IzzyEng4

The only way a company can break from an assignment is if they are in the direct path of another alarm or they area re assigned before they go enroute and another company is assigned to the initial call. But the re-assigment has to be warrented. If there is a stucture fire next to the firehouse per say, well that's a no brainer. The rule of thumb is once you are enroute or arrive at a scene to are committed to the initial alarm. The only way you can return back to your town for another assignment is when you are released by the IC to return home. Then you can get re assigned. It is up to the dispatcher to make a critical decision who what when and when to send a unit. It is not up to the chiefs, officers or driver of the apparatus. Most of these response plan should be in your running rules.

It's a horrible feeling when you loose service. Same thing happen to my old dispatch center I worked at with the area departments it served. Only two town that were a control system (radio to radio) were able to work since the other towers were attached to phone lines. When the phon trunk line went out, we had no communications to our dispatch center. Gotto have some sort of back up plan in place.

I understand his eforts but why make a pledge when it is LAW top wear a seat belt?

Why do you think I posted this as some food for thought? This also does happen and it is another angle. Someone is going to get injured and that is when something is going to happen! That's when firefighters will realize that we are our own worst enemy. Also, I don't justify my actions and to say that we all don't do it is not true because, not accusing, a majority of people have or will do sommething unbsafe as what is being posted in this topic. To say that a person has never is hard to beleive. I'm not writing a position on my actions nor have I stated what I beleive in this post. I will admit, I have done so in the past. HFD23, I'm not pickung on you at all and I fully agree with your post but the reality on both sides of this issue is so clouded that it will never be resolved. The trouble is that riding on a truck while in motion was finally gotten rid of after the tragic incident that happened in Waterbury, CT in the late 1980's / early 90's. For those who donot remember this, a spare pumper was responding with 5 members (driver & officer in the cab, two firefighters in each jump seat and one standing in the jump seat on the officer's side) To keep the facts straight ans short, the truck had break trouble and could not slow down comming down the hill from thier station. The driver made an evasive move to avoid oncomming traffic and put the truck into a parking lot. Unfortunately, teh truck crashed into a tree and two firefighters, the seated and standing firefighter in the right side jump seat passed away. Though the fully enclosed cabs and "DO NOT STAND" and "NOT A STEP SIGNS" came about, why area we still doing unsafte standing? Simple... WE DON'T THINK ABOUT OURSELVES UNLESS ITS TOO LATE. My Personal opinion is also NFPA and OSHA really hasen't done anything about and is really powerless. Yes there area seat belt laws, ect but those have been in place by our local law. I was a big opponent about wearing seatbelts especially while in the rear jump seats, but with our new truck having the "trigger system" on the seats, it's become second nature and I hardly notice the difference. I can still get my pack on and strapped without taking my saftey belt off. You look at the situtation with all new trucks comming in with hosebed covers for all beds, crosslays and wells. The incident which I beleive happened in the Philly or Pittsburg area, a nozzle and hose length came out of a crosslay while the truck was making a turn. Unfortunately a woman was struck in the head by the nozzle and died within a matter of minute do to blunt force trauma. This happened in September of 2005. By November 2005, NFPA required an annex to 1901 to require all hose beds and wells to have netting and or covers to prevent hos efrom exiting the beds. This is required of all apparatus and is enforce. How, Insurance. If the cover isn't on, NFPA will not cover you incase of an accident such as this. Now the question I pose to you all is how are we to stop a tradition that goes unchecked with NFPA already has the writing on the books for no riding on apparatus outside of the cab? We have to enforce it, these newer trucks are not made like the last trucks with tailboards in the late 80's. I know I'm adding fuel to the fire but stop and think about it for a minute. Stay Safe all.

OK here's some food for thought. You packing you 5 inch on the bed of your truck, you have members on top of the truck, 9 times out of 10 the truck is in motion either forward or backwards to aid in getting the lengths back up (i'm not talking about 1 to 3 but a long lay). Same difference right and we all do that.......... Were is it all going to end? Until something happens. period.

Whose SCUBA cert? Rescue 1, 5 & 3 only or is 2 & 4 also included?

As of right now from what I've read in F. A. J. and on Seagrave's website release from thier president, FDNY has and is still ordering pumpers and ladders from Seagrave. It seems that all the apparautus that were built by Saulsbury area being replaced with Ferrara units (the satellites, hazmat and other trucks) We'll have to see when the next order is places what FDNY does with the pumper and trucks.

Not fo r nothing folk, how many times do we have to bring this up here. If you are a member of "said" department and don't like what you have seen with this then bring it up and the company / department meeting!!! I know we tend to vent fustrations here, but it really starting to seem like this same topic ios brought up in the forums 2, 3, 4 times a year (just guessing) especially around parade season. Secondly now taking pictures of the people on trucks like this and posting them here to me is unethical. Why???? It should be discussed with by department members interally and handled ourselves on that level to correct it. Posting it here is not going to do anything except prove that it is wrong and get enotions running where you area with it or not. Being a concerned member, a person sould bring this up with their department. I know this is only a discussion but its getting to a point, my opinion only, we area beating this like a dead horse and nothing is being done about it where it really matters. Sorry I had to vent and put my 2 cents in but reguardless what I think on rideing on trucks at parades, the issue has to be brought up where it is going to be more effective and not here. The topic just gets old hearing it over an over agian and nothing is actually done about it but B & M-ing about it. Sorry all.

My department runs a full 1st alarm assignment to all gas leaks or report of one in or out of a structure. Several times we have found the sourse comming from a structure and we would rather send everyone out even if it is unfounded. Musch of this came about due to an incident in Derby, CT at Christmas Time 1986. Many of you will know this as the River Reasturaunt Explosion on Main Street, Derby where several people lost thier life. Crews were working in the area where Route 8 meats Main Street (Route 34). The resturaunt was located on Main Street, west of the work area in an old 3 story to the front, 4 story to the rear buildng. The basement was where the kitchen was. It was normal to smell gas in the basement due to the use of the stoves, that were turned on. Some time in the early afternoon, the building exploded leveling the entire building and damaging several other buildings in downtown. When crews arrived they were astonsihed bythe scene. Six people died if memory serves me correct. If it was after 4, the toll would have been higher since the upstairs floor was a catering hall and a party was scheduled there. The investigation proved that the work crew had struck a gas main at their construction site a few day's prior and the gas permiated the ground, the gas collected in the basement of the reastureaunt. Also the area had old wells, canals and cycterns (if my memory is correct) do to the fact this was a heavy industrialized area. A pilot light was the ignistion source. The leak went undetected and the tragedy happened. This was the "fianl straw" to start CT's "Call Before You Dig" program, instituted a few months later. To this day, the Derby FD responds to reported smells of natureal gas in the lower Main Street area. Every surrounding department has not take a reported gas leak lightly since this incident.

OMG!!! TOO FUNNY I hate to be that truck committee chairperson!

I'm not 100% sure but i think NFPA follows local, state and federal laws perteaining to emergency vehicle operations. I don't think there is an actual NFPA standard for respons, but then again I could be wrong.

I think I found it. I'll check on it later, hope this answeres your question. The hwhole statute is here bu I will bold out the part in question. Sec. 14-283. Rights of emergency vehicles. Obstruction of. (a) "Emergency vehicle", as used in this section, means any ambulance or emergency medical service organization vehicle responding to an emergency call, any vehicle used by a fire department or by any officer of a fire department while on the way to a fire or while responding to an emergency call but not while returning from a fire or emergency call, any state or local police vehicle operated by a police officer or inspector of the Department of Motor Vehicles answering an emergency call or in the pursuit of fleeing law violators or any Department of Correction vehicle operated by a Department of Correction officer while in the course of such officer's employment and while responding to an emergency call. ( The operator of any emergency vehicle may (1) park or stand such vehicle, irrespective of the provisions of this chapter, (2) proceed past any red light or stop signal or stop sign, but only after slowing down or stopping to the extent necessary for the safe operation of such vehicle, (3) exceed the posted speed limits or other speed limits imposed by or pursuant to section 14-218a or 14-219 as long as such operator does not endanger life or property by so doing, and (4) disregard statutes, ordinances or regulations governing direction of movement or turning in specific directions. (C.) The exemptions herein granted shall apply only when an emergency vehicle is making use of an audible warning signal device, including but not limited to a siren, whistle or bell which meets the requirements of subsection (f) of section 14-80, and visible flashing or revolving lights which meet the requirements of sections 14-96p and 14-96q, and to any state or local police vehicle properly and lawfully making use of an audible warning signal device only. (d) The provisions of this section shall not relieve the operator of an emergency vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons and property. (e) Upon the immediate approach of an emergency vehicle making use of such an audible warning signal device and such visible flashing or revolving lights or of any state or local police vehicle properly and lawfully making use of an audible warning signal device only, the operator of every other vehicle in the immediate vicinity shall immediately drive to a position parallel to, and as close as possible to, the right-hand edge or curb of the roadway clear of any intersection and shall stop and remain in such position until the emergency vehicle has passed, except when otherwise directed by a state or local police officer or a firefighter. (f) Any officer of a fire department may remove, or cause to be removed, any vehicle upon any public or private way which obstructs or retards any fire department, or any officer thereof, in controlling or extinguishing any fire. (g) Any person who wilfully or negligently obstructs or retards any ambulance or emergency medical service organization vehicle while answering any emergency call or taking a patient to a hospital, or any vehicle used by a fire department or any officer or member of a fire department while on the way to a fire, or while responding to an emergency call, or any vehicle used by the state police or any local police department, or any officer of the Division of State Police within the Department of Public Safety or any local police department while on the way to an emergency call or in the pursuit of fleeing law violators, shall be fined not more than two hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than seven days or both. (h) Nothing in this section shall be construed as permitting the use of a siren upon any motor vehicle other than an emergency vehicle, as defined in subsection (a) of this section, or a rescue service vehicle which is registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles pursuant to section 19a-181. (i) A police officer may issue a written warning or a summons to the owner of a vehicle based upon an affidavit signed by the operator of an emergency vehicle specifying (1) the license plate number, color and type of any vehicle observed violating any provision of subsection (e) or (g) of this section, and (2) the date, approximate time and location of such violation. (1949 Rev., S. 2424; 1957, P.A. 542, S. 1, 2; March, 1958, P.A. 27, S. 7; 1963, P.A. 112; 1969, P.A. 452, S. 7; 1971, P.A. 538; P.A. 77-340, S. 9; 77-614, S. 486, 587, 610; P.A. 78-303, S. 85, 136; P.A. 79-3; P.A. 80-483, S. 64, 186; P.A. 84-429, S. 66; P.A. 85-217, S. 3; P.A. 00-169, S. 11; P.A. 01-59; 01-192, S. 2.) History: 1963 act included fire department vehicles responding to emergency calls; 1969 act increased fine from fifty to five hundred dollar maximum and imprisonment from seven days to one year maximum in Subsec. ©; 1971 act replaced previous provisions with new provisions re right-of-way granted to emergency vehicles; P.A. 77-340 added reference to Sec. 14-218a in Subsec. (; P.A. 77-614 and P.A. 78-303 made state police department a division within the department of public safety, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 79-3 replaced reference to ambulances and vehicles used by police and fire departments with reference to emergency vehicles and rescue service vehicles in Subsec. (h); P.A. 80-483 replaced reference to Sec. 14-96g with reference to Sec. 14-96q in Subsec. ©; P.A. 84-429 made technical changes for statutory consistency; P.A. 85-217 amended Subsecs. (a) and (g), including emergency medical service organization vehicles in the definition of "emergency vehicle" and imposing a fine on persons who obstruct such vehicles while answering emergency calls; P.A. 00-169 redefined "emergency vehicle" to include vehicles operated by inspectors of the Department of Motor Vehicles; P.A. 01-59 amended Subsec. (a) to redefine "emergency vehicle" to include any Department of Correction vehicle operated by a Department of Correction officer while in the course of such officer's employment and while responding to an emergency call and amended Subsec. ( to make a technical change for purposes of gender neutrality; P.A. 01-192 amended Subsec. (g) by changing the fine from fifty dollars to two hundred dollars, added Subsec. (i) re allowing a police officer to issue a written warning for violations of Subsec. (e) or (g) and made technical changes for the purposes of gender neutrality in Subsecs. ( and ©. See Sec. 14-80(f) re use of sirens, whistles or bills as warning signal devices. The provisions of this section create an exception to section 14-299( concerning traffic lights at intersections. 114 C. 400. If a person is preparing for a left turn at an intersection, it may not be practicable to drive to the right-hand side and a jury should be so charged. Under this section sounding of the siren of the cruiser is essential to its right-of-way. 150 C. 349. Cited. 189 C. 601, 608. Effect of statute is merely to displace the conclusive presumption of negligence that ordinarily arises from the violation of traffic rules. Id., 601, 608, 610. Cited. 41 CA 476, 481. Though ambulance had right-of-way, driver still had duty to look to right on entering intersection. 15 CS 232. Fact that police officer in answering an emergency call had right-of-way did not excuse him from operating his car with reasonable care. 19 CS 32. Cited. 38 CS 377, 382. Subsec. (: Cited. 189 C. 601, 608. Since Subdiv. (4) does not include a safe driving provision, it provides immunity to drivers of emergency vehicles from criminal liability for violating statutes governing direction of movement or turning in specific directions. 60 CA 647. Subsec. (d): Cited. 189 C. 601, 609. Subsec. (e): Cited. 38 CS 377, 382-384. Subsec. (g): Cited. 38 CS 377, 383. Subsec. (h): Cited. 34 CS 555.

Stephen just to clarify with you, The part about driving down at 0200 ect., was a response to Alpha 14's message. As for the CT State statute for emergency vehicle operations, I didn't get a lot of time to look it up but I will get the exact information for you. Also the other information about the ramifications was more of being informative towards what the statue is leaning towards, though its pretty much a no brainer. But it is true in CT that you have to respond lights and siren or no warning devices on at all, there is no middle ground no matter who tells you, law is law. I do appologize if my information was read as a "no your wrong" type of response, it was't my intention to be that way. I work as a Troop dispatcher up here and have been faced with this particular issue several times. I beleive it is in the Section 14 series of State Statues but I couldn't find it. I'll get the correct info for you as soon as I find it. Izzy

The answer is no. CT apparatus must respond Priority 1 / Hot (lights and sirens) or Priority 2 / Cold (no lights or sirens). If you are in an accident and you waring lights area on and you audible warning devices are not, the apparatus driver is liable for any accident. I'll find the statute at work tonight and get back to you. And about running down an empty street at 0200 in the morning, you better use your siren cause you may never know what my leap out or pull out in front you. However this dose not mean "cranking up" the siren, use your warning devices accordingly and responsibly.

Tornado warning / Watch in effect for Southwestern Fairfield county until 1430. 1549 sever thunderstoms picked up on doppler 15 mile west of New Cannan TORNADO POSSIBLE Water spout seen near Tappan Zee Bridge earlier. per Weather Channel

The only trouble with that is that you can be charged with unlawful restraint. It is a very gray area in the leagal sense. I'm not disagreeing with you but when you have to restrain a patient you have to watch yourselves. Using the strecher straps or back board straps is not the way to restrain a patient. People can easily wiggle out of the straps if they are determined to do so. There are other alternatives such as using a blanket to hold down a patient or even having the police to get involved especially if a patient is known to have violent tendencies. Your idea was the way it was done for years and is effective but more and more, courts will side with a patient even if it is for your own protection! This stinks to high heaven nd we shouldn't have to worry about lawsuits ect. And most of the time they are not filed by the patient but thier family. But trust me, if you were my partner on a rig I would do anything to make sure we were both protected. This is a hot topic on where can we draw the line to protect ourselves with out doing something considered unlawful.

Shine on you crazy diamond!! I was even thought of when Floyed came out with thier first album but when I was in grade school I was turned on to thier music at an early age. Syd was a "mad genuis" with his lyrics and music. Too bad what happend on early with his life but God wishe you were here" and now he is up thire with Jimmy, Stevie, Jonnhy, Janice and the many others up there having one heck of a jam session!!!

You'll be supprised what a person can do reguardless of being vigilant. Trust me I Know first hand.

I lett you buy it as long as you paint it hugger Orange and put old dixie on top LOL Sweet looking car man. Go for it.

One old wives' tale I was told was that originally that trucks and engine / hose comapny were assigned that color for waht they did to a fire. Ladders / Trucks were red since they went to the roof or walls and opened up to show the "red" of fire. Engines and Hose Companies darkened or "blackened" the fire down. White, silver and gold was always the color of leadership. This does make sense but I don't know how true it was. The other colors were added later. Rescue and medics wore blue since blue was a color associated with the medical field. Yellow for squads, green or EMS or Marine units were a FDNY assignment in later years. This what I was told. We should see if there is any history or lore about the helmet fronts.

Not for nothing, We should be able to restrain psych patients when it is known they can be violent or to defend ourselves when needed. wow, thank god the two medics are ok.

Our company's color guard includes The American Flag, State of Connecticut flag, the Flag of Ierland (denoting the heritage of the company's founders) The company flag and protected by two riflemen. If we needed to lose a flag, we cut the Irish flag out but rarely do we. Banners are marched in fromt of the color guard. For the most part, the uniform of the color guard must match the rest of the unit. No ranking officers should make up the color guard. Line officers shall march behind the color guard. Citation bars, medals, badges of honors are not required to match since thery are personal awards, but should be displayed on the same portion of every uniform. Just like the arm patches should match every uniform in the unit.

I agree with WolfEMT, it doesn't make anny sense at all.

North Korea is starving for attention like they always have. Dangerous, yes.

This was the link posted on the Queens Incident report posted the other day. http://www.ocfoundation.org/1005/m140a_001.htm