IzzyEng4

Albertus Magnus College Graduate of 1995, BA in History and Political Science. Currently looking going back to school after 10 years to get my masters in Communications.

Some shamrocks for St. Patrick's Day too would be cool!

Seth - I am talking about the issue being discussed in the forums, yes I understand there are problems nation wide about this and yes, someday the worst is going to happen. Hopefully that day will never come but if it does it is going to be a total mess to say the least. The statement was geared towards the topic and discussion through various threads itself and how it has been in the past handled by the members. In the end the topic gets so much spin that it turns into a ridiculous mudslinging fest at each other. No the issue of drinking and doing something stupid. Just wanted to clarify. (NOTE: I had to edit this do to a typo in my first part of the statement and reply, sorry for the confusion. Please be safe all of you this holiday season - Izzy)

Very nice touch! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Not for nothing how many times are we going to discuss this again this year and the next? Every few weeks it comes up again in one way or another and yes i do agree there are two sides to the topic but it always ends up into a (blank)ing match and the thread gets locked out. Its never going to be resolved and the argument will still linger. Time to move on to something else. Sorry but I'm tired of seeing this topic all the time regardless of my own opinions.

If its not being done at the firehouse or on city property and the fund raiser is being done at the place were the girls work, than fine! I used to work at a club as a doorman while in college and there were many different organizations the business gave to for charity and the workers were more than happy to help raise the money. Why not? the money is going to the good cause. The only way its considered "dirty" is if you doing something illegal and the last I knew, strip clubs are not illegal in most places (except where the blue laws are strictly enforced).

BIG 10TH!!!!!!! Happy Holiday's all!

Sorry but for the first time in Seven years I will not be working on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve, New Years Day and I didn't work on T-Day. First time in Seven years!!!! But me having no life at all, I figured out that I'll be working the holidays for the next succeeding five years on my current schedule.

They already are talking about Extending the Bridgeport - Waterbury line, a line from New Haven to Hartford to Springfield and then another possibly from New London to Willimantic to Wooster for Metro-North with the New Haven Hartford line the more of the reality happening. I wounder if they will ever connect New Haven and Bridgeport to Long Island???? Hmmmm Maybe a bridge connecting the two???? Wait sorry the egg nog is kicking in!

I saw 203 at he White Plains Road Texaco a few days back, and I love the strobe snowmen on the back! PS how the heck did you do that Ecky with S-3's light show??????

As a past captain, all officers should wear you turnouts whether you come on a rig and in my case come in my own car. You are looked at to have it on. I know like AsstChief said that there have been times where officers and chief wore their helmet & coat because they were away from the scene, which I have done in the past a couple of times. But at the same token, as a chief and officer you need to set an example. We had this problem with some of our department chiefs and other officers (I was spoken too early on as a Lieutenant to always have my gear on by my captain at the time while i was in charge). At our council meeting the chiefs brought up this issue of members not wearing their gear at incidents properly. Well it was the case from the rest of us of the pot calling the kettle black and we emphasized that the chiefs were not doing the same thing and they too need to be following the proper rules if they were being enforced. And of course the problem was solved right there without any argument. When you take on the role as an officer or chief officers, you need to follow the rules to enforce them and also to set an example. If you don't wear your PPE properly or at all, who do you think the rest of the rank and file will react? Got to have it on and yes I know there are some cases were we don't need to have it on at all but that we'll save for another topic.

Dunno, could be like the travel bus axles with the rear one being a larger tire than having a dualie. Unsure though.

Pricey but Austin makes some really good hihg gain ons for extra DXing.

As we call them, a "humat".

finally some one posted a pic of a true heavy rescue

I agree with ALS, As a dispatcher who worked for a centralized communication center if you have an agency that has a licensed set of frequencies that can be utilized for tactical / fire operations then you should use it. The two best systems I have seen so far is LCD in Litchfield county and Cape Cod operations on their 800 Trunked system LCD has a specific set of channels for their radio system. Channel 1 is dispatch, Channel 2 is operations on a repeater system, channel 3 is the incident command channel to dispatch, and channels 4 through 12 are the local on scene channels that share a total of four separate frequencies, each channel having their own DPL / private lines and are assigned specifically to certain communities so there is no bleed over from the next town. The also operate their old Low band system as a back up. Now other towns that do not use LCD have their own separate systems but have utilized the same VHF-narrow high band systems to interoperate with LCD dispatched departments and their radio system. Also too with the towers spread out, I believe they can also switch to the local on-scene channel and listen into fire ground operations depending how close the incident is to the tower but I am unsure. Cape Cod is the same but they utilized a trunking system for their departments. Some are dispatched by their local towns or by Barnstable county control. The have thier own talk groups for operations. For instance if the town of Dennis has a job and Harwich is called in, Harwich units change over to the Dennis talk group. Station & pager alerts are handled on another channel.

I think Mass. does the same with their trucks to get to incidents as an effort to get traffic flowing. But they might be yellow and white lights I can't remember. Check your local and state laws what is allowed.

This is an argument that I have always hated. How is a volunteer, who doesn't get paid, taking away a job from a paid guy? How is he taking his job away? Have you ever hear of a department cutting their career force so they could have more volunteers?????? Very unheard of. What about utility or call-firemen aka part timers where departments use these part-timers, non-union workers to fill union spots all the time instead of hiring out to fill a position. What about agencies that should be calling back shifts to fill their stations or bring more manpower to an incident but make "special calls" and other tactics to by-pass contracts and by-laws on manpower issues? What about companies that have came in (aka Rural Metro) and did not allow their workers to unionize and said their service was better than any municipal funded system? Now having said that lets look at this in reverse. How many volunteer departments are out their that have career (union or non union) workers? paid Chiefs, mechanics and drivers? Are they taking jobs away from volunteers or cutting their force? Yes there have been departments that have introduced career firefighters into their department for several reasons an usually it is for lack of manpower or an increase of population. But usually many of these remain combination departments to allow volunteers to continue to serve their communities. Why is it frowned upon if someone who is a union firefighter wanting to volunteer in their hometown fire department and if they operate as an EMT as part of their career, it is not frowned upon that they area volunteering for a VAC? Career firefighters who have this grudge should look at this the same way as the rest of their brother and sister unionized workers are who also volunteer their time doing the same type of job they perform day in and day out to help towns or welfare agencies with out blinking an eye. As for volunteers with a grudge they should also be more acceptive of career workers because they are helping keeping their town safe and a great majority operated without any problems. Everyone doesn't get along regardless of the who career / paid thing but we as firefighters tend to hide behind it more, why???? IT EASIER TO DO SO AND POINT FINGERS AT EACH OTHER. Its got to stop. Who wants the soapbox next?

Someone posted this in an earlier thread. DUMB, DUMB, DUMB Cant wait for the marine unit to go off a ski jump.

Umm Guys and gals, BEER IS A FOOD GROUP!! HELLO! ASK HOMER SIMPSON!

Face it all, we as firefighters are our own worst enemies when it comes do to it. We will argue about everything and the kitchen sink. I personally know volunteers that despise career guys and blames everyone but themselves for not being able to get onto the job or pass a test. And career guys that can't stand volunteers for what ever reason or forgot where they came from when they were volunteers. But in actuality, just like the number of people in this country who talk big and no one stands up to them, the small number of our brothers and sisters on both sides are the ones who make the big stink and WE the silent majority allow it. Yes standards have to be the same all around but from department to department and paid vs. vollie, they area not. Really take a look at all the training out their and what is required for a standard firefighter. Really only Firefighter I, HazMat Awareness / Operations and Bloodborn pathogens is really a firefighter needs (I live in a OSHA State) Now when it comes to other services, does your department handle rescues to along with firefighting, then you need to add in Firefighter II, extrication class, high angle / rope / confined space rescue as well. What about medical? If you department is a first responder or operates an ambulance corps, now you have to aid CPR / First aid and be certified a MRT or EMT, at least you should be at least an MRT if your not a wagon rider. A minimum standard must be set for all firefighters due to the hazardous out their today and the sue craziness of the times. But who sets these standards for each department? Who ever is in charge, and the problem lies with the level of involvement. I know of career departments just like volunteer, that just want to fight fires and thats all they do. Hard to believe huh? But this example of attitude is what causes friction and problems. When we show up in out black or tan gear on the bight red, white or yellow fire truck, you really think a person thinks if we area paid or career? Heck no. I've done a standby as a volunteer in a paid town when they were operating at a large fire. I responded in this paid town to other alarms, covering the town and was appreciated that we came to protect the town while their fire department was operating at this fire. Myself, I worked side by side with fellow area volunteers at a large fire in my town and I was working with career FF's from several cities working side by side and I being an officer at the time was put in charge of the section they were working in, did they care I was a volunteer, no, do I care if they were paid, no. Some day If I do make it onto a career force, I'll never forget where I came from but also feel honored that I did chose a career as a firefighter and I will still feel the same way as I do now.

Ok yah, thanks for letting me know sorry about that, the midnight eyes need a rest. But still the way the guy was acting I still would have called the cops on him.

You know how many times Lifestar does routine transports from Norwich to Hartford hospital in CT? Oh I can tell you. Listen on the old MEDNET channel and listen for the Code 300.

You all know it is a AFL-CIO by-law that you cannot be in two or more unions at the same time????? Even when switching unions while working at the same job? Also to with the career / volunteer argument that is ALWAYS brought up, remember volunteers are not paid so technically they area not taking paid jobs away. Who here remembers RURAL-METRO huh???? Rural-Metro the business refused to allow at that time a union to represent the workers of their fire departments (and I think they still frown on unions to this day.) And they were trying to take over fire departments (unionized) in this country with what they saw as "better service". I felt bad for those men and women who worked for that company at that time and they were paid less than a grocery clerk at Stop & Shop. Is an Auxiliary cop, volunteering his / her time helping PD's at scenes blocking traffic taking away a job from a full time cop more than the Supernumerary taking way his / her overtime. What about Certified Fire-Police or traffic control officers? What about the volunteer EMT in an ambulance corps taking way work and no pay from a full time EMT or the part-timer non union EMT taking the full timer's OT away? I'm a full time unionized dispatcher, if OT is not offered to me first but to a non-union part timer, then its a big issue with me because it was over stepped. However if a local FD has a radio room and they have volunteer personnel that collect no pay to help out fielding calls and such then its a non issue. How many Union tradesmen volunteer their time to help causes such as the United Way, Salvation Army or Habit for Humanity for no pay, A great number. How many have a side job a great number too. Which brings me back to the point of the career / volunteer FD thing. Both side should not have to worry taking each other's work away or being a two hatter. I can understand a career FF not volunteering in the same town / district he / she works in because that is a conflict of interest. As a union person and former rep I am more worried about one thing, MANAGEMENT! That is the root of all problems first and foremost. Hell if a combo department has a 2 alarm or more fire and they have their on duty staff their and all its volunteers, then THE CHIEF BETTER CALL IN THE OTHER 2 or 3 CAREER SHIFTS TO HELP OUT AND PAY THEM THE OT! That is the way it is supposed to be done but as always its easier to blame everyone else and take sides on no issues. Now this is only part of my devils' advocate argument. Many of you will agree or disagree with my statements and thats OK but for one thing I can say is look at my words and actually start thinking about this and see what answers you will come and theories that will be realized. You'll be amazed. Take em' or hate em' thats' how I feel things can change if minds and eyes open up an look to the reality out there. Ignorance is bliss and there is a lot of it in out little microcosm of the world. (PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: If any brain cells were hurt in the reading of this posting, then you really need to get a good stiff drink (21 and over please only). the Writer is not responsible for irreversible brain damage or conspiracy theories. Yes I am shot LOL )

1. If he was not wearing any uniform and is acting a certain way, ask for his credentials. 2. You should have wrote his tag down and contacted the local police department for someone acting suspicious in a vehicle with no markings and a red light. 3. Even if he was a cop, he has no right to pull you over in his own personal vehicle with a red light. Remember when in question enact step 1 above. 4. No markings, no credentials, no uniform, no Id shown, you have every right to pull away from that person because for all you know he could have been a loony. Better yet if your unsure contact the PD and have them get a unit there because of the uncertainty. Police officers will always show their ID's and badges if they are in plain clothes.