Dinosaur

Hey it's alright he can call me a jackass if he wants to. I've been called worse and don't take it personally. I'll say again my point is that this isn't a dig at anyone involved in the response to Hawthorne this week. It was a critical analysis of our failure to develop the "fire service" in Westchester and as others have pointed out around the region too. A lot of excellent FF are in the departments that responded to Hawthorne's job. The departments that responded have a lot of apparatus that didn't respond though because they don't have enough people to staff them. So we went wider and wider to cover a job while idle apparatus sat in stations. THIS is a problem and THIS is the kind of thing we need to address. It was never personal. And it still isn't.

Another example of how we consistently fail to manage and simply respond. With adequate resources in a STAGING AREA, you never have to put the FAST/RIT to work (of course they're already at work because FAST is a job). So why don't we have adequate resources in a staging area? Because (waaahhh), if we aren't needed at the scene don't call us (waaaaahhhh), we don't just want to sit there in staging we want to work (waaaahhhh). Guys gotta get a grip and realize that some time being in staging is an important job and the more we cry about it and refuse to do it the further we come from letting the IC manage an incident with enough resources available to him. Nothing aggravates me more than 12 chiefs at a command post and none leading the troops in the thick of it!

Politics as usual in Albany. They keep pushing the responsibility down on the locals but not cutting any of the mandates like medicaid which is drowning us all.

What a joke. How many different departments needed to be sent on a single family dwelling fire? This is not a knock on any of the individuals who responded (I'm sure they did the best they could) but an example of how screwed up the fire service is in Westchester County. It took nine or so departments (including the Grasslands Fire Brigade) to get 6-8 engines and 3-4 ladders to the job? The system ain't workin' boys!!! Finally, after almost 1/2 an hour they stopped trying to special call a special "FAST Team" and just assigned one of the mutual aid companies to that function. Wow. I'm not criticizing anyone but the system!

Seat belts have saved countless lives and saved untold millions in healthcare costs. That's the bigger reason for auto safety improvements. You're right this won't be the last wrong way driver. Just like we haven't responded to the last fire, burglary, or heart attack.

Act but not investigate seems to be the usual course of action. They don't even bother to get the other side of the story in many cases.

That's a lot of comments after "I can't make any comments" but that's typical here. What's being described is a pattern of behavior that is contrary to EMS policy, federal and state laws and amounts to racism. Yes, racism. I've seen the same course of conduct from another "group" who will run people down in order to get to "their own" and ignore those that are not part of their group. Not racism, but equally offensive. "Understand him"? Build a rapport with him? And you guarantee no further action will be necessary. Bold statements by someone who said he can't comment. I'm willing to bet that you're 100% wrong and if this was brought up around the firehouse kitchen table, there would be a complaint filed, lawsuit threatened and those reporting his illegal behavior would be reprimanded. It is not a level playing field and there is very little recourse for those witnessing this unless someone with rank is willing to step up and do something. If what's posted is accurate, this person is not a professional and has issues that should be addressed.

What do you think? Is it time for a change? Vote now.

That was just a wiseass remark. It didn't attack him about being a volunteer.

There's a difference between bashing and stating an opinion. Given the chief's expertise on the subject, he is more than qualified to render an opinion on the subject that he spent most of his life doing. Now a question of my own. If the turnover is so high, how do you keep highly trained personnel available? And why is the turnover so high? I think you're actually agreeing with me and some of the others who think we should have minimum standards for FF. If a volunteer FF has appropriate training and experience - and since you brought up leadership, supervision - then I have no issue with volunteers. I do have an issue with the guy getting sworn in on Tuesday, putting FF stickers on his truck on Wednesday, blue lights on Friday and he shows up at a fire scene wearing turnout gear on Saturday and expects to be called a firefighter. Nope, the emperor there surely has no clothes!

HUH?

A buddy of mine at the county says that they couldn't fly because all the pilots have been reassigned to patrol for the summer to reduce overtime. He also said overtime is out of control so it ain't working. Way to go Westchester, ground your chopper during the busiest time of the year so you can claim to be saving money. Smart move! Remember this stupidity on election day.

And he gave authorities their bill. How does anyone know that is that group's bill?

Not as easy as you may think. Especially a guy with 15-20 years on already who should be on the short-timer's list who just found out his retirement plans are gone because his pension is gone.

There's a lot of well spent money. I'm sure that's going to get used often.

It was never a law. It was just knee jerk policy because of a few incidents of police impersonators using wanna-be cars to stop people.

Write to Cuomo. Maybe he will pass a new Highway SAFE Act in the dark of night without any review or debate that limits vehicles to 7 miles per hour, reduces highways to one direction (north on even days, south on odd days) to prevent the constant accidents caused by these wrong-way drivers. Oh wait! They aren't constant and we can't legislate stupid out of the drivers seat.

Gimme a break. They're doing their job!

Sounds like you're asking us to do your homework assignment. There is a process to become a FDNY EMT. Maybe you should research that first. Unions "this and that"? Come on, don't bring that kind of response to a discussion and expect rational, educated responses. Do you know what a closed shop is? Do you know what the FDNY EMS standards are for a 911 unit? Do you know what the FDNY training standards are?

You have to ask yourself how you would feel if your job used unpaid, inexperienced and perhaps under-trained personnel (based on your scenario) instead of hiring and training a sufficient number of full-time personnel? Look at the NYPD Auxiliary - they do not replace a sector car in the precinct so they can just got "high priority" jobs. Your suggestion is union busting, demoralizing to both those who work for FDNY and those who would do all the scut work, and reduces the standard of care in the city. The taxpayers would also have a legitimate gripe since they may receive someone who's just looking to get experience at their expense. The point about overtime will become an issue because how long will it be before the City simply says, you work with some new EMT who isn't trained? Saying that all EMT's are the same is like saying all doctors are the same. There are differences in training, expectations, documentation, system operations, and more that surpasses simply the "EMT certificate".

Does posting the meeting notice on the door to the fire "district" (firehouse?) and town hall really constitute "public notice"? After all, the only people going to the firehouse are members and town hall is not usually a hub of activity. LOL The story stinks of "we want our way and we're going to get it" regardless of what the rules are. They may really need the truck but this makes it seem like they're trying to get over on their constituents.

This thread is another prime example of why regionalization is so important. There are a half dozen departments with the same or similar (cause they're all 2 inches bigger than the prior one) apparatus and nobody is considering the benefit of mixing it up with some straight sticks, varying lengths, etc. Everyone is doing it their own way with no consideration of what the next due will be bringing. Regional FD's. That's the way to go!

This is sound advice for those who properly use their aerial devices on a regular basis. I don't think most companies drill enough to set up either kind of aerial quickly and efficiently and most chauffeurs can't position the rig to the best advantage. Often because the engine is parked right IFO the fire building or in the driveway.

Ironically also the other kind of taxpayers worst nightmare!

You're right but a single state standard to be called a "firefighter" would be like EMT training. You can take it anywhere in the state and know what you've got. So when a kid goes to college in Buffalo from Long Island, his qualifications are known and based on a single curriculum. Standards for departmental operations are a completely different topic. Let's start that thread and see how fast it dies.