FirNaTine

Some Depts. have the 3 strikes your out policy. Then again it depends on who you are. We've had guys forced to resign after going away to "Club Medical" aka "Camp Rum and Coke" 3 times, but others were allowed to stay on, even after they exceeded this policy because of who they were. I say test everyone, from the Commissioners and Chiefs of a Dept. right down to the Probies. You don't like it QUIT! Only the guilty are afraid and make excuses. If you want to be called a Professional then act like one.

We had the same thing happen in my Dept. yrs. ago but the reason why was completely human negligence. The ff. wasn't wearing any of his ppe while using the metal saw and the sparks ignited his pants. He suffered minor burns to his legs but soon returned to duty. Some professional huh!

FDMV was just shy of 4,000. They received m/a 28 times in 2007. What's your Dept's. stats on m/a for the yr.?

Who's responsible for laddering the bldg. anyway? Is it the 1st and 2nd due truck or mainly just the 2nd due. I was told yrs. ago, it's primarily the 2nd due's responsibilty and then they enter to search the floor above. Just wondering how you guys operate up there. Thanks.

I hope enough of the rungs and beams are painted. I'd hate not to be able to spot it when I'm cutting a roof in the VERN!

Thanks for clearimg that up. As far as threads are concerned, FDNY has their own threads even on their standpipes. However, whoever has New York Corp. can still make connections to FDNY, I think they'll just be off by a thread or two w/ some minor leakage.

How about standpipe packs?

How much did you guys get for it?

Your absolutely right Seth, especially with the last statement of your post! Also, you'll never see YFD apart of a CNTY Dept. They are and have always been their own entity and good for them.

Rumor has it Mayor Davis would not sign off to allow the Company doing the disinfecting to begin their work, so the guys are still in the Station at the present time. Just another one of his childish antics to irk FDMV members. Maybe now that he's finally gone, work will begin soon. There really is a GOD!

Just out of curiosity, are any Yonkers FD Chiefs members of the Career Chiefs Association and are they in full support of the Study?

Like I said earlier, this may be the way to go for smaller Combo Depts. or even the ever dwindling Volunteer Depts. that honestly don't have the call volume, but should not be the cure all for a Dept. such as FDMV. It's 2008 for GOD's sake not 1808. The monies and means are there to properly staff and equip these Career Depts., you just need the City Officials to show just as much initiative in accomplishing this goal, as you want them to in finding a means to merge Depts. into one or two Cnty. Depts. When you have City Officials who don't give a hoot about their Emergency Services, such as in the Vern, m/a abuse becomes the answer to all your problems. Hell, MT.Vernon doesn't even pay for EMS services, they rely on m/a ambulances. They haven't signed a contract with Empress in yrs. Enough said!

The Vulcan Society would never go for it and would fight it tooth and nail. Hell, you even have City Officials who only want to hire residents within their own juristiction and not hire others from outside municipalities. They only want one list and that's a residency list. They're not interested in hiring the best of the best, just giving everyone and their brother a job who needs one. It's called the Ernie Davis mentality of hiring! "Wise should I'ze give dose guys a job when dey donts even lives here in mize city and pay taxes dat I'ze don't evens pay. SIT!"

Excellent post Seth and you hit the nail on the head. I guarantee a majority of times its politics and personalities that stand in the way of increasing staffing levels and purchasing new equipment, not because of a lack of $$$$. Hell, with all the grants now available to allocate additional equipment and staffing, there's no reason CAREER DEPTS. should be shorthanded. You just need somebody to take the bull by the horns, show a little initiative, and start applying for them, instead if sitting around all day complaining. There's even professional grant writers out there for hire. All too often many think consolidation or merging Depts. is the answer. I say that should be used as a last resort. Maybe it would be justifiable for the smaller combo Depts. in lower West.Cnty but not for a larger City such as MT.Vernon, especially in todays day in age. There should be no reason for it. Besides, if one Depts. standards are lower than a neighboring Depts. standards as far as hiring practices, how could you even justify it. I know I'd be pretty pissed off if my Dept. merged with a neighboring Dept. that had lower or even no standards at all for becoming a ff. and was known for skipping guys when it came to promotions and holding on too and carrying thru to their retirement incompetent individuals. Why should someone get the same salary as me that didn't have to meet the same stringent criteria that I had to, and were practically handed their job! Then again, maybe that would be the answer to this never ending saga!

The only reason FDMV sends m/a to other municipalities is because they feel obligated to since they recieve it so much, even for the smallest of fires. That's because of a lack of manpower and equipment. They're still without a 3rd ladder truck. What amazes me is how they'll send a ladder out of town on m/a, leaving the City with only one. YFD has the right idea and kudos to them for bailing on the VERN with regards to m/a. It's mindboggling though why the Vern still sends m/a to Yonkers, even when they don't reciprocate. I guess they want to look like they're the good guy and not hold grudges. Unfortunately, its the men and the citizens who will ultimately pay the price for this irrational thinking. Hopefully there will be a change for the better with the new administration taking Office.

Do you guys even keep the trailer doors locked in the Vern?

Supposedly, it's one for Staff, one for Fire Prevention and one for the men(6). I think I'd rather take my chances with the mold and rodents!

Interviews! What a JOKE! I guess somebody's getting jumped! :angry:

Is it true gss131 if you play bagpipes next to it and soak it in Guiness, it will last longer? 3 months and counting lad!

Who really cares! Where's my Holiday Check?

How about improper spelling and poor gramar!

Street Justice at its best! This Country needs more senior citizens like this guy. He just saved the taxpayers a bundle. I wonder how his neighbors feel who were robbed?

Folks, this surprises you all? I always heard it was Janine Rose who put the squash on all Channel 12 News Commentators wearing the American Flag pins on their lapels post 9/11. I can't believe Brian Connybeare even works beside her! What a Hypocrite! :angry:

Absolutely Capt.402, oh I'm sorry Captain 402. I did speak to the members and also tried to correct it with training. I've done what every other Officer has done or said they've done, but as usual, it was to no avail. If a guys heart and mind aren't into the job, you can't make him want to learn. Like the old saying, you can lead a horse to water but can't make him drink it.

You must have ESP eng158., I was just going to post the same reply. Your absolutely right, I too could care less if you could drive the apparatus thru the eye of a needle, more importantly is, due you know how to operate it properly so it can perform its main function once you arrive! The only thing you left out of your post though was does the chauffer even know where he's going? I've seen guys on my job with a CDL and 20yrs. of experience run around like a chicken with their friggin head cut off, not knowing an address, which is literally 5 blocks away. Everything's O.K. though, because they have their CDL and can back into qrts. blindfolded doing 50mph. Yeah, O.K.!