helicopper

I think there have been just as many on the Tappan Zee Bridge as the Taconic recently and the Schulman nightmare makes it far more newsworthy than previously. You may be right, I just don't think the signage is necessarily the issue.

There are stretches of the Taconic that are more challenging to the average driver but the reality is that humans are to blame for the overwhelming majority of accidents and signage will have no impact on that. Speeding, following too closely, unsafe lane changes, and driving too fast for the road conditions must be the predominant factors responsible for most accidents on the parkway. Add alcohol or drugs and you've got a recipe for disaster. When you consider how many drivers navigate the Taconic everyday and DON'T have accidents, it really highlights the fact that humans are the problem. Perhaps more education and enforcement would reduce the number of accidents in general and safety improvements to some of the notorious spots would help further. Driving under the influence (alcohol or drugs) is most definitely a problem and it is getting far more attention lately. Unfortunately, public safety continues to shoulder the lion's share of budget cuts and personnel issues so doing more to apprehend them is going to be a problem. If the predictions about state pension programs suffering major losses due to the economy, the next few years are going to be extremely challenging for municipal budgets! Sadly I don't think the worst is behind us and there may be many more cutbacks and even more layoffs in our future.

You have gotten your wish. The DA's Office has added a felony charge of first degree reckless endangerment to the charges against him. But it's up to the Police and DA to file the charges, not the judge. Link to story: http://www.lohud.com/article/2009909120339

Date: 09/11/09 Time: 1300 (approximately) Location: Route 35 and Willowway St Frequency: various Units Operating: Yorktown PD, FD, and VAC, Yorktown Medic Weather Conditions: overcast/rain Description Of Incident: One car MVA with extrication required. Reporters: Writer: Chris192

This is a great thread. Thanks for posting it and to all who've responded. One question about the NYC buoyancy tests - were they conducted with new PPE or PPE that has been worn and washed and crushed in a gear bag in someone's trunk or locker for days on end? Will used PPE provide that same level of buoyancy? I doubt it when you consider that testing of most other products shows substantial degradation over time and declining condition. Five minutes of positive buoyancy - assuming a calm responder - is next to nothing. If a rescue team is not in place on scene and leaning forward that time can be lost along with your expensive PPE and SCBA - oh yeah, and the guy wearing it!!! Kidding aside, we all work near water whether it be lakes, reservoirs, rivers, the LI Sound, etc. and we need to be proactive about protecting ourselves.

If those firefighters are so reluctant to do the EMS component of their job and do it well they should stop. Determine how much 85% of their volume costs in actual dollars and infuse that money into the understaffed and ill-equipped EMS part of the system and make it a true third service with the funding to make the FD first response unncessary. Goose is right, without the EMS numbers to bolster the statistics its hard to justify an engine company that would be doing just two fire calls in 24 hours. The other problem is the quality of care received by the patient when a provider (whether PD, FD or even EMS) doesn't want to be there or is otherwise not committed to the job. Trauma junkies dumping on medical calls and laissez-faire treatment of frequent fliers with acute conditions do us and our patients a great disservice. I've seen it first hand and I would hate to be the patient on the receiving end of that "care". EMS needs to be a true third service; sure it can be supported by FD or PD but it should be EMS first and foremost. Wouldn't that be nice?

Smart move by Mount Vernon. Very often (not always) apparatus from smaller volunteer departments will have lower mileage, little wear and tear, and it can be obtained much faster than ordering new and waiting for the construction. If MV needs the apparatus to replace front line apparatus that is out of service or problematic, they can get these in service quickly.

Definitely not the biggest fire ever. There have been fires four times the size in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska for sure. This is significant because of the urban interface issues but geographically speaking it's not the largest. The Biscuit wildfire in Northern California and Oregon was 500,000 acres as an example.

Smartest move I've heard in a long time! I've often asked what equipment marine units have for night-time operations but never got much of a response. Kudos to Beacon for not endangering their members!

It's more than 1.7 million $$$ for hiring. Isn't this a volunteer FD? Are they now going paid or is there more going on?

If there are FD's that have experienced increased recruitment and retention as a result of incentives/benefits can you tell everyone who they are so they can be contacted for some pointers? Most of the FD's I'm aware of are suffering through declining membership with or without LOSAP or other incentives.

This article was written this spring by someone but never published because it is a very local problem. Given the discussion about the Hastings technical rescue call, I was asked to post it here to start a discussion, not about a single call or single resource but rather the problems we face here in the Hudson Valley.

If you or anyone you know (family, friends, coworkers) lives in Putnam Valley, please send me a PM with an e-mail address to which I can send important information regarding Putnam Valley. The information can not be posted here as it is not related to the mission of EMTBravo but I'd like to reach as many Putnam Valley residents as I can so I'm reaching out to our membership. Thanks in advance! Chris

The plate readers can also be programmed with things like scofflaws so it may be possible for non-law enforcement like Parking Enforcement, etc. to use them. As v85 said, they won't have access to the full database from DMV.

Did you catch the guy and wrap him up in hose till the cops got there?

Just out of curiosity, how many square feet is the proposed building?

I have a question... I'm a volunteer member of the Danbury FD and assigned to Squad 7. A call comes in when I'm at the mall and only a few minutes from Squad 6. Under the current structure can I respond to and help staff Squad 6 or am I only a member of the company to which I'm assigned?

OK, here are a couple of answers... I can tell you that it was at least 300 plants, in all likelihood closer to 400. I'll venture a guess that the weight was about 1500 pounds but it is just that a SWAG on my part. Skepticism is one thing but now you're criticizing the press photographer for his artistic eye? Come on, the photos are photos not evidence. As for the location, it was extremely remote and there was no good way in or out. Even the FD gator couldn't get to the location; they did try to use every resource available. The "intrepid farmers" as you call them would certainly have had their work cut out for them but you'll have to ask them how the intended to do it. Could the Sheriff's Office hauled them all out by ground? Sure, but it would have taken dozens of officers hours. It took the helicopter just minutes to haul out several hundred pounds at a time. So which is the more appropriate use of resources? Appropriate use of a helicopter? Dramatic? Why does everyone seem to sensationalize the use of helicopters by law enforcement in this part of the country? The helicopter is just another resource in the law enforcement toolbox and it can, and should, be used for a multitude of purposes. We, in the Northeast, are the slowest to embrace them and their advantages. It boggles my mind that police officers will actually tell me that they opted not to call for the helicopter because it was "just a larceny" they were in a foot pursuit for. If you think it's important enough to get out of your car and run after someone, I'll come help you catch him! Sheesh... Tell me, if this was a brush fire and the alternatives were FF's humping nearly an hour into the woods with a 5 gallon Indian can or a helicopter dropping hundreds of gallons of water at a time, which would you choose? Would it be dramatic or approrpriate use of resources then? This isn't novel or unique - it's done around the Country all the time (in fact it was the State Police helicopter used a couple of years ago in eastern Putnam to haul plants to ground units). Here's just a small sample of such activity recently ('tis the season after all). http://www.napavalleyregister.com/articles...67477182153.txt http://www.timesnews.net/article.php?id=9015772 http://www.bclocalnews.com/bc_cariboo/will...s/53524282.html http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a.../NEWS/908210310 http://www.wnewsj.com/main.asp?SectionID=4...amp;TM=25940.17 http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/20496700/detail.html http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf...n_for_mari.html http://www.marionstar.com/article/20090808...2/-1/newsfront2 http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_13010568 http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/crime/...44552&tsp=1 http://www.recordherald.com/main.asp?Secti...rticleID=133847 http://www2.morganton.com/content/2009/aug...100-pot-plants/ For all those who would claim that this is a victimless crime or one that isn't worthy of investigation, see how many articles involve the recovery of firearms also. Finally, what makes people think that an operation like this means we're not after meth-labs or gun runners? Can't we do this too?

http://www.lohud.com/article/20090822/NEWS02/908220407 This is the article that 1210671 said would be coming out... Way to go PO Serlin and Gracie!

Be sure to check out the photos associated with this story. http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=7587144

The FIRST one!!!!

I'm sure that cost has something to do with it and there may have been some kind of deal with the SP got the space for the lab in exchange for part of the security detail working there. I have not heard that PAPD is taking over security there but does make sense since they now operate the airport. SP Aviation and the NYC DEP PD Aviation Unit are both based there but that is unlikely to change since it has nothing to do with the police coverage at the airport. Closing a regional crime lab is a really stupid move if they think it will save money. I doubt most of the upper Hudson Valley counties can afford or have the volume to support their own labs and now the cost of the regional lab is just being passed on to the locals who will have to travel to other more distant labs for their work.

To me, it's got to be really hard in an A-star because you can't see the skid tips. That's always nice when you're landing on a pinnacle. That pilot obviously has quite a bit of experience with moutain/canyon flying. As for the crew, that's what training and experience will get you! You have to train for it and that looks like the ultimate practical exam.

No, the A-star can have hoist capabilities. It may have been that this particular aircraft was not so equipped or it was too close to the canyon wall or too deep for the hoist line (usually only a 110 feet or so). Here's a link to a news story from right here in NY (Erie County) where an A-Star made seven hoist rescues after the severe storms there a week or two ago. http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/760013.html

A great example of why it is so important to check hospitals, morgue, and jail during a missing person case.