IzzyEng4

This is where I was getting confused. Fairfield only started staffing a second ladder last year (and thier call volume warranted it), prior to that they only ran Ladder 2 out of Station 2 for years as the only ladder company. Usually they had to go around the long way to the higher overpasses or the bridges over the RR viaduct to get to Route 1 due to the height of the rigs. But that is always been a problem over the years no matter what town with RR lines in CT. Stratford purchased their current mid-mount Pierce in the early 2000s for the purpose of getting under the low overpasses of the RR and Meritt Parkway. Prior to that they had a Pierce Arrow rear-mount tower ladder. The Route 15 overpass by Sikorskys on Route 110 was high enough for the old tower to get under it. The only other overpass might be the one that is down the road from Hawley Lane (behind the mall on the Trumbull line, not the one that leads you into Nichols village on Rte 108), it may have been in that area where they would actually have to go into Trumbull and then into Shelton to come back into Stratford (Rte 108 to Huntington Road-Stratford). I'm not sure though, I'll do some asking. There is all homes up in that area anyway if this is where you were thinking.

They need to take Rod's power away from him and give the chief the power he needs to run BFD!

Willie and SFRD, I though that was Fairfield and not Stratford?? I may be wrong with my thinking. Fairfield as well as Milford have a number of lowe Metro North overpasses that pretty much cut the towns in half, let alone the rest of the shore-line towns.

Don't forget all the low over-passes as well. We got a lot of railroad and street overpasses that are just under 11 feet also in the Northeast.

Date: 11/14/11 Time: 21:20 Location: 36 Fire Island Boulevard Frequency: 46.46 Units Operating: Fire Island Pines FD, Sayville FD, Bayport FD, Ocean Bay Park FD, Davis Park FD, Point of Woods FD, Cherry Grove FD, Ocean Beach FD, Fair Harbor FD, Saltaire FD, Kismet FD, East Islip FD, West Islip FD, Hagerman FD Sayville Community EMS, Bellport FD, Great River FD, Bayshore FD, (plus others I am sure I am missing) Weather Conditions: Unknown Description Of Incident: Reported and confirmed working fire in two commercial structures, Suffolk Police reporting propane tanks involved. Multiple Mutual Aid companies requested for fireboats and manpower to respond. Suffolk County Fire Dispatch requesting no additional land units to respond at this time. UPDATE 22:14 - Several buildings being reported on fire now, fire boats trying to get into the scene. Also sounding like manpower issues, the ferry is bringing in manpower from the mainland. Reporters / Writer: IzzyEng4

Just like everyone said above, you need to include the height requirement in the specification sheet. When I was on the apparatus committee for my company, we measured the firehouse door height and also the angle of departure / entrance of front ramp. We also had other fire companies come in with tier apparatus to see if that truck would fit in. We figured out that 9-foot 8-inches was the absolute maximum height we could go on our new rig. We placed in out specifications that the pumper "shall not exceed 115 inches (9-feet 7-inches) in height." Our rig with a 6-inch raised roof cab came in at 9-feet 6-inches including a beefed up suspension.

Rest in Peace.

Date: 11-11-11 Time: Between 15:30 and 14:00 (approximately (Delayed Post) Location: 16 Center Street Frequency: 460.62500 (P-25 Digital) Units Operating: Westport Fire, Fairfield M/A Ladder Co. and Engine 4 (RIT), Wilton EMS, Norwalk Engine for coverage. Weather Conditions: Clear, Cool, Windy Description Of Incident: Working fire reported with a person still inside the structure. Victim pulled from scene w/ CPR in progress, rush placed on EMS, patient later pronounced. Reporters / Writer: IzzyEng4

Date: 11-11-11 Time: 14:30 approximately (Delayed) Location: 356 Hanover Street Frequency: 154.995 Units Operating: 1st Alarm: Engines 3, 4, 7 & 1 (RIT), TL-5 & Ladder 11, Rescue 5, Battalion 1, Safety 1 2nd Alarm: Engines 6 & 10, Ladder 6, Deputy 1, FMO and the Command Vehicle. Weather Conditions: Cool, Clear, Windy Description Of Incident: Working fire while arriving on-scene, heavy fire conditions with exposure problems. Command requested 2nd alarm shortly after. Units working still at this time, one firefighter with non-life threatening injuries. Reporters / Writer: IzzyEng4

The unit is a demo from Marion that fit the needs for Stratford. If you remember last year, Stratford lost and engine and their rescue pumper on I-95 during an accident. This unit si replace Engine 5 (rescue pumper) and is now lettered Tac 5. It should be in service next week running out of HQ. Engine 1's damaged pumper from the accident has returned to service and the Pierce rescue pumper (ex engine 5) will go to Engine 2 upon its return from repairs.

A wise Public Defender told me "You can sue anyone, anywhere, anytime, and anyhow." It sucks but that's the truth. If the wires were still live when they left and the necessary precautions were not taken and proved they were not, then unfortunately we lose. Its all about CYA today. Unfortunately human stupidity doesn't holdup in a court today.

And you forgot 333-3333 for Bridgeport and 666-6666 for Hartford!!!! LOL Joey I forgot about that! Though "Aye" was the Canadian version! LOL

FINALLY people realize the workers are NOT THE PROBLEM!!!!!! They must have re-checked themselves or actually realized we all have brains!

It was the first time they ever did a nation wide test. The FEMA spokesman on the news tonight even said that they needed to test out to figure out if there were failures to find out what went wrong and how to fix it. Can't call this an epic fail, a face-palm definitely, not an epic fail............yet. TAKE TWO!

I think "AH, MY RIDE!" was also shot down.

I have some sad news to report, our good friend and brother Willy D (NFD2004)lost his wife to cancer. I received the information today from another site we are both involved with. Please keep Willy and his family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. Izzy

Date: 11/8/11 Time: 21:32 Location: 354 Munson Street Frequency: 859.5625 (F-1) / 84.4875 (F-2) / http://www.radioreference.com/apps/audio/?feedId=7852 Units Operating: Engines 6, 8 & 9, Squad 2, Truck 4, Emergency 1, Car 34 (West Battalion) Weather Conditions: Clear / Cool Description Of Incident: Working fire on arrival (signal 73) by Engine 6, 3 story wood frame, fire from the second floor. 1 burn victim, priority 1 (hot) response from AMR, Emergency Unit 1 crew to report to number 2 side of structure upon arrival to attend to the patient. 21:39 - Main body of fire knocked down. Working on additional fire spots, charging line to the third floor. 21:41 - Car 34 reporting to NH ERS main body of fire knocked down, overhaul in progress. 21:51 - Car 34 placing incident under control. Reporters / Writer: IzzyEng4

Date: 11/8/2011 Time: 14:30 approx. Location: 5th St & Neptune Ave - Brighton Beach section. Frequency: 154.3700 Units Operating: FDNY Weather Conditions: Clear Description Of Incident: Major building collapse of a 5 story 75x50 brick new construction with persons trapped. Building collapsed includes 4th floor to 2nd floor. 10-60 initiated, 2nd alarm. Two workers have so far been extricated by 15:05, working on removing third worker. Updates to follow. 15:12 - Third trapped worker freed and being removed. 15:17 - Field com reporting unconfirmed 4th victim trapped, searches continuing, DWH. 15:29 - All three victims transported (first a yellow tag, second a red tag, third a yellow tag, no fourth victim. Reporters/Writer: IzzyEng4

PINATA!!!!!! I'll get a boat!

Alex, the boat purchase though a grant is the first I have heard of and would be great to see a joint once for the town, New Haven needs it without a doubt. As for the contract, I believe that was a concession to disband an engine company and it was only for the formation / re-organization of two Emergency units, I'm not sure about the wording about another squad. The last I had hear was that NHFD had one transporting unit and three non-transporting ALS units on order for the Emergency units. E1 & E2 would remain at their current stations (Woodward Ave and Howard Ave.) while the one would go to Fountain Street and the other would go to either Whitney Ave or Ellsworth Ave (don't remember). I think it is still a crap shoot there and yet to be played out, no one can afford to loose anything in my opinion. Chief Flynn, just like Wille D. stated, the Deputy works the entire shift. The upper management (chiefs) are the Chief of the Department, Assistant Chief of Operations, Assistant Chief of Administration, 4 Deputy Chiefs (shift commanders) and eight battalion chiefs (2 per shift). There is also an EMS officer (EMS-5) who I believe is the rank of captain (might be a chief level officer now, I am unsure) in charge of the paramedic / first responder operations. Each company (with the exception of the Emergency Units I believe) have a captain and three lieutenants. The department currently works a 3-day/3-off/3-night/3-off rotation with for shifts.

I need to make some corrections here. You are slightly off track, the Wiki that most of your information was copied from is a little inconsistent. The majority of the information correct. Just gonna breakdown your explanation where the corrections are needed. You are correct for the most part with the apparatus. However the department's two ambulances are called "Emergency Units" staffed with a paramedic and a EMT-Driver, they are not utilized as an ambulance in the traditional sense. 99% of the time Emergency 1 & 2 are utilized for paramedic intercepts and vary rarely transport patients. When an ALS call is received, New Haven ERS (Emergency Reporting System) sends out the closest engine company for BLS first responder (EMT level), one Emergency Unit (nicknamed E-Units) and contacts New Haven C-MED for an ambulance (AMR is the primary transport for New Haven (or who ever the mutual aid ambulance service if AMR is not available). Which brings me to the next point, Emergency 1 & 2 have transport capabilities so they could transport the patient to the hospital if need be. The Emergency Units also respond to every box alarm / working fire in the city. If a firefighter needs transport (on or off duty in the city) or a family member, the E-Unit will transport them as well if requested. Also the E-Units though the state's OEMS plan is available for mutual aid as a paramedic intercept if necessary. New Haven's current fireboat is trailered and not of the classic bearthed fireboat design, it is more of a rescue style boat with firefighting capabilities and does the job needed for the department. New Haven did operate a full size fireboat for many years, the last being the Sally Lee which was bearthed originally down at Long Wharf and supplemented with manpower from Engine 5 or Engine 4 (don't remember the history to well). With New Haven's tank farm and deep water port, it would be nice to see a full size fireboat in the city again, the Sally Lee went out of service in the late 1980s or early 1990s. The Hazmat unit is operated by Squad 1 and is stationed out of the Whitney Avenue station. The current Hazmat 1 is a ALF / Sterling walk-in rescue style unit. Also stationed with hazmat one is the state foam trailer (one of several throughout the state) and a pickup truck (I think its a GMC, may be a Chevy) that is owned by NHFD to pull the trailer. The department also operates a state issued prime mover and decontamination trailer, which is stored at the fire training center / NHFD repair shops. And also it is one of two apparatus that is not all white, the prime mover and decon-trailer are solid red (one of the Emergency units is red and white as it was purchased as a demo). The state foam trailer is also all red and a few staff vehicles are not white (not many) but they all don't count! The mask service unit is operated by the shop mechanics and is stored their as well. The Hose wagon is a recent addition that the NHFD shops converted from one of the department's old Pierce Arrow pumpers. Basically they took out the water tank and re-configured the bed for LDH. I believe the pump on the rig is still operational. (New Haven shop mechanics come up with some interesting concepts throughout the years!) Except for one, all of the engines and squads are made by Pierce however the entire fleet is not. Like I said before Hazmat 1 is an ALF / Sterling rig. Engines 4, 6, 8, 9, 10 & 11 are Pierce Quantums without the fold down steps. Engines 15 & 17 and new Squad 2 are Arrow XTs. Squad 1 and reserve Squad (the current Squad 2) are Pierce Lances. Engine 5 is the department's 75' quint is a Sutphen that was refurbished around 5 years ago (Engine 5 ran a Quantam triple combination during this period waiting for their rig, then that triple became Engine 8). Two of the spare engines of the department are Pierce Dashes that served Engine 15 & 17 (they may only use one of these rigs now, unsure) and I beleive there is still a Pierce Arrow spare engine. Engine 16 is a pierce pumper with the same body style as the rest of the engine companies on a Kenworth four-door chassis. As for the trucks, Truck 1 and its spare are both 95 (maybe 100) foot Sutphen mid-mount tower ladders. Truck 2 and 4 are new Seagrave Maurauder chassis 100 ft. TDAs, there spares are also 100 foot Seagrave TDAs. New Truck 3 is a Pierce Arrow XT 100 foot rear mount aerial ladder, Truck 3A spare is a Seagrave 100 ft. rear mount aerial ladder. The two E-Units I believe are Hortons on Freightliner chassis however I know one of the spares is on an International and one of the in service ones may be also, I have to check that out because I know one E-unit box was re-chassied a few years back due to an accident, don't quote me until I got the correct info on that one. As for the rumor of the department going towards all Arrow XT rigs, that has yet to be confirmed but seems logical with the recent purchases. The only reason Truck 3 was not a Seagrave (which was preferred and so as I was told) was because of the cost of the rig and Pierce came in lower and was able to construct the rig the way NHFD needed it to be (Truck 3's district has a few low railroad overpasses). They also have a mini-pumper that serves as the department's brush truck, designated Car 47. This unit came from the Hotchkiss Hose Company of the Derby Fire Department and is a Pierce / Chevy 750 gpm rig). The department also at one time operate an International ARFF vehicle out of Engine 16's firehouse to cover Tweed-New Haven Airport. The airport now operates all ARFF operations and receives a dual response from New Haven and East Haven (as it sits on the town line). The Deputy Chief (Car 32) is the shift commander with two Battalion chiefs (Cars 33 & 34) and I believe they are now operating GMC Suburbans for vehicles (unsure). The Battalions are called East Battalion and West Battalion. Currently each battalion has 5 engines, two trucks and an emergency unit. Both Squad companies are stationed in West Battalion firehouses (Squad 1 at Engine 8 and Squad 2 at Engine 9) and I think its only done this way because of city's geography and for administration purposes, not operations (I need to ask why as I have heard several reasons why they are in the same battalion). All of New Haven's apparatus were red up until WW-II. With the rolling air-aid blackouts during the war, the department painted their apparatus white so they could be seen better at night since they could not use lights. And so the tradition stuck after the war and they are one of a few departments that have white rig in the state. The current Squads were organized around the end of the 1990s / beginning of 2000. The origins of NHFD rescue rigs started with the original Emergency Unit that was part of Engine 12 (which has long been disbanded), established in 1941. In the 1960s, two Chevy vans were purchased and became Emergency 1 & 2 staffed with EMS trained firefighters, thus if I read NHFD's history correctly the orgiinal Emergency "rescue" unit was disbanded. The tactical units came in after the disbanding of two engine companies in the 1970s to staff them and were established long after this period. Tactical Unit 1 & 2 remained into service until for a few years until they were disbanded due to concessions, the current squad concept is technically not related to the old Tactical units as they were disbanded for several years before the current squads were organized. Also, the department saw the addition of two more emergency units around the time the TAC Units were in service, only one was staffed with medics, the other three with EMTs and the engines did not run as first responders.Tactical Unit 1 became the second piece of Engine 8 shortly after if memory serves me correctly and was placed at this station mainly due to the locality of the station throughout the rest of the city and also Interstates 91 & 95. During the early 1990s, the current Pierce Lance rescue pumper was purchased for Engine 8 and served in that capacity for many years. Truck 2 in the Hill section also had extrication tools on it as its station is located near the western portion of 95 through the city. Also during the re-organizational period, the three BLS Emergency units were disbanded and the ALS E-unit remained in service. A few months later a second ALS E-Unit was re-activated due to call volume. In the near future it looks like they will be back to four E-units but staffing them is another discussion with the possibility with the disbanding of an Engine Company to staff them (another discussion for a later time). Now the New Haven Squad concept is more than the FDNY model as in New Haven, THEY ARE THE HEAVY RESCUE COMPANIES IN NEW HAVEN, and also an engine company. New Haven had only ten engine companies at this time and there was a need for two more, as well as a heavy rescue company, ect. ect. It was decided to make Engine 8's rescue pumper a separate company thus became Squad 1 while Squad 2 was organized to be stationed at Engine 9 to fully cover the city. Like I said before Squad 1 runs Hazmat 1 and I am not sure if Squad 2 has a "second piece" it runs. Both units respond to hazmat and technical rescues throughout the city (like in the recent cliff side rescue at East Rock Park). With regards to fire responses, the squads are likely to be the second,third or fourth due engine on the assignment and when the engine they are stationed with is out on another call or out of service, the squad becomes the first due engine for that district, same with medical responses as they will cover on a second call in their district. As for the "Red-ball boxes" (I love that term) just like you said it was just an upgraded response on the assignment. The reason they were called "red-balls" was because of the red dot on the run card. The information located here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Haven_Fire_Department - is not fully correct. I went to college in New Haven and buffed the department for many years. I also use to work at C-MED New Haven and have been associated with several of NHFD's members and dispatchers as well as being a former member of the Box 22 canteen buff group for a couple of years. NHFD is a very progressive department and in my opinion has some of the best firefighters in our state.

The accepted nationwide APCO (Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials) standard is from the time the 9-1-1 or standard phone call for service is answered to the time the first unit that was dispatched announces his / her arrival on scene.

Seth what is the cost of living out there? The salaries seem a little low. Also what is their top pay?

Hartsdale and Stratford, CT should write a book about their apparatus problems in recent years! No department should go through this!

Guys, don't you know that it is there so you can pay for not parking there???