Westchester

The problem is red tape and bulls***t. Village, Towns, Countys, etc will always say they don't have the money or resources to correct a problem, but they find money for more less important things. I understand it's not only or area that has his rash of accidents. But we live and work here and this is our concern in our area. It's time for all of us to fight local and state goverment to correct or solve this problem before more people die. I wish I had the solution for just this problem, maybe they should start with at least better lighting at the entrance and exits of highways and parkways. DAMN! put a huge LED Sign saying "YOUR GOING THE WRONG WAY". Lighting is the cheapest and fastest way to start. Signs are good but after a while trees and weeds grow in front and really at night some of the signs you can't see. Or paint the roadway or use 3M white reflective tape on the road so drivers can see it. It makes me laugh when the county or state requires Emergency Vehicles to hace emergeny reflective paint or tape on the back of our firetrucks, ambulances, or chiefs vehicles, but we can't do anything to the exits or entrances on the roads in out area to make it more safe. Heaven help us!

I wrote about the exact same concept in the last topic on the wrong way driver on the Tappan Zee. I have even talked to NYS Thruway Audthority. The only idea the state has is do en-large the wrong way signs, or post a overhead sign indicating wrong way/ Due to cuts in state budget cuts, this will never happen. My concern is you never heard of these type of accidents years ago, maybe 1 or 2, but never this many and it always seems to be a underlying condition of the driver. As a first responder I have seen my one too many accidents of this nature and it always seems to have impairment involved. I sure hope alcohol or drugs were not the cause of this young womans life, and thank GOD the other driver survived ( Position of Weed ), so she gets the STUPID award! My uncle was ran over and killed onthe sidewalk of Fordam Road in the Bronx in front of my Aunt by a drunk driver. My family never recovered from this. I have 0 tolerance for Impared Drivers or Stupid Drivers.

It seem as though if members of a Emergency Service( Paid or Volunteer ) have been in for along period of their career, that person knows the boundaries of what they can say or do.I always felt that joking and breaking b***s was a important part of bonding with one another.It seems as though when a probie joins or is hired they are quick to jump to conclusions that there is hostile or harassment taken place. It's important that employees or volunteers have a chance to release steam in the form of ribbing or practical jokes. It's like the old saying" If they don't make fun of you or break your chops, most likely that person doesn't like you. Thick skin is wearing out in the service, and it does effect moral. Of course there is a thin line not to cross, but if that happens it should be dealt with in a professional manner behind closed doors. The one thing I hate is when someone is made a example of in front of others. In a field where we deal with fire, accidents, death, etc. We need each other in a caring and joking atmosphere, not a hostile and "Let's not joke around anymore" attitude. Humor is the best medicine. But not in front of civilians! Everybody is always listening and watching. It's a damn shame, but this is the world we live in today; Sue, Suspend, Lay off, Transfer,Arbituator,and Sue again

I too remember the good old days, but as we get older the laws change. Going to the Firehouse is sometimes like walking on eggs. You have to be careful what to say, where to say, and you your saying to. Know a days cell phones can record, take video, and pictures. I't at the point that you respond to a call and return home after. And if you attend a FD meeting and a subject comes up and you debate on it! Hold on to your hat's, all hell will break out. Which makes me laugh.The Department Heads always say if you have something to bring up, bring it up at a meeting. Well, if you bring something up in a meeting, you better be careful. The good old days are gone! Fire Service, and EMS is just that! A Job or a Volunteer. In and out,Say nothing and leave with your tail between yor legs.

Its been a long couple of nights and days since the horrific boating accident on July 26th. First my condolences to the families of the deceased, and my prayers to the injured and all family members. As a member of a Volunteer Department my hats off to all that came out Friday night at 11:15pm for the search and the continuation through day and night Saturday and this morning. As Volunteers we should bow or heads down in prayer for those deceased and injured, but keep our souls high and proud for leaving our families day or night and spending countless hours searching the waters of the Hudson in hope for survivors or to bring closure to the families. I myself am very proud to be a Volunteer. To search with my other brothers/sisters not thinking about anything else inside of our day to day jobs and lives, but to concentrate of our job at hand. We all put every bit of energy into this horrible accident. To see the amout of Volunteers from all departments on either side of the river work together as one was inspiring. Hope and Pray this never happens again. P.S I don't care what the Tappan Zee Bridge Contractors or any other Department says YOU CAN'T SEE THOSE BARGES IF THEY WERE PARKED IN YOUR FRONT LAWN. Shame on them if they think bare minium standards are good enough. That river is DARK. Put spot lights or something else for boaters to see. It's like boating through a maze of steel death traps. In closing We all worked together, and did or job. That's what a Volunteer Firedepartment or Volunteer Ambulance or Volunteer Dive Team does. We do this because of who we are ,DEDICATED

Bravo. You are so correct with your statement. But as all Responders in this form we like to use or thinking caps and try to use the knowledge we were trained with and just debate the circumstances and the investigation. All members of the Emergency Services will want to know the full investigation outcome and how they concluded it. I feel it would be good info for Dive Resuce, and Search Teams for future accidents. The one thing that makes me think is why did police charge Jojo John with serious charges so quick without bloodtest results. I to am not defending drunk driving, but when will the results be back. And yes there are lights on the corners of the barges, maybe they should install ligths on the side for boats that have a difficult time seeing them if there high, also the barges move around with the tide they are not completly fixed. So what you see one hour may not be in the same exact location the next.

You and others are right. We all have to wait for final investigation. But in the meantime we can oly go by what witness said and some first responders. As I stated from the beginning I was commenting on the professionalizm by the Volunteer Responders on this horrible accident. Yes I have my theories, but I believe you was ever I that water that night and nights that followed all have theroies on what happened. The important thing is that it never happens again.

Quote from the Journal News

This story is starting to get a lot of twists and turns. First reports say the waiter or bartender told them not to go out on the water. Then the Owner says they ate $300.00 in food and 4 Drinks. Then they even skipped out on paying bill. O.K For them to skip out on the bill and make a quick getaway out of the Piermont Marina is not happening. And why do that when The Bride to be lives not far from the restaurant. I believe the restuarant is covering there butt so there not liable for any wrong doing with Boating while intoxicated or continuing to serve if there to intoxicated. Now back to the accident . In one of the storys( News) the best man and bride to be were sitting in front (Bow). Is it possible they were standing a blocking the view of the boat operator ( No excuse if he was drunk ) plus if the groom to be was on the barage where was the boat operator found, where were the 2 other surviors sitting. When they got pulled out of the Hudson they had life perservers on. Did they put them on themselves or did the boat operator make them put it on. Everyone hates wearing a life perserver ( me included ), but did all in the boat have them on and some took it off while underway. A lot of questions still have to be answered not only for the investigation, or first responders, but for the recreational boater.

P.S I opened the topic, but concentrated on the excellent efforts by first responders. And in my opinion as owning a boat for 30 years and sailing on the Hudson I feel the lights on the construction barges are minimal safety standards, and yes I have above coast guard standard led and halogen lighting on my boat plus spot lights on port and starboard. I have hit many a driftwood and rocks in my time. I just think these barges are not lit up well enough, and let's not forget these barges will move from there current location to another. Yes Drinking was the main and most likely the cause of this accident, but it can happen to any one of us boaters with out radar.Since the barges have been in the Hudson I have said that the lighting was not bright enough. It's my opinion. If you don't think so go out one cloudy night on a boat, do about about 30 mph and travel under and around the bridge and you tell me what you think!

Why close this thread? I'm Paid and Volunteer. I'm only speaking in positive reaction towards that outstanding professionalizm of Volunteers on either side of the Hudson. The only reason I did not mention NYPD, Coast Guard,State Police and County is because they are always held to high standards, and so well deserved. Everyone did a professional job. And hope and pray this never happens again.

I 100% agree, it was a very professional rescue/recovery the only reason I did not mention others than Volunteer, is all day long ar work I here negitive conversations about Volunteer organizations over paid. But when the s^^t hits the fan we all are ONE

You may be right, the boat operator is at fault.No one is disagreeing that drinking and boating played a factor in this accident. The question is are the lighting on the barges minimal standard lighting or should more safety prevention be in place. I've owned a boat for years and have docked in Irvington and Washington Irving. I personally feel the lighting on the barges are not visable enough for proper boat sppeds. Besides the main topic of this form was a Thank You to all of us Volunteers who work together.

It's about time law inforcement cracks down on texting while driving, but the car manufactures doesn't help either with all the bells and whistles on the center console. Some expensive cars/suvs have built in T.V, DVD's etc. I see people talking and texting all the time, sometimes right infront of Police. I hope that this law stops all people from not paying attention to the roads

Dear God Again! How many more wrong way drivers do we need to see take lives before something is done. I feel for the first responders who arrive on a scene of pure destruction. And to the families of the injured, but of course to the senseless death of another innocent human. The news says the driver going the wrong way had anxiety attack ( bull s**t ). When will this situation be corrected of wrong way drivers. Several years ago after th horrific accident on the Taconic I approached several high ranking officials(Left Nameless) with a idea. I certain parking lots if you try to go out the exit so not to pay there are underground mounted spikes that only fold down if entering or exiting correctly ( We all have seen these some where). Why could these be installed on either entrance ramps or exits, this will prevent vehicles going the wrong way by flating the tires. For Emergency vehicles you have to enter the wrong direction a level can be installed or a automatic way the spikes can go do in a emergency. Yes it sounds crazy and yes the system will need to be mantained and possible failures with the folding spikes. But why not try something. I have seen some of the wrainsong way signs in westchester(Behind weeds). Do Not Enter(on the ground). It sems to me this is happening way to offen, bad enough people can't drive going the right way! There is no excuse for entering a road the wrong way, we all learned in drivers education about paint colors on the drivers side.example (Movie Planes, Trains, and Automobiles) "Your going the wrong way".

This sounds like a sucide attempt. But why take innocent people with you like Diane Schuller n the Taconic. Anxiety Attacks don't cause someone to do this. It's come to a point where it's unsafe to leave your house. This is happening way too much.

That's is way I started this topic. The Captain of IVAC does this. She also stated that she has been a member of Ivac for 39 +/- years. Not true. After she retired. She joined IVAC. Her mother ( God Rest her soul ) was one of the original charters members that formed IVAC. Betty Lewit rode till the day she passed. If she saw what has happened to this Corps, she would roll in her grave. There are so many members that have been with this organization for years and years and to see this happen is a total disgrace. Your right about the video I watched it a work again and again the one thing she metions is that the board of IVAC sucks. And that she walks around town asking to become a member, or she signed 16 new members. If I not mistaken one member was arrested for having illegal lights in his SUV and a FDNY plate and some other things. I also believed the Police went to his home and arrested. Nice back ground check IVAC why don't you give a application to George Zimmerman, he's a hero know saving those people in the roll over.

In IVACs case it's past mangement and loss of volunteers due to it. Clicks began to form and groups started to turn against each other.

The system no in place when on the drawing boad was a excellent idea, it had GPS ability, Unit availability, etc. The problem was they installed the system and disconnected our old system without slowly introducing the new system. The dispatchers have not had enough training on the new system and the GPS module is not locating EMS buses properly. They have to try to reconnect the old system ( I hope ) and keep playing with the new one. I complained about this system months ago

When I first saw this on the news I thought it was a political stunt by Quinn to use the aide as a way of showing that as Mayor she could change things and it show her caring side. I agree with eveybody on the care they shold of done on scene. But if you watch the video they applied a ice pack directly on her forehead, ok! How about her armpits or groin area? I did'nt see or hear anything. I felt that this was a stunt. And your all right, as a possible Mayor ( dear god, I hope not) elect, she or her staff know better about dehydration and should of took proper precautions.Quinn is just looking to start a fight, and it just so happens after the complaint about the new 911 system installed. "Wag the Dog"

How true you are.

Do you know the sad thing is I was one that helped create some of training standards. I know now most likely some of my ex-coworkers might now know who I am. Yonkers trains in Valhalla, they will never train with Hastings(there next door Village )Most volunteer agencies keep records and Depart of Emergency Servicce in Valhalla keeps records of Firedepartments and names of whos training.I have trained some FDNY probies and some recert training. Believe some vollys are better then Paid.

Even if the State or County receives money from grants or increase in tax dollars, you think local or state officials with give FD/EMS money for training. Were lucky or town can afford new turnout gear, the town continues to cut or budjet never mind closing firehouses. Were on our own

c) FDNY will never train or call vcolunteers. That's a fact and you know it. And to say most depts in westchester did not meet standards, I want to see what departments. I have worked with FDNY ( Internal ) and I have never been in a meeting where Volunteer firedepartments were thought of. Even during 9/11 ( may all responders rest in peace, and protect their families ) Department from other states came that were paid/ union depts a) FDNY radios and the new 911 system suck. Never mind other depts coming to the city. I been to 911 dispatcher cener you need a bottle of advil and a hammer to stop the headaches you'll get with all the confusion and radio static over the air

To JM15 The jury has spoken and I agree with the jury. But to say GZ was bashed in the concrete, come on we are all professionals in EMS or Fist Aid that was not head bashing. I hit my head harder just thinking . Your right this is about the Dispatchers role and information he gathered for GZ. Is our justice fair, NO how many times have we heard of paroles with a rap sheet longer than a football field and then they commit a crime. Yes we must defend ourselves and family, but even if you have a gun and a intruder comes into your home (NYS) and you shoot and kill the intruder, your the one that's finding a date in prison. GZ had no business buffing it like a cop. Again a Police Officer won't follow a possible suspect with out backup. You see it in villages, towns and sometimes on the saw mill a police car will have the assitance of another crusier if needed. SCENE SAFETY. The Dispatcher told him NOT TO FOLLOW, not follow get into a fight and shoot him.I never knew skittles was a beadly weapon or maybe it was the ice tea. That's it the sugar in the tea was a weapon of mass destruction. Thats the reason. The only reason why GZ walked is that the State of Florida did a horrible job, and the defense won. It's like saying OJ is innocent, but we all know he killed. It is a sad day in our country. No Justice, No Jobs, No hospitalization reform, Detriot going bankrupt, and soon the Sun will hit the earth!