SageVigiles

Which member was on this job?

Hey everyone, I was just wondering if anyone has been to any of those free federal HAZMAT/WMD classes, most of them are held down South and they specialize in things like explosives, radiological, chemical agents, bio agents, etc. I'm waiting on my EPA 40-Hour HAZMAT Tech cert in the mail and after I receive that I want some more training. Unfortunately I can't afford, and my department won't pay, for the 472 Tech, so until I find some way to pay for that, I want to expand my HAZMAT training. Anybody have any info on these classes and some contact information to get involved with them? I'd appreciate the help.

Obviously you fly yourself out there, right?

How much of the training do you as the student (or your department) have to pay for? Also, is there a list of courses offered? Thanks for the great answers guys.

This morning Ball Pond got toned out to cover for Putnam Lake, who was operating at a land search in Brewster, probably for a missing person, anyone have any more info? Did they find the missing person?

Wow, 160 SOAR is one of the best helicopter aviation units in the entire military... Rest in Peace soldiers. "Night Stalkers Don't Quit."

Last I knew the NYSP Aviation Unit was assigned there at the very least. I know Port Authority leased Stewart for something ridiculous like 99 years, so maybe PAPD is assigned to protect it. Hopefully this means PAPD will be hiring...

I'm assuming they did it this way because the A-Star doesn't have winch capabilities? Or is there another reason to land the helicopter there. Not second guessing, just wondering.

Loaded it, seems like an OK game so far.

Now what exactly does this foam trailer carry? Does it have a monitor on it or is it a trailer that just carries a crapload of foam?

Good point, I don't know how often they get used, but the state Dept of Emergency Management and Homeland Security just basically gave them out to the three big departments of Region 5 HAZMAT. I'm not sure if I was commenting on how Westchester should have more or CT should have less, time will tell I suppose.

It is strange that Westchester only has one, in CT Region 5 we have 3 foam trailers, Waterbury, Torrington and Danbury. And the areas surrounding those cities are more rural than Westchester.

Date: 8/16/09 Time: Approx. 0930 Location: 236 Forest Road (Budget Transmission) Allingtown District of West Haven Frequency: 453.800 Units Operating: Allingtown FD, West Haven Center FD, West Shore FD, Milford FD, New Haven FD, West Haven PD, CT DEP HAZMAT Weather Conditions: Hazy, Hot, Humid Description Of Incident: Working Structure Fire in a commercial business, 3rd Alarm with special calls for Milford's Canteen and medic units Reporters: Writer: SageVigiles Sounds like a big job, went to a defensive operation rather quickly, lots of master streams and ladder pipes in use. Great job by the guys up at Minor Park Station and all the others who came to assist on this EXTREMELY hot day. Now if only this would have waited a week, I'd have been at school and been able to be there...

Rest in Peace Brother

Date: 6/12/09 Time: Approx 1700 Location: IAO Route 37 x Sawmill Road, various others for pump details Frequency: 155.6775 Units Operating: Car 1, Car 23, Car 41, Rescue 3, Tanker 5, Engine 6, Brush 14, Engine 16, Tanker 18, Fire Police, First Selectman, CT State Police, Company A Ambulance (Ambulance was first to observe) Weather Conditions: Torrential Downpour for approximately 45 minutes Description Of Incident: Units returning from an automatic fire alarm encountered serious flooding (5-6" over roadway at one point, 2' over a bridge) causing road washouts and multiple calls for pumpouts at the same time. Rt. 37 and Sawmill Road both closed, which are the two main ways of getting to northern NF, almost cutting off half the town the other. DOT and NF DPW will be evaluating road damage and inspecting bridges tonight/tomorrow. Reporters: Writer: SageVigiles

One week before graduation? That's a damned tragedy. My thoughts and prayers go out to his friends and family, as well as his Brothers with North Madison Fire. Rest in Peace Brother. -Major Alex Cardella, Danbury Police Explorers

Damn, if only I lived 30 seconds down the hill in Putnam...

How much?

The crew from Ball Pond Fire was watching the lighting hitting down by Putnam from a road overlooking Ball Pond on our way back from drill, pretty impressive stuff. Windy as hell, a bit of rain, but no real show for New Fairfield.

As a member of a CERT Team, I can tell you that CERT teams do have indoor search and rescue training. They are hardly collapse rescue techniciansl, but its something. Generally speaking, a CERT should not be entering without the direction of the IC, that is VERY heavily stressed during the training program. They are taught about voids and collapses (and to avoid them.) The collapse of finish materials, etc is fine for a CERT to search, but as soon as they recognize structural collapse (and a good team will) they are to pull out and notify for heavier resources. Your best bet is to meet and train with your local CERT team to find out where their strengths/weaknesses are and to learn how to best integrate them into your responses. Now, back to this scenario. If I were IC, I would do the following: 1. Appoint Safety Officer and Operations Officer, call for HAZMAT and Tech Rescue assets, Fire Marshal, Building Official 2. Pull every responder that I don't currently have accountability for out to Staging Area. 3. Account for every responder on scene and attempt to find out how many people were known in the building. 4. FD entry teams with meters and appropriate PPE enter. 5. While Entry Team recons, Operations Officer will assign SAR Teams with equal capabilites (each team has medical personnel, etc and a Team Leader with communications to the Command Post) 6. Team Leaders meet with IC to discuss protocols, expectations and objectives. Triage/Treatment/Transport locations to be set up. PAR Checks every 15 minutes (This is while they wait for the meter results.) 7. If Entry Teams has negative readings on meters, SAR teams may enter per the IC's/Ops' orders to search METHODICALLY for victims. 8. It should basically be all self explanatory from there, extricate/decon/triage/transport the victims, account for all personnel/equipment, pack it up, debrief, etc, go home.

Hmm, I may have to look into that, I don't really want to be a trooper, but hey, its a cop job.

I have been to one funeral for a Fire Explorer, Explorer Ralph Russo of the West Haven Post #3. I hope to never have to attend another Explorer's funeral ever again.

Yeah, sorry I didn't specify that. Chris, Ball Pond (Chris and I's company) has a flat bottom bass boat that can be used on the ice without a problem, as well as the Rescue Alive sled system.

In New Fairfield, we train fairly often on the water during summertime months. Marine unit operators must demonstrate working knowledge of the craft as well as a navigational knowledge of Candlewood Lake (Squantz Pond and Ball Pond aren't big enough to need navigational knowledge of, you can see everything.) The crew requirements vary depending on what vessel we're talking about because of the capacities of the different boats, we have 4. We train on water rescue operations, search operations, fire suppression on for brush, structure or vessel fires that we will often get in isolated areas or on one of the many islands of Candlewood Lake. Generally you also need to be able to operate a vehicle that can tow the boat you are using before you can get checked off and prove that you can actually tow it, though Marine 1 is always parked at the town boat launch, so that's the exception. We don't really have a problem with sea limits on Candlewood, but weather limits are up to the determination of the IC I believe. Only a CT DEP Personal Water Craft license is required to operate our boats, as well as a department-sanctioned drug test. We have the radio frequencies of every fire/EMS agency except Danbury on the lake on our radios, as well as the marine emergency channel that we can utilize to communicate with various other specialized units (DEP EnCon, State Police, Danbury Police Dive Team, Newtown Underwater Search and Rescue, etc) that we come in contact with. Anyone within I believe 30 feet of the shoreline is required to wear a PFD, and firefighting turnout gear is required when responding to a fire on the lake, obviously. Hopefully that answers some of your questions. At least thats how we do things.

Nice, Asset forfeiture sure is great.