Bnechis

This is a national hazardous materials clean up company. They are transporting HM from a hazmat site. Even with the best documentation & instramentation you will never know what might be involved because its waste. any number of items could have mixed. The amount that is leaking is very minor and based on 55gal drums, thats the most that could be released. The truck is in a location that is easy to isolate. Maybe instead of using local hazmat resources, let clean waters send a team, it is their truck, their responsability and what they actually do everyday. If it was joes hauling...Sage is right on.

1) having spec'ed a number of rescue pumpers, the main issue that causes it to perform poorly is poor hose layout. I have seen a couple that require a harness and belay line to get to the hose bed. Others that are great, all in the design. 2) NFPA 1901 requires a class A pumper has a 750gpm pump (minimum) and carries a minimum of 300 gallons of water. Generally most are 1,000gpm / 500 gallon minimum 3) nothing wrong with that, but rarely have I seen where that back-up exists. Most depts that run rescue pumpers do not have enough equipment to handle the job WITHOUT the availablity of some back-up. Still can be a great idea as a 1st response unit.

Correct you are not penalized if you carry the full compliment of engine compnay tools & hose. ISO credits Quints as 1.5 units: an Engine and 1/2 a ladder or 1/2 an engine and 1 ladder (the dept can choice). Now this can help or hurt your rating. ISO requires 2 engines & 1 ladder or service company plus water supply units if no hydrants. Ladder vs service is based on building size/height in district and a service company is a rescue. Now if you send 2 quints thats 2 engines and 1 ladder you can be credited (but you still need 6 on each minimum [4 engine, 2 ladder]) if you take and engine and ladder and replace it with a quint it will hurt your ratings. Rescue pumper works the same way, Its an engine & 1/2 service company so 2 of them may reduce the need for a ladder, but most rescue pumpers do not carry enough ground ladders to even be close and agian maining needs to be for both companies, minimum 6. Generally a rescue pumper does not hurt ISO rating, but it may not help.

I did mean civil service positions. About 900 are Mt. Vernon, New Rochelle, White Plains & Yonkers are regulated under federal court mandates and are different than the other depts.

1) Why should we waste time looking to change a system that can not be changed without permission of the federal courts? In watching what the courts are doing with FDNY, they have made it clear that it could be much worst if we open this can of worms up. 2) One thing it does, is determine if an applicant is smart enough to use a pencil and paper. Can't tell you how many "smart" people can't fill out those cards and get all the answers in the corrisponding boxes. 3) then you are hearing what you want. When 500 - 1,000 people take a test that 6-20 will get hired, and its not "passing" the physical agility is being physically more capabile since for 80% of Westchester Hirings is competative scored. If you do not work hard for it you will not get hired. They are not getting handed a job for showing up. 4) I'd like to know their work history etc. Just because they worked hard to get the medic does not mean they did not turn into a poor paramedic. I have seen more than a few that can not make it 1 flight of stairs (without turnouts and hose, etc.) because they are in such poor physical shap. I would much rather have a dedicated hard worker, who really wants the job, because they always want to be a FF, than a paramedic who only wants it because he does not like his current employment and the pension. 5) Being both and having taught both I can say you are wrong. It is harder to pass paramedic, but it is much harder to become a firefighter. Its not handed to you you have to score better than 1,000 other candidates. 6) Yes, a competitive test that if you do not know your stuff you will most likely score low and not get promoted. It absolutely is career advancement. The irony is for FDNY Paramedics career advancement is becoming a firefighter, because there are few opertunities in EMS for career advancement. 7) Wrong, Civil service law does not require taking him. It allows for 3 to interview for 1 position and the best candidate even if he/she does not have the best score can be hired. 8) No it says that PD & FD jobs (and RN, PA etc.) are better and everyone I ever worked with as a medic was looking for how to "advance" out of EMS.

1) That would violate the federal court mandate for 900 of the approximatly 1150 jobs in Westchester 2) But the test already does that and it would violate the federal court mandate for 900 of the approximatly 1150 jobs in Westchester 3) You think the computer part will reduce cost (it will and I agree it should go that way) this would increase the cost dramatically. 4) The majority of our latest hires all have degrees and most are in their 30's. They perform better on the test and even on the physical agility (seams they listen to the suggestions on how to improve times). 5) That would violate the federal court mandate for 900 of the approximatly 1150 jobs in Westchester 6) see #3 above 7) Its not, you still have to outscore on the physical agility test 8) True, but then we should have entry tests for all EMT classes, there are a lot of "kids" that cant pass that class also. 9) That would violate the federal court mandate for 900 of the approximatly 1150 jobs in Westchester 10) That might help individules but the test is about hiring the best for the department, not about improving the individuals ability to pass. Also if I worked my a** off to score well and you sat back, why should you be rewarded?

I have taught many prep classes over the years, In yonkers, White Plans & NR. Can you explain how someone who is "well rounded" will out score someone who is "book smart" on a written test? Also as I previously wrote, they are testing for general skills, math & reading in particular. If you do not know them, you will not do well in class. If we were worried about other abilities, like phisical ability, and caracter, we would add those to the test....Oh wait we do those things in other parts of the process. So we do get well rounded candidates

You need to define "relevant"? The purpose of much of the (firefighter) test was never to determine what fire knowledge you have, you will learn that at the academy. The reason a large portion is math & reading comp is because the purpose is to determine who has the basic academic skills to be able to understand the concepts and material taught in the acadamy. If you can not do basic math, it is very hard to keep up during pump calculation, etc.

SInce DOH has ordered complience in October and I know at least 6 hospitals that have already forced employees to take the shot, even if they have an issue with it.

OSHA clearly requires the employer to provide ALL PPE Employers are seeing the shot as less expensive than the DOH Fine for failure to comply

Last year the NYS DOH ordered it for hospital personnel. The NYS Nurses Assoc. challenged the order in court, stating DOH did not have the authority to order a flu shot, particularly when DOH could not prove it would prevent the flu. The courts agreed. This year DOH took a different approach, since the cant order it, they have mandated face makes for any employee that does not have it. They require the face mask at all times when in patient care areas and you must change the mask for each different patient contact. Now before a blanket mandate, what about those people who are allergic to the egg based shot. The DOH has said their are alternatives, but it appears that no one can get the alternatives because they were not produced. The health dept is sticking to their policy and has told all hospitals shot or mask no exception. So if you know you are allergic to the shot and it could kill you what is your recourse?

The FD does not have a contract with the vendor, the city does. The City admin. would determine that.

Many years ago a wise chief (H.A.C.) told my fire academy graduating class the following (I think it was really meant for the parents): When the Nuclear Physicists at Chernobyl screwed up, they called the Fire Department When NASA rocket scientists screw up, they called the Fire Department When the professors at any Ivy League school screw up, they called the Fire Department When the chemists at Exxon Chemical screw up, they called the Fire Department Fire Fighters need to be smarter than all of these people, because we are called to fix what they screwed up PS....When Judges screw up you appeal (not part of the original speech)

What I find interesting is that NFPA started working on their ambulance standard before the feds anounced dropping the KKK standard. I was at the Fire Department Safety Officers annual Vehicle Maintenance and Design Conference 2 years ago and they had a whole section on this. They descused the reasons for NFPA getting involved in this standard. They listed a few reasons: 1) The IAFC (International association of fire chiefs) requested it because "a majority of FD's buy ambulances" and "we place our firefighters in fire trucks that meet minimum safe standards, but into ambulances that are very questionable". 2) The ambulance manufacturers (three of the largest were at the conference taking questions) asked NFPA for a standard. Bill, maybe if EMS had stepped up to the plate years ago they would have a standard, but we have so many examples of where EMS cant or wont step up, you should not be surprised. I worked in a lot of different ambulances over the years and today how unsafe most were is amazing to me. The 2 driving forces in ambulance design has always been; High end for fire service units and dirt cheap for commercial transport. Yes there are others in the mix, but its a small percentage.

Again, not understanding that NFPA is not just fire service Here is a sample of non-fire standards that NFPA has developped: NFPA 31 - Standard for Drycleaning Plants NFPA 40 - Standard for Storage & Handling of Cellulose Nitrate Film NFPA 50 - Standard for Bulk Oxygen Systems NFPA 52/57 - Vehicular Gaseous Fuel Systems Code (LNG, LPG, CNG cars & trucks) NFPA 54 - National Fuel Gas Code (all the natural gas systems) NFPA 58 - Liquified Petrolium Gas Code NFPA 70 - National Electric Code (This one covers every single electrical fixture, switch, wire, system, fuse, etc.) And is the only one of its kind in the US. NFPA 77 - Static Electricity NFPA 79 - Electrical Standard for Industrial Machinery NFPA 88A - Standard for Parking Structures NFPA 90A - Standard for the Installation of Air Conditioning and Ventilation Systems NFPA 99 - Health Care Facilities Code NFPA 102 - Standard for Grandstandsm Folding and Telescopic Seating, Tents & Membrane Structures NFPA 130 - Standard for Transit & Passenger Rail Systems NFPA 140 - Standard on Motion Picture & TV Production Studios NFPA 203 - Guide on Roof Coverings & Roof Deck Constructions NFPA 214 - Standard on water-cooling towers NFPA 231C - Standard for General Storage NFPA 241 - Standard for Safeguarding Construction, Alteration and Demolition Operations NFPA 350 - Guide for Safe Confined Space Entry & Work NFPA 400 - Hazardous Materials Code NFPA 410 - Standard on Aircraft MAintenance NFPA 418 - Standard for Heliports NFPA 434 - Code for the Storage of Pesticides NFPA 473 - Standard for Competencies for EMS Personnel Responding to Hazardous Materials/WMD Incidents NFPA 481 - Standard for the Production, Processing, Handling and Storage of Titanium NFPA 501 - Standard on Manufactured Housing NFPA 502 - Standard for Road Tunnels, Bridges, and other limited access highways NFPA 560 - Standard for the storage, Handling and use of Ethylene Oxide for Sterilization (used for OR instriments) NFPA 720 - Standard for the installation of Carbon Monoxide Detection & Warning Systems NFPA 780 - Standard for the installation of Lightning Protection Systems NFPA 900 - Building Energy Code Skipping a few hundred NFPA 1999 - Standard on Protective Clothing for Emergency Medical Operations Thats a small sample and I did not even touch on the FIRE ones

1) So where is your proof? Everything you have referenced is failure of comunities to not follow NFPA standards. Which industry is that? "the fire service"? If thats the case you have barely scratched the surface of what NFPA does. They have 1,000's of standards, but only about 3 dozzen that have anything to do with the fire service. 2) Yes we do and why? Is because of NFPA or the lack of effort from NFPA? No its because of the U.S. Constitution. Every American has the right to keep the government out of their home (where most fires occur). The Fire Department (read government) may not come into my home and tell me not to do things that are unsafe, or to mandate many things that might save me, my family and my property, They can in most other developped countries. I have the right to be a horder, the right to run extension cords under rugs, the right to leave unattended candles burning, the right to go shopping with food cooking on the stove, but in other countries the FD can come in and fine me for it. Also in the U.S. our culture is so concerned with short term gain, that we do not worry about next month or next year. Developers fight to not put in safety features to save $$, municipalities want short term development so they generally will let the developpers get away with it. Also, the US builds most homes of wood, and lots of void spaces. Much of the devellopped countries use NONCOMBUSTABLE materials with few voids. 3) Yes we have a horrible firefighter death rate, but of the of the 81 firefighter LODD in 2012 only 22 were killed during fires, cant really blame NFPA for failure to stop at intersections when responding or heart attacks (since we lead the rest of the world in those also). Its also interesting that 4 of the 5 states (including NY) with the highest LODD have the least training requirements and the lowest use of NFPA standards. 4) Can you define ho-hum? NFPA 703 Standard for Fire Retardent Coatings has been around since 1979 and has been updated 8 times since. The FIT device is still very contraversal and is unlikely you will see a standard anytime soon since you need to use it in an unihabited space. Currently extingushing systems are either fixed (and warn occupants to get out if hazardous) or are extingushers, which require an operator to be able to see the seat of the fire, FIT is neither. 5) So thats NFPA's fault? NFPA standards require both. If your village, town, city, county or state refuse to follow the standard why is it NFPA's fault? Some communities in NYS wanted mandatory sprinklers. Did the FASNY lobby for this...NO. The state said no...because the building industry lobbied against it. What about inspections in new constructions? It is required by NYS that ALL new construction must be inspected, so either it is or the municipality is violating state law. Now does your fire dept do this? Most FD's do not do inspections! Is this NFPA's fault? And we already covered the constitutionality of inspecting existing properties. 6) You see little proof, because clearly you have no idea what NFPA does. While I see some issues with some of their process, it is far from disfunctional. In places that fully accept the Standards, there fire loss is close to zero. To bad most communities and the state are more concerned with many other issues.

1) Great text book answer. I have rarely seen an incident (particularly on a limited access highway) that you can do both, and then also be out in front of the incident. Do you know which way the wind is going BEFORE you arrive on every scene? Its too late once you get there and every scene has the potential for hazmat. If your choice is upwind OR uphill which do you pick (and why)? 2) RPM's & Fire trucks are "built for it" I DO NOT THINK SO! Fire Trucks are heavier and will provide more protection, but that is not what they are designed for. THats why DOT has trucks with crash barriers built in. 3) If a truck hits the car, where are you? Your in or next to that car providing patient care,

Interesting, because I took it not as lower on the evolutionary scale and more as thinning the heard/survival of the fitest. If you are dumb enough to think you can put anything into your body without consiquences than you may find you will not live a long life. I have 2 problems with this: 1) staffed BLS units should get this, but as previously stated you are unlikely to get BLS in Westchester onscene in time to use it, 2) giving it out to junkies so they can us it themselves, why not also pay for their narcotics as its their "medication"? We spend billions on the war on drugs (another issue) and this just sends a message that if you want to shoot up for the 1st time to see if you like it, its safe because your buddy can stand by and save you and no one will get caught.

In NY many NFPA standards are law. NYS courts have made it clear that if no law exists, national consensious standards will be used and unless you can prove that "your" standard is superior to NFPA or that their is another recognized national standard, thats how you will be judged in NYS. Any agency can sign a waiver to NFPA, all that means is if their is a lawsuit, the builder has a "get out of jail free" card.

Bill so you want something better, but you do not want the group that has done more to protect people than any other group to do it and you want a group that has never had anything to do with EMS or Vehicles to do it? Have you ever been to NFPA meeting? You say they rep the manufacturers, but having been on an NFPA committee I can tell you that is not the case. How about firefighter Paramedics from Fla. CA. AZ, etc. you forget that 80% of EMS in the US is provided by the Fire Service.

I thought thats what the Judge wanted in the FDNY, 8 year old girls.

The population of Far Rockaway is reported to be about 29,000 with the average household owning less than 1 car, so they are heavily reliant on MTA or the City to move them out. As Police Chief Brody uttered in Jaws: ''we are going to need a bigger boat" comes to mind

Due to the Federal Shut Down. FEMA has cancelled all storms.

Fire Apparatus are not considered "vehicles" by NYS DMV. You may register them, but it is not required. Up till about 15 years ago a drivers licences was not required by NYS to drive them because they were not considered a motor vehicle....Only NYS could they come up with this stuff.

This has nothing to do with them not having experience, this is just them being stupid. You do not need to be a mechanic to understand that your car has a flat tire, but if you do not know how to fix it you might need one.