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Five years ago, to the day, the fire service lost the most number of men in a single incident since the events of 9/11/2001. Their unwavering sacrifice and untimely deaths have lead to sweeping changes in the fire service today. Let us not ever forget these men, or the events that happened that day, and always remember the Charleston 9. Captain Mike Benke Captain Bill Hutchinson Captain Louis Mulkey Engineer Mark Kelsey Engineer Bradford “Brad” Baity Asst. Engineer Michael French Firefighter Earl Drayton Firefighter Brendon Thompson Firefighter Melvin Champaign Rest in peace, Gentlemen. You are not forgotten.

Took one department almost 30 minutes to get out......

....utilities, since that's what they're designated as.

Wrong. As with any emergency, as long as you have a plan in place, and that plan is to "Contact X resource for their specialty," then your covered. I'm sure you have sewers and confined spaces in your district. Do you have a confined space rescue team in house, in your department ready to go? If someone is digging a trench, are you required to immediately train and supply them with a technical rescue team specializing in trench rescue out of your department? No. If the plan in place in your SOG/SOP's is to call for a specialized team, then your department has done their required duty. You can train your members to reach, and throw, but rowing and going is a different skill. Just as a friendly correction, it's reach, throw, row, go.

Google might just be trying to stay politically neutral on the issue, and would rather showcase something that is more geared towards their business, technology... And no, I'm not enticing that they support the idea of a Nazi regime either.

A while back I had emailed the company AmSafe (number 1 supplier for aircraft airbags) for literature on their airbags for light and general aviation (GA) aircraft. It took them a few months, but they finally got back to me with some paperwork. Many aircraft today (almost 80% since 2001) are being retrofitted with airbags in the seat belts for the pilots and passengers. From their website (http://www.amsafe.com): They also sent me the following literature for first responders: ARFF_News_2010_MayJun_proof.pdf E509944 Rev E_First Responders Reference Guide.pdf Instructions for Client Site Access_110411_First Responder.pdf Part 23 Technical Overview, E508428 Rev M.pdf The area we live in is saturated with GA aircraft, and while the possibility of one landing in your district during an emergency is relatively low, it still could happen. And with every other type of incident we really need to know the hazards to ourselves and how to properly protect ourselves from them.

I somehow see this joke becoming a reality...

Trunked system includes the A-Bank, the B-Bank and the C-Bank. The A-bank include the truncated frequencies such as Fire-13, Fire 10, and OPS-5. These are the Battalion Zones as well as the truncated operation channels. These are not line of site, and 60-control can communicate with you on these frequencies. The B-Bank include the truncated frequencies such as EMS -11 and the ambulance to hospital channels. These are not line of site, and 60-control can communicate with you on these frequencies. The C-Bank on the trunked system works a little differently. It includes normal (conventional) frequencies that you would find on a normal portable radio. This includes, 46.26, 46.14, and the line of site FIREGROUND frequencies which include fire ground 1-8. The FIREGROUND's use a line of site system, and do not work off of repeaters or other enhancements. This is why 60-control cannot monitor any of the fire ground traffic. There is a HUGE difference between Fire-# Ops-# and Fireground - #. If you're listening on a trunked scanner on the other side of the county, you should be able to hear all of the communication in the A - Bank, all of the communication in the B- Bank, and the traffic that uses repeaters on the C-bank such as 46.26. All fireground traffic, would have to be in the line of sight range to pick up on the scanner, For a detailed explination of the system, here is the County's power point on how to use it - www.westchestergov.com/emergserv/60control/xts2500_volk3.ppt

I'd be willing to be that Yorktown has a water rescue team because 1/3 - 1/2 their district is composed of water that is recreationally used, legally or not. From the Croton Resivior to the numerous lakes, ponds and rivers that flow through it. I'd also be willing to bet that going mutual aid takes less precedence then protecting the lives of the people in their own district first. Sure, they're happy to offer their services to other departments, but more then likely the liability of their own district is what caused them to form a team.

Passed on to me from the "sights of FDIC." It's time we start hitting the gym and not the fast food guys. Cutting out soda, replacing it with water, and sugars/fatty foods for fruits and vegetables will contribute to significant weight loss even without working out. Adding a training regiment of light duty, walks/jogs around a track, or even a stair climb/ decent in your own firehouse/home, will significantly improve your health. I was always a fit guy, but recently I saw myself starting to get overweight. Went from 5'8" at 155 lbs, and about 10-12% body fat, to 173 with about 16-18% body fat. I immediately stopped eating and drinking crap, and lost almost 10lbs without working out in a month. Time to get with the program guys. It's totally doable, and everyone should be jumping on this train. If not for you, how about your family.

The Florida Highway patrol did a study years ago regarding scene lighting and day/night differentials. If you're into human factors, it's quite the interesting read. http://www.hendonpub.com/resources/articlearchive/details.aspx?ID=377

Date: 4/10/2012 Time: 1:31 Location: 1) Downing Drive IAO Commerce St 2) 380 Downing Dr - Turco's supermarket: Yorktown Box 1, Heights Commercial District Units Operating: Yorktown: Engine 273, Engine 272, Ladder 51, Croton Engine 119 - FAST Bedford Hills Tower Ladder 57 Relocated: Mohegan Ladder 35 Somers Engine 180 Description Of Incident: 0033 - Yorktown fire was dispatched to a dumpster fire behind Underhill Plaza. 0037 - Engine 273 on location with a dumpster fire 0050 - Yorktown units cleared 0131 - Yorktown fire dispatched to dumpster fire behind Turcos - 380 Downing Drive 0136 - Car 2533 on scene with a rubbish fire behind the building, possible extension into C side of the supermarket 0143 - 10-75 transmitted Per Batt 17 - Fire in a 200x500 commercial grocery story. Fire extended into the freezer area. Co's opening up att. 0231 - Fire knocked down, releasing FAST, holding Yorktown Units and M/A standby 0307 - Situation under control

I guess Rex was just infatuated with what Tebow can do with his feet...

Nothing that we're not used to... I hate myself sometimes for being a fan

I like feeling the weight and pressure of the supply line... I'm out

Exactly what I was getting at. The guys of BH get out the door on mutual aid runs before most apparatus of whatever home department they're responding to do, mine included. They also are damn good at what they do too.

You can thank FASNY for not having them... Remember, they're always looking out for our best interests!

Word on the street is that they're still looking into a ladder/quint. Will the new firehouse support space for it?

incorrect. The Boces campus is split with 1 or 2 buildings falling in the Yorktown District, the rest falling into Somers' district.