Bnechis

That was not hindsight. It was studied and found that that trend has been out there for many years in other areas, including outside this country. Too many people did not and still do not want to hear this, but its been heading this way for decades and its not going to go away anytime soon. This does not just affect the career service, or just the fire service. Its all encompassing and we can either fight to move it in the right direction or allow the people who have been running our country down to consume this as well. It is not just the decision makers. The members were not interested, the unions were not interested, the politicians were not interested, the volunteers were not interested. In most cases it was ignored, but some direct feedback that I recieved was we will never allow it and they will never cut us. Yep, next year will be the same. since every year they will have to cut, until there is nothing left.

Talk of the Sound With Elections Over, City of New Rochelle Set to Announce Across the Board Cuts, 6 Firefighters to be Axed The City of New Rochelle will announce this morning significant cuts in staff and services as City Manager Charles B. Strome prepares to deliver a municipal budget based on Governor Andrew Cuomo's 2% Tax Levy Cap, sources say. The 2010 budget will eliminate all crossing guards, 6 firefighters will be laid off and there will be some staff cuts at City Hall.

No the EMS collections only cover about 85% of the cost of providing EMS Transport and the City gives a minor subsidy to cover EMS.

We already bill all properties for both fire & burgler alarms. After 3 false in a 6 month period. The fire alarms are not considered false if they actually alarmed for smoke (like from cooking).

NYS Law says we can not.

Brown outs for now. If the proposed budget is approved it will be closed

Yes, we generally only use 2 trucks at a minor structure fire. But during ongoing operations we will need the 3rd for relief and for larger buildings we will need the additional personnel. During a fire we usually will get mutual aid and will recall members to man a 4th truck. How often do we need additional trucks just to cover calls? During the 1st 200 days of 2011 we had 220 calls which our run pattern calls for 2 trucks and either no trucks or 1 was all that was available. So more than once per day a citizen got a substandard response because we do not have the 4 truck companies that ISO wants us to have. We will still maintain the 2nd on L-13, but that means even more times that another call in the city will not recieve a truck. It also means the 2 remaining trucks will have to run an additional 1,000 calls each, straining them and requiring replacement sooner (as it is the tower ladder needs to be replaced in 2 years). Finally, it not clear how we will be able to maintain our Hazmat/WMD response, with a 50% cut in the personnel assigned to do that job.

Thanks What the politicians want is the value of our service without having to pay for it. The 2 major things we have going for us, is they know that our ISO will drop and that will cost the public 10x more than the amount of mony they want to cut. They also have acknowledged that our injury rate and disability rate will go up. This will cost them an unknown, but clearly much higher amount to recieve less service at a much higher cost. Yes the union is activly fighting this. Thanks for your support.

4 of our regular mutual aid partners have similar or greater staffing. its not just FDNY. Also it sounds to me like you are use to a level of staffing that every standard that has ever been developed. Some of these standards have been in exestance for over 100 years. True. But multiple studies have shown that we need approximatly 200 ff's. We had 199 back when we had fewer than 900 runs and the tallest building was 12 stories. There per rig staffing is half of the national average. Infact it take 3 rigs to have enough firefighters on scene before they meet state law to enter a burning building. Our population is 77,000 and you are correct, it does not include the college students at 3 schools. We have over 400 4-8 story buildings, most of which are pre war (WWII), not sprinklered, ordinary construction with open stairwells. We also have a number of 12- 40 story buildings, including about 8 sr citizen highrises (also unsprinklered). 6 Nursing homes (1 with a vent floor) and a hospital. Our population, area and call volume are 3x what he is comparing us to. And they do not have the same hazards.

We have atleast 3 people retiring (and they are reducing our total size by these members also) and thats preventing an additional 3 members being laid off. We also have members who are disabled and have been waiting for years for NYS to retire them. These are members who have major life long disabilities and can never work again and the state is taking years to review the paperwork. If the state would agree with all of the doctors (including their own) we could reduce the number of lay offs.

While that has been the model in the past, in our current situation at least 1 mayor has stated that the savings from training needs to be weighed against the pension savings of a new tier V employee. Yes and its been done before.

They are smoking Albany's "a tax cap will solve all our problems"

AFA are a giant can of worms. Is it really a potential fire? Like everything else we do, we need to do a risk analysis. About 2 years ago I did one for my dept. and was a little surprised at what I found. Over a 25 year period we did over 36,000 AFA's. I removed any call were we also recieved an additional phone call or calls and we also did not count water flow alarms. Approximatly 8 were actual fires. Now from a risk benefit, what I also found was we were more likely to find a fire from driving down the road and spotting flames, than from an AFA. Also we had more actual working fires that occured while we were out at AFA's and a property without an AFA had a fire. Also, what is the potential for an MVA while responding to the high number of AFA's I also find it interesting that the Fire Service is in effect financially supporting the alarm industry. They advertise that they will protect you, but all they do is make a call. My annual contribution to ADT is 30% more than what my taxes that for Fire, Police & EMS. The only reason it is worth it to me, is my insurance company reduces my premium by the same amount as my ADT bill, so I'd be paying it anyway. I am not saying we should not respond to AFA's or even let PD "check & advise" but should we respond to them the same way we respond to a reported fire?

Its not based on area, its based on population. FDNY is cheaper per capita than most depts in Westchester. Yonkers is cheaper per capita than NR (even though there manning is better. A few years back I looked at about 25 VFD's in Westchester and found that New Rochelle per capita cost were lower than all 25. This is the main reason consolidation is financially so effective. THe larger the population base the more you can spread the costs and the less each taxpayer pays.

Due to economic conditions the Fire Department was unable to hold a special parade to celebrate this event. The New Rochelle Chamber of Commerce’s Parade committee has offered to expand the annual Thanksgiving Parade to honor the 150th Anniversary. The Executive Board of The Uniformed Fire Fighters Association Local 273 has determined that we should not miss this opportunity to celebrate this event and honor past and present members. The 2011 Valenti Thanksgiving Parade date is scheduled for Saturday, November 19th Step off promptly at 10:00 am on North Ave. in front of New Rochelle High School (Members marching need to be there at 9:00 am.) The route from the High School is South on North Avenue to Main Street, Right on Main Street (against traffic) to Maple Avenue. The reviewing stand for parade and elected officials is at the corner of Main and Memorial Highway. This is also the location of the city's cable coverage of the parade. Please come support us and enjoy the parade. Members of the NYSPFFA are requested to march with us in dress uniform. Please check with your local to see if they are participating as a group. Those with questions feel free to PM or e-mail me. Thank you for your support.

After the City Changed its manning policy for today. The UFFA Local 273 has decided that members will not be participating in this years parade. Effective this morning we are at our lowest staffing level in 75 years. Lo Hud Beginning today, the New Rochelle Fire Department's minimum staffing level will be 24 firefighters, down from 27. Talk of The Sound Cuts to New Rochelle Fire Department Begin This Week, Ladder-12 to Close This was originally only threatened under the 2012 proposed budget. But it was pushed up and is now in effect.

Lo Hud Beginning today, the New Rochelle Fire Department's minimum staffing level will be 24 firefighters, down from 27. Talk of The Sound Cuts to New Rochelle Fire Department Begin This Week, Ladder-12 to Close This was originally only threatened under the 2012 proposed budget. But it was pushed up and is now in effect.

Its easy to get points, you just show up. A persons presence does not equal that they are contributing to the department. Members have posted before that many of the guys just looking for points are the ones who show up, check in then disapear.

Well said. We do the same, but add one additional clause: The manufacturer shall insure that the apparatus will fit into and out of station #__ located at 123 Main St. With and without equipment/water/hose. It will be able to turn left and right without the need to backup. The rig can still be the measurement you spec'd, but this means that the manufacturer must correct and thing that prevents it from getting into the house or they do not get paid. On one ladder, the manufacturer came out before the bid and actually made a templet of a station with low arched doors, and other issues.

Nobody Forgets. Thank you

Nice to see he was published. He did a great job that day and a number of lives were saved by his actions. If he had not done what he did, someone would have asked the question: Where's your drill sargent (capt)....Blown Up Sir

In organized labor that is called striking. In career depts. in strong labor states (like NYS) it is illegal and the courts will fine you 2 days pay for each day you do not work (plus you dont get paid for the day). In right to work states, they just fire you. I think the bad will with the community for not responding without getting something will backfire on you. You volunteered and knew you would not get gas, now without it you want to stop volunteering. Another problem is do you give the same amount of gas to the guy who shows up, but does nothing and leaves as soon as their is work to do, as the guy who busts his butt?

Its commonly called pay per call or part time pay. You do know that then you can not right off your volunteer car use on your taxes and as a benefit, it may be taxed. Ok then here is the real question, does it retain memebers? The current active members who are showing up without this gas, are showing up because they want to, not because of the gas. So for them its not retention, its a payment (which if the community agrees, I see no problem with). Those members who no longer contribute or have resigned are the ones you are then trying to retain and you need to ask 2 questions: 1) do you really want them back? Were the productive members or always just another body? 2) Will free gas bring them back. Like most retention payments, the big question is will it really work or are we just throwing a little money away and claiming its working?

The parade is not run by the City, it is run by the chamber of commerce. Layoffs will cost them more in insurance and they know it. And this invite is coming from the Uniformed Fire Fighters Association Local 273. The parade offer has been in the works since spring and its to honor the those who are serving and those who have served. We have had layoffs in the past and picketing and rallies have never in our city changed the political will. But the public has a major say in what happens. So this is a great opportunity to show the public the significance of the NRFD. We are asking you to stand with us. Thank You for your support.

Yes one of 3 ladder companies