IzzyEng4

I though this would be a good topic to bring up here. How many of us here (Firefighters, EMTs and Police officers / Troopers and dispatchers) have received a call or responded to Collyer's Mansion Call??? (http://www.ocfoundation.org/1005/m140a_001.htm) After reading the Regional post of the Queens 3-alarm fire at 43-25 43rd Street (7/3/06), I though this topic should be addressed. One of my first calls I had responded was a Collyer's Mansion call. The gentleman that live in his well kept house, from the outside appearance, was filled with several newspapers, books, magazines (he had every Playboy and Sports Illustrated ever printed in their original plastic coverings) and countless other "personal belongings" to call them. At the time I was not interior certified since I was a probie, but from the outside looking in it was a mess. Pathways, confusing to the guys inside hampered the attack. Eventually the weigh in the attic from the homeowner's belongings, heavy fire and water made the ceiling collapsed. The attic went over a carport where the members of my department were exiting the fire attack was made this way since the fire was coming towards the port and was the best attack before there was fire in the attic). The collapse pinned down two firefighters but were thankfully removed unhurt. About four years later, another Collyer's Mansion call type call occurred just a few blocks away from my firehouse. As the second due engine company, my self and my partner were ordered to be the primary search unit. Entering the house of the infamous "westside cat lady", we found the staircase (we looked where the sheet rocked bottom of the stair case was to find were the stairs were since there was so much "junk" on the stairs, and proceeded up to the fire floor. As the attack team was putting water on the fire, me and my partner (him leading) check a bedroom. Next thing I know, my partners head crashed through a window and nearly fell!!! Naturally I grabbed on to his pack and coat and yanked him back. But the funny thing was we were bouncing up and down. When the floor commander came in after heating the crash, his light shined down to let us off what ever we crawled upon. When the smoke cleared, we realized that the contents were so great in this one room; we had actually climbed up onto a bed and never knew it, which was window height! Situations like this can occur in every town. My buddy was lucky that when the crash occurred (the search was a little too fast by both of us) he stopped and I was right there. The companies had a hard time operating at this call. I know we can never due a preplan in a home but we should take note if there is a "cat lady" or "pack rat" home around for our safety. Let's here other experiences and let figure talk about staying safe in these situations. I learned from these two situations how to be cautious.

Just like WAS said, anyone currently certified 15:2 if fine. I just went through my EMT refresher up here in CT and the American Heart Association is phasing the new 30:2 ratio in with new certifications and refreshers. So if you refreshed last year under the 15:2 ratio your still certified until the next re-certification class.

Your supposed to blow out the flame before you drink it. Dum@$$!!!

On article I read is that they would either be disovled and equipment sold and the area will fall under another department or they will end up merging with another district becoming a separate fire company with less equipment. OR they will remain in place. Who knows, I hate to see a department or company close down.

We only run one Chief's car. The Assistants run their own car and the department chief (Chief 21) gets the car. If he is away for vacation or a long time, then the car goes to the next highest ranked assistant chief. We currently run a 1998 (?) Ford Expedition. We usually replace them every 10 to 15 years depending on miles and engine hours. There has been rumors that our department might be looking into a duty chief's truck for the assistants when they are on-call.

They included all the chief's and support cars / trucks owned by them. Go through all the news articles online about this, including long island fire news. Actually, the residents will have a very hard time in trying to dissolve the district. I was stated that they still would have to pay up over $600,000 if everything was sold and they went with another protection agency. Also to they petition has to go to the town council and be given consideration. The Commissioners are triying do lower the taxes and also collect from those who haven't payed near the boarders. GHFD also recently received a strong show of support from the neighboring departments during a recent meeting with several members attending supporting GHFD. This is going to be an interesting one.

Ah ok man, I gitch now! Keep you head up ok. My thoughts are with you.

Just FYI that is a Clark County FD rig not a LVFD rig, their trucks are amostly all red now, used to be white. Clark County has always ran yellow and with a blue stripe scheme for quite some time now. Just a helpful FYI

In my city we can respond to calls in our pov's. Many members don't live close to their stations, such as myself, and 7 out of 10 times have to respond to the scene. We all try to get to the house first, especially if it is a highway call. At my company, we tell the new members that you parks well away, at least a block on on a side road not effecting the fire scene so responding apparatus can get into the scene or take another water source. The other comapnies in the department do the same. We do have a few people that "ignore" to say the least, this and it is dealt with each time and they get repremanded by the company officers before it gets to the chiefs. Another good resource is our Fire Police unit. Not only do they divert the traffic from the scene, many members watch out for the incomming pov's and they tell us were to go, effectively maintaining a direct route for other apparatus into the scene and keeping pov's and other non essential apparatus out of the way. I don't have a problem with responding to the scene but you have to use your head while drving and also consider going to the firehouse first. Some departments it works others it doesn't.

Thanks for the port / starboard correction before. Lights for emergency vehicles and first responders are outlined by the states.

Death in a MVA of one patient is significant enough mechanism to transport any other patients to a level one or two trauma facility (nation wide level one and two are the same, just that level ones are teaching hospitals). Every EMT / Paramedic course nationwide teaches this and should be followed as a precaution. DOA in a MV is mechanism and any other surviving patients should be transported to a trauma facility.

As a current 11p to 8a shift dispatcher, working 5 on and 3 off, it is tough on the body to work those hours. Thankfully there is me and a trooper at the desk and we cover each other. If one of us nods off the other helps keep us stay awake. It tough, the only time you get any good sleep working this shift is really your days off or when you are on vacation. You have a duty to be vigilant. But there have been times in my career, working for a different agency at that time, my partner when flat out cold! It is one thing to nod back a just chill, but being sound asleep isn't good. I didn't notice at the time (my fault on that one) but the next thing I know, my partner wakes up suddenly and starts throwing tones over the radio saying there was a fire at "such and such" a location!!!! HELLO!!!! Needless to say this person, who was senior to me had a nice little vacation w/o pay. I've been guilty of nodding off when it got quiet but man, it is not good to do so.

When we formed out committee back in 2003, it was comprised of myself, who was company captain at the time, the chief driver, both lieutenants, the comapny chief, old timers who desgined out last truck and also a few of the current line firefighters. though the line officers were the main body of the committee, everyone who operates on our engine had a say to express thier ideas what our new engine should be like since we were the ones that were operating from it. After three years of hard work we designed an effective an workable truck that will last us 20+ years. One worry we all have was too many people putting thier "hands in the cookie jar." We wanted impuyt from our members but the core group was six people who made the final decisions.

They look ugly but they are effective!

I posted this before in the other topic about flags on trucks thread. http://www.legion.org/?section=our_flag&su...ntent=flag_code This is the link to the American Legion about the Flad Code. Though we love to display it prrodly in many depictions, we have to remember the rules. Other countries have the same code for thier flags as well and should be followed. Though this would be good for the topic to have the link here as well. Iz

They conceal your batting gloves better for those pesky drunk and psyhc calls Same glove, different color, do the same job, just another choice.

The last two towns in CT to have all blue were Hamden and Derby but they have converted over to the red and blue combination bars within the past 3 years. Boats usually use blue for enforcement / rescue warning lights since red is a marker light on boats ans shipping lanes. I beleive (correct me sailors) red is the starboard marker correct? I think that blue lights for boats is set by the USCG.

Date: 06-21-06 Time: 18:23 Location: Greenville Avenue Departments: Dallas FD Description: 6th Alarm fire at the historic Arcadia Theater. News reports state fire started approximately one hour prior to this report. Several businesses in the strip mall effected. Links: LIVE VIDEO FROM ABC CHOPPER http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/VideoPla...=57424&live=yes Writer: IzzyEng4

I'll still stick to a little joint up here in New Haven Called Louis' Lunch on College Street. For $4 you get a good size patty on white toast with a slice of tomato, slice of onion and cheese spread. Ketchup is a no no here! Tastes like a millin bucks! Yes this is the place that was featured on the FOOD CHANNEL. If you ever come up this way, check it out.

WNYF is a great mag, but a widly publication I would choose Fire Engineering for service related training and tactics discussion. I love Firehouse and I am true to the magazine but it is more a "laid back" type mag to me know.

Ships, fighter groups, attack groups, regiments, ect deployment information is allowed by the government for public knowledge. However if they are on a specific mission, then the movement of such units are not disclosed for saftey of the men and women and also incase a "suprise" is needed against the enemy target (about the best way I can put it)

Some people in CSP have wanted to go back to all blue again, but currently the state is sticking with the red / blue combination since people are used to it. If any of you have ever traveled to the rest of the New England states, you have encountered a police officer asking you to cover your lights. I hope that NY addresses this issue if the troopers go to all blue since all vollies run blue too. Hopefully the NYSP will run the same combo as CT, they area aeasier to pick out than one color.

SCENE SAFTEY!!!! Isn't that what the first this is taught in EMT class along with BSI? A shooting or violent situation need PD on scene to secure it before we treat people. I am not saying that the EMT's actions were wrong at all, he had a duty to act to help the man that was shot. But we have to have a red flag raised when something like this doesn't happen again. The EMT was doing the right thing but you can be complacent (not saying he was). If you don;t hear dispatch say PD is enrough or the scene is clear to enter, then ask for it. As a dispatcher and a road EMT, I have seen both sides. I was assulted my self at a call with the PD on scene, thankfully I wasn't hurt.

No plans from my sources to end it. They are looking for help though the last I had heard.

OK my 2 cents If you want to ride the back step of a privately owned engine or it is allowed for parades, santa runs, or the dept / district allows it then ride(not meaning to calls). If you feel that it is a risk yourself then don't. You make choices you have to live with them, it's not going to change no matter what is said here or until something happens (did happen) with a front line piece and the dept / district says no more. As for antiques, it's in the hands of the owner if someone gets hurt.