Bnechis

Back in the day....(1983ish) They wrote me a ticket for parking in a no parking zone. I was on WP amb #2 on a 911 job for a heart attack. The Abbey Richmond paramedic director had me go to court to get it resolved. I remeber everyone then having the opinion that if one of "them" was ever struck, the response time would be a record....Main St. and Mamaroneck ave. nope we cant find the location....expidite....nope still cant find the street. LOL

I noticed in both this and other posts that While FD uses helmet, goggles, coat, gloves, pants, boots and at the same scene EMS leaves out the pants and boots.........Cover your A**

Very true. Hopefully they were advised prior. Not likely. Most FD's dont carry spare gear on calls. It use to be common to see VFD rigs with gear racks, but I've not seen that on any new rig in 20 yrs. Proper sizing is important to safety and its not likely that he will have ff's give up gear for another agency. My issue with law enforcement and the "hot zone" was more geared toward the ESU officers wearing gloves, a bump cap and short sleeve shirts while activly performing extrication. Other threads have complained of FF's wearing polester under turnout, but if an officer without turnouts is exposed to a flash fire, that uniform will be the last one he ever has (at least until the burn unit scrapes it off him). If people understode and respected the hazards of gasoline they might. We all know its flammable, but did you know that its vapor can travel 15 feet/sec. that means when your filling up and the driver infront of you lights up, it could flash back to you. Gasoline and all other fluids & gasses when they are flowing creat a static charge that can (and has) ignited itself. This is particularly a problem if you get in and out of your vehicing during fueling (thats why NYS UFP&BC Code requires no latches on the nozzle at self serve pumps) Its also a problem if your filling plastic cans (particularly in the coated pick-up truck bed). And lastly the maincomponent in Gasoline is Benzene, a known human carsanogenic. The NIOSH recomended maximum exposure to this is ZERO. A 100 years ago (before gasoline and other petrolium based products) knowbody got cancer....hmmmmm Maybe this is why the Plastic industry (based on petrolium) keeps advertising how important plastics are to our survival...It will take another 100 yrs before they will be sued like big tabaco. Agreed. In NR this issues are clearly defined and both side understand this.

About adoz. years ago federal OSHA cited both Abbey Richmond and Empress for failing to provide proper PPE to their employee's at MVA's. The law ("William Stiger Act of 1970...General Duty Clause) requires employeers to protect their employees from hazards that they are likely to be exposed to (like, broken glass and sharp metal, and flash fire). They both went out and purchased turnout coats, gloves and helmets (I guess, legs are not needed). FDNY went out and equipped BEMS. If more IC's would take responsibility, and keep people out who dont have proper PPE, then maybe the agencies will do the right thing an get the PPE that is needed. Now the tough one is to keep the PD without PPE out of the hot zone.

Its not just Greenburgh. Eastchester, New Rochelle, the Pelhams, Larchmont, town of Mamaroneck are also affected. Don't know who else.

I see many depts. have "frontline" apparatus that sits in the bay "just in case" and when the tones go out for any available drivers or in undermanned career depts, no manning for the "just in case" But the commissioners went for it.

And for DPW to come out with a shovel after the horses leave something on the street

No MV residents requirement for these 4 legged cops.....They will be commuting from Eastchester.

The Draft was sent to the chiefs. they were asked to comment on any factual errors in it and in the next week or 2 any issues will be corrected and then a final report will be released. Its serious. there are good and bad points...all pointed out. The main issue is it will make every rig 3ff & 1 officer. with 22 on all 1st alarm responses. I think the locals will be ok with it, the bigger question will be the politicians. Thanks for the support.

Do we call a new and unproven career member who has completed 480+ hrs of fire training a firefighter or a probie? Generally, they are called probies, when they complete a year of training, monthly evaluations then they get a firefighters front and get to turn in there pumpkin front. Until, we have minimum standards, when do we call someone a firefighter? "If I seemed offended with the "paid driver" topic, it's because I've seen 18 year old volunteers without so much as Firefighter 1 under their belt referring to Academy graduates as being beneath them, and in that case, you're damn right that I'm offended on behalf of my brothers." Does this 18 y/o deserve to be called a firefighter?

Agreed. Budgets I can understand, I can not understand how some depts can hide there staffing problems because of ego. Do the FD's tell the "manager-types" that they do not have enough personnel? I know many combo depts in Westchester that do not even record who responds and/or when they arrive (4 minutes or 4 hours later). If the dept does not ask for personnel, you can not blame the bean counters. 99.99% of taxpayers have no idea what the local FD provides. if it is career, combo, volunteer...do they have enough ff's, are they trained, etc. All they know is there is a big fire housche with lots of truck just down the road. The taxpayers concern is how much they pay in total taxes, The only time they care about the FD is when they are dialling 911. Its a shame, but people don't expect to ever need the FD, but they expect there garbage picked up every week (sometimes 2x a week) plus, recycling and yard waste...etc.

1st. I do not think that the comments made in the MV thread "paid chauffeurs" was ment to be hurtful or or mean spirited. Over the years I have heard a number of IAFF members who drive apparatus and are the only career member on the rig refer to themselves as either paid drivers or chauffers. How would a firefighter working in a better staffed dept. know that these terms might be an issue? 2nd. Lets consider that many 100% career depts call the apparatus operator either a driver or a chauffer. FDNY uses the term chauffer and still runs a chauffer school. 3rd. Lets consider some history. 110 years ago NRFD was 100% volunteer then they added paid "horse men", there job was to care for the horses and get them hooked up and "drive" the rigs. They were brought in at a time when there were over 400 volunteers. They were hired to take care of the most expensive assets of the dept. (horses and apparatus). A stoker was added as 2nd paid man on the steamers, to reduce response time. In 1927 the city switched the dept to 100% career force (this was done after the chamber of commerce proved that do to the ISO ratings, it wuld be cheaper to switch than maintain the old system). At my 1st fire, I was the 1st volunteer to arrive onscene. The 2 "paid drivers" had already arrived with an engine & ladder. the engine "driver" stretched a line to the front door, told me to pack up and take the line in. At that time, the dept policy was that the "paid drivers" were not to go inside, that was the job for the volunteers. Many of the depts that currently only have 1 career member on a rig developed there system when the volunteers were still very strong but, felt it was important to have career members taking care of the most expensive assets of the depts. and to keep response times short, with volunteers responding to the scene. One of the major problems that these members face is that as the numbers of volunteers dropped (total or daytime) the departments have not added enough staff to cover this major shortfall.

The "FOIL" laws require that someone request the information in writing. Then the agency (LPD) must acknowledge reciept of the request within 5 days. Then they have 20 days to provide the information or in writing turn down the rquest (for cause). so 1st did anyone request the info in writing?

Its amazing that they can use matches or a lighter without fingers.

I have not seen it, but, all OSHA training requirements state that the employeer (read FD) "shall certify" this means that its up to your dept to evaluate the program and determine if it covers everything needed. One of the requirements for BBP is that the training covers your agencies policies and procedures so at best the county program could be part of your depts. refresher.

Thats fair. maybe the stipend plus an hourly. Many do far more than they are compensated.

How much more money? If you want the 10 coordinators to be full time, then lets say it will cost $60,000 plus benifits. Thats another Million Dollars per year. I think the tax payers would not believe it would improve things enough to cover this kind of spending increase. When you say power over mutual aid, what do you mean? Give them the authority to decide who goes where? That would violate every concept of ICS. Its up to the IC. The Coordinator is a liason, thats the roll. If done well its a major help to the IC. If they need to call MA for every one room fire, then maybe yes they should.

Not all chiefs are elected. In Westchester more than 50% of the population (504,000 out of 940,807) live in communities with career chiefs. At a minimum, they must pass exams to become a chief.

NRFD uses it (for Hazmat Pre/Post Entry) you can get tempatic Thermometers at CVS they run about $100. Yep they work real well.

Thanks Mark

What outside firm? There are consultants who will come in and perform studies, but those are based on what the hiring party (read the city) want. If they want a true evaluation or they want a cover up, its all up to how a consultant is hired. There are no governmental reviews for fire service in NYS. Some financial, hiring and safety components are covered, but not what is needed here.

New Rochelle is #7 1) NYC - 8,008,000+ (8,214,426 estimate as of 2006) 2) Buffalo - 292, 648 (276,059 estimate as of 2006) 3) Rochester - 219,773 (208,123 estimate as of 2006) 4) Yonkers - 196,086 (197,852 estimate as of 2006) 5) Syracuse - 147,306 (140,658 estimate as of 2006) 6) Albany - 95,658 (93,963 estimate as of 2006) 7) New Rochelle - 72,182 (73,446 estimate as of 2006) 8) Mt - Vernon - 68, 341 (68,395 estimate as of 2006) 9) Schenectady - 61,821 (61,560 estimate as of 2006) 10) Utica - 60,651 (59,082 estimate as of 2006) 11) Niagra Falls - 55,593 (52,326 estimate as of 2006) 12) White Plains - 53,077 (57,081 estimate as of 2006) Based on 2000 US Census

To get to the pump you still have to walk in traffic. Also when on the ground, you can walk to the front or rear and take a look. Up on this thing you are trapped. As I said, I climbed the rig. While Standing at the pump panel (no raised roof) I could not see 3 sides of the truck. It is not like a top mounted pump that you can see around. It is rare that a pump operator can stay at the pump without ever moving, you do not have access fittings, hose, or to assist members in hooking up without climbing down from that purch. Since the stairs dont have hand rails, you may get the short wheelbase and a top mount, but I think you are going to get members hurt. I give Pierce a lot of credit for trying, but I dont think this is the way to go. I also question how much friction loss and GPM loss there is when you put 2 90 deg turns in the main suction.

Even if they are driving normally, notice the other vehicles all pulling over, what happens when one of them cuts someone off or they collide. Great PR. Oh Boy....Oh Boy the new toy....I mean truck is here!!!!! Lets act stupid

Lack of training Lack of Supervision Lack of QI/QA And why would someone put the "bird" on standby for someone elses incident? If it might be needed shouldn't the host be the one requesting it. Does the MA dept. know if the host has specific requierments? I.E. some communities mandate a fire response to set up an LZ. Now a MA EMS agency may be committing fire resources away from the fire.