo.net/index.php

From this point on, any post with severe spelling and/or grammar errors, or "IM Lingo" will be deleted. If you have trouble with spelling and grammar, we highly suggest that you run your post through a spell checker, then post. Don't forget...since we can't hear you speak, your writing reflects on you. Posts that contain these errors are not only extremly difficult to read/decode, but reflect poorly on the member and this forum. Thank you.

Your topic is reposted in the Fire-Rescue Operations forum. Additionally, always feel free to submit them to .com ....no promises or timeframe as to when they may be posted though.