CHIEFPHIL

New Hampshire as well, the town I have a lake house run 6 full time days and paid on call 24 hrs.

Generally speaking, any LEO shooting down an aircraft would have to have a real good idea that a crime was being committed ( terrorism is a crime) and would need to try to prevent the crime from happening. So, I guess they would be in the right to try to shoot it down. Now that this supposed aircraft is in the apparent act of committing a crime, would not the Posse Comitatus Act stop the military from acting, unless it is proven it is an attack by a sovereign country (then I think they can launch and shoot anything down AKA Pearl Harbor) ? Then it would need the approval from the President to the DOD to act ? From the way I read the act , the Navy and Marine Corp are not affected by this Act ( there is a DOD directive prohibiting them), only the Army and Air Force. Hey, the other thing is just like saying you can shoot it down, may be just words may be the just deterrent . Just my take.

We respond with what is requested, nothing more. Engine to scene or cover goes with a crew of 4, 3 interior qualified Tanker goes with with crew 2 Tower goes with crew 5, two must be qualified driver/mpo , 3 interior qualified BFU/EUV - goes with minimum 4 [crew cab on brush truck] Rescue goes with crew 4 Only one chief allowed to go out of town in POV/"Car". Second chief can go on a rig if needed. Still leaves us with 2 in town. No one allowed to go out of town on POV. No cadets [juniors] or probies allowed to go mutual aid. Town has 4 Engines, only two allowed out to go mutual aid.

When I was chief, I greatly encouraged the members bring their families to the station for storm standby's. This worked well a few times that we had storm related standbys during my tenure. knew the family was ok. allowed more guys to come in instead of riding it out at home. allowed the family to be with friends and lets face it ,in small deprtments other family members. we usually have running water, power, kitchen with food, entertainment [ps3, Wii, cableTV, video games, pool tables I know it is tough for the career guys, most likely will not be able to bring thier families to work. Does anyone consider having your crews family meet at one families house and support each other ? That way they are all together. Just a thought.

57 troopers are only the tip of the iceberg.... Newly formed Department of emergency services and Public Protection = 300 [fire academy, state police, university police, state firefighters - aka- state institutions and airports] Department of corrections - 863 1100 workers directly linked to public safety . In addition to the troops Izzy mentioned, the closing of state police dispatching at two other troops.

Nope no way. I know the problems all too well. I had the rule changed to 21 when I was chief. Had our Dodge Powerwagon destroyed 'cause the 18 y/o had to go to the high school with it and show off to the kiddies. On the way back he hit a cement block delivery truck . Luckily no one was hurt. It's not just going to calls, but all joy rides as well. I tried to make it so they had 5 yrs of service as well, that didn't fly.

I love these 70's "F" series Maxims... although I might prefer a good old "S"

Our dept is the crossroads for Danbury and Oxford airports and a test area for Sikorsky. We received training from the Sikorsky FD in the event one of the new choppers falls out of the sky over bethel. It was basicially going over the three types of crashes and what to do to secure the craft . The best places for using the jaws and saws. We also went down to the plant and did some hands one with the choppers [look and touch] no actual extrication. One of the biggest things was our safety. We actually had an aircraft donated and cut it up at a safety event, the jaws tore it up rear quick and the sawsall did an even better job. As for a responce, we carry large foam tanks on all the engines. We look at it as a mva with a potential for a lot of fire. If one went down in our town, the response would be 3 engines, 2 rescues, 3 ambulances and medic fly car. If involving structures or downtown, the tower ladder. Additional special units would be special called [brush truck, EUV, Tanker, additional medic unit from Danbury]

December 4, 1965, a Boeing 707 from San Fransisco to JFK and a Lockheed Constillation from Boston to Newark collided over Carmel. The "connie" crash-landed on Hunt Mountain a short distance from Danbury Airport. The craft broke into 3 pieces and came to rest on the Ridgefield/.Danbury / North Salem line. The pilot tried to make it to Danbury. 4 people where killed from the fire, including the pilot who got everyone out, then went back in to make sure all were out. The 707 managed to make it to JFK and landed without further damage or injury. The 707 left wingtook off the tail section of the connie. 55 souls on the connie and 58 on the 707

1982 - Long coat with 3/4 boots, orange fireball gloves, pair of mason work gloves, leather new yorker with bourke eyes. air packs - msa ultralite [yeh right] and us divers, bottle never filled more then 1800 psi listened for siren to blow , no pager - once for ambulance, 3 for fire. plectron box for the home.

Brookfield CT. Engine 4, 1985 Hurricane

Bethel Engine 6 "The Crosstown Express". Originally built for Boston, but refused on delivery due to 1000 gallon water tank. Bethel Engine 6 Drafting at Putnam Park

I heard this one before.... if they cant hear the federal Q 50 feet away, what makes you think that they can hear the bell/whistle/siren a mile or two away ?

http://www.courant.com/community/waterbury/hc-waterbury-jury-trial-0126-2-20110125,0,4903481.story

In our dept, several ex-chief's or past chiefs play an important role both in front and behind the scenes. Yes, we are called upon to be the IC's in the absence of senior officers. We are an extra set of eyes and ears on the FG and give valuable insight to the IC. We act as safety officers [thats me]. We think about things that junior officers dont and we can make suggestions to them . We become advisors to the current chiefs on town politics, how to budget, sit on committees that may have a big impact on the dept, help with training and mentor newer officers. And when it hits the fan, your the one the young LT or new Capt looks for for help at a job or the typical bells and smells. It's good when they can easily find you. If you are all geared up, can you actually see a persons face and know who it is? The white hat comes off, but you still end up doing some of the job.. BTW I prefer past chief, ex sounds like you got fired.

One night on a mutual aid run to danbury a few months after my term of chief ended - I introduced my self as the tower chauffer... the crew with me quickly corrected me and said your the chief. That was 10 years ago and people still call me or introduce me as Chief Valenti. Its respect for the position and the life you sacrifice to do the job.

I remember seeing the header from oakland beach in rye .

If we are dispatched and the pd advises no or minor injuries, the ambulance will continue. Mainly to complete RMA's and will respond with traffic. In some cases there are no reported injuries, but fluids on the ground then the rescue rolls with traffic. Regardless, once we are dispatched we have to complete the NIFRS and the only way to complete it correctly is to make a presence on scene.

When the above occurs, and injuries are confirmed by the pd, our response is ambulance 1st due , rescue 2nd due and engine third due. In the event extrication is needed , confirmed by FD the second rescue and ambulance are automatically dispatched. In the event we are dispatched to fluids, then it is engine and rescue in that order. In the event we are dispatched to a mva with fire, the engine goes first.

Ang, was'nt the Capitol Hotel 38 yrs ago this week ? 6 perished if correct, followed by the fatal on Midland ave a few weeks later ?

Remember Willow Street well, usually every Thanksgiving or Christmas..... dual company call 526, followed by someone running out of the alley way pulling box 34. Would watch the old man run up Slater st and meet the old fox. Great views of those cold water flats burn from my bedroom.

I would say that they "leap-frogged" units not to cause a void of ems units in the immediate vicinity. As an example, years ago when there was a riot at the prison in Newtown Ct, My EMS, Bethel & Stony Hill provided coverage to newtown [ picked up an extrication and 2 other runs], while units from far away as the CT/NY line Waterbury and the Norwalk area provided transport to Danbury, Waterbury and Bridgeprot Hospitals. This also allowed the on-scene units to triage and not be overwhelmed by incoming units and causing additional chaos on scene. It also provided Newtown to have ems coverage with crews that run into newtown with a working knowledge of the roads etc.

yep

\\Yes, he is a firefighter/emt with us. Started out as one of our cadets and is now a full member. BTW, when you were talking with James last night abiut him , I was about 5 feet away.