CHIEFPHIL

My department has two identities. First is the "department" which is managed by the Chief . The town government only recognizes the Chief as the leader of the FD. The town funds basically 100% of any firefighting and rescue related expense. The Chief is also responsible for discipline that is needed for incidents that happen during the course of operations, drills, in the firehouse (town owned property) and in the public that reflect badly the department or town . The Chief acts as an ex-officio member of the Board of Directors. The chief is responsible for the town funded operations. The Chief has 2 assistants, 2 captains and 5 lieutenants to run the operations of the department. The "company", the legal entity of the fire and ems service is a 501c corporation registered with the Secretary of State. The Leader is the President, who oversees a Board of Directors that include a secretary, treasurer, assistant treasurer , EMS Director and 3 trustees. The president is responsible for the company funded operations. This includes the private property we own (fire museum, land and associated antique apparatus) as well as the owning and funding the two ambulances. The company is also responsible for funding items not funded for by the town. In Connecticut, a municipality cannot own a PSA , thus cannot own an ambulance ( ct municipalities are not required to provide ems transport, but must provide ALS via Paramedic). The fire company also is responsible for paying the EMS personnel. We use a 3rd party EMS manpower company to staff the ambulances. This is done via billing for services. Disciplinary actions of the President covers any infraction of the by-laws. Any line officer ( A/C, Capt or LT) can be a member of the BOD. There is a separate group that oversees the discipline( suspensions) handed out by the Chief . This is a grievance committee made up of a ex-chiefs and past Presidents. If a member wishes to appeal their suspension, then we review the event and make report and recommendation to the company membership .

There is no public perception IMO one way or another. the public does not really care. Nor do the public officials. We are the only ones who care. Usually some bitter member is the person who makes it a problem. Yeh, I know... 9 years as a chief officer and I never had a problem taking my town issued car to work ( grant it was in the next town and I did respond to when I could. Ya know who made it a problem, a member that was disgruntled. He went out of his way to document via photos the 3 chiefs cars at work, at shopping etc. Needless today, one car sits in the chiefs driveway while he is at work the other two sit in the FD parking lot 18 hours a day and only used when a member wants to go to the pizza joint. As one of my mentors and favorite Chiefs once said..." WE have met the enemy and WE are them".

M'ave, thanks for the information. I have a question, not geared to this particular rig. FDNY hose beds have always intrigued me. What is the standard hose load on a FDNY engine ? Does it change from Boro to Boro ? the tanks are L shaped, are they all 500 gallons ?

I'm live in Wakefield. Big job in Laconia last night.

RB&W fire in Port Chester. That used a lot of water. I believe at one point (from stories at the dinner table) that the Super Pumper System was being planned on to pump out of the Byrum River around day 4 or so.

Date:8/9/13 Time:11:26 Location:64 Charter Oak Avenue Units: East Haven FD - Branford FD additional M/A units enroute Description: Twin Engine plane down into houses. Reporting multiple structure fires at this time with entrapment's. Very active scene: http://www.broadcastify.com/listen/feed/689/web East Haven FD - Engine's 1,4,6 Truck 3, R1, Sq 2,5 - multi command units Branford FD - Engine 1,4 Rescue 1 ,Med 1 multi command units Branford E1,9 to East Haven FD for cover New Haven FD - Eng 15,5,17 Tr1, Sq1, Sq2 w/ LDH wagon, C33 (East Side Battalion) FYI NHFD Squads are Rescue Engines. INITIAL REPORT - 8 passenger twin engine took off from Tweed/New Haven airport. Unkown # of souls on plane. Live coverage on WTNH ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 people involved. 1 person in the plane and 3 people in 1 house. Mother, 13 year old and 1 year old. Other house was vacant. Both structures fully involved upon arrival. Chief acted as if it were 2 structure fires with a fuel filled vehicle. Partial collapse on both homes. Nobody has been recovered from house or plane yet. Fire was k/d in less than 30 minutes. Plane is a twin commander twin engine turboprop plane that took off from Teterboro at 10:49 am and was using instrument landing and communicated to tower to land at runway 2. Plane missed its approach. Clouds were at 900 feet. Additional info provided by peterose313

I know my old man tells how they formed a human chain of ff's to reach and pulled many out. He still tears up when some one mentions Gullivers.

May you rest in Peace...

Press Release For Immediate Publication: Easton, CT (November 1, 2012) Fire Chief Jim Girardi regretfully informs the public of the passing of LT Russell F. Neary, 55, President of the Easton Volunteer Fire Company. LT Neary died in the line of duty on Monday October 29, 2012, having served the department for 10 years. LT Neary was clearing tree debris from a roadway when another tree fell on him. The Easton Volunteer Fire Company and the Easton Fire Department are making preparations for the line of duty death services honoring Lt Neary. Details are as follows: Memorial service: Saturday, November 3, 2012 at 11 AM at the Notre Dame church in Easton Connecticut. Lt Neary leaves behind his loving wife Maryanne and two beautiful daughters Caitlin and Cara. He is also survived by his brother, Peter, the fire marshal for the Easton fire department. Donations in Russell's memory can be made to Russell Neary Memorial Trust Fund to benefit Joel Barlow High School’s Girls Cross Country & Track and Field Teams and The American Red Cross. Donations may be mailed to: Russell Neary Memorial Trust Fund, 30 Far Horizon Drive, Easton, CT 06612 Details for the line of duty death funeral for Lt Russell Neary, Easton Volunteer Fire Company # 1 are as follows. A service will be held at Notre Dame Church, 655 Morehouse Road, Easton CT, Saturday November 3rd at 11 am. Firefighter’s who are planning to attend should park at Samuel Staples Elementary School, 515 Morehouse Road, Easton CT. Please do not bring fire apparatus to the service in order to minimize the traffic in front of the church. Please use Banks road to access Morehouse Road. Banks Road is off of CT route 59, accessible by exit 46 off of the Merritt Parkway or Route 25 in Trumbull. Banks road originates in front of the Easton EMS. Please plan on Gathering no later than 10 AM. Buses will be provided to transport guest from Samuel Staples to the Easton Country Day School directly across from the Notre Dame Church. Once at the school fire fighters will be directed by the CT Honor Guard as where to line up. After the service there will be a reception downstairs at the Easton Volunteer Fire Company located at 1 Center road, Easton CT. Phone number is 203-268-2833. If Samuels Staples Elementary School is full overflow parking will be provided at Silverman’s Farm , 451 Sport Hill Road (CT RT 59) Easton, CT

Date: 11/1/12 Time: 11:00 Location: I-95 at High Street overpass I 95 shut down both directions exit 37 to 39 Frequency: ?? Units Operating: Milford FD Engineco's 1,2,4, 5 & 7, CTDOT , United Iluminating, MPD, CSP Weather Conditions: Clear Description Of Incident: 12" gas main under overpass has ignited. Underneath bridge on fire. Water supply issues... E1,4&7 setting up a relay. Reporters: Chiefphil

Rest in Peace and may the lord watch over your family.

On the news this am 5 out of 6 models showed it slamming between NJ and Mass. ... Looks like there is a good chance we all might be a little busy later this weekend. Remember to make sure our families are ok and start prepping for them as well at home.

Rest in Peace, and may the Lord shine down on you and your family.

6 Tankers 10's-11's - 12's & 13's have one and 14's has 2

We purchase 12 sets annually. This replaces everyone's gear about every 5 years. Occasionally some will go a little longer some a little shorter due to usage,damage etc. We put a max limit at 10 yrs. This is a cycle we have been in since 1999.

Please come home safely.

My thoughts and prayers to the NRFD and the Morris family.

Our water department sends us a memo on what hydrant is out of service and we post it on our bulletin board in the day room and it is written on the white board in the truck room. They then cover the hydrant with a burlap bag. Our superintendent of water is a past chief from the "valley" and one of our senior guys works for the utility as well, so there is and has been a good sharing of info. We have a half dozen or so guys working for PW, so they usually are on site when replacing a hydrant, so they pass along the info as well.

Ia should be postede as they happen.... not hours or two or three days later.

For those who are travelling to Bethel: The address of the funeral home is: 215 Greenwood Avenue (the main thoroughfare in town). The website is: http://hullfuneralservice.com/fh/hom...m?&fh_id=12534 From Waterbury – I84 westbound to Exit 10. Take right at end of ramp. Proceed straight until you arrive at the Flagpole in Newtown. Turn left around flagpole on Route 25 South. At the first traffic light, turn right onto Route 302towards Bethel. Travel approximately 6 miles into downtown Bethel. The funeral home will be on your right next to the shopping center numbered 213 Greenwood Ave. From NY: I84 WEastbound to Exit 5. Take right at bottom of exit onto Main Street in Danbury. Proceed down Main Street approximately 4 miles to South St. (The War Memorial Building will be straight ahead). Turn left onto South Street. Continue ½ mile to second light and bear right onto Coal Pit Hill. Follow Coal Pit Hill for 2 miles into Bethel, the next traffic light. Turn right at Mobil gas station. Next light turn left onto Greenwood Ave. Proceed ¾ mile to funeral home on left. ____________

RIP , my prayers are with you and your family.

Reddingfire1.org Tribute Announced for Fire Co. First Lt. Marshall Sanford Firefighters in Bethel and Redding lost a long time member in the line of duty. First Lt. George Marshall Sanford, 67, passed away on Sunday. In Redding, Sanford was a former chief of the Redding Ridge Fire Department in Bethel he was a Past President and current Vice President . Marshal had been a member of the Redding Ridge Fire Department for over 50 years and 12 years with the Bethel Volunteer Fire Dept." A Wake will be held at Bethel Funreral Home, 215 Greenwood Ave, Thursday, April 19, from 5 to 8 pm. The funeral will be held on Friday morning 11 a.m. in the small cemetary next to the Redding Ridge Fire House 186 Black Rock Turnpike. The procession will begin to line up at 10:30a.m. Those attending are asked to line up at the Ridge firehouse Route 58 ( Black Rock Turnpike) , parking will be available at Joel Barlow High School also on Route 58. There will be a reception following, at the fire house on Black Rock Turnpike. Only Redding Ridge, West Redding, Georgetown and Bethel apparatus will be allowed in the procession. R.I.P Marshall!

Marshall was a true fireman and a gentleman. The fire service lost a true one last night. Marshall was not only a member of the Redding FD, but also a member of the Bethel Fire Dept, being our immediate Past President and current Vice President. He was also a long time Danbury Hospital ER volunteer. I have had the GREAT pleasure of knowing Marshal and working with him for over 30 years. Some may not know this, but he was an avid collector of antique fire trucks. All Macks from The US and Canada from chain driven to diesel, truly a one of a kind. He had the best toys in his barn. Rest in peace my friend, I know heaven has to have a few Macks up there for you to take care of. You will be missed my old friend.

Great quote by Geoff. Danbury Chiefs always on the mark with quotes. The late great Chief "jumpin"joe bertalovits was once asked how he new it was a 2nd alarm fire.... "I got two little hoses and two big hoses shooting water, we only use the big hose at 2nd alarms"

Being a volunteer chief is almost a full-time job for some. When I left office, I was putting in 30 hours week doing paperwork and meeting with the town officials per week. The saving grace I had, especially during normal working hours was that my A/C was a foreman for the town and could attend meetings during the day for me. As for training or education to handle the admin side of the job, one of the biggest advantages my department had was that all the officers were involved in the creation of the budget and attended all the budget/board of finance meetings . This way as junior officers we watched and learned what the chief did . He would tell us... you will need to do this some day, keep your mouth shut and listen. The other thing was that somewhere in the past, one chief took it to write down in a steno pad, everything you needed to do as chief with notes and suggestions, timing and a detailed process of writing po's , paying invoices and how to figure out budget increases. Right after the outgoing chief gave you his badge, this was the second thing he handed you. Connecticut offers a real good fire officer program. We started to take this course in the mid 90's and went over a lot of material on administrative matters from how to handle HR issues to budgeting . Every chief since 97 has taken this class. For me, the biggest advantage I had was my private employment. I was a manger for a large corporation, so I had already been thru numerous classes on budgeting, negotiating and had a purchasing background. I also had my officers attend Fred Pryor seminars on time management, how to handle difficult employees and other classes once they realized that they were helpful. Cause' once the call is over , running a FD is just like running a business , Oh it is a business, think about it.