dfcic

In response to firebuff - I'm sure your experience dispatching, coupled with the empirical studies you point to would make a compelling argument, were it not for two cases where I truly think I've personally seen otherwise. I have been, in the past two years, to 2 working fires where alarms made a difference for the better. The first was an AFA that I responded to where the house was at the end of a long private driveway - the family was sleeping at the other end of their home while a fire was moving from incipient stage toward free burn on the outside of the home, and the residents were unaware of the eminent danger. The alarm tripped as the fire started to autoexpose, alerting them and the FD. As the fire moved inside the structure it threatened to compromise the only clear means of egress - a staircase. Having the 2-3 headstart (thanks to the AFA) we were able to arrive at a scene at a less-progressed stage, and from which the residents escaped without injury. It was only as we were well on our way to arriving that we started to get calls from neighbors through the woods about a smell of smoke. About complacency - this can certainly be a problem of motivation. My feeling has always been that, if we go fully ready to each seemingly minor alarm, we'll be even that much more familiar with our equipment, and our fellow personnel. Also, we should take each minor alarm as a means of learning about our respective districts and personnel. What sort of building construction are we encountering? What kind of occupancy? Where's the nearest water source(s)? Did we make a mistake in apparatus placement? Which guy (volunteer or paid) knows his role confidently, and which guy looks like a deer in headlights, and needs more training/familiarization? I've long thought that complacency shows more in departments that treat AFA's as non-life-threatening incidents; why would you show up for a fire alarm if you knew you'd likely remain in quarters, not get to don you pack and grab your tools? I'd rather get the chance to do so, over and over, even if it proves to be only a "dress rehearsal."

Matt, I PM'd you back the other day - maybe it didn't transmit. I'm good, man...busy as always. Am loving riding on fire calls again, and am settling into BHFD quite well. Otherwise, work is killing me. I am taking FF Survival next week - any chance you're in that class? Otherwise, I might go to that GBFD drill - if there's an open spot. Maybe I'll see you there. SM

I have to say that I'm all for safety, and respect, in the fire service. I have found in my dozen years in the fire service, however, that we've become so attuned to being sensitive that we're afraid to remind newer members that they shouldn't have strong opinions on everything the day they finish FF1, and that we've all done the less-than-glamourous grunt work at one point in our careers. It was sort of an unspoken rule when I joined that we wouldn't be so outspoken to more senior members. And that, if hose needed to be packed, air bottles changed, etc., we'd jump at the opportunity to do so. Don't get me wrong: we're very lucky in my department to have a wealth of hardworking newer members. But for those that join for the wrong reasons, who pick what they want to come to (i.e. calls and parades) and skip what they don't (cleanups, etc.), should be told as much. There's a right and wrong way of doing so, but we shouldn't be so afraid of "hazing" these members that we don't teach them to be hardworking. Leading by example, I find, isn't always sufficient anymore. Many hands make light work, right? And I agree that a little busting of chops has a place in the camaraderie in the fire service -- this is one of the parts of it that, I think, got us all interested in the first place. All within reason - it's a matter of degrees.

I agree with WolfEMT here...and I think his point is getting lost in the shuffle. To me, this story is interesting because it is about chain-of-command, which in my mind is too often lost in the fire service (and, as a volunteer in an all volunteer department, please note that I'm not saying as much about combination or paid departments - I cannot comment on that). As I read this, the disgruntled firefighter directly defied the authority of a superior officer, and to me there's no room for that in the fire service. Freelancing makes a fire scene less safe for all of us involved. Best intentions aside, not playing by the rules of command is bound to be destructive more than constructive. Asstchieffd hit it right on the head. We all have to think on our feet sometimes, and improvise, which this firefighter was clearly trying to do at first. But when you've clearly been told not to do something, stop trying to play hero and work within the overall strategy dictated by the leaders/officers. This ties in interestingly with the "elections as popularity contest" thread that was recently revisited. Who knows, maybe the firefighter didn't think the superior officer was qualified to make such a decision. I don't know if he was or not. I guess all I can say about that is that our members will have to trust that their officers are qualified. And, we as line officers had better do everything possible to earn that trust (take classes, take classes, take classes). I don't claim to be the best line officer in this profession - heck, even in my department - but I like to think that the decisions I make will be followed by those under me; I'm basing them on my training and experience, after all. I also agree that we can only make so many judgments from what's printed in newspapers - everyone here has probably seen first-hand how their accounts can go widely astray from the truth.

Some nice work by Frank as always - he does a nice job making us in the fire service look good. Does he have an EMTBravo ID? Or, does anyone have his email address? A few of these are good photos, of which I'd like to have copies. A great turnout, everyone...nicely done. Was up at the house today, and there was so much help, we had trouble finding anything to do. That's a good sign. By all accounts, the Arenas are coming home to a beautiful place to call home. Hey, Jimmy...no peaking.

I would trade my 5 for a 2 any day. But anything's better than a 4. The 2's still seemed to have the best range imaginable, and were actually lighter and more comfortable to wear than the new 5's. I'm hard-pressed to find anything redeeming about the 4's. My old roommate and I had a 2 and 4, respectively. We could be standing next to each other, or driving somewhere, and his 2 would trip clearly every time, whereas I got maybe 85% of the pages on my 4. The playback feature on the 5 is fine, but a bit overrated. If you're running out the door, it's going to cut out anyhow, and then you get a playback of static - not that helpful. This is where having i-page comes in handy. Or younger members like KFD236, who can tell us nature and location when us older guys arrive at the firehouse.

Date: 4/11/2006 Time: ~16:30 Location: Shoprite Shopping Center, 747 Bedford Road Frequency: 46.24 Units Operating: BHFD Car 2033 (Command), Rescue 10, MA 9, Engine 198; 45M1 (?), Stat Flight Air 1, KBHVAC Ambulance, Bedford Police Description Of Incident: Report of a small child struck by a vehicle. Writer: Dfcic 2033 on location shortly after dispatch, advising 60 Control to expedite the medic. Control advised 4 minute ETA on medic, Stat Flight placed on standby. 2033 advises patient unconscious, asking for Stat Flight to launch. Additional tones requested for Engine 198 for an LZ. Rescue 10 to proceed to LZ as well, at Kohl's Shopping Center Parking Lot, Stat Flight with a 7 minute ETA.

MFC2257, you're right about Bedford Police having the jaws, and they would respond with the Bedford Hills Fire and Katonah Fire to MVA's with their tool. But, if I'm not mistaken (where's Cutty630 when you need him), Rescue 10's delivery, and Rescue 17's not too far after that, both featured tools, and made the PD coverage obsolete. As to these Rescue Squads, really it doesn't seem like it's such a huge issue. They're obviously keeping up with training, etc. It's just a different division of labor. For example, some fire departments in Westchester (Bedford, Somers, Hawthorne) have fire-department run ambulances. In Katonah, we don't. But, we all know our jobs, and all do them as per our training and core competencies. Now, do I think there should be inter-agency cross-training? Absolutely!

My first call was with Goldens Bridge in December 1994. Rode in the open cab of Engine 138 to a rollover MVA, for which I helped set up a Stat Flight LZ. A great rush indeed. My first call with my current department, Katonah, was on Engine 117 to a truck carrying (I believe) sheep that lost control on 684 and slammed into the rocks by Beaver Damn Road. I actually almost got clipped by a tractor trailer who came at the scene way too fast. It was satisfying to see the NYSP Trooper pull the guy over and tear into him.

EMT Bravo, let me restate the point that many of us appreciate all of the hard work you undertake to make this forum available to us. As someone who's had a post or two removed or edited (and even when reacting to someone else's comments which I thought were out of line - not looking to start trouble from scratch), I'll admit, I was heated about being taken off the post. But in retrospect, EMTBRAVO had done a good job at judging what was constructive, and what was just senseless ranting. Remember that we all have to read these little jabs, and it's a drag to have to read between the lines for the valuable stuff amid so much trash talking. Remember, too, that EMTBRAVO has given you a PM feature. You can have it out with whomever you want - just don't subject all of us to it. Plus, what ever happened to the camaraderie that's supposed to be implicit in firefighting? There's definitely room to criticize...but if that's all your doing, I think you're missing the point. None of us are perfect - volly or professional; but we all do the same job, right? Don't give up, EMTBRAVO. Many of us would miss the forums!

Was actually at an MVA call last night with a 600+ victim, and the stretcher lifted and lowered without incident. A very hearty price tag, but in this case, well worth the investment.

Our department has taken a different approach. Our active firefighters are allowed a really nice discount each month at a local gym, an expensive one really, which makes the otherwise outrageous monthly fee attainable. As for results and usage, a handful of us are there each morning and evening doing the right thing and staying in shape. If you're no longer active in the department I believe they audit the program and stop paying the difference. The nice thing about this option is that the equipment and services don't get dated / worn. The club maintains the most current stuff to please its other members. Plus, the place is cleaned for us, etc., and they have ammenities you wouldn't get in a FD workout room (pool, tennis, etc.) I'm not sure what this costs the fire district, mind you. It's bound to be a bit pricey. But it's something you might keep in mind as an option. Especially if space is an issue.

Chris498, you're in denial. You've been in 12 years. I, as your younger brother, am starting year 10 with Katonah. I'm Scott from Katonah, soon to be ex-Captain. I'm 27 and have been a firefighter in Katonah and Goldens Bridge for a total of 12 years.

If I'm not mistaken (and my brother Chris498 could better speak to this), Golden's Bridge Engine 138 was originally built to be an FDNY rig, but never served the city. It's a 1968 Mack CF, refurbished by Pierce in the 1990's.

Thanks to HPBKFD and Cutty, Spy Shots are available on the main page.