FirNaTine

Your 100% right. I just wish our guys even thought of bringing the (LSR) to the roof, that's even if they remember to get up there without being told. Hell they complain about having to take two tools. Maybe if we concerned ourselves more with making sure the Basics were completed quickly and efficiently at every Job, there'd be less chance of guys having to bail in the first place. Just a thought.

God I hope they and others in the same fight win and put an end to this B/S. It's time to send a strong message to those who have destroyed such a once respected profession with their ignorant and irrational ideologies. You want the Job, then earn it and stop looking for handouts before someone gets killed! :angry:

Many involved said they thought they were going to loose the whole truck and Rescue Co. being that they couldn't find an anchor point and just used each others body weight to hold the rope.

Good post Bnechis. I'd love to see a study done on the reasons why guys had to bail out in the 1st place. I'm sure a good percentage is because of human error, dut to an individual(s) not remembering or just not carrying out the basics due to complacency or lack of interest. Sometimes we're our own worst enemy, who'd rather blame others then take responsibility for our careleess actions.

Never mind facial hair, I've seen guys with dreads in some Depts. Was up wit dat?

Well I guess that leaves one Dept. in particular out of purchasing such needed equipment. They're forever accepting used and donated equipment.

Thought the same thing bro. and your right. Then again it's the UK. What do they know! Their Cops still don't carry guns.

Maybe some solutions to think about would be: 1) Mandatory Military Service for at least 1yr. like other Countries demand 2) Parents should be allowed to be parents, and discipline their children their way, and not some therapist's way, like that of that hypocrite Dr. Phil. 3) Stop rewarding your children all the time when they do something right or good. It should be expected and instilled in them. Like the parents I know who bought their son a new BMW, because he got on a Career Dept. 4)Don't be afraid to discipline and demand respect from new recruits in the Academy, instead of being their friend, and letting those who don't cut it have a chance to resign. I know a few guys who left Westchester Depts. for FDNY and said the Academy Classes were like night and day. One was a Boot Camp and the other was a Club Med Vacation. Ask NRFD why they went back to training their own. 5)Stop hiring guys to reach some quota or out of nepotism. It's almost on the same realm of wanting a further, instead of a closer FD to respond on m/a, because your friend or family member is working there. Too Bad! I know there's many others, so just add to them at your leasure. Gotta GO.

If interested, check out the letter to the editor by D.C. Mannix of FDNY in the Jan.25th issue of The Chief. He speaks the truth and nothing but the truth with regards to the demise of today's Fire Service. He's right on the money with everything he says, whether people like it or not.

If I'm not mistaken, weren't units dispatched earlier in the evening to that same location for some type of electrical problem in one of the apts.?

Here's a bright idea. How about agencies out there stop dumbing down honorable and hazardous professions such as the Fire Service/Communications Agencies, just to reach some qoutas that the EEOC will be content with. Do ya think one day, we could actually get back to hiring those individuals who actually have an interest and show pride in their profession. I know one way to start and that is to raise the Standards, or to at least adopt Standards. The Emergency Service Field shouldn't be a career choice for everyone, but unfortunately it's become that. It seems anyone these days can put a sticker on their car and call themselves a Professional. It use to be and should still be, a calling. People complain about tradition, but to me this is a perfect example where the loss of tradition has greatly effected in a bad way, these professions. The unfortunate thing is not only does this adversely effect the different Emergency Service Agencies as a whole, but also the general public they protect.

What I truly don't understand is if someone is truly concerned for their safety and a municipality isn't complying with that members concern, then why not go out and purchase the unit yourself, and hash it out with them later. Either that or refuse to enter a bldg. due to a safety concern. Hell, I've seen guys numerous times refuse to drive or even ride on a piece of apparatus do to mechanical problems. Just recently I believe, a Mass. FF. refused to report for duty because he felt his life as well as his brother ffs. lives were in jeapordy due to the municipality only having one Ladder Co. and not their usual two. Where are the Unions and the IAFF on this issue. They should be involved, should they not. After all, what the hell are we paying dues to them for.

Thanks bro. Be careful of that gated Y THOUGH. I was told of an incident once where a memebr of a Dept. either tripped or crawled over the same setup in a smoke filled hallway, resulting in the gate for the attack line on the Y being shut down, jamming some members up. I could see it happening.

Hey R1SE, do you guys ever or do you have the option of using 2 1/2'' Donuts for Standpipe Jobs or is 1 3/4'' all you carry? Just curious.

While on this topic, what Depts. out there do carry the longer 45' to 50' extension ladders on their truck cos. still. I know we don't anymore. The longest is 39' and sometimes I wish it did have tormentors. Give me back my 2 section 35'. 2 guys could throw it up in a pinch.

Nothing like keeping up with the maintenance of City Buildings, especially for the Emergency Service personnel. To think, also, that most of this kind of stuff could be avoided if people just cared a little more, instead of just leaving work and all the troubles behind at the end of the day, for the other guy to worry about.

No Career guy is going to get fired for drinking in the station, trust me! He may, and I say may get charges and that's only if the boss isn't hoisting a few with him. They'll send the individual(s) away to Club Medical(a.k.a Camp Rum and Coke) before they'd fire him or them. They usually give individuals the old 3 strikes and your out policy, but I've even seen that extended for certain people, while others were forced to resign. This is why most Career Depts. have an EAP. The Unions wouldn't have it anyother way.

Bro. let's face it. The only reason they lost their job was because of all the attention it got with the media. Scopetta and the Top Brass had to do something to pacify the public and uphold FDNY's image. If it was kept in house, like many of us try and do, nothing probably would have been done. You know as well as I, there's alot of shanannigans that go on that aren't reported and dealt with on a disciplinary level. Who we kidding. After all, isn't that what the "BROTHERHOOD" is all about? Looking after and protecting each other till the bitter end?

You hit the nail right on the head weaselff. Some of us though are in denial and only see one side of things.

No career guys don't get blasted and carry on. Did anyone see the Daily News article today with regards to the Savannah GA. St Paddy's Day Parade? The only difference is yes, it's usually dealt with in a professional manner by the top brass or a Parade Committee unfortunately. Damn I was looking so forward to it! :angry:

Your right bro. Brewster is 100% Volunteer. I always love the guys who bash the VFD and then live in a town that's protected by a Volunteer FD and Volunteer EMS. Worse then that is sometimes these individuals join these Depts. as Volunteers. It's O.K. though, because it's not a Combo Dept. I always love that answer. Why do these people move from, or for that matter, why not move to a municipality that's protected 24/7 by Career Depts.? Can you say HYPOCRITE!

Guys don't blame the rigs with open cabs as being unsafe, blame the actions of its crew. Just because there's an open cab doesn't mean a member can't sit in the jumpseat buckled in with his equipment on. In fact I guarantee ya, most of the injuries today are sustained because guys don't buckle up in an enclosed cab, cause they think they're foolproof. I'm even guilty of this at times. In fact, you still see guys getting dressed occassionaly while responding. I'm sure we've all done it a couple of times in our career, so let it go. The same individuals who are harping on this, were probably the same guys that rode the backstep yrs. ago, hanging on with one hand and waving to the ladies with the other. That was O.K. though. P.S. I had heard they were responding to a steam leak!

What's even sadder boys and girls is the fact that the spoiled youth of today make up a good percentage of the FD and PD. Add to this the fact that the standards for many Depts. have been lowered and we got a real problem on our hands. Especially the Officers! :angry:

These are the same people that are probably cutting most of our members lawns the next day.