RES20CUE

By the time the county decides to get of it's a**es, "the new hires" will be "old timers". The new hires, still are not teaching yet! I'm sure the August instructor's conference is full, seeing how the registration deadline was July 1st, so even if the county did do something within the next couple of weeks, the "new instructors" still will not be certified for the state courses. (unless, some other "new hires" like myself, had another route to go to Montour in August, already registered, and paid for themselves!!) Then, as some of us (als and hudson) know, you may as well forget about the October conference unless you've been around a while- that fills so fast, it makes your head spin. I'm not trying to sound pesimistic, or shoot down anyone's hopes- but again promises, promises and still no action!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't know which parade that you saw a "large crowd" from ****** at. The only parades that Somers puts up a "decent-sized crowd" is Katonah, Yorktown and Mahopac, and that's less than 25, as TRUCK 6018 said. In case you don't know your geography- All those border Somers, and we can respond from the parade. As a matter of fact, both last year and this year Somers responded to calls from the Yorktown Parade. Last year, Somers responded from the Yorktown parade to a Mutual Aid fire in Katonah. My head is not in a cloud all the time, we send our share of our 1000 EMS calls mutual aid, but I'm not to sure that Somers "struggles all the time to cover alarms"!!!

I'm not sure about 2006, You will definitely see it alot after May 1, 2007.

182 in a parade this year?? We'll see, just maybe- this year still has 5 months to go!!!

Croton Falls Engine 147 had a small mishap during the line-up- I think it may be out of service, but not sure- Apparently a bus thought it could squeeze through :-k , but instead it locked mirrors with 147, and pulled the upper half of the door out. Ah, the casulties of a parade!!

FAJ is an awesome periodical! I've subscribed to it since 1986. Somers was suppose to be profiled in it back, I think in 2001, but I guess other events put that on the back burner. If Joe Pinto, or one of those Stretz brothers reads this maybe they will call and get that profile done after all!!!

Even though the trend in this, is for Code 3, another great model builder is Corgi. Corgi has been releasing a nice set of Seagrave 70th Anniversary series rigs. There has been canopy, sedan, and open cab pumpers and now TDA's. I was working a little with Westchester Collectables on trying to get Corgi to release a standard cab pumper replicating Somers Engine 182. I also spoke with the Corgi reps, in fact every year at Baltimore, I talk to them, but still nothing. They seemed interested in using E-182, if they were going to release a standard closed cab pumper. We'll see!!

Somers Ex-Rescue 20. 1947 Ward LaFrance! 1 of only 3 ever built!

Date: 7/3/04 Time Dispatched:1657 Time Cleared: 1802 Location: Lake Drive, Butlerville Section, Town of Somers Frequency: 46.26 Units Operating: Mini-Attack 14, Ladder 18, "Rescue Engine" 183, Ambulance 80B1, Ambuance 80B2, 45Medic2. Description Of Incident: Subject trapped under a backhoe Writer: RES20CUE

Jacksonville Freightliner Tanker?? Isn't that the one they rolled a few months ago??

APCO puts on some great courses. Another company called PowerPhone, does a great job as well. Back when I was a dispatcher (last century :-P ), I took courses by both. The Standard, Advanced, and Supervisor APCO courses are available at the State Fire Academy in Montour Falls. For those of you that are up on National Certifications. There are certifications for Public Safety Telecommunicator I and II. The "professional qualification standards" can be found in NFPA 1061.

The committee went for the Pre-Construction conference at KME on Monday 6/7. Some modifications were made. There are approximately 50 other Preditors currently in production. We looked at several of them, NIIIIIIICE!! Anyway, The Somers Preditor should start production this Monday. They stated that it should take approximately 6 months. So we may have a nice Christmas present. On to the new Rescue- Bids were opened on Thursday, 6/10. Only i bid was received- Rescue 1. The bid was not entertained due to a pretty outragous price and and thier payment plan was not acceptable. The Rescue is going back to the committee.

The Somers Volunteer Fire Department is sponsoring a Family Fun Day to benefit the "Jim Boy" Arena Fund. Jim Boy is the son of Ex-Chief Jim Arena, III and the Grandson of Ex-Chief Jim Arena, Jr of the Katonah Fire Department. SATURDAY, JUNE 5th 1PM until 8PM AMAWALK FIRE HOUSE Route 35 and Liberty Way (formally Chalmers Blvd) FOOD, DRINKS, MUSIC, GAMES, PRIZES, AIR SLIDES, FACE PAINTING, RAFFLES, AND ALL THE FUN YOU CAN TOLORATE! The cost all depends on what you want to do! It will run like "Playland", so many coupons for each ride, event, food, etc. A $20.00 donation will include 20 Coupons. Coupons available at the door, or in advance- Call 248-5604 for info, or check out www.somersvfd.com

Government Warning regarding purchase of UPS uniforms: There has been a huge purchase, $32,000 worth, of United Parcel Service (UPS) uniforms on eBay over the last 30 days. This could represent a serious threat as bogus drivers (terrorists) can drop off anything to anyone with deadly consequences! If you have ANY questions when a UPS driver appears at your door, they should be able to furnish VALID I.D Additionally, if someone in a UPS uniform comes to make a drop off or pick up, make absolutely sure they are driving a UPS truck. UPS doesn't make deliveries or pickups in anything, except a company vehicle If you have a problem, IMMEDIATELY call your local law enforcement agency right away! TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY! Tell everyone in your office, your family, your friends, etc. Make people aware so that we can prepare and/or avoid terrorist attacks on our people! Thank you for your time in reviewing this and PLEASE send to EVERYONE on your list, even if they are friend or foe. We should all be aware! Kimberly Bush-Carr Management Program Specialist U.S. Department of Homeland Security Bureau Customs and Border Protection Washington, DC 20229

Thanks for the info about the false e-mail. I received it today, but I'm not that much of a computer freak to know about how to tell if they are fake or not. #-o

The Instructor positions are Part-Time. The pay is an hourly wage. The Job Description states that you must be certified as a Fire Instructor by NYS. It does not state level I or II. As far as helping out, I guess you would have to ask the panel that hired us!

A lot of volunteers are still responding in POV's because some of the districts are so huge! In Somers, which is 33 Sq Mi, we would never get a rig out the door if we waited to man each one with 4 FF's, responding to the houses. We have 4 firehouses, which one do you respond to? What if you go to Sta 4 and everyone else goes to Sta 2? I guess you sit there. But at least if you go to the scene, you can go to work. If the FF's follow the laws, and the Chief's enforce the blue light laws, and dicipline those who you get complaints on, there really isn't that much more of a liabilty than driving those big red things with all the fancy lights, and sirens- where you are allowed to break the laws, and your adreniline is pumping away a mile a minute, you really have to put it into perspective.

I'm assuming that you mean that you want to see this "ENGINE", seeing how the new "TRUCK" is not even in the planning stages yet! :-P

Yes, part of your info is right, it wasn't in Mahopac, it was in Somers, at the Somers Commons (old Baldwin Place Shopping Center), by Stop and Shop. I was away on vacation, but maybe Truck6018 has some more info on it.

I remember the Baldwin Place Mall in it's hey-day. I used to walk there, or ride our bikes there. I still get my haircut by Tony from the Rome Barber Shop, that used to be inside that Mall (he's now by the autoparts store on Mahopac Ave). Yeah, the good ol' days. I can almost name all the stores that were there. Especially Embassy Variety Store- bought quite a few of my first model cars there! For a long time that was the only Mall around, outside of the Beach in Peekskill, it attrracted alot of business back then.

After reviewing my memory banks, I do remember a Drive-In, and yes I'm old enough to remember and have been to it, on Route 6 in Mahopac. It is now the site of K-Mart (I think), it was the Caldor's shopping center, north of the Mahopac Fire Headquarters. That maybe the one you're thinking about CG. But I'm still investigating that one at Rte 6 and Mahopac Ave in Baldwin Place.

Are there any departments in Westchester that have Chaplains who respond to major alarms? I don't mean Lay Chaplains or members of the Department, I mean a Chaplain who is not a firefighter. If you do, how are they identified? Do you issue them turn-out gear to be able to cross the Fire Line if needed?

All this is out of fun and comraderie with our neighbors, something that is a dying breed amongst BROTHERS! We are not "facsists", we are TRADITIONAL FIREFIGHTERS that want to restore some of the fun in our Brotherhood. I really don't think that comes close to fascism, but maybe it seems like it to those "down South"!! #-o

Good to hear, well now I know who the 2 are, I already heard who the other is. I just received my letter today for a CFI position.

Thanks for the info Seth. I saw the movie, now I'll get the book! My wife should be pretty interested as well, her cousin was one of those murdered on 9/11 from R2.