helicopper

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OK, riddle me this... If this can - theoretically - be done with almost a dozen career departments involving hundreds of people, contract and personnel issues, etc., etc., etc. why can't it be done with some of the 40+ volunteer fire departments?

In case anyone wants to read the decision, including dissenting opinions, it is attached in pdf format. 07_1428.pdf

About the same percentage as in many departments...

http://www.policemag.com/Channels/Patrol-T...ple-Fronts.aspx

If you're referring to a 501-c3 tax exempt organization (by your reference to tax id #), there are other requirements that have nothing to do with FOIL - such as the filing of an annual report with the IRS, etc. p557.pdf The above is a publication from the IRS detailing reporting requirements for 501-c3 organizations. You may not have to disclose under FOIL but you absolutely must file with the IRS and most of those records are public. If in doubt, consult your agency's attorney and/or accountant.

This has been a very passionate (and for some emotional) discussion/debate and everyone for the most part has been very good about not getting personal but there have been some posts that really skirt the borders of inappropriate. If you can't make your point without bashing another member, think of another way of saying it. Do not make broad, general accusations or stereotypes about your fellow members. If you want to address a point, address that point and not the member. One of the great things about this forum is that people are bringing FACTS to the discussion. I don't have to take someone at their word when their word is flawed or so biased that they can't or won't see the big picture. That's my right and one of the great things about this Country. This is without question a sensitive subject for some but we all have to stop and think about who we all work for - the taxpayer! bnechis already said it, NYS is one of the highest taxed states in the nation (that's a fact, not propaganda) and we all have to think about that before the bottom truly drops out and we can't afford the luxuries we enjoy now - like paychecks, and fire stations, and "free" training, and pensions, and annual physical examinations, etc. Let's agree to disagree without slinging mud at each other. I know that the majority of those who have posted in this thread have taken the high road but for the one or two who can't help but drag things down... be mature, be professional, and be polite!

On the subject of hypocrisy, let's talk about "housemen". Are these not simply firefighters who are working for the fire district in another job title to avoid the requirements of NYS Civil Service Law and General Municipal Law for training, etc.? Can a non-FF be hired as a "houseman"? Do they have to punch out when a call comes in (this is the rumor that I've heard - please correct me if I'm wrong)? Why not just hire "firefighters" and make it a combination department? Before anyone gets on their soapbox, please note that I'm not a firefighter or an IAFF member. I'm a taxpayer!

Would it be more palatable to you if we were to change the title from volunteer to "under compensated firefighter"? It would be far less hypocritical. You know it amazes me how everyone is sandbagging their firehouse aprons preparing for a fight when not one person has said their goal is to eliminate volunteers and/or go to a completely paid department - anywhere. I will again highlight my point (I speak only for myself) - there are HUNDREDS of independent fire departments on Long Island (and countless others but the current illustration has been LI) that could save millions of dollars by simply consolidating their ADMINISTRATIVE and MANAGEMENT functions (read contracts, purchasing, insurance, administrative, etc.). The OPERATIONAL change(s) would be negligible. Nobody is advocating closing firehouses or reducing apparatus OPERATIONALLY though you'd need far fewer spare pieces of apparatus through such an arrangement, another way to save. It would also mean that firefighters would have a higher call volume to respond to because instead of responding in their 1-2 square mile area, they'd have the opportunity to respond anywhere in the enlarged district. How is this a bad thing? If the public was properly educated on the subject don't you think they'd favor paying less in taxes while receiving the same or better service?

EMT, FF, RN, MD and other "vanity" plates do not denote emergency vehicle status. Such status must be verified through the VTL and not a web forum that is as factually challenged as the one linked above. As for Civil Defense Emergency Vehicle status, I would urge you to consult with your agency's attorney or your own if you're operating independent of an agency so you don't find yourself on the wrong side of a traffic stop (or worse). In NYS, according to Section 106-A of the VTL: Personally owned vehicles do not qualify so no lights would be authorized under this section.

If you're referring to "SRF" as the registration type, that's not special response. It's a DMV code for vanity or non-standard plates. There's no correlation between that registration type and authorization to use red lights and siren. Unless there is a provision in the law, the use of lights and siren is illegal - whether a priest, a ham operator, or anyone else.

The amount of departments and/or buildings is hardly irrelevant. There is a cost associated with each one so it has a direct correlation to the taxes paid by your residents. What is your ISO rating? Who decides what "great" is? If you need to perform the duties of a truck company, why not send a truck company? Is it necessary to purchase a $750,000 rescue to "fill-in" for a truck company? I'm not advocating a paid service for Long Island - if the volunteer services are as effective as you claim. I'm saying that it can be done for less than it costing now through consolidation of departments. This may or may not translate into the closing of any firehouses but it would require fewer Chief's (and vehicles), fewer contracts/insurance policies/etc. If this were the forum for schools and not emergency services I certainly would be advocating reform there too. Are you saying we can't criticize mismanaged FD's because there are equally or more mismanaged school districts? Come on...

What do they use this truck for? Does PPD now have an ESU?

http://www.benningtonbanner.com/ci_12598638 RIP.

STAT, on the out of control part, I agree. Having since watched the dash-cam video, I am at a loss for any explanation for the troopers conduct. It was ridiculous though as NY10570 stated, two wrongs don't make a right and the medic didn't help the situation any. That said, with regard to resisting arrest, it is the rare case when the arrestee doesn't believe that he/she is being falsely accused and that the arrest is unauthorized. The law needs to clearly establish that if you're wrongfully accused, there is a an administrative and judicial redress for you. To authorize one to resist the police on the street would be just as terrifying and result in many more injuries and fatalities. If you believe you're wrongly accused you have the ability to defend yourself in court and the presumption is always in your favor. This is a remarkable country in that regard! Let's face it, this case is egregious and the trooper does nothing to promote the image of law enforcement BUT it is the rare case. There are literally millions of arrests every year that occur without incident or fanfare and police officers by and large act with tremendous restraint and self control. This is an exception not the rule. We're all only human and despite our best efforts, sometimes things like this happen. It' still a better option than having no police or robots with no emotions out there!

On this point, in the cell phone video the uniformed trooper twice states "you're under arrest" to the paramedic before he exits the ambulance. He takes his wrist (probably to handcuff him) and the paramedic physically resists and pulls away. This is resisting arrest, this is illegal, this is how people get hurt or killed! There is NO time when it is legitimate to resist a uniformed officer who has informed you that you're under arrest. The choke "hold" (not one that I've ever seen taught) is another matter entirely but to assert that this was an unprovoked assault is not completely accurate. Could someone argue that it was unnecessary and/or excessive, absolutely! Again, the bottom line is that the whole situation sucks and is bad for everyone. I'm not condoning the troopers actions. I'm just surprised at the number of posts that state it is OK to resist arrest.

This is the problem with budgeting and planning for the barest minimum coverage. Obviously the City can't afford to put an ALS ambulance on every corner of every borough but they keep cutting and cutting and now it's becoming an issue. Let's say your average day is 100 calls per hour and you have enough units to cover that. On some days when the volume is only 70-80 calls per day, sure, you have units doing nothing for a little while but if you try to cut to that level you're not even able to cover your average days. The problem arises when you have your above average day - "Swine Flu" scares, extreme temperatures, special events, holidays, and other things drive the volume up - let's say to 120 calls per hour. That leaves you playing catch-up for 20 calls right out of the box. This is why administrators/politiicans playing with public safety budgets and staffing is such a stupid idea. We don't get paid for what we do everyday, we get paid for what we might have to do (a cliche I know, but it's true).

I'm a big fan of Dr. Doolittle and Dr. Kildaire but my all time favorite is Dr. Seuss!

Well, if his job has rules about use of sick leave and his football stuff violates them, I don't know what he's protesting. On my job you can't be anywhere but home when you're out sick. It's paid SICK leave not vacation time.

If insurance companies can be tapped to help reduce the burden on taxpayers as a whole, why not bill them? It's almost like a fee for service, isn't it?

Skooter, what is the "mandatory ALS workup" consist of and eval at the local hospital at the hospital is required for ALL taserees? This makes sense - don't treat the shock but rather the underlying condition(s). Just out of curiosity, what percentage of taser suspects do you actually transport and of those how many are ALS?

Well said, Sage! Thanks!

I know YOU know. I was making the point for those who had erroneous info!

As I said above, all burglaries are felonies.

All burglaries are felonies. Both murder in the second degree and murder in the first degree are Class A-1 felonies, the highest level of crime in the state. There is a mechanism to charge Murder 1 if the offense occurred during the commission of another violent felony but there are procedural issues for the prosecutors and court with charges of Murder 1. The bottom line is they caught the %!@#*&K$ who killed John and they will be prosecuted! Good job, PCSO!