CHIEFPHIL

We ran the ambulance as well. Our running card for Mia's was ambulance, rescue, engine. We were in the less then 5 years ... Full of vigor. 3 of us were hanging out with the town hall operator/ fire dispatcher which was in the firehouse. The phones went off and the calls started to roll over on the switchboard. The dispatcher repeats the street name and the word motorcycle.. So the four of us ran , got our gear and got in the ambulance . Just as we pulled out of the station, an officer pulled up, looked at us and said WTF you doing! Put that thing away, it's a fire... With that 2 more guys showed up and took the engine to a motorcycle fire. We took a good amount of ribbing for Hanging out in the ambulance.
In the day, we had no tones in the station or pagers, we relied on the fire whistle and our home plectrums, so we never actually heard the dispatcher.

We ran the ambulance as well. Our running card for Mia's was ambulance, rescue, engine. We were in the less then 5 years ... Full of vigor. 3 of us were hanging out with the town hall operator/ fire dispatcher which was in the firehouse. The phones went off and the calls started to roll over on the switchboard. The dispatcher repeats the street name and the word motorcycle.. So the four of us ran , got our gear and got in the ambulance . Just as we pulled out of the station, an officer pulled up, looked at us and said WTF you doing! Put that thing away, it's a fire... With that 2 more guys showed up and took the engine to a motorcycle fire. We took a good amount of ribbing for Hanging out in the ambulance.
In the day, we had no tones in the station or pagers, we relied on the fire whistle and our home plectrums, so we never actually heard the dispatcher.

One night I kept my plectrum on monitor. About 2 am the tones hit for signal 50 car on rt 34 at the Stevenson dam. I jumped up, got dress and beat feet to the FD. Then I realized that the Stevenson dam was in Oxford about 25 miles away.

One night I kept my plectrum on monitor. About 2 am the tones hit for signal 50 car on rt 34 at the Stevenson dam. I jumped up, got dress and beat feet to the FD. Then I realized that the Stevenson dam was in Oxford about 25 miles away.

One night I kept my plectrum on monitor. About 2 am the tones hit for signal 50 car on rt 34 at the Stevenson dam. I jumped up, got dress and beat feet to the FD. Then I realized that the Stevenson dam was in Oxford about 25 miles away.

In service till about 1977, got to ride her a few times photo credit Frank Wegloski

Port Chester , nobody left to do reports ?

Thank you all, stay safe go home or the firehouse after every call watch your back always.

Well guys after 43 years as a Port Chester Firefighter [ 18 years very active volunteer working at DPW then getting the dream job getting paid to do what I love to do this is my last day. It didn't end the way I wanted it too but away I go . I was fortunate to catch the war years when we went out every day for a job worked side by side with many dept.'s and made a lot of life long friends on mutual aid. I saw a lot of death and sorrow [ Gulliver's 24 DOA Stouffer's 26 DOA 9/11 world trade center ] and saved a few along the way but my greatest call was closing a large window [ life savers building ] for a 84 year old lady who was freezing because her window was open and she needed help. The next day she baked a apple pie for me and my partner. So I say good bye to it all and hope that I left a small mark somewhere. To my 2 sons that are following or trying to follow in my foot step's keep up the good work in this most rewarding profession . Good luck to the guy's that are left on my job and hope that thing's get better for you and the people we were sworn to protect.
Angelo Sposta [ Retired Local #1971 ]

....but you don't have 1 single day working on an FD100....built on the Ultra, Split Tilt cab.......in the FDNY. So.....there's that....

Just rely on Mutual Aid like many other Depts.! After all aren't we there to help each other out? That's the "Brotherly" thing to do these days right? Jump on a rig and play in each others sandboxes no big deal!

Bethel Ct will be ordering a 2015 Sutphen Monarch Rescue Pumper.
2000 GPM - 1000 GWT / 50 GFT. Water tank will be L shaped to have a lower hose bed.
5 man cab extended cab. We eliminated one seat for additional inside storage cabinet to hold EMS and meters.
Harrison Hydro Gen with a 10' extending light tower.
Several other key features include hydraulic ladder and hard suction rack, full length compartments under rear seats and the rear cab wall. All will be accessible from either side from the outside.
Will be built at Sutphen East, looking at a late spring 2015 delivery.
Will be replacing the 1994 Spartan/Smeal.

We usually send 4 for both the pre construction and the final inspoection. Usiually the committee is 4, the Chief, me, the engineer of the rig being replaced and one at large member. The town officials ( cut the check) have enought confidence in us to do the right thing and only want the good press when it is delivered.
I have served on 5 truck committees and only had to fly to Smeal (1) and Sutphen (1) the other three were built within driving distance Rescue 1 and 4 -Guys and a demo model from E-One.
Our newest order will be built at Sutphen East, so a 90 minute drive, so we save the travel cost of 8 and use that for other incidentals on the rig.

I don't think ALL trucks should carry water, BUT I think that depending on how your department operates, they should. I think it should come down to the need of the department and their responsibilities.
In our case yes. Our tower ladder carries 300 gallons and has a 2000 gpm pump . Several hand-lines and supply line and a portable master stream. Several times over the years the Tower has been either first due to several working structure fire, car fires and other fires were the engines were delayed ( mechanical/other alarms) and in a few cases the only piece able to respond.
We do a number of special events ( PR and demos etc), with limited manpower ( available to respond to calls ) and usually a full crew ( at the event) this piece can respond right away and be able to start suppression efforts. Since we are one dept and no separate engine or hook&Ladder co's we have to be able to operate every piece of equipment . Our other fire company co in town can have a 3-10 mile run to our district.
Typically this is our send piece out the door and many times (if there is no immediate need for the aerial),this piece has established the supply line to the Engine ( many cringing at that idea). It has also been utilized as the second or third fire ground pumper (attack lines). I almost lost 3 guys on day being cut off on a set of stairs and the line form the Tower ladder got the guys out. If our two engines are operating at another incident, this will respond, sometimes with the Tanker.
Has it pumped a hydrant - no, has drafted from a portable pond no , has it filled tankers no, but it could if need be. It has laid it's own supply line and supported itself many times, both in town and mutual aid. This works for us and will continue.
No, if we had a separate H&L co, with a good amount of other pumpers, I'd say no - if there is always a separate engine co responding, I don't see the need.
I'm a practical person... what is the need, how do we operate it. It comes down to NEED vs "I want"

This is one awesome ED. We took a tour Monday night to familiarize ourselves with the site. A totally overwhelming facility (positive note). 70+ beds, 3 wings, one for pediatric emergencies. Semi protected ambulance bay that holds 6 rigs, up to 10 during a MCI. Heli-pad on the roof, with direct elevator access to the ED.
I was very impressed.

Interesting Article, Guess its been long enough since the last time we went down the stupid trail. They say the fire service is a 100 years of history unspoiled by progress.... Here we are failing to learn from history.
Back in the early 1990's we started with the every rig should have water....The Quint Concept. or even the Total Quint Concept. We even had the mini/maxi concept. We put everything we need on one truck and it 1) does nothing well and 2) add $100,000's to the cost of the rig.
St. Louis is now backing away since it doesn't really work as advertised. A couple of large VA depts. are now at the 1st replacement round and are asking why have the fleet costs skyrocked, and maybe we should not do this. Rochester went back to traditional units, because it too found it didn't really save money or work well.
Now if we cant get rigs on the road, adding another piece of equipment that somebody has to carry into a building is not going to help.
This week I heard 1 dept in the county paging out for any available interior firefighters to respond to an automatic alarm. Well if you can not handle a response to an A/A then equipment is not your problem. Every department in the county has taken millions in taxpayer money with the understanding of those taxpayers that when they call the FD, they will actually show up. If you can not do that, it is time to merge with someone else, hire someone else or hire your own staff.
Neat tool? do you put it on over or under your SCBA?
So this backpack weights about 45 lbs. So you use them on your initial knockdown but you have to leave your SCBA on the truck. Sounds like another toy that some depts. will buy with tax payer funds and it will sit on the rig till it no longer functions and its then thrown away.

Here in Bethel, we have been using a 1968 Kaiser/Jeep with a 350 gpm PTO pump that we installed. The rig was a brush truck, but became unusable as an emergency vehicle.
We loaded it up with 3 submersibles as well as a generator and 1 portable pump with a about 300' of hose and assorted appliances.
Currently it is OOS and awaiting disposition.

Not to comment on what is the biggest, etc, but this one applies to Westchester Departments. When the USS (not SS) Constellation burned in the Brooklyn Navy Yard in 1960, SCBA's were just starting to be used by the fire service. Most commonly used at the time were things like OBA's, Chemox, and the like
FDNY had some Scott SCBA's and departments in Westchester had maybe one or two in their inventory.
FDNY put out a request for as many SCBA's as could be mustered. Southern Westchester departments gathered as many as they could and loaded them on Eastchester Rescue 5. I don't know who else was involved, but I know that my father responded to Brooklyn on R-5.
Just a historocal tidbit

Smoke could be seen for miles.

New Rochelle High School, May 1968

RB&W Fire, Midland Avenue November 1973. Engine 61's Fox, Patrol 4 , Engine 58 Ladder 31 and TL2 operating.
Taken from the 3rd floor of my parents house by my mom, one of the biggest biff's I ever knew.

RB&W Fire, Midland Avenue November 1973. Engine 61's Fox, Patrol 4 , Engine 58 Ladder 31 and TL2 operating.
Taken from the 3rd floor of my parents house by my mom, one of the biggest biff's I ever knew.

And a great shuffle board too..

A kid I went to school with at Holy Rosary, lived on the second floor. Sister Superior came and took him out of class. Then the nuns had us pray for the family. Once lunch hit, I was outa school and on my way down there. Short run from Central ave.
Missed many afternoons of school due to the fires in the 70's. Could here the bell hit... 524 or 526 followed by a 3 box, (some 2's and 4's as well) I was out of there , I knew it was a job. Knew the 3 boxes by heart.

Main St Port Chester mid '70's