moggie6

Well that's a kick in the nuts.

Well that's a kick in the nuts.

Well that's a kick in the nuts.

Well that's a kick in the nuts.

Well that's a kick in the nuts.

Well that's a kick in the nuts.

Well that's a kick in the nuts.

Well that's a kick in the nuts.

Well that's a kick in the nuts.

Well that's a kick in the nuts.

Well that's a kick in the nuts.

Well that's a kick in the nuts.

Thanks for posting this Seth.
As I sit here reading this post there is a lot going through my head, but there is one point that stands out in the forefront. Here we have a firefighter who gave us a life lesson or a "it happened to me" lesson. A firsthand account of what happened to him and there are only two comments and 272 views of this thread. Yet we have a three minute video clip posted to the forums less than a day prior that has 20 comments and 1,069 views that may look bad, but is full of "power-hour", "save-the-fire service" Monday morning quarterbacking.
I'm disheartened to see that the fire service hasn't changed in numerous aspects. We hate it when the media, press and the public grab a hold of a short clip of a larger incident and lambaste us, but yet we still do it to ourselves day in and day out. Whether it's at our coffee table or through the keyboard warrior society, we continue to do it. That 3 minute clip may very well paint the whole picture, but unless your boots were on the ground you don't know that. Here, firefighter Dorner told us his story, from his boots. Learn from him and his crew, leave the criticism to the media. If that video really does portray the entire incident, save your time on the forums. Go find a member of the department, ask them what happened and why they did what they did. Then give them a story like this and ask them if they're okay with their Chief knocking on their wife's door.
Be the change you want, if it falls on deaf ears then you can go to bed at night knowing that you did what you could to teach a lesson.

No one here suggested including the villages. They said include all areas that are outside the villages (i.e. unincorporated area). The biggest thing that will prevent consolidation is if the tax rates will raise in one district while dropping in another. The taxpayers who will experience the raise (even if the consolidated dept. will save overall $$$ &/or improved service) will vote no.
What has been pointed out is if those contract areas were included, this might even the tax rate enough to make it happen.
Many public employees are very weary of politicians who have already been proven in court to not tell the truth and who are willing to throw the FD under the bus to hide the fact that they have major problem in their own operations.

Chief Elleber is just trying to destroy the fire department even more. The guy is a legit scumbag. He has an axe to grind because people are comfortable. I imagine when he was on the line he was the 2% guy and no one wanted to help him out.

Chief Elleber is just trying to destroy the fire department even more. The guy is a legit scumbag. He has an axe to grind because people are comfortable. I imagine when he was on the line he was the 2% guy and no one wanted to help him out.

I saw plenty of Boston guys walking around with beer, and plenty of our senior men with 20+ years telling stories of LODD funerals that seemed to pan out exactly like this one. Now I understand the problem with the selfie craze and the "look at me" mentality that plagues social media, and i agree, its a disgrace. And anyone taking pictures of a procession while they should be standing at hand salute should be shot. But don't sit there and say drinking is a new issue or problem in the fire service, and that drinking hasn't been a HUGE part of LODD funerals for years. Just today I heard a story of our last LODD funeral 20 years ago and the mountain of kegs the union provided in a parking lot behind one of our houses, and how a group of FDNY guys who were there but had to work that night liberated one of the kegs....to take to work with them. Sounds to me like a lot of vollies sounding off here with delusions of grandeur. But this is reality. And to be honest, if I were to die in the line of duty I'd want my brothers and a whole shitload of guys I never met before to get together, drink, party and send me off the right way, laughing, smiling and celebrating my life and sacrifice. I'm sure my family would understand, at least I hope they would. Now I'll probably catch flak on here for my opinion and statements but that's ok, just chalk it up to youthful arrogance and case in point of what's wrong with the fire service these days. But I know my job, I love my job, I respect my job, and honor those who've fallen and come before me, but I also understand the culture, we're not Boy Scouts. If the public cant understand that, they can go screw. Not many people have what it takes to run into a burning building not knowing if they'll make it out alive. Don't kid yourselves.

Always a tough decision and hard pill to swallow. I'd like to know a couple of things about Chester VAC myself to make a true informed opinion. However I'm sure that no one out there is going to turn over their call numbers for the last 12 months, analyze the amount of responses, no responses, average response time from dispatch, responding, ambulance arriving on scene, and patient contact.
As far as the Town of Chester, they are merely exercising their rights and responsibilities as a town in the State of New York. You might not like the decision but as elected officials it is theirs to make. The people voted them into office so they are the people's voice. We will know if the right decision was made come election time.

Why was this merged into a topic that has nothing to do about the questions I was asking for discussion?

So recently (past several months) the Hudson Valley area has seen several fire\emergency\police incident alert pages pop up with a lot of support. I know I have used these pages myself to see what was going on when I hear sirens or do not have a scanner\pager with me. I like being informed and deep down inside who doesn't want to know whats going on. We all understand and can all agree on things like free speech. In the age of social media information is spread as fast as we are getting our calls for service. Where is the line drawn in the sand though when it comes to regulating information that is being delivered to the world via social media?
Who, if anyone, that is running these social media websites and pages have over site in what to post and what not to post? Do they have a mission statement and a set of ethics and values that they follow?
If you are running a social media page do you disable the ability of people to make comments that are publicly viewed. Let's say i'm the sole operator of Hooterville Buff Fire Alerts and Do-dad's. I post an incident alert about a vehicle accident and 20 mins later someone who is following the page releases names of individuals who have died in the hypothetical accident? I post an alert about a police incident and another member of the public is also listening to the scanner and places information about police units and personnel onto the page under the comments section. A building fire happens in The big City of SmallvilleUSA and the fire chief calls mutual aid from MediumvilleUSA but BigvilleUSA is closer. Now people comment on how that is an improper way to run an operation. It escalates as other's question an incident that they are not at, nor are they in charge of. How does this look in the public perception?
What is the liability of such groups in regards to privacy, safety, and security or emergency responders and the public?
Your thoughts?

Today I have learned that a true legend has passed away after a long battle with Cancer. Her name is Irene Gremmert and she was a paramedic I had the honor and privilege to work with. For many of us in the Emergency Medical Service community she was at times a "Mom" to all of us. Irene had one of the most important skills that someone in EMS can have. Empathy. She could empathize with her patients and understand where they were coming from. She had an unmistakable laugh that was infectious spreading smiles far and wide. I will remember cleaning ambulances, amazing response times, the art of listening to Iron Maiden while driving to a call, and having fun at work because life is too short and to demanding to let work bog you down.I will miss you Irene. May you rest in peace and look over us as we go out there and do work.

So recently (past several months) the Hudson Valley area has seen several fire\emergency\police incident alert pages pop up with a lot of support. I know I have used these pages myself to see what was going on when I hear sirens or do not have a scanner\pager with me. I like being informed and deep down inside who doesn't want to know whats going on. We all understand and can all agree on things like free speech. In the age of social media information is spread as fast as we are getting our calls for service. Where is the line drawn in the sand though when it comes to regulating information that is being delivered to the world via social media?
Who, if anyone, that is running these social media websites and pages have over site in what to post and what not to post? Do they have a mission statement and a set of ethics and values that they follow?
If you are running a social media page do you disable the ability of people to make comments that are publicly viewed. Let's say i'm the sole operator of Hooterville Buff Fire Alerts and Do-dad's. I post an incident alert about a vehicle accident and 20 mins later someone who is following the page releases names of individuals who have died in the hypothetical accident? I post an alert about a police incident and another member of the public is also listening to the scanner and places information about police units and personnel onto the page under the comments section. A building fire happens in The big City of SmallvilleUSA and the fire chief calls mutual aid from MediumvilleUSA but BigvilleUSA is closer. Now people comment on how that is an improper way to run an operation. It escalates as other's question an incident that they are not at, nor are they in charge of. How does this look in the public perception?
What is the liability of such groups in regards to privacy, safety, and security or emergency responders and the public?
Your thoughts?

Why was this merged into a topic that has nothing to do about the questions I was asking for discussion?

Today I have learned that a true legend has passed away after a long battle with Cancer. Her name is Irene Gremmert and she was a paramedic I had the honor and privilege to work with. For many of us in the Emergency Medical Service community she was at times a "Mom" to all of us. Irene had one of the most important skills that someone in EMS can have. Empathy. She could empathize with her patients and understand where they were coming from. She had an unmistakable laugh that was infectious spreading smiles far and wide. I will remember cleaning ambulances, amazing response times, the art of listening to Iron Maiden while driving to a call, and having fun at work because life is too short and to demanding to let work bog you down.I will miss you Irene. May you rest in peace and look over us as we go out there and do work.

Today I have learned that a true legend has passed away after a long battle with Cancer. Her name is Irene Gremmert and she was a paramedic I had the honor and privilege to work with. For many of us in the Emergency Medical Service community she was at times a "Mom" to all of us. Irene had one of the most important skills that someone in EMS can have. Empathy. She could empathize with her patients and understand where they were coming from. She had an unmistakable laugh that was infectious spreading smiles far and wide. I will remember cleaning ambulances, amazing response times, the art of listening to Iron Maiden while driving to a call, and having fun at work because life is too short and to demanding to let work bog you down.I will miss you Irene. May you rest in peace and look over us as we go out there and do work.