Remember585

Well, that's the way they're suppost to be...

Just curious, why are you looking for this information?

We really don't have to depend on the rig manufacturers to design the rigs to throw light at the optimum heights / levels. With our new Seagrave we laid out our lighting scheme the way we did to try and get warning lights lower for cars and a little higher for SUVs and pickup trucks. It's an NFPA warning light compliant package that isn't over done. A few people have asked why we went with strobe bars instead of LED. When we discussed it we all spoke about the "reflection factor" the strobes have off highway and street signs. LEDs are bright, but we felt that strobes tend to grab the reflective material in signs better then LEDs. If people are driving and looking forward and we are coming up behind them, I like to think that our strobes (especially the clears) refelcting off all the signs ahead may prompt drivers to look behind them.

Here's something that I have been thinking based on my observations. Vehicles today are designed to keep out noise. People are talking on their cell phones, text-messaging, listening to their "premium" radio systems and in some cases, wearing headphones to hear an IPod or other music player. I have noticed a growing trend where apparatus responding with mechanical sirens are holding down that pedal and not giving the siren the chance to wind up and down. The decrease and increase of the mechanical siren will grab someone's attention much better then when it is fully cranked and operating at a higher pitch. Also, holding down the air horn until you drain your air supply isn't wise either. Giving a few blasts as opposed to a prolonged tug of the rope will "startle" the air and will have a better chance of grabbing someone's attention. Another dislike of mine is the phaser. I used to use it all the time because I thought it was cool, but over time I have grown to actually hate it. What is it's purpose? Adding all the lights in the world isn't going to make a difference. People today are so distracted by their own issues that a 30 ton fire engine rolling up behind them with 10 forward facing flashing lights and a "floored" Q siren aren't going to phase them. Anticipate the worst when approaching any vehicles and especially any intersections. Tap the horn a couple times, give the Q a couple of short winds and hope for the best. Now, if we could get in the habit of using warning devices for true emergencies only......but that's for a different day.

Any thoughts on a cellar nozzle?

I'll admit one thing - I haven't faught a fire in the basement level of an OMD, but I have seen a few and read books and articles discussing them. (I know, who cares...) With that said, based on my lack of experience in this scenario, here's my thoughts. Send someone in to the first floor with a hook (or other tool) to poke around the floor and check it's stability. If it is getting shaky and soft then I wouldn't send someone in below it. If the fire is involving contents and not the actual structure, I would think an interior attack is the way to go. If it is safe to do so, have personnel on the first floor open up the floor and be ready with a line. Let the fire vent thru this hole to reduce the beating the guys inside the cellar are getting. Keep a line in place should fire appear to keep it from spreading. If there is more then one-way in to the cellar, use one of them as a vent location and put your line(s) in another. The big thing - READ THE SMOKE. The smoke can tell you a lot and will help make the decision whether sending people in is a viable choice. Hey, I'm taking a guess here - please tell me if I am wrong! Hopefully if I am someone will NICELY give me some other ideas!

The 453.975 frequency is a link to 46.06 now, not 46.26. That could be why it's so quiet... Try Mohegan's link - 453.275 - it is a repeater on steroids.

I don't see how a background check will solve everything. If you have a "new and upcoming star of the Law Enforcement Community" that has no record, no history of service, no known issues - how do you prevent them from turning into an arsonist or something else?! We've all had guys in our Departments that we all pegged as a future member of the Prison Population. Luckily (at least the ones I can think of) we were wrong. But there have been plenty of a******* who get into the fire service, or in some cases - EMS, that have been thrown out because it was only a matter of time before they went over the line and did something totally nuts and illegal. If you look around your firehouse, or on forums like this one, where guys are pounding on their chests about their call volume or how many fires they get, and you add in a young, impressionable mental midget dying to get respect from his peers, you'd better keep an eye on them. Before you know it they might be torching stuff and risking the lives of YOUR PEOPLE! That's my two cents....

If you're in Millwood you may want to use either: Croton X46.26: 453.0250 Briarcliff X46.26: 460.1125 Yorktown X46.26: 453.5625 The only current link to 33.96 is Pound Ridge, which is 453.350. It comes thru in Croton, but with a little static.

So, I got this idea reading a couple other threads. Is your Department meeting the requirements set forth by OSHA? How about NFPA? Wouldn't it be nice if there was a Checklist that was sent out to every FD that helped steer you towards the proper path? In some cases there are Chief Officers and Line Officers who have no idea what is required of them and their members. I know certain courses teach you MOST of this stuff, but there is still Officers out there that never stepped foot in an Officer-type course. So, here's my plan. If you can think of an OSHA Standard, a NFPA Guideline, or other important responsibility that must be adhered to as an Incident Commander OR Department Head - please post them. Here's some things I could come up with. OSHA - Hepatitis B Vaccination OSHA - Mask fitting OSHA - Physicals OSHA - Two In / Two Out Add your thoughts! Hopefully we can make something productive out of this. By the way - let's try not to make this a Dpartment bashing session!! Let's keep this constructive to help each other meet the requirements many of us forget.

When I first reazd your post JC I thought it said "strippers." Then I remembered they're never out of season! I think in our area most Marine Units are put away for the Winter and usually don't return to service until May. Our Fire boat - Marine 12, won't be back in the Hudson until Memorial Day (give or take a couple days), but our smaller boat - Marine 32 - is able to respond if needed in addition to the Zodiac. Good question, I never thought of that!

If I'm not mistaken, it is covered in OSHA under their "29 CFR Standard" - Bloodborne Pathogens (1910.1030). The "employer" is required to offer the HBV vaccine at no cost to the "employees." If someone chooses not to get the free vaccine, they have to sign a waiver which is the 1910.1030 App. A. Our FD used to send us to Phelps hospital to receive our vaccinations and booster shots. I'm not 100% positive what we do now.

Their older ambulance, not sure if it was R41 or U29, is now assigned to Cause & Origin Zone 4 as "1404." I don't know what the disposition of the old 83B1 will be. I'm sure someone from the point can fill us in.

Did anyone get hurt?

Yup

Eh, whatever.... I am an amature photographer, not a pro like you SJ.

Engine 119 & Tanker 10 awaiting their next run.

Isn't Allentown where they used to build the Mack fire apparatus?!

When talking about nozzles, what is the "Bar size?"

Thanks for the info lads!

My Dad made me do it..... All kidding aside, I'm like Steve, it's in my blood. I am a fourth generation member and I think almost every male on my Dad's side of the clan was a member at one point, and even my Mom and my Sister have jumped on too. It's such a great life being in the firehouse - you make a lot of friends, create a thousand memories and you always have somewhere to go when you need some cheering up. Those on the paid side say they have the best job in the world, and I'd have to agree - how many people really get paid to do what they love?!

Date: 2/13/07 Time: 03:27 Location: 18 Robin Lane (Cross of Route 121 AKA Peach Lake Road) Frequency: 46.38 / 46.54 / 46/26 Units Operating: Brewster / Croton Falls / Goldens Bridge Description Of Incident: Fire in a 2 story dwelling. Writer: Remember585 03:27 - WCDES Battalion 13 reporting a fully involved house fire in area of his residence, dispatch Brewster. 03:31 - Croton Falls dispatched Mutual Aid for one Engine. 03:38 - E148, 2072 & 2073 Responding. Battalion 13 reports two-story frame dwelling fully involved. 03:40 - Goldens Bridge Tanker 1 requested to scene (Croton Falls T8 OOS) 03:42 - 2072 on location. 03:44 - 2142 responding. 03:46 - E148 on location. 03:48 - Putnam dispatching Fire Investigation Team & Fire Police Team. 03:48 - T1 responding. 03:50 - 2141 on location. 03:54 - Putnam re-dispatching Fire Investigation & Fire Police Teams for the fully involved structure fire in Brewster's district. 04:04 - T1 on location. 04:06 - Putnam Valley to Brewster for coverage. 04:10 - South Salem Engine to Croton Falls HQ. 04:11 - Putnam redispatching Fire Investigation Team. 04:16 - 2451 & 2452 responding. 04:21 - Putnam redispatching Fire Investigation Team. 04:26 - E167 to Croton Falls HQ. **I am having problems picking up Putnam, if you have anything to add IM me roundhead642 or PM me, thanks.**

There's nothing in this article, nor anything I have read elsewhere indicating any wrong-doing on the part of the Instructors. The last thing we should do is criticize them before any implication that something was not done right. I am sure those involved feel awful and are having a hard time dealing with this. Training in acquired structures is a very difficult task and so many things have to be in place in order to do it. There's no doubt in my mind that NFPA standards were met, if not exceeded. I too feel as though something medically was wrong with this poor woman, and extend my condolences to the Baltimore FD and her family. My thoughts too are with her classmates, I am sure they are in nothing less then complete shock.