helicopper

What's a 10-75??? Just kidding!

There have been several evening based ICS Intermediate (I-300) courses scheduled around the area on an evening schedule to accommodate those who cannot attend three consecutive workdays and all have been cancelled due to inadequate enrollment. My question - where is everyone? According to NIMS, at least someone from every agency should take the course for compliance (in reality, there are probably 4-5 people in most agencies who would really benefit from it) but we haven't been able to fill one yet. I must also point out that there's no problem filling the day courses so the need must exist. Are we ignoring this training because it is ICS or required by NIMS? Is there some other reason we're not able to fill these classes? This is probably a slightly biased opinion but the 300 course really gives people a leg up on applying ICS, especially for bigger than normal incidents. With more training requirements trickling down from NIMS every year, this isn't going to go away. Inquiring minds want to know! What's the deal?

Points taken about the scheduling. As for "we'll never use NIMS"... Are you an FD/PD/EMS agency? Then you use NIMS almost everyday - at the very least the ICS component - for your own operations and any mutual aid response that you're involved with. If you have an event that will go on for more than a single operational period an agency will benefit from the concepts in the ICS intermediate course. It's all about planning, resource management, coordination, etc. Again, that sounds like stuff we do everyday! So, to all those naysayers who think they don't need NIMS - think again. We've been doing the concepts in NIMS since before it was called NIMS. They just put it all together into a nice federal package for us.

Yes we do - and what do we do about it? We laugh at them and do nothing to correct their errant behavior. If someone does stand up to someone behaving like a moron, they're routinely berated for it. Where are our priorities?

Great letter! It's about time that someone started holding the media accountable - for whatever its worth. Just out of curiosity, where was this printed/published?

Not at all true. If you observe something that is a health and/or safety issue you have every right - and probably a duty - to report it to the appopriate authority. It is done every day all over the place.

I don't think it is malicious either. It is as you said emotional, political, and to an extent financial. Great plan - have you tried to sell it to anyone at the County or your home agency so they could try???

More to the point - why exactly was a SWAT team needed in Louisiana (if that's where they were) following Katrina? What did Hoboken do while their team was thousands of miles away "assisting" on the gulf coast? They sent their team, trucks, and equipment out of state for a period of time - what did they have at home for coverage?

And when the agency doesn't get out at all, the ALS unit becomes a BLS ambulance, right? The local government (Village in your case, Jonesy) is ultimately accountable to you! Make it a campaign issue and send people to every debate, public appearance, etc. to make sure the public knows its a problem and the elected officials learn that they will be held accountable for it. The 2008 election is going to be a BIG one and it will be a great time to get important issues such as this on the table for debate and discussion. Send them official correspondence requesting the change and if they fail to act, go public. Excellent points! Has the County resisted a FOIL request for CAD data or are they just stonewalling in the traditional local government manner? It's time that governments including Putnam start acting responsibly with our tax money and I don't think the inequity of EMS service is responsible. We are subsidizing agencies who fail to meet their mandate and can't even get a rig on the road for a call - for a parade yes but a call no. That's a shame! ckroll, maybe you should run for CE!!!

Thank you for confirming what I was lead to believe about this system. It is NOT a dispatch system, it is not a replacement for deficient systems in place already, and it is very likely not going to be a real benefit for day to day mutual aid unless agencies buy expensive hardware that is compatible with the system. So, we're sinking billions into a system that will give us what exactly? The ability for two units to talk while they're a hundred miles apart? So what? Thank you for highlighting my gripe! Why, why, why? Interoperability sure, but this? Come on, really?

So Putnam still takes away 25% of it's available ALS resources when (not if) a BLS crew can't be fielded by the agencies that have been plagued with daytime staffing problems for years. That is PATHETIC! The ambulance is not a bad idea but I'd still rather see the EMT's in the ambulances and the paramedics remaining available to pick up the next job - especially if EMD says it should receive ALS. It's also time to start conserving the resource and not sending them on clearly BLS jobs (isolated extremity trauma with no LOC, etc.). Given the shortage of EMS resources in the County, I'd actually prefer a two medic fly-car in the central part of the County so the other medic units can remain in their primary areas rather than relocate all day (burning gas) and covering the busy parts of the County. Not unlike the way RPS operates in Rockland County. Two medics, one truck, double the coverage. At least Philipstown accepts responsibility for their staffing shortage and addresses it - at their own expense not everyone elses!

Better late than never I suppose... Hamlets are are unincorporated "communities" within towns. Many have their own post offices or other points of interest (like a business district) but no government of their own - they are part of the larger town in which they are located. Villages, towns, and cities are incorporated municipalities and defined by state law. Each has certain responsibilities under the law and can provide its own services (such as police, fire, sanitation, public works, etc.). The Village of Brewster is an autonomous municipality located within the Town of Southeast. Confused yet? On the subject of consolidation, there's no reason why we have 43 police departments, 59 fire departments, and 50-something school districts in the County - it sure isn't for our benefit!!! Oneeye, there can still be community policing and a sense of community with a larger regional approach to the department as a whole. Leave the four big cities as they are now - they are too busy for their own good anyway. Failing that, at least regionalize communications. It is truly pathetic that there can be a robbery in Town A with Town B, Village C and the County all within seconds of the scene but nobody knows about it because there is not centralized communications. Imagine if we all knew what was going on around us? Scary!!!!

Yes, but for some reason that is completely foreign to me, despite such failures companies still seem to get our tax dollars and in return we get NOTHING! In theory this is a great idea but why exactly do we need parts of the state with fewer people than deer or cows covered by this expensive system?

I hate to burst your bubble but identity theft is perpetrated by ALL types/nationalities/etc.

True enough - but it's been getting progressively worse in Putnam. The practice of using ALS to cover agencies that couldn't field their own BLS crew also worked against the development of an effective ALS system (again in Putnam). The call volume and geography works against Putnam - there's no easy way to get from one side of the county to another and most agencies (most, not all) don't have the volume to support the salaries of paid personnel. It is pathetic when you hear about 25-30 minute response times in 2007 but that's not all that uncommon unfortunately. Anyone have any suggestions for improving it?

Given Chong's history in White Plains where they have a combined Department of Public Safety, this conjecture may have some legs. We'll have to see where it goes!

Are you talking about shots fired FROM the trailers or simply heard in the trailers... cause I'm not sure that the statute of limitations has expired on those stories!!! I am only kidding - there were no shots fired by EMS workers or Hooters girls at the EMS trailer in Mt Vernon.

It should be a no-brainer and hopefully President Bush gets the right info on this case! I don't know if I buy the story that the mope was unarmed. It's been a while since the initial incident but I think he was armed at one point. The US Attorney should have his/her citizenship revoked for prosecuting two brave men protecting our Country like that. Pathetic!

Westchester County will be hosting the ICS Advanced Course (I-400) at the DES training center from Monday, December 10 through Wednesday, December 12. Registration is through SEMO and the prerequisite of I-300 is required. See the attached announcement for info and registration instructions. I_400announcementWestchesterCo121007new.pdf

I'm obviously missing a picture somewhere... Oh well. So it seems that among the 1000 or so active members only four want to take an I-300 in the evening??? No wonder we can't get it scheduled. If there's more interest we may have some success in getting one at the training center in January or February. Come on, people - let us know!!!

I was with you up until the weapons entered the equation. Alcohol + Weapons = NO good can come of this! Handing civilians automatic weapons (loaded or not) is irresponsible and contrary to departmental rules and regulations. Yeah, I know the waitresses weren't drinking but the cops obviously were - we have the photos to prove it. While I agree that "disbanding the team" may be extreme, the stupidity isn't on the part of the public safety director. Worst case scenario - some time in the future one of those cops is involved in a shooting that winds up in court (as so many do these days). The jury is shown some of those pictures and the witness is asked... "Officer, were these photos taken before or after you killed my client?" implying of course that the cop was drunk when it happened or went out to celebrate afterward. Sure, the defense will object but the point will be made. The cop winds up looking like a crazy drunk and the perps family gets a vacation home courtesy of the taxpayers of Hoboken.

Always, always, always. Doesn't matter what vehicle I'm in (yes, even the helicopter!). I even wear it when driving from one part of the airport to the other. Ya just never know!

JDR, you're absolutely right that the collection success for transports is higher than 911 calls. However the actual rate being compensated is far less than the actual cost (especially with skyrocketing fuel costs) of the service provided so most agencies are operating at or near a loss. This forces agencies to pay as little as possible and cut other corners to "do things on the cheap" just to stay solvent. I remember colleagues rushing to the bank on payday to make sure the bank cashed their check because they weren't sure the company could make its payroll week to week. That's a huge problem! Without a more level playing field: better representation and advocacy, higher wages, higher Medicare/Medicaid payments for service, more job security, etc. it's going to be hard to make EMS the true profession it should be.

Thanks, ALS. You took most of the words right out of my keyboard. FD is in charge of fire suppression/hazard mitigation/extrication. PD is in charge of overall scene safety and security and investigation. EMS is in charge of patient care and transportation. Each has their own distinct area of responsibility and is "in charge" of their own resources. ALS is absolutely right - this is why unified command works - IF you put the three bosses together and have them communicate.

Actually that's pretty good... That would make Truck4 sort of the General Patton of EMTB...