INIT915

It's viewed by some (many) to connote racist/hostile undertones. Many may display it without those intentions, but the fact remains that a stigma does attach. I believe you should feel free to celebrate the symbolism if you so choose, but when it comes to public sector employment, even the suggestion of racism is problematic. You don't have to agree that it's fair, but the fact remains that it does.

Date: 02-02-12 Time: 1520 Hours Location: Route 6 i/f/o The Cortlandt Town Center Frequency: Mulitple Units Operating: Mohegan Fire, Mohegan VAC, Cortlandt Medics (35M1 and 35M2), NYSP (Patrol, BCI, Collision Reconstruction Unit) Weather Conditions: Cold, Cloudy Description Of Incident: Two car fatal MVA, three transported to Hudson Valley Hospital Center, one DOA, two in serious condition. Writer: INIT915

Unfortunately your right. When (if ever) will a true leader emerge here in Westchester who can make these changes. It seems unlikely that leader will be a politician, so my guess it will be from within the fire service. There is so much talk on this board (and outside of the forums as well) about these big changes which are needed, but it's just that, talk. Should we expect this posturing to go on for another five years, maybe ten, maybe more? Eventually all this talk has to end and someone has to step up and take the reigns. Anyone can brainstorm ideas. Hell, you don't even need to be in the fire service to do that, but who is going to coalesce the stakeholders needed into turning ideas into actions? I doubt we need another thread about what "should happen." Maybe the next thread addressing this will offer some concrete evidence of progress. Or not.

Is it really all of us who don't get it, or is it just you? It's been clearly established you were wrong. Just plain wrong. Yet, you continue to want us to take your side over this calltaker, who it sounds was just doing her job, and doing it well. Why should we blindly side with you over your unwarranted and nasty criticisms? Just because your "on the job"? Your not impressing anyone here. Everyone here is "on the job". You keep doubling down, yet you remain in the wrong. Why should we side with you? You have the nerve to come on this forum, call out this dispatcher, and now, in retrospect, we see it's for no legitimate reason. In all your posts, you have failed to identify how this woman was incompetent. As for your last thought, I'm glad I don't work with you either, because you seem to have a poor attitude, no attention to detail, and a short fuse. I would have a miserable time dealing with that full-time. Additionally, if while driving "55 mph on a highway" you can't see the MPM, then you may have serious vision issues. I don't want someone like that backing me up. I also don't want someone backing me up who doesn't have the integrity and fortitude to admit when he or she made a mistake. Finally, I don't want anyone working with me who sterotypically believes workers may be inferior, just because they are female. So for once, you said something I agree with, I don't want to work with you either. :-)

1. It's not regulated by anything. There are some "suggested" ratios of officers:population, and "guidelines", but nothing with obligatory. 2. It is negotiable. And a slide isn't guaranteed. The absorbing agency isn't obligated to take all officers. They often do, as in the case of Ossining, but they have latitude.

+1

Mile Post Markers: First, you claimed that you referenced to the calltaker the Taconic/BRP Interchange which is MPM 0.00 on the Taconic. Simultaneously, it is MPM 19.12 on the Bronx River Parkway. Then you claimed that it was right in front of the TMC which is MPM 12.62 on the Sprain Brook Parkway, NOT the Taconic. The Lower Taconic branches off before reaching the TMC. Now, you claim it was a quarter mile south of the 9A ramp, which could reference EITHER the 141/9A Interchange located at MPM 2.87 on the Taconic OR the newer 9A ramp which is located at MPM 4.67 on the Taconic. Now, you say a quarter mile south of that, which would put you at MPM 4.42 (from the new ramp) OR MPM 2.62 (from the 141/9A ramp). Now the second one would put you on the Lower Taconic. Now, this whole time, this calltaker is probably thinking to herself "...well, he can't mean the Taconic at all, now can he, because the TMC is on the Sprain, not the Taconic. Maybe if he gives me the MPM, I'll know exactly where he is, so I don't have a Trooper driving all over the place looking for this van!..." So she asks you for the MPM to help clarify things, but at this point, you've decided she's too "mildly retarded" and it all goes down hill from there. Did I get that about right? See how just reading the next MPM you saw could have avoided all this confusion? You can try to spin this all you want, but it seems obvious to me (and others here) that her follow-up question was reasonable, and not really anything you should have gotten angry over. Any dispatchers here agree/disagree? Maybe JBE, will chime in. Asking for a MPM a reasonable follow-up question?

Way to double-down and not just admit you made a mistake. So, if I understand you right, calltakers/dispatchers who try to get precise locations of incidents being called in are either "mildly retarded" or "dopes"? And males are better dispatchers then females? I can only speak for myself, but I appreciate when communications personnel do their best to get good info from callers. It saves time, manpower, and aggravation in running down bad leads because callers are too inept, lazy, or just unable to provide good information. I'm also glad calltakers also realize that even those "on the job" can and do make mistakes, so taking their word as gospel without taking basic steps to confirm it is malfeasance. And some of the best dispatchers I know are female, so, I'm not sure what gender has to do with it.

After a 4-year hiring freeze, NYSP has TENTATIVE approval for a class of 140 positions to begin in April of 2012. If you'rer highly ranked on the last list, good luck.

Update as of 01/23/12: The State Budget is also tentatively allowing for a 2nd class in 2012, to commence in October, and containing 90 new positions.

Well, given your own admission that you were breaking her chops, I couldn't possibly imagine why she didn't bend over backwards for you. Did you tell her on the call she was "mildly retarded"? If you did, you should probably call and apologize, as your description of the location was wrong. I wonder, does that make you "mildly retarded" for giving an imprecise location? Now that I think about it, the TMC would have to be, what, eight stories high to actually see where the Taconic/BRP interchange is? So, if she did take an elevator to the eighth floor (which doesn't actually exist), then maybe, yes, she should have been able to see the Kensico Dam and the location you were giving her. Now, if you told her the location was where the Taconic meets the Sprain, you'd be onto something! Because that's the interchange which is right in front of the TMC.

Interesting twist. It would appear they do have a leg to stand on. (From a legal perspective that is, not necessarily a firematic one.)

But, as we've discussed before, more than once, it's well established law that in cases such as this, there is no liability on the municipality. (Refer to my previous post outlining it in detail for references.)

That certainly may be the case. But I personally won't vilify these bystanders for doing what they thought was right. They followed their instincts and a certain degree of human nature and attempted to help those in need, when no others could. I'm willing to bet that good Samaritans, over time, have done far, far more good than harm.

Just out of curiosity, what is the legal basis for your statement?

Looking at their website, they seem to be a pretty busy agency.

I'd still suggest that they be trained to the EMT-Basic level if for no other reason then the likelihood of injuries to their associates. Whether it be fireground, during training, or whatever the environment, having the extra knowledge could prove beneficial.

I don't live too far and the smoke is visible for miles. I took a ride by and just an impressive volume of fire there.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-01-06/paramedic-rape-ambulance/52418770/1?csp=34news I really hope this isn't true.

And unfortunately, this is unlikely to be his first offense. Previous encounters may have gone unreported by embarrassed victims, or possibly he has just targeted those who weren't with it enough to realize what was happening to them.

Where do you click for the audio? I can't seem to get it to come up.

Right, because fire and EMS always arrive in time before it's too late!

Yes, thanks. I'm well aware of the statute. I was more looking to learn why the poster, JohnnyOV, suggested this wasn't a lawful action in New York when he said "Not in NY it's not.... "

How did the dog die shortly before the incident if he is in the video taken after the incident? And a 21 minute response time is not unusual in many parts of the country. Even in many parts of New York where often only one Trooper or one Sheriffs Deputy cover an entire county.

Are you saying what this woman did would not be permissible in New York? What are the laws on New York that govern this?