JAD622

So if you consider Union Firefighters your "Brother" then how do you take a position knowing it will probably cost some of them their job?

An Excellent example and something the Mayor of Stamford is not capable of understanding! Good Luck to ALL the Brothers of Local 786 as this is clearly an example of Political abuse of Public Safety!

You call that a "Plan"?

Umm.....Where would you like me to start? In this day and age there would surely be monumental Legal repercussions if someone were killed in this type of scenario. Start with the Chief/IC of the host Department and go from there. Lawyers will go after "Everybody" and catch as many as they can. Something that everyone should keep in the back of their mind when joining the Fire Service in this day and age is that EVERYTHING you do has consequences these days and someone is ALWAYS watching!

Indeed the first arriving Officer should be commended for his heads up handling of what was surely a deadly situation. He absolutely is responsible for saving lives and setting into motion the necessary response to deal with the situation in time. I truly believe that events like this (and there have been others previously that have not made the media) are "Test Runs" to measure the response by first responders. I believe these are precursors to future attacks and we all need to be on our toes! Be very aware of our surroundings when responding to anything out of the ordinary. For the most part, I know most of us are aware of all this and I'm surely not saying anything new here. I just think that it's good to talk about it and keep the subject of safety in the forefront of everyone's mind. Keep a close watch on this situation as the facts come out and remember them. Discuss it at work over and over again and keep your senses up. Everyone needs to go home safe after every tour. Watch each others backs! Be Safe, everyone.

That's correct

I'm just curious, why did you wait for over 2 hours with a broken ankle to go to the Hospital?

It's not very likely

I for one truly believe that the time has come in today's fire service to seriously consider "Regionalization and/or Consolidation".There are many driving factors that cannot be ignored any longer, with first and foremost being the economy driven cutbacks we see rolling across the country. Many cities and small towns are already sorely understaffed and now are looking to cut even further. It seems it's only a matter of time until the system becomes so insufficient that something will have to be done. My question is; do we sit idle and wait to see if it happens? Or, do we try to start the momentum and get people to understand that this is a matter of survival. Should we push our governments to start taking a serious look at this option instead of cutting vital services further and putting ourselves and the public at greater risk? The time has come to step up and promote the idea and get people thinking in a proactive direction instead of waiting for the Sky to Fall.

"We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately" - Benjamin Franklin (How ironic that he was a fire chief). I think he was one of our MANY Chiefs!!!!!!!

FDNY is using GMC Trucks. Yonkers are Fords.

I've wondered the same thing for years.

FDNY has a new Chief of Department. Commissioner Cassano appointed Edward S. Kilduff today. He was Brooklyn Borough Commander. Supposedly well liked and respected by the rank and file. http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/insider/events/2010/011210a.shtml

Why,whatever do you mean?

The Fire Patrol was funded by the 2% Insurance Fund that the insurance companies pay to FD's based on their ISO rating. I worked there for one year in 1987 and it was (when it worked right) a good service. A great bunch of guys to work with. Last I read, there was some sort of effort being initiated on the State level to try and pass legislation to force the NY Board of Fire Underwriters to reinstate the Fire Patrols. However, we all know the political power the Insurance industry has so I wouldn't get my hopes up! It's a shame though, lot's of history in the Patrol throughout the years. I was told when I worked there by some of the senior guys then that "patrolmen" used to go through the FDNY academy years ago and that during the great depression, the NY Board of Fire Underwriters paid the FDNY's salary for a year to keep them going when the city was broke! Anyway, not sure how true those stories were, maybe a former Patrol member can confirm or dispute them. It would be great to see them brought back.

I agree that waiting for the "Bags" to be distributed during a real event seems counter-productive to a timely response. However, DES insists it be done this way. That is why we met with DC Dunne (Div.7) and acquired the fittings and wrench I mentioned in my previous post. At least the Engine Companies would have something to use until the "Bags" show up! Your right, "WE'RE READY"!!

True, however at the last drill (Oct) they had the bags there and they had some useful fittings but no magnetic wrenches.Hopefully they will be able to obtain some in the near future.

Thanks Barry! The only question I have the energy to answer tonight is; In response to Chief Flynn and from what we found out through hands on with FDNY at the drills is; he is correct about the NY CORP & NYC 2 1/2 scenario. It isn't an exact match but it will work if needed. We hooked up to standpipe 2 1/2's during the drill and it is loose as you start to connect them but when you tighten them down they do "make up". Everyone involved in the drill felt it was do-able if necessary. Some of us use FDNY 1 1/2 couplings but it's kind of a moot (sp?) point as FDNY doesn't use 1 1/2" for most stretches (esp. standpipes) As far as the hydrant wrenches go, all the Dept's in the Mutual Aid Drill were issued the standard Hydrant Wrench and two 2 1/2" to 3" increaser's (sp?) from Div.7 to supply Tower Ladders & Siamese connections. Hydrants that use the Magnetic wrenches are becoming more common in the Bronx but Div.7 Chief could not get NYC to issue those to us due to $$$$. Some of the Dept's have them already (YFD,NRFD&FDMV) as you know. There is a request in from Batt.18 to try and acquire some but I do not know the progress on that as of this moment. Hope that helps. BTW, we need to get together about "The Book"!

(not to speak for Chief Fitz) In 2004 the FDNY submitted to NYSOFPC a strict Mutual Aid Guidelines directive for Mutual Aid response to NYC in the event of any future Terrorist Events of a large scale. This document is over 50 pages and depicts strict criteria for any Mutual Aid response into NYC which includes staging at Yonkers raceway (for Westchester Companies) as well as Training requirements for personnel and staffing requirements for same. Each year (usually in Oct.) Westchester Career Dept's Drill with the FDNY which starts with staging at the Raceway and deploying to 3 different drill sites in the Bronx under the direction of the Division 7 Deputy Chief, several Batallion Chiefs and Engine & Ladder companies in the Bronx. This along with Numerous Chiefs from the participating Westchester departments and several Field Comm units for communications(usually FDNY,DES and Yonkers FD). In the unfortunate event of another attack, I highly doubt that any freelancing would occur again nor be tolerated.

I just ran across this; http://www.datajack.com/products Don't know much about it though, sorry.

I agree,this information should be highly publicized. The politicians "smoke & mirrors" tactics get the taxpayers all riled up at us because we're easy targets! We rarely defend ourselves in public. They rule the media and get their spin on television and we get sidelined constantly. So the public '"buys into their BS and we lose! But really the public loses by reduced service but their "Bluffed" into believing the politicians are their "hero's" by making the "Tuff Choices" and beating up on the Unions gets the taxpayers behind them. In the end it's not the answer, it just buys them time until they're either out of office or some other convenient "unforeseen circumstance" comes along to shift the focus. It's a sickening game of Russian Roulette and I personally am sick of it!!

Just to clarify; I wasn't promoting that a Union take any specific "action" against a member for anything they do off duty. I meant that Union's should "caution" it's members against doing anything that cast's a negative light on us as we are under much scrutiny these days. So maybe I phrased it incorrectly during my frustration. As for looking in that mirror, I've been doing it for over 20 years and aside from the increasing gray in my hair, I'm OK with what I see.

I couldn't agree more. If some of us think this is as bad as it will get they are VERY wrong! The writing is on the wall and it will get MUCH worse before it will ever start to get better. Guy's really have to start THINKING (remember how to do that!) before making idiotic statements like that in public! Those of you who are foolish enough to say such things only reinforce in the minds of politicians (and the public) that we are "ungrateful lugs who they can easily lay blame to" and not the dedicated professionals most of us are. Anyone who is caught doing this should have their Union come down hard on them . Many of us have worked hard many years to better this job and do the right thing and that all gets tarnished by a couple of nitwits making public statements like this. Hence the saying "The Bravest - not the Brightest"! Stay Safe.

Actually the Pierce will become a spare.

Congrats to the Bridgeport Brothers!