Remember585

My condolences to the McCartney family, especially Keith.

I never understood why you would buy such a slick-looking, quicker car and strap a huge lightbar on the roof! Talk about wind drag!

We used the Holmatro extrication tool to pop a dog free from a cast iron radiator a couple of years ago on Halloween. I also used the Holmatro extrication tool with the help of a few others to force open our old beer machine and disable it. Made a lot of enemies that day...

I don't think we're carrying anything larger then a 35' ladder anymore. Two Engines have the 10' attic, 14' roof, 24" extensions. One Engine has the 10' attic, 14' roof, 24" extension, Little Giant ladder. The Truck has the required NFPA ground ladder compliment and a Little Giant. (I think it is two 35', two 24' extensions and two roof ladders, not positive. Rescue carries the Little Giant only. We have a three section 35' footer on my engine - weighs just shy of 200 pounds. A three man job as a rule of thumb.

I missed most of the commercials, so my selection is based on one of only 4 or 5 commercials I managed to watch. I also missed most of the 1st Quarter......but at least I saw the 4th Quarter!

It wasn't really forward thinking. It was more of a "reactive" item based on an incident in NYC. I believe FF Jeff Cool spearheaded the campaign, and with the words "IT COULD SAVE LIVES" waved in front of the Governor and other politicians, it was a no-brainer to sign it into law. Especially since it wouldn't cost the State any money. This was discussed before. The equipment needed is based on each department's own assessment of it's district. We purchased the members with Survival Training 35' of rope and a carbiner a few years ago, before the law. Now we are looking at what other options we have. What irks me is that all the money spent on these invaluable items has been wasted. I don't mean wasted as in "darn, nobody has bailed yet." I mean that we gave them out and members either lost them or don't even carry them. Mine is still in my pocket, and I pray that neither my guys or I or anyone I know ever has to use them!

I hate driving the BMP, it's awful. People speed all up and down that road, not realizing it has a few dips, slants and turns. It needs SOMETHING, too many lives lost on that road.

I think I know this guy! RWC, is this the guy with the flatbed or am I mixing him up with someone else?

Croton's Washington Engine 119 "Thru the Years." Thanks RWC for the idea... One of two horse-drawns. The Bear Stutz The 1932 Mack The 1962 Mack [attachmentid=2165] The 1984 Mack The 2006 Seagrave

Date: 2/4/08 Time: 04:45 Location: 3160 Route 9 (Town of Philipstown) Frequency: 46.38 Units Operating: NHFD, Hughsonville, Rombout, Fishkill FAST, PC Fire Investigation Team, Fire Police Team, Red Cross Description Of Incident: Working fire in private dwelling Writer: Remember585 (& the rest of the 60 Control night crew ), and LCFD968 05:00 - Putnam toning out for a 2nd ambulance to the scene for a stand-by, first ambulance transporting. (Two civilians to Vassar)

They're a great tool, no doubt about it. I just don't see the point of Westchester buying one and bringing it around to everyone. Departments can (and should) make regular trips to the Training Center in Valhalla where there is plenty of things to do. It could be taken to the DES Training Satellites in Mamaroneck Town and Katonah to ease congestion at the FTC, but other then that I think it would be a little nutty.

Batman Begins. Always entertaining to me.

Love seeing those 3/4 boots, the Caprice wagon and of course, the MACK.

Our 4th Engine Company! And a utility....

The Ossining FD RIT has members from almost every company, last I knew. I don't believe it is restricted to any specific companies. TR54, SteveOFD, ONthewheel and/or Onlocation would know more then I do.

Stewie Vs. Underdog, with Charlie Brown getting the Coke.

Close. Just four generations of us thus far. My ancestors were actually "Truckies" originally, then Grandpa (RIP) got wise and came to the Engine where we all are now. A common joke I hear is that you can't throw a rock in Croton and not hit a relative of mine... At the moment, I have 8 relatives in my company, and two more in the Fire Patrol. - Sister - Brother-in-law - 5 cousins - My father - My mother and one cousin at Fire Patrol. One of these days I will figure out the total count of family members that currently or previously were members of the CFD. I think my cousin Stephen has it written down somewhere...

I figure if you can give up your flight suit and put on turnout gear, I can give up the black helmet for a white one for a few years. Hey, did you know your old coworker RSB (201?) is one of my Medics now? Talk to you soon....GO GIANTS!

GO GIANTS! See ya in 2009, when we nail down two in a row!

Right or wrong, it gets done all the time. I don't agree with it. The PD should only be able to "suggest" a cancellation, not actually implement it. A downgrade of resources is one thing, but an all-out cancelling is dumb. Now, this applies to those of us in volly-land, but IMHO, keeping units on the assignment, even if a non-emergency response, is the right thing to do. You're asking people to drop what they are doing and go to the call, but you keep them in quarters - why would anyone show up? For example, we dispatch one Engine, the Truck and Rescue to automatic alarms, and many times we get calls from the alarm company that it is a false, proper code received, PD on scene with burnt food, etc. We will keep at minimum one apparatus coming, sometimes the whole assignment, non-emergency mode to verify. We learn something every call we go to - right? My philosiphy is that the Truck may not be needed, but coming to the call and getting an idea of where they can and can't setup THEN is better then waiting until we have a real emergency later. Same goes for the Engine companies, they can learn where the hydrant is or even an FDC. The key is to SLOW 'EM DOWN and proceed without using the warning devices. Keep them going, even if only one rig. And anytime you have a report of an actual fire or smoke in the home, I would personally never cancel anyone until we are CERTAIN of what the situation is. No, but they can "suggest" a downgraded response, ASSUMING THE MEDIC ACTUALLY MONITORS YOUR RADIO. I'm with ALS on this one. An EMT should be trained well enough to know if ALS isn't needed. If it is something "questionable" and "uncertain," keep them coming. Bottom line - don't delay transport to wait on ALS if you are unsure and they have an extended or unknown ETA. Good topic. Makes me wonder if RWC started it based on a call we had yesterday...

Man oh man do I miss wheeling that Mack!!! And I aleady miss driving the Seagrave, damn Explorer lacks the fun of driving a REAL TRUCK. Five years, 10 months, 26 days to go.... then I want my seat back!

Date: 1/29/08 Time: 06:30 Location: 97 Atlantic Avenue (Between Brighton Ave. & Memorial Dr.) Frequencies: 46.26 / Fire-11 HFD Units Operating: 2191, 2192, E156, TL12, U15, 63B1 VFD Units Operating: 2482, R9, E84 TFD Units Operating: 2471, TL1 BMFD Units Operating: R37 WCDES: Battalion 11, C&O Zone 3 Relocated: Elmsford E237 to Hawthorne. Description Of Incident: Working fire in a private dwelling. Writer: Remember585 06:32 - 2192 responding, 60 Control reporting one call for a fire in the area per MPPD and additional call from alarm company. 06:34 - 2191 O/S with working fire, requesting Mutual Aid from Thornwood (Truck) and Valhalla (Engine, Rescue w/ FAST). 06:37 - 2191 reports kitchen fire, occupants out of structure, reports of an animal on 2nd floor. TL12 responding. 06:39 - Briarcliff R37 (Cascade) to the scene. 06:40 - TL12 O/S. E84 responding. 06:41 - TL1 responding. R9 FAST responding. 2471 responding. 06:44 - 2191 reports main body of fire K/D, checking for extension. TL1 & 2471 O/S. 06:45 - R37 responding. 06:47 - E237 relocating to Hawthorne FD. 06:48 - R9 FAST O/S. 06:49 - 2191 reports fire is under control. E84 O/S. 06:52 - R37 O/S. 06:53 - 2191 requesting C&O Team, Zone 3 paged. 06:59 - 2482 reports all Valhalla units back in service.

Last weekend I was talking to a guy I just met. We were at a function where everyone, except me and a dog, were drinking. (NOT AT A FIREHOUSE!) He said to me, "Oh, that's right, you're a Fire Chief so you can't. That's gotta suck especially since all you guys do is drink at the firehouse, right?" I felt my blood pressure go up and answered him as best I could. "Actually, I come from a firehouse where we closed our bar a few years ago and stopped selling beer. It made some people leave but in the end, our best members are still there." I was waiting for his reply but he finished his drink and wandered off to get another one. I used to hear this crap back in High School. Guys I knew asked me if it was true that all we did was sit around the station and get boozed up. Even back then, in the 90's, there wasn't much in our firehouse. Now it's virtually non-existent.

Is this the beginning of the annual "F parades" and "FF Drinking" threads? Kinda early, no? Any Department, on both sides of the fence, that has no policy regarding alcohol is just plain stupid. It is probably the single most frequent cause of more incidents of stupidity and, in some cases, criminal acts then anything else in the fire service. It does not belong, period, end of story. If you are hosting an FD function and want to provide alcohol for people, then do it OFF FD GROUNDS, OUT OF UNIFORM and keep it under control! There is nobody on this network that has ever been to a cook out or a family BBQ where there is no beer. The difference in our case is the frequent availability of it and the "We can get away with anything" attitude. It is BS and it has got to end! Inspections, Friendship Nights, etc. are a GREAT WAY TO KICK BACK WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY, but if you want to allow beer, RENT A HALL OR A PARK - Stay out of the firehouse! And parades......is it that difficult to show some respect to the uniform and not have a beer? Give me a break. If you want to drink a few, get out of uniform and go to a bar or go home! I hate seeing guys so sh--faced and in uniform that they can't walk, talk or even stand. Guys like that need to find a new hobby, because they don't belong in the firehouse.

I just realized that this is called "When the FD can get out for a call." Shouldn't it be "can't" ??? I have a couple of questions for Captain Barry. For those of us in Vollyland, where we are suppost to bring 36 people, does that mean every call or every structure fire? Also, what if an IC decides that the fire does not require 36 people and keeps apparatus and manpower in quarters? Can they do that? I know, it probably seems like a far-out question but I'm working the overnight and a little tired. Thanks. Now... A lot of departments feel as though they are "covering a call" when a rig gets out. Does this mean that your apparatus, perhaps only a Mini-Pumper, Rescue or Utility, responds with maybe just a driver and you feel that you "covered the call?" I know a lot of places respond driver only, and I just never felt like it accomplishes much. It could be because of where I am from where we need to crew the rig before responding, unless otherwise ordered by the IC. In my humblest of humble opinions, I would much rather have everyone come in on an appratus, where an IC can give the rigs orders and the Company Officer can give the crew assignments. It also makes accountability a hell of a lot easier too. And... The idea of training community workers to fight fires.... I feel that if they want to volunteer they will, if you want to force that training on them then they should take a test and become a career FF. Having the DPW or other community employees around to help cover calls is GREAT, but I don't think you can TELL a guy driving a backhoe he has to take Firefighter I. That's my 2 cents anyway.