jcoppola

A tiller is being strongly consisdered for replacement of Norwalk T1. Our low bridges and tight streets in our south and east sections of town could seriously justify it. However, it is a huge training issue as we would have to train tillermen and have them get the proper DMV licensing for it. Plus the cost could approach and pass a million bucks. We run a Sutphen/Spartan 105' aerial tower now as Truck 2 and a Spartan/RK 2-section quint as Truck 1. If the tiller is purchased, it would go into service as T2 out of Central and the "mutt" would probably go to Station 1 as T1. Dare I say, T1 is currently pretty useless and most of our guys know that and cannot wait for a "real" ladder truck to replace it. JVC

Chlorine gas is highly corrosive, depending on the concentration in the smoke. Adding water to it creates hydrochloric acid. That would be able to etch the diamondplate and destroy paint no doubt. Not much SFD could have done to limit water when the place is ripping out of control as it seems it was. I, for one, am happy that no SFD brothers were injured or suffered effects of the toxic smoke that must have been pouring out of the place. It reminds me of a fire many years ago that I remember vividly where some SFD guys were burned badly enough to have to retire from the job (Polycast). One of those members burned is still on the job today and is one of the most respected guys on the job, not to mention citywide, as his career dated back to a good volunteer house. Stay safe, Joe C.

I heard some good news around the firehouse tonight. Neil is conscious and alert and talking and apparently out of the ICU. He was even joking around with one of my co-workers who had the chance to speak to him. He has several broken ribs and some other bumps and such but is expected to fully recover. Thank God. Get better Neil! JVC

I wish Neil a speedy recovery. He always drops by our firehouses and is a really nice guy. He always seems really into firefighting and I could attest to his pride in being a member of NCVFD. My thoughts are with him and his family and they all can count on all the support and help of the members of the NFD and the Local for whatever they need. This is an example of how dangerous it can be to serve the public in all capacities. God Bless.

Just an opinion, but I believe we should leave the EMS thing to adults and keep the kids in high school involved as explorers. I think the intentions are admirable, I do, but in this litigious society we live in, especially in the medical field, the real "work" should be done by persons of legal age to be "certified". I know of one service that routinely runs in with us as a mutual aid service and although they are an explorer post, they run with a fully trained supervisor all the time so, in that system, it seems to work and they do a good job, with one exception that peeves me often when we work with them...often times we are treated like idiot firemen who have no clue about EMS, when in reality, we do more EMS than they do, and might I say, in many cases, much "hairier" EMS at that. Just a simple observation from someone in the field.

FIRE FIGHTER/EMT – Wilton Fire Department The Wilton Fire Department is accepting employment applications for the position of Firefighter/EMT until 4:00 pm on July 23, 2008. All candidates must be certified to the level of Connecticut Firefighter I and EMT-B (expiration date must be after March 31, 2009) and hold a Connecticut Class 2Q or CDL Driver's License. Candidates must also possess a valid Connecticut CPAT card issued after September 1, 2007 and be a high school graduate. A non-refundable application fee of $50.00 must be paid in the form of a check made out to the Town of Wilton at the time the application package is submitted. The written examination will take place on August 1, 2008 and oral interviews will follow on August 6, 2008. Contact the Wilton Fire Department at 236 Danbury Road, Wilton, CT 06897 or call 203/834-6246 between 8:00 am and 3:00 pm, Monday-Friday, for additional information and application package. Overview of Wilton Fire Department · Formerly a combination FD which no longer has volunteers o 28 sworn staffing and 2 non-sworn o Administration § Chief and Deputy Chief § Fire Marshal and Inspector § Mechanic · 6 FF career staffing per shift at 2 stations · 24 hour shifts · Facilities o Station 1 – Engine and tanker or ladder truck staffed with Captain and 3 FFs o Station 2 – Engine staffed with Lieutenant and a FF · Call volume ~1,800 calls per year (~50% EMS) · Specialized Operations: o Dive Rescue Team o County Haz-Mat Team · EMS o Town volunteer ambulance association handles patient transport o Paramedic contracted from Norwalk Hospital and shared with the Town of Weston o All sworn staff are required to maintain EMT-B status · Compensation o Starting salary as of July 2008 is $50,494 o All overtime paid at 1 ½ straight time rate

Date: 07-13-2008 Time: 10:56 Location: 94 Washington Street Frequency: 151.445 Units Operating: E5, E2, E3, T2, T1, R2, C2, NPD, (E1 for station coverage) Description Of Incident: Working fire on a 3 story attached deck extended into the structure. E3 was special called due to initial reports. Heavy smoke and fire on arrival on the C side of the building adjacent to Haviland Street parking lot. T1 served at RIT and E1 was relocated to HQ to cover districts 1, 2 & 5. Writer: JVC 11:16 - Under Control 12:37 - Last FD unit (E2) cleared.

That is splitting hairs...Belltown (or their other volunteer counterparts are not THAT busy where them not being in the station is commonplace. You are right, but your point is the exception not the rule. My point is PURELY that the service the residents of the BFD district is simply not the same and I am quite suprised there is not more of an outcry from them, but I guess they are accepting it...all the while not taking anything away from the dedication and work the Belltown Volunteers are doing.

All well and good, but my point is that there is a defitite reduction in service because the paid guys are no longer on Dorlen Road. It is simply not the same. I know about response times, but the coverage provided by SFRD in their strategic locations is not the same as having staff in the Belltown Fire House...there is simply no arguing that fact.

Going strictly volunteer was the consequence of not accepting the deal presented by the Mayor. Perhaps most of the members knew that at the time of the "vote".

I have a tounge-in-cheek question/comment and it is rhetorical and probably has no answer, but how come SFRD did not move a trailer into the Newfield Green Shopping Center or some other strategically located area and staff yet another company, say E-10 to cover Belltown. I lived in Belltown for a lot of years and still have a family there, and I'd like Dannell Malloy's best answer to that question. Not taking anything away from Belltown members, but why is there such a push for extra engines and manpower north of Vine Road and the Merritt Pkwy. on the Long Ridge Road side, yet nothing in the Belltown district. Now I know this may seem to be a cut at the volunteers, but it is really not. About a year ago, I had AT LEAST 2 career staff in the Belltown firehouse, GAURANTEED! Now, according to the powers that be, there is simply no gaurantee whatsoever. I realize and appreciate the commitment that is being made by the BFD members, but reality is reality and we all know the deal, there are times when there is nobody in the station. The way I see it is the residents of Belltown are the ones really suffering from all this mess. I also realize the proximity of E6, E7 and E8, but it the perception of it by the public is not good. I have family and interests in the Belltown fire district and to be honest, I think it is unfair that services to this area have been cut. The "elder" may not think so, but I think like a modern, progressive firefighter who has been around both services for a long time and I definitely don't like being on the receiving end of a "turf war". No members of BFD should take this as an attack of any sort. You, and the tax-paying public are being mistreated by a bully regime (City Hall), and it is pitting career vs. volunteer in a bad way no matter how you look at it. As far as using the volunteer corps to perform support functions, that is a bit insulting to any volunteer...if I were a volunteer firefighter, I would not want to sit outside a fire and fill bottles or provide lighting to others performing the job I, too, was trained to do...I would seek membership in a department that fought fires once in a while and did some real good for the public. Maybe there are folks who would want to do this, but not me...not with the pride that was instilled in me from BFD veterans going back 23 years ago... My 2 cents. I have been reading and processing this stuff and it is simply mind-boggling. Yet I press on. JVC

As part of a multi-year plan to increase the staffing of Norwalk Fire Department's Heavy Rescue Company, 2 new Lieutenants were recently added and promoted to fill the vacancies created by these new positions. Until the additional 2 are added, NFD R2 will have a Lieutenant and 2 firefighters on 2 out of the 4 shifts. Effective July 1, 2009, 2 more will be added to fill out the officer compliment. 2 seasoned veteran Lieutenants were assigned the 2 Rescue spots. One thing that this will do other than add personnel to our shifts, is move through the eligeability list pretty quickly so if anyone is looking for a good test to take that will result in a fair number of new hires, keep your eye on Norwalk Fire. I will, of course, post any new job announcements on the site as they come up.

Congrats Jack, looking forward to continuing to work under your direction. You definitely work tirelessly on the site and deserve the recognition. JVC

Date: 07-08-2008 Time: 16:00 (approx.) Location: Drum Hill Road Frequency: Units Operating: Wilton Fire, Norwalk E-1, Westport FD, Ridgefield FD, Weston FD, numerous tankers Description Of Incident: Working House Fire with large involvement of attic area. Writer: JVC

Ok, propane fed changes the whole game. I watched the utube videos and I realize they had a good reason to go defensive. Large caliber streams need to be put into service early though, all the more. Good job by the IC... Joe C.

Those are some absolutely fantastic pictures. The first problem as was indicated and as I see it, response time was a big issue. It seems that before any FD units were on scene, they had a quick moving working fire on the first floor of a 2.5 story frame. Based on the amount of good ventilation thanks to the fire, the first line going through the door should have been a smooth-bore 2.5" hoseline. MAJOR fire could have been knocked down quickly and any victims on the fire floor are not viable. Truck work above the fire needed to be done, probably from a ladder to a second story window due to the fire involvement on the first floor. Search would be tough but the power of the leading line below would have made conditions better, combined with good horizontal venting by the truckmen. A second line to the floor above would have also been a good idea, if the first line protected the stairs with thier high-caliber stream. That may have prevented the vertical extension. I cannot see immediate need for a venthole if the venting and backup line did their jobs, as was apparently not the case. You can also tell that the initial attack did not do squat because heavy fire began in a previously uninvolved part of the building (A-side right front). All that indirect crap should be left for the textbooks. They needed to get in there with high caliber streams to do the job. That is a very large volume of fire though, but not too much for a solid bore duece and a half through the front door then advanced inward. Other observations: deck gun on the ground with no line to it...what was that for?No ladders to be found anywhere and no attempt to get to the floor above.Again, great pictures for discussion. Love it.

Those are FANTASTIC shots! Good job to the WFD Brothers. I am curious if anyone can provide facts on the tactics of the actual suppression effort. For example, where did the first line go? I assume through the front, but by the picture, it looks like heavy attic involvement. Did the effort go defensive at any point? It just seems like whatever you do in a job like that, you will wind up pushing the fire through the whole place. It looks as if a line is flanking the fire in one of the pictures from the exterior. It looks like there are a myriad of lessons that can be learned from this type of job and I would love to get some pointers on how it was fought. Thanks! Joe C.

You guys need to tone it down a bit...please keep this thread "to the facts". Opinions are good too, as long as they don't start getting personal. I think the last thing you all need is a confrontation between a Stamford volunteer and a career person from SFD. THAT OUGHT TO LOOK GOOD IN THE PAPER... I stopped posting to this thread because I think the whole thing is futile, but I have to keep watching this painful arguement to assure it stops heading in the direction it is fast going. Again, keep it a reasonable debate. Thanks all, Joe C.

I also do not want to see the volunteers in Stamford die a slow death, everyone who knows me in this group of fire service folks know that I always give credit to BFD as the place I got my start. I just have a hard time accepting some of the rationalizations for why the system is just "fine". I saw problems like the current ones when I left as a paid driver 12 years ago, heck thats why I am where I am now. I think the paid personnel from the combination houses are much better off now. Some may think I am nuts for saying this, but they now have leaders who are accountable and have a vested interest in their career well-being, like them or not. A volunteer chief is not going to worry about the paid personnel and thier well being, that was proven last year. The simple fact is that the department is first and its employees are second. That is no way to run a business and have human resources who care about the company. In my department for example, the Norwalk Fire Department is nothing without good officers and firefighters who know that they are the backbone of the place. The paid guys were constantly reminded that they were "supplimental" to the volunteers. That did not make me feel really needed when I was there, and I was told if I did not like it, I could leave and thats EXACTLY what I did. Don't interpret this as bitterness. I have many, many issues with the way things were done years ago, and I found a way to make my career better. I am happy for most of my former co-workers in that they now have stability, comraderie and a sense that they are an influential part of a "company".

Pete, All well and good, but the fact remains that professionalism is being clouded over by spitefulness and pride. It is disheartening to see this become a total turf war. I am one of the doubters that a system in a city the size of Stamford can exist indefinitely as a totally volunteer one. The demands on the members for time, training and equipment maintenance are far too great. But, I have been wrong before and I certainly will be wrong again, so I guess we shall see. I still maintain that this whole charter thing carries too much weight and gives lots of leeway when it comes to the safety of the public. Charters were written in the early 1900s...much has changed since then, it is simple reality.

I am so tired of hearing about this charter...does it say anything about compromising public safety because of pride in this charter??? When certain things cannot be accomplished for whatever reason, it should be admitted so and use the help that is available. How long does the TRFD plan on having their people take time off from work to match the staffing that is provided by SFRD out of their trailer on Vine Road...and what about when the cold temps get here...then what? A frozen pump and tank of water because they are not allowed to store their apparatus in TRFD's firehouse? This is outright infantile and heads will certainly roll if God forbid someone loses thier life over this silly quarrell over pride and this "famous" charter.

PJ - I can vouch for the 8 hours a day thing several times a month...not too much fun, and I was even paid to do it...Although one of the problems that led to my demise was skewed leadership and warped policies at the top...and no, I don't forget!

Great post, thanks for reminding all of us of that supreme sacrifice that the Hackensack Brothers made. At the very least, all of us who have been in this business for a few years cannot look at a bowstring truss roof and not think about that dreadful day. It is our duty and obligation to pass along the lessons learned there. Know that they are all looking upon us and helping to keep us safe. God bless them and those loved ones who still mourn that loss. JVC

Very true...we probably will continue in this manner because it is fun and it gives us new perspectives. Thats why I like it, although it is hard for me to maintain a objectivity as I am both a dedicated union man as well as a person who had the BFD in my family for so many years and a person who has a large number of friends, both social and professional, in the Stamford Fire Dept. I constantly maintain the hope that a solution can be arrived at where all parties can peacefully and professionally co-exist. Without naming names, there are far too many people on all sides who have agendas and until they open their minds to all the options, nothing productive will happen, this totally includes the City of Stamford government officials. I am of the opinion, and from the limited knowledge that I have of the whole situation, that it was, in a way, the city government who pitted the career department against their volunteer counterparts using the excuse of money to drive a wedge bertween services. Very sad, they planted the bomb and watched the unfortunate results from a safe "bunker". This very common practice for government officials was also done by the one in my city with a manpower issue and a unfair arbitration award. What they did was quite worse, as they used manpower to essentially divide our local. Lets all try to get along and see all perspectives with open minds. JVC

Don't matter...no one, I mean NO ONE is going to tell me how to spend my free time...union or otherwise. And while you are citing fact, tell me when the last firefighter lost his job because he was a volunteer. Face it folks, this is a non-issue and we are beating it to a pulp. Nobody is going to win the arguement that someone should not be able to do something he or she wants to do. Thanks.