IzzyEng4

On the front sides of Boston's rescue above, see those silver cylinders? Those are the Mars 888 Series warning light. The are a four axis, front forward oscillating waring light that really catches a driver's attention. They area the original style oscillating waring light and later years Federal Signal and Code 3 had similar models, such as those used on some of the old Mack and Seagrave rigs of FDNY in the 70's through the early 90's. Mars 888 are very distinctive and are mostly mounted on the outside corners of the cab or one in the center under the center window post. Before air grills were standards, many 888's were recessed mounted into the cab but due to their length, they can no longer be mounted like this.

Yes they are, the old reliable 888 series, way better than a ROTO-Ray

NY law states you only have to slow down????? CT says we can proceed through an intersection at a red light after we make sure we have the right away therefor stoping at all traffic signals before preceding! All I have to say is wow, rules have to bee written better for you guys.

Yah, that's been a trick around for a long time. By tapping the key, it "bumps" the tumblers inside of the lock to their positions to turn the lock open, releasing itself instead of a key that fits the lock and the tumblers are pressed to open the lock. Its the same idea as a pick set but using a key and a "tapper". That's why you should by the better brands than cheap stuff.

TOO FUNNY LOL!!

I don't think its the end, MSA has been looking to move the helmet factory to its other plant since they acquired them. There is still a high demand for them and I don't think they will stop making them in the foreseeable future.

Mass does not accept National Registry or CT EMT so I think NYS EMT will not be accepted either. Last I knew they only had reciprocity agreements with VT, NH, Maine and RI. I know with a CT license you can challenge the test (aka take it with out going to class depending how many years experience you have. As for becoming a firefighter in Mass, it is hard! The majority of the department go through the HRD (Human Resources Department) statewide test. It is given every year or two, usually in Boston. They do accept a national FFI but if your from out of state they will not give you points on the test for it (I've tried every year).

Same here, great e-mail

Pull the fuse!!! AGGGG! lol

Lame

More than likely its a very rural area and usually out there a district can be 30 square miles with one station.

Watch I hope I eat my words but I bet we'll get another "SEVERE ASPHALT CONDITION" and the usual "BLANKETING OF DEAD GRASS"! I wish the snow would just come, I'm not in Australia, Summer is in June up here!

I worked for CMED New Haven for over 4 years (ex-296) and our system is pretty much the same with notifications as the other C-MEDs over the radio. Rule of thumb is if it is a trauma or a unit needs orders (als or bls) you patch to the nearest hospital and the doctor will decide if they take the patient or not or for the appropriate medical orders, of course there are certain things that do go to the nearest hospital regardless aka cardiac arrests (100's in CT terms) or trauma arrests (200's in CT terms). CMED New Haven (South Central) operates on on dispatch channel (MED 10) and uses all eight med patch channels each being regional specific. With this if there is a unit in Ansonia and the patient is requesting Yale in New Haven, we have three available channels that the Ansonia unit can use while enroute to the hospital. We use a router to patch the hopsital radio line to any med-tower in our region. You can patch a unit coming from Wallingford to Milford Hospital if we had to. With this it is easy for a unit located at a scene to patch to the receiving hospital (say trauma) before they go enroute. We also had a rule that you should patch when you area at least 5 to 10 minutes out to give the hospital ample time to expect the patient but many times the blinders are on in the field and a patch is done at the back door. We also were able to patch a phone call to the ER direct phone as well from field units.

Not bad for doctored up work. Ive seen these before and if you zoom in on the pictures you can tell there edited.

I have a 780xlt with a Scanner Master head unit currently in my truck. The box is mounted under the seat and the head unit mounted above my center console.

As I was taking my afternoon Sunday drive, of course without my camera since I was intended on going to get a new stereo, I decided to take a trip down to B-port. As I was driving on Boston Ave (Route 1), Engine & Ladder 10's new station is unbelievable. It appears that the exterior is completely finished but the company has yet to move into the building. I can't wait to see if the BFD has an open house. I have a couple friends on Ladder & Engine 10 so hopefully I'll hear when they move in. The old building on Putnam Avenue was the last firehouse in active service in Bridgeport that dated back to the old horse drawn days. No longer will Engine 10's driver have to get up in the middle of the night to pull the pump out so Ladder 10 (parked behind it) can respond to alarms when not running with the engine. The move is not to far either, seems to be only a few blocks north but the new building is big. Even though they area moving from Putnam Ave to Boston Ave, They will always be Camp Putnam! I'll try to get some pictures up this week unless some of the Fairfield County guys get up there and take some shots. Good luck 10's with your new home when your in.

Side mount is my preference since I rather be closer to the ground especially in this weather. Since top mount decks can freeze up slipping off the rig is a lot easier and you are usually standing between four to six feet off the ground. Also too since you need to get a drivers compartment, your not going up and down the truck and if you trip over a hose, you are at ground level and can watch where you are walking.

Very good point and great insight form the other side of the table. When I was a line officer in my department that is one thing that all the line officers agreed upon, the chiefs needed us to the run scenes more often rather than rely on them when they were not around, which happens from time to time. Also to that brings us back to an earlier topic of more responsibilities for captains, lieutenants and senior firefighters on a scene. How many times does the responsibility of lower ranks get taken away. Very good point. Just like responding in your own town for certain call, like you said, and I agree, sometimes a chief officer is not needed with competent line officers on scene.

ALS I do agree with you but at the same time, a single chief officer should respond as a representative for the mutual aid department and be at the command post since they are his / her personnel being utilized by another agency. Line officers (Cap'ns and Loo's) are going to be working depending on manpower the company sends. Chief officers do have access to vital information on their own personnel in case an injury or something worse happens. Also a single chief officer is also beneficial at the command post of XX town in case additional resources are needed from his / her town. If a chief officer is not available, the next highest rank from that mutual aid company should be at the command post. In a career department, you know that a single company may only have 2, 3, or 4 persons on a truck (2 firefighters, officer and driver). If the manpower is needed the entire crew is going to work and the officer should be with the rest of the company. In a volunteer situation, you may get 7, 8, 9 members responding and the officers of that company need to work on span and control of their members and a chief officer in this situation would be a necessity to report to XX town's command post, or the company captain if the chief is not available. This is just one way I look at it and I know this can be expanded on either way but I'm just looking at a mutual aid situation from my experience with the departments we respond with.

My department has 1 chief and 4 assistants, a total of 5. Unless we empty every single bay out (very, very rare) usually on one or two chiefs respond on mutual aid depending what is sent. The on-duty chief is first to respond and then a second assistant chief also responds to aid the duty chief or act as another sector officer if need be, or just stands by and waits for an assignment. I can see no more that two chiefs coming from a mutual aid town but no more, one is ideal but also depending what that other town needs and requests. Having all your chiefs and officers for that matter is unnecessary. One or two chiefs and the line officers from that specific mutual aid company responding is enough.

Ladder 1 is housed with Engine 7 (The Magnificent 7)

Since I see you area from Danbury, how about the EMT that a few years ago, providing cared for a patient contracted HEP-C!!! So That doesn't matter????????? Talk about ignorance.... with exposures on the rise and look NATIONWIDE for how many ambulances DAILY are involved in accidents or even air ambulances. If you have "experience" may bee you should pick up the latest JEMS magazine and start reading up on your history before you make a comment.

Not recently I don't think.

They are currently hiring 25 for the next class and the list should be good for 2 years. NHFD (the home of the original Great White Fleet!) has been going through a lot of overtime issues as of late and the lack of manpower, so this well be a needed addition. Also any NYers taking the test, you should look into your reciprocity agreements and make sure your EMT certs can be accepted in CT, New Haven is requiring you be an EMT when you graduate probie school, if not you'll take the CT EMT class during probie school. New Haven is also using a points system this year, which is new, they never had in the past so any residents of the City of New Haven are getting 5 points. Veterans points are also being given but there are no points for past experience. As for tension in the work place yes there are problems no doubt but it is not a bad place to work. There have been a lot of battles on both sides of the issues and I of know a lot of them too. The testing battle that all you have been hearing about recently was for promotions, not hires. The last hiring took place over 2 years ago and there were no issues then, that list was terminated last year without anyone else getting hired. I deal with a lot of people from NHFD daily so I do know what I'm talking about.

Unreal, Unethical Billing?????? So municipally funded agencies can not bill for the replacement of equipment use, gas and repairs to apparatus that are transporting you??? Redding's billing is no wheres even close to what private ALS /BLS ambulance services bill and privates are FOR PROFIT! Granted most of the billing is covered by Medicare or other medical insurance companies but the days of a totally free service are gone. If agencies didn't charge they would be so far over budget that it could force layoffs and could cause a city to go deep into the "Red" with their budget and it has happened, just read the newspapers of agencies dropping municipal, district or fire department funded EMS. My fire department has just started to bill for motor vehicle accidents and hazmat cleanups, why??? Because the equipment we have to use cost a lot to replace and since we do get a lot of accidents, we go through out supplies quick. heck I think FD should be able to submit or levy a fie for re-occuring false alarms at commercial businesses and residential homes especially if the alarm system doesn;t get fixed, the PD can do it and most towns have ordnances for this as well. Billing for services in EMS is nothing new and if equipment prices go up, so due the agency's rates.