shfirefighter

Arlington FD Engine 11 was hit by a drunk driver Apr 5 while working a traffic accident. Engine 11 was blocking a portion of the road while crews were caring for patients when it was struck at high speed by a drunk driver. There were 3 fire fighters still in the cab of the engine. All 3 were transported and are ok. Engine 11 has been declared totaled.
This goes to show why we place apparatus the way we do on scenes. I know that here in South East Texas, we get a lot of flack from local PD and SO about blocking the road around the scene for our safety. They seem to find getting traffic flowing to be more important. An event like this proves why we use our apparatus as a safety cushion. Had Engine 11 not been there, there's no telling how many people would've been killed or severely injured.
http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/2014/04/driver-crashes-into-arlington-fire-truck-injuring-three-inside-totaling-engine.html/
*not my picture*

Wasn't it supposed to be the different battalions used their channels ? I'm in batt 10 we use fire 10, when we go to batt 12 we switch to fire 12.

A tiny investment that pays huge dividends.

Seems to be a lot of hard feelings about this "incident"

I know the question was specifically what ONE thing rookies should know. Unfortunately it is not that simple. When I teach I try to emphasize they need to learn to follow the Marine Corps philosophy of "adapt, improvise, and overcome." In addition, whenever I teach a probie class, I hand out something I got from Lt. Tim Klett of FDNY many year ago he refers to as "The Four Ups" which all firefighters, career or volunteer, should take to heart and live by.
“Listen Up”
“When you are first starting in the fire service, there is a lot going on. You are entering a culture that is unlike any other one on this planet. You will hear stories, tales and just plain B.S. But listen carefully. That is our past talking. All of the information has value….Listen to the older, over-the-hill, past-their-prime, malcontents, for the little ‘pearls of wisdom’ that aren’t in any textbooks. A lot of important information that will help keep you safe and alive on the fire ground is not written down. The fire service is very young. We are losing our experience. The firefighters that went to fires during the war years are slowly retiring. Talk to them before they leave. We are losing our history, we are losing our past. Don’t let this happen.”
“Clean Up”
“The firehouse is your second home. Treat it as such. And if you are the junior firefighter working, you are the lowest on the totem pole. You get the dirty work….This is based on the fact that all the junior people before you did it, or should have done it. You do it until the next probie (comes along). It is part of belonging, it is doing what you should be doing. And it is always pretty funny, because in my experience, the ones that piss and moan about doing the chores usually end up doing them by themselves for a long time. But the ones that just do it…usually find that they have help. They become accepted into the “family” a little quicker.”
“Step Up”
“Be involved in your company and in your department. Attend company functions, help run them if possible….Become a productive member of your Company. Above all, go to funerals and services, especially the line of duty ones. Pay your respects. Become a part of the fire service by deed and not by mouth.”
“Shut Up”
“Spend more time listening and doing than talking about it. Show by your actions and your deeds what type of firefighter and member of this great Brotherhood you are.”

There are many things rookies should know.... here is one thought I teach. RESPECT your uniforms. All 3 of them. Firefighting (actions on the fire ground), dress (actions when in class A's), and civilian (actions while off duty and wearing your FD t-shirts, hats, puffy jackets etc....)
Understand that YES you are held to a higher standard when your a firefighter. If you cannot respect this fact, understand it and live it, move on.

Just as it was told to me...short and sweet
Have big ears and a small mouth.
As for the why, well you can't learn anything if your lips are flapping and as a new guy it's your job to learn

I got qualified on our ambulances at 18 "by fire." A call came in for an elderly male with difficulty breathing. We had an EMT, just no driver, so I drove. At the time I was driving a tow truck, and the patient was the father/Grandfather of members in our FD.
Similarly, I joined another VAC a couple years later. There, they refused to let me drive despite the fact I was a qualified driver on our ambulances, my Engine, Tanker, Rescue and Ladder Truck. The reason; "We have enough drivers." I was qualified when we had an MCI and nobody showed up for the third Ambulance.
If you can be an EMT at 18 and work for a commercial service where you drive, then there is absolutely no reason why a VAC shouldn't allow you to drive too.

The Dobbs Ferry Fire Department operates on a $427,200 budget. This makes up 2.5% of the Village of Dobbs Ferry's $17,134,261 budget. Of this $240,000 comes off the top for hydrant rentals to United Water. This brings our actual operating budget down to $187.200 or 1.1% of the villages annual budget. We do not receive any Fire District protection money as we are a completely municipaly funded department. We have to fight with our Village Board every year for even the most minimal of increases. It is really frustrating that the Board funds us at such a rediculous level.
This whopping amount covers protective gear, equipment, building maitenance, vehicle maintenance, maitenance contracts, training, uniforms, office expenses etc.

Personally I feel this tool is a waste of money and compartment space. I have seen this tool used and was not impressed. I was able to cut the windshield of the car in less time with a glass master. Just my humble opinion.

FULL ARTICLE: http://tarrytown.patch.com/groups/police-and-fire/p/tower-ladder-38-lifts-wounded-construction-worker-to-safety

Just be Happy I am wearing Pants for this Call! No Less something in my pockets, The only extra thing I carry is my own scope with a pouch that holds small spo2 and 2 pairs of gloves. Other then that I work out of my bag, I even go as far as refusing to work out of my cabinets unless I really need it. Now if you will excuse me I need to go back and Earn Money Sleeping!

60 control is a great dispatcher. I feel every department should use them, its makes things a lot easier.

Rumors. Rumors. Rumors.

I hear that 60-Control is going to take over dispatching for the International Space Station too.

60 control is a great dispatcher. I feel every department should use them, its makes things a lot easier.

Radios confuse me.

Radios confuse me.

Radios confuse me.

When we get toned out and there are "no reported symptoms," it is for that reason.. no reported symptoms. When the alarm company calls and nobody answers that is the report we get. There is always the potential that the occupier is unconscious and cannot reach the phone. You just never know, and that chance is why we respond with urgency unless informed otherwise.

Looking at your post above and going to your profile all we see is that you're a male from Yonkers, so what's your beef if you're not even doing what you've stated above?

Orange County only uses mutual aid teams, from at least 2 districts away. I believe the justification is that a fast team from the same department or the neighboring department would be "too emotionally attached" to the firefighters and take unneccessary risks.

We just had Central Hudson give us a class on downed lines and emergencies dealing with power lines. They were very clear, they doesn't want FDs to use hot sticks or the like to move downed lines. We will leave that to them.

Hot sticks are you kidding ? all wires are LIVE, put tape around make it as safe as you can. We are not Con Ed. Chief gave them to us once and we gave them back. Hot sticks we don't need no stinking hot sticks !

3 transported ALS, 2 BLS. Engine was completely upside down. Prayers to all involved.

Good Evening everyone my name is Alex.
I'm new to this site.
My question is regarding the test I took 1 year ago. I took the fdny test and got a score of 88. I know its a long long list of people still waiting. But I was wondering if anyone new where fdny is in terms of the list... Are they further down the list at all??
Its my dream to work for the fdny. I've been trying for years. I'm also a volunteer fire fighter if that makes any difference, but i doubt it. I've read in the papers applicants are not getting hired because of the physical agility test.