Remember585

I swear this happens every year...

Sgt. Rich Corvinus retired on 12/12/08 after 20+ years with Croton PD. John Barirde was promoted on 12/15/08 to the position of Sergeant. John is a Life Member and Ex-Captain of Croton FD and an Investigator on Westchester County Cause & Origin Team Zone 4. Congratulations to both men!

A few of us in my Department that frequently check into these forums were talking about this earlier today / last night. While consolidation isn't the worst idea ever, we wonder, who would we benefit from merging with? Up here in our neck of the woods we really aren't "right on top" of any of our neighboring departments. Ossining is to our south. Millwood is to our south east. Montrose is to our north. Yorktown is to our east. Mohegan is to our east. Our 3 stations are closer to the majority of our district then any of our neighboring departments. Any thoughts?

They've been doing this for a couple of years. I believe the Battalion # coincides with what group is working. For example, Battalion 3 is Group 3's Deputy Chief. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Slow day? It's a beautiful helmet and as others said, it should be hung up. If I were the Chief I would ask this FF if he would mind letting me put his helmet somewhere for people to see - like in the foyer of Fire HQ or in a glass case to keep it from getting ruined. He has worn it 3 years and I think if the rule says no, then no. But don't paint it!!!! Leave it as is, preserve it and hang it somewhere for others to see. It's something that not only the FF should be proud of, but as a Chief why not let others see that thing?! So many people are falling into the believe that it is a democracy. Less orders are being followed, more orders are questioned, why would anyone want to be a leader anymore? You're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't. While talking about helmets (and all PPE for that matter) if a member has their own stuff, doesn't it still have to be in compliance with all department rules, NFPA and OSHA requirements? I'm out...

Was there a driveway they could of laid in from? From the pic on Lohud it looks like it was without a driveway and the house just had a 75 - 100 foot (or more) setback from the street. Where was the 3rd Scarsdale Engine Company (55)? Were you able to work this job before most of the storm showed up? Good job to all involved! Oh, were D-Ball or Mtych there????? Silly Ex-dispatchers playing firemen....LOL.

I failed to mention the other moves in the Department that occurred this year. Chief Dennis Coxen retired earlier in the year, Detective Lieutenant Anthony Tramaglini took his position. Detective John Nikotopolous was promoted to Detective Sergeant. P.O. Paul Camilleri was promoted to Detective. Sgt. Jim Bagley retired, P.O. Bill Morrison was promotoed to Sergeant to fill that vacancy. I think that's it. I apologize to John Niko and Paul C. if I spelled their names wrong, but I gave it my best! It's always a pleasure working with these guys, and the best of luck to all of them!

Wrong Wassil....hey, I'm tired!

Congrats and good luck to all. I never thought Frank would retire!

Recap of the Croton Fire 31 Old Post Road North 12/16/08 On Scene Units: CFD Units: 2083, 2084, 2085, E119, E118, E120, TL44, R18 Ossining: 2334, E98, U51, (FAST) Buchanan: 2551, 2552, U12 (Cascade) VA Montrose: 2572, E225 Cortlandt VAC: 88B1 Tri-Community ALS: 3611, 36M1 WCDES: Battalion 10, C&O Zone 4 w/ 1404 Croton PD Red Cross (displacement of at least 10 people) Con Ed Electric & Gas Relocated to Croton Station #3: Ossining: L42 Verplanck: 2493, E128 Briarcliff: 53B1 13:19 - Initial call for odor of smoke in house. 13:20 – Car 2084 responding. 13:22 – E119, E120, E118, R18, TL44 responding. Car 2084 on location. 13:24 – E119, E118 on location. 2083 responding w/ delay. 13:25 – TL44, E120, R18 on location. 2084 reports smoke showing, 10-75 transmitted. *10-75 is Ossining FAST, Buchanan Cascade, Croton EMS, Cortlandt VAC, 36M1, C&O Team* *Relocates Montrose Engine, Ossining Ladder, Briarcliff Ambulance.* 13:26 - E119 stretching a line, E118 hooking hydrant for E119, TL44 setting up. 13:32 – Montrose not available, Verplanck dispatched. 13:33 – 2334, E98, U51 responding. 13:34 – 2083 on location, assuming Command, 2084 has Operations. 2083 reports 2 ½ story frame dwelling, probable balloon-frame, fire in basement, 1 L/S/O. Mutual Aid to stage on Brook Street. 13:38 – Command requests E225 from VA Montrose to scene. 13:41 – Command reports primary search negative. 13:43 – Ossining FAST E98, U51 & Car 2334 on location. 13:45 – Car 2551, U12 on location. 13:48 – E225, Car 2572 on location. 13:50 – Command reports visible fire is knocked down, extensive overhaul, probable will hold, has 3 L/S, 2 L/S/O. Secondary search underway. 14:05 – Command reports secondary search is negative. Crews located illegal apartment, still pulling ceilings & walls to check for extension. 14:17 – Command reports fire is under control. Releasing the Ossining FAST. 14:21 – Command releasing E225. 14:37 – Command releasing 88B1 & 36M1. 14:48 – Command releasing E120, will standby in quarters, releasing E128. Also returning U12. 14:53 – Command reports remaining units are picking up, will advise when available. 14:58 – Command releasing L42 & 53B1 from standby. 15:04 – Car 2083 reports all Croton units back in service, Command terminated. Knowing we had a balloon-frame dwelling with at least one illegal apartment, crews opened up walls on all levels and went in the attic to check for extension. Fire was contained to a bathroom with moderate extension into surrounding rooms in basement apartment. 1 Line was put on the fire, 1 to protect the basements stairs and a 3rd to the 1st floor as a precaution. Members used salvage covers to cover as many belongings as possible, keeping the damage to as minimal as possible. Many thanks to our Mutual Aid and to 60 Control for being on top of their game, especially 661!

Yeah, what he posted...LOL.

I was a little busy to shoot pics from the start, so these are from after the fire was knocked.

Goose, Hopefully I can shed some light on the trunk radio system for you. For the record, none of this is "official info" and is only my interpretation of such. The system was developed to create a radio "network" to give the 3 branches of emergency services (FD, PD & EMS) some kind of a system to talk to one another. Someone must of realized that if they threw in the Bee-line buses, they could get funding to get the system off the ground. The grand scheme of things as I recall reading over the years it was developed was to create a radio system that can be utilized during disasters so that everyone can talk to each other and better coordinate (yeah right) evacuations and such. My take on it now is that so much money was put in to it, that just having it for "disasters" was money poorly spent. Not to mention the lack of use makes it hard to know how well it actually works. Slowly, FD and EMS agencies have started to take advantage of it, freeing up 46.26 and making Mutual Aid incidents so much more easy to manage. When I first started at 60 Control, we would be dealing with a structure fire in one part of the county and kind of have it under control (radio-wise), but you would see another incident come up and then it was too difficult to manage things. Not to mention when Mother Nature shows up and kicks our butts, trying to dispatch AND communicate on 46.26 literally became impossible, especially when units are using repeaters which in some cases, drowned out our attempt to send tones. Now, we can direct units to their talkgroups or other alternate trunk talkgroups and get a better hold on communications in the overloaded system we've had in Westchester for too long. As far as maxing out the system, I have heard that it is possible, but have not seen nor been a part of it, so it may just be rumor. Hope that helps.

Cough, consolidation of resources, cough.

The article says that ISO was told 54% of departments always or almost always call for Mutual Aid. Does that mean every single call? Or does that mean a Chief calls Mutual Aid when it is warranted, for example a structure fire? The article doesn't discuss Westchester County, but I am sure our Mutual Aid #'s are on the rise as well. One only needs to listen to a scanner for about 3 or 4 days and know which departments are suffering around here. Two pages, three pages, Mutual Aid - no good. If you are having difficulty on a regular basis covering "routine" calls then as a Department you have to step up and assess the problem and do something about it. We're still fairly fortunate in our Department, but like any other problem that may come up, if the issue of manpower and covering calls starts to rear it's ugly head here, I know we wouldn't curtail it, we would do what needed doing.

We're in the process of creating FAST riding assignments to make that job a little more efficient. We figured that as a FAST we're more of a Truck Company, so riding assignments will (should) be easier to follow. As for the "yelling back to the crew to shut up" thing... I have NO IDEA what you are talking about! Ahhh, I miss that seat.. no one to talk to in my car.

I've been involved in a few incidents both as a dispatcher and as a firefighter where the alarm either doesn't go off or notification of the alarm is delayed - drastically. Most recently I dispatched an FD for smoke in a building. Units were on scene venting and we got the alarm, nearly 25 minutes after the initial call from the facility reporting smoke from the basement.

Peekskill FD Units on scene: 2341, 2342, 2349, E133, E131, TL45, R134 Mohegan FD Units on scene: 2261, 2263, E258 Continental Village FD O/S; 2131, 2132, R39 Peekskill VAC, Peekskill OEM, NYSP, Battalion 10, C&O Zone 4 w/ 1404 Fire was knocked down by the time I found it. Clarity isn't so great, any tips? Car 2341 & E258 LMFD Members grabbing their FAST gear Hydraulic ventilation in progress on 2nd floor E133 pumping, E131 behind it, TL45 along side it.

That's cool. Something positive to read among all the negative lately. Congrats to Da' Wood.

"No balls." LOL. I hear you man. The 62 Mack was still E119 when I was little, and I remember going to the Mack plant in NYC to see the 84 being worked on, and I recall my Dad bringing it to the house (the one across from you X648) and letting me go for a ride in it with him and Johnny Basso, If I remember correctly. I always thought that thing had such personality to it. I am glad to have been a driver on it for close to 10 years, and being the last Engineer it had. I still think the best thing I will remember about that rig is hearing the Q echoing up Brook Street and into the upper village. Ahhh, memories.

Amen to that!

I'm interested in this - can you share the information for this? You can PM me if you want, thanks Cap. Congrats to BHFD!

60 Control's minimum staffing is 4 on duty. More often then not we run with 5 during the day. Once we reach full staffing (another Christmas wish) there is 4 groups of 5 and 1 group of 6, and during the week there is 6 people in the room working. As far as the phone ringing issue - take it off the hook. And put an end to 911 advertising... I'll help.

If it is a 911 call and the PD transfers it to 60 Control, that information comes up on the ANI/ALI screen. Also, all Dispatchers will ask for an address, if it is a private house or for an apartment #. We have several complexes like this around Westchester and don't seem to have a problem obtaining this information. For example, in Eastchester's jurisdiction, we have places like this along Garth Road. (Wait a second, I am from northern Westchester, how do I know about Eastchester? Oh yeah, our CAD system which, despite what many would like to believe, is smarter then most people). It all depends on the jurisdiction to step up and do a little homework to make things as flawless as possible. "911 What is the address of your emergency? OK, what town are you in? Is that near the corner of XYZ Street?" Another simple fix. We don't write anything down, we enter data into our CAD. If we put in 100 N Broadway that IS North Broadway. They tell us New Broadway, it goes in, we get cross streets, an apparatus assignment by call type and a map showing the area. Also, the local cops know the local regular callers, the trouble spots where hazards may exist. I also feel that when 60 dispatchs for calls on the NYS Thruway or Tappan Zee Bridge (Tarrytown jurisdiction) that the dispatch information is incomplete or not accurate. Several times, me and my partner have driven for miles because the dispatch information was not accurate. It makes a huge difference when you are dispatched southbound and the accident is northbound. Incorrect mile markers, told that the accident is on 287 when its on an exit ramp. We don't see the incident, and for that matter neither do most 911 centers, so we are at the mercy of what the caller tells us. 95% of the time when there is an incident on the Thruway or TZB we get it from THE THRUWAY! So if they, being the local Police for that area, can't provide the right info, how is TPD, IPD or 60 Control going to dispatch it? Exactly how it is given to them. I've heard every point people have mentioned, all the questions and explained just about everything - mainly to my own members, to our PD and to my Village Board when we were making our switch to 60 Control. Hopefully I answered some of your thoughts.

I remember when you guys would call me and tell me something was going on. No love anymore....bastards. :angry: The same thing usually goes all over Westchester. Department A goes out on a possible fire, the brothers in the neighboring departments are usually listening and making their way to their own firehouses to be there when requested. FirNaTine... That 3:00 AM thing can go for some paid firehouses too, so let's not throw stones at glass houses. We all know how hard it is to drag out of bed in the middle of a good sleep. The reality of it is in the dispatch. Hear a non-life-threatening call you're more likely to not break your neck running out of bed, but if that dispatch is for a "good call" people move faster. The topic here is the issue of district boundaries, let's keep it at that. For the record FirNaTine, I am not biased towards either side, as a matter of fact I believe there are some departments around Westchester that should of been paying people almost 10 years ago.