FD7807

I am not sure how your dept. is setup but I can tell you that I come from Tarrytown which has 6 individual companies. In my company, 3 years agp we were averaging 2 drills a month with 4 men/drill. BY April when I got out as Capt. we were averaging 5 drills a month with 9 men/drill. At least 2 of those drills per month were state trained drills at Valhalla. Basically what worked for us was I got a few regular guys who were committed and we decided that we were going to go out and better ourselves. We talked it up at meetings, callled members who did not regularly train and talked up what we were doing, and took them to Valhalla and showed them how good drills can be. I find that guys respond to positive talking rather then trying to shame people into doing it or worse threaten to punish them. Key word in this is Volunteer and we try to make drills fun and the eating and TV watching we do afterwards is fun as well. ANd by doing it often enough it becomes habitual and guys want to improve and get better while cementing dfriendships. Hope that helps you in some way.

Washington Engine and the TFD lost a really dedicated member as well as a good man. I had the pleasure of serving on numerous committees with John as well as being in the company with him for the last 13 years. It was nice to see him get such a nice turnout tonight as well. RIP Johnny G

It is the job of a good politician to sell the public on the benefit of our firehouse situation. Problem is that all that is done is tallking. Ever notice that we still need 2 firehouses, a new village hall, a new police station and all that was actually completed is dedicating a new greenspace park land ? I know that my idea has a snowballs chance in hell of actually coming to pass but at least I can say I got my ideas out there before anything was final. ANd the time that is spent talking at village meetings is supposed to be controlled by the mayor and trustees. Public hearings are supposed to be opened and closed not contantly opened and reopened. But that has been an ongoing problem with this situation for a longtime. THat said Dave go get some shovels because by the time you and I see these firehouses we will be old and gray

TO give a little history to the non Tarrytown folk reading this. 3 Village administrators ago (roughly 1998) the discussion of what to do with Washington Engine and COnsolidated Engine began. Here it is 2006 and nothing has been solved let alone built. I agree w/ Firecapt32 on the fact that this town sat on it and each successive Trustee Board sat on it also. In fact I sugggested that 2 years ago and just as recent as last october about getting Washington Engine a 2 Bay and still building 77 their one bay firehouse on their property just for flexibility and additional resources. THis village has a fireboat that gets taken out each winter and put in storage, Utility 61 which to date still has no home and 3 other firehouses that are getting older and may need repair all of those reasons beg to get a 2nd bay even if you do not put anything in it right now. At least you have options if 76 80 79 or 37 need a temproary home, when 80,,,,,, or 37 get a new truck and find out that their firehouses are notsuitable for 21st century fire trucks. My suggestion fell on deaf ears but so be it now. It is nice to know that others agree with me at least.

To further murph's posting any truck we got would have required major league work on our current Kaldenberg place quarters. It was estimated that raising the 2nd floor to accomodate the height of a 21st century truck and to widen the door would net us maybe 30 more years for the building and at the time (In 1999) would have cost about $400,000. Instead they are building a firehouse that is modern, up to code, and sized appropriately which will have a useful life of 75-100 years. As for the size of the truck, the village hired an expert in the field of acquisitions (Jersey CIty FD) who went over our specs with a fine tooth comb in addition went all through out the village eyeballing the streets. He gave the village their moneies worth and gave it his stamp of approval. THe taxpayers are going to get their monies worth out of this truck, we did our homework, and break our horns training on this truck( Formal state training as well as state courses) so the way i see it only good things can happen.

Dave I commend you on correcting those who comment on the size and activity level of our members. However you and I both know how she got that idea. It is ancient history now and believe me I am very much over it but that notion getting to the public was the fault of members of our own department. That said, my answer to anyone who questions what we can do as a company just look no further then our training records. They speak for themselves. Also ask her when the last time it is she drove that truck because it can go down (or up) any street in this town that an aerial ladder should go (keeping in mind that cobb lane and the side streets off East SUnnyside are ground ladder ops).

Dave it goes back to what I said a few posts ago: Their stance is BS because one minute you guys area bunch of drunks, then the next the real issue is about child safety, then the next minute it is about how those streets in Pennybridge are too small to support fire engine traffic. It boils down to they do not want their quiet little area disturbed by construction and a firehouse. Notice no one at the Mascia Day Care Center complained. Also anyone who has ever gotten a home owners insurance policy was asked how close is the nearest fire station. Insurance companies love fire stations near your homes for obvious reasons. This issue is not about children or drunks it is about people who have a lot of money and a lot to say wanting to exercize their constitutional rights to be heard. It is the village's job to say we are going forward because it is for the good of the majority and stop letting the minority have its say over and over again.

If I am not mistaken the"bunch of drunks' comment eminated from someone who had a personal ax to grind with specific members. I would take it with a grain of salt as it does not reflect on Eng 77 as a company or on the officers that they put forth to the public. That "neighbor" made a fool of herself and does not have a clue the time and effort we put into what we do.

One point that i think has been missed in all of this is that the village board refueses to draw a line in the sand and say that enough is enough. As is typical with most political groups they drag this thing out and let everyone have their say. Now that is not a bad thing if it is done in a timely manner however this has been going on for 5 years now. I have been part of this process from the beginning and i cannot tell you how many times i have been told that a shovel will be in the ground in a month to 6 weeks. 5 years later we are argueably no closer. WHen it seemed that the 2 Bay was going up and not to be argued, the Republicans lost and it then went to 2 seperate 1 bay houses. THen as soon as it looked like Eng 77 would be back on their original lot, they The village let the neighbors of lower SHeldon beat them down until it was moved to upper sheldon/meadow street. Now they are letting the residents of Upper SHeldon/Stephens Driver, Meadow Street sound off and my point is that the Village has got to say enough is enough we are building it and that is that. Everyone is afraid to ruffle some feathers nowadays and no matter what decision is reached some people will like it and others will not but It is unfair to have 1/3 of your department apparatus in temp. quarters. THat is terrible. ANd to follow up on an earlier reply,no resident (child or otherwise) has been hit in tarrytown. We are residents too and take pride and care when responding on our streets because the people around us are our friends and family too. Acceidents can happen in commercial areas as well so holding up the building of essential fire quarters on this issue to me is a front for "we just do not want the noise and traffic in our neighborhood but will use the children as a scare tactic to get our way" I know my view is slightly controversial but it is what it is and i ahve been on the inside for years now and it is rather frustrating to be a part of something that is constantly being stalled

I recently took this class at Valhalla and I highly reccomend it to anyone who is serious about learning truck work.The 3 instructors (Jimmy Smith, Tom Moriarity, and Dave Giuliano) were very thorough and was a great experience.

This is 2006 and nothing gets done quickly. Believe it or not there are people protesting that Engine 77's firehouse will be too CLOSE to their properties and homes. These protestors are citing public safety issues such as firetrucks shouldn't be going down their tight little streets and children play in the streets and the firetrucks and the volunteers who race to staff those trucks will conflict with that. Again I am not making this up there are actually people who complain about having a firehouse too close to their home. Amazing isn't it ?

THe site for Washington Engine is adjacent to 155 White Plains Road on the East Side of the property. THe property for COnsolidated in on the same site where their temporary quarters is located on Meadow Street

if it seems too good to be true it probably is

Some good news coming out of Tarrytown, groundbreakings were held for both Washington Engine and COnsolidated Engine's new 1 bay firehouses.

I have FF1 and Survival already but love the concept and know that several members of my company alone would take part in that.

Tarrytown does not require a CDL. You need a valid NYS License with 10 hours minimum or driving time and 10 hours minimum Ladder and/or pump time in addition to passing a road test given by your company's chief driver. Upon that you must driver at least once every six months to a drill or an alarm to stay qualified.

Does anyone know if there is a FF1 Daytime Course opening up in the near future ??