post4031

Just like in the recent thread on EMS in the county, there is little debate a problem exists. Who will finally play the role of a leader and start to take some action?
Posts like this one, calling out some FD do nothing. Everyone is well aware of the problems. Some may have their heads in the sand, but they are aware.
Instead of calling out this agency, offer some suggestions or solutions. Without offering something productive, this thread offers nothing.

Youtube credit:justonmckinney
REMEMBER FELLAS....IT'S JUST A COMEDY....

Whats always amazed me is how many Career FFs will argue all the advantages of having Career FFs around the clock to respond to the various Emergency Incidents that may arise within the municipality they work, but when it comes to the municipality they live in, they have no problem Volunteering. Why not bring forth and argue your points which to me are valid, with your Town/Village/City Officials at the next Public Meeting and try and convince them to start hiring Career members so you and your family and your neighbors will have this "quality protection" you so desire for those you protect abroad. If not, your a Hypocrite in my eyes and probably dont push for Career Staffing in your hometown cause of the same reasons other residents of municipalities dont and that is higher taxes and who wants that especially if the FD only responds to a handful of calls a year.

While your argument seems valid on the front, many communities simply cannot afford to supply their taxpayers with a fully career staff 24 hours a day. Would I like to see every community staffed 24/7 by a fully paid department with 4 guys on every piece of equipment that they have, absolutely. Nothing would make me happier to know that when I am sleeping or away at work, that there would be an arsenal of personnel ready to respond to my home is something terrible would happen. But you and I know that this is an impossible task, and many communities would be in uproar over the raise in taxes. Fortunatly in my community, we have the not just the manpower, but the knowledge base and experience during the day and at night to ensure this protection. While the response may be a little slower since we are not living in the firehouse, it is something that our communtity has not voiced concern about, and actually embraces the idea of the volunteer firefighter. Many communities however do not have the volunteer base, and nothing makes me more upset as a volunteer, then to listen to certain departments get toned out 2, 3 times for an alarm. When you have a consistent problem, deal with it. It is time to put your big boy pants on and actually admit to the community you can no longer provide a response that will satisfy the needs of the community. If it requires hiring career staff, so be it. End rant.
As for a professional response, Career departments have their good apples and bad eggs that give everyone a bad name, as do all volunteer departments. The topic of "professionalism" is the fire service has been beaten to death on this forum, and honestly I could care less if you call me professional, a volly scab, or any other term you want to throw at me, good or bad. But I know when I get in the truck, and respond to someone's house or business, I do so, and expect everyone else in my department to do so in a manner that will not leave the homeowner with a bad taste of the fire service in their mouth, while maintaining that every individual is gear up, with proper assignments so that if we do turn the corner and their is a working fire, no one is acting like they're about to lose their virginity . To do any less would be a complete disservice to the community you are supposed to be serving. End Soapbox.
edit: I was completely unaware this thread hit 3 pages... I thought we were back on 2, whoops.

Mark Butler runs an excellent program. I highly recommend it for anyone who has any kind of decision making authority. I wish this course could be taught on a local level.

I bet there in a "Conduct Unbecoming" clause in their Rules and Regs..everybody has one. Easy to bring charges against him and it should be an easy dept. hearing and removal of the Chief.
Then why do I have the feeling will turn into a long term fiasco? Does anybody else see that coming?

WHat a waste of time and energy. I do think it looks unprofessional. On the other hand I guess Florida has no other problems if the spent time and effort to make it a law you can't have them. Don't tell New "The Nanie State" Jersey about this.

Funny I thought it was the other way around. People with money drive themselves or call a cab unless they really need an ambulance while those looking for a free ride call 911

As a test we equipped L-12 with a forward facing camera (see picture below). Unfortinatly due to budget cutbacks we will not be able to outfit any other vehicles at this time.

Why would they be so useful in fire apparatus? More often than not it would show a rig going through a red signal, not the other way around. Attorneys would use them against all of you. One reason I could see it being used is to show the apparatus operator didn't come to a COMPLETE stop (maybe slowed to 2-3 mph). An operator doing his/her best to respond to an alarm of fire shouldn't have a camera there to "catch" them, and that's exactly how they would be used. I vote no. Just my opinion.

gb17's eloquent post in the apparatus photo thread gave me an idea; let all the brothers and sisters of the FDNY, NYPD, and PAPD know that we have not forgotten, and we still say thank you everyday. If we all contribute what we can, we can create a Wall of Remembrance here on Bravo. If we start now, come September 11th, nine years later, we can really build this up appropriately.
You Shall Not Be Forgotten:
FDNY-343
NYPD-23
PAPD-37
These numbers of MOS who perished, cannot convey the individuals behind them. Let us try and honor each and every individual, each human being, each firefighter and police officer behind these incomprehensible numbers. God Bless all our fallen heroes, from these wonderful people, to Pat Joyce from YFD, to the 21 US soldiers killed in Afghanistan in the last 48 hours. God Bless America, and watch over all of you on the line doing the job.

You people are the best!
I followed the news both on here and the t.v. about the fires in W.P.
Sorry to hear that so many required medical attention, but glad there were no serious injuries.
Keep up the good work!
Tuna

As I understood it villages or cities can as they would be considered part time employees of that entity, Fire Districts or Fire Protection Districts can not. Also, villages and cities can pay stipends where as fire districts and protection districts can not according to the interpretation we got. I did hear of a district upstate that was doing paid-call but I couldn't verify it. This system does work well in other states. However, most that I have asked about require some type of actual time put on shifts to cover apparatus. It all depends on how the department sets it up.
I did attend a legislative investigative committee meeting about issues with volunteer departments with several members of the State Assembly, FASNY, OFPC and Local Officials. These issues were talked about at length along with others. One thing that was clear during that meeting once you mentioned paid-call or part time staff, the gentlemen representing FASNY were adamantly against it because it would ruin the image of the volunteer fireman.
They would rather obtain funding and have an advertisement campaign to create excitement and attract new members. Let me also say this, I am not anti-volunteer myself being a fourth generation volunteer and being part of the service for 23 years. However, I do feel there needs to be other options for a department because most do not have the resources for a full career staff.
Most members of a department these days need to have part time jobs in addition to full time jobs to make ends meet. We often lose quality members because of their personal committments and time constraints and their inability to put in the time required. If a member's part time job was with the fire department he/she would not only be taking care of their needs it would also fill the departments needs as well. A win win situation for both in my opinion. It may get the department further down the road per say and be cost effective.
It is a complicated issue that's for sure!!!

How about we do away with the trophies and judging and just march and wave to the kids. Who cares if my firetruck is cleaner than yours?

This is a good question and I agree that many may choose not to answer because they don't want to offend anyone and / or look in the mirror. I'll jump in though because I think this is an important topic.
In the career fire service a good senior man should have several qualities...calm, confident, lead by example, minimal or no whining, an advocate for the men to the officers and an advocate for the officers to the men. A good senior man praises in public and criticizes in private. A good senior man does not take things personally nor does he make personal attacks.
A good senior man does not need to be the most intelligent, skilled, or physically fit firefighter...he realizes that his years of experience entitle him to respect automatically and this respect will be lost only if he is dishonest, uncaring, a bully,or a loudmouth.
A good senior man rarely, if ever, asks for special privilege due to his senior status. The less he asks, the more it will be given.
Good senior men have many different styles and personalities but I have found the most effective, comforting, senior men to be the type who are more likely to be found quietly observing from a corner of the room than loudly carrying on in the middle of the crowd.
Now, maybe we should talk about what makes a good junior man, because we can have the best Officers and senior men in the world, but if the guy or guys at the bottom and in the middle don't do their job and just want to blame their own bad attitudes and work ethic on those above them, all the best intentions of the bosses and senior men are useless.....

New York should take a few lessons from this guy!! Our current Commissioner of Corrections refers to jails as CAMPUSES not jails, not prisons but CAMPUSES.
Campus
1 : the grounds and buildings of a university, college, or school
2 : a university, college, or school viewed as an academic, social, or spiritual entity
3 : grounds that resemble a campus <a hospital campus> <a landscaped corporate campus>
New York the LIBERAL STATE!

I said they dont go far like to the City of Poughkeepsie or Fairvie, but they will do a close mutial aid.
Thomas

pro·fes·sion·al   /prəˈfɛʃənl/ Show Spelled[pruh-fesh-uh-nl] Show IPA
–adjective
1.following an occupation as a means of livelihood or for gain: a professional builder
noun
11.a person who earns a living in a sport or other occupation frequently engaged in by amateurs: a golf professional.
What a ridiculous motto. Makes no sense according to the definition. I think Ive seen this also on Yorktown's chief car once.

He's acting professional

As per Merriam-Webster:
Main Entry: 1pro·fes·sion·al Pronunciation: \prə-ˈfesh-nəl, -ˈfe-shə-nəl\Function: adjective Date: 16061 a : of, relating to, or characteristic of a profession b : engaged in one of the learned professions c (1) : characterized by or conforming to the technical or ethical standards of a profession (2) : exhibiting a courteous, conscientious, and generally businesslike manner in the workplace<BR itxtvisited="1">2 a : participating for gain or livelihood in an activity or field of endeavor often engaged in by amateurs <a professional golfer> b : having a particular profession as a permanent career <a professional soldier> c : engaged in by persons receiving financial return <professional football><BR itxtvisited="1">3 : following a line of conduct as though it were a profession <a professional patriot>
and before the question is raised.... Profession:
1 : the act of taking the vows of a religious community<BR itxtvisited="1">2 : an act of openly declaring or publicly claiming a belief, faith, or opinion : protestation<BR itxtvisited="1">3 : an avowed religious faith<BR itxtvisited="1">4 a : a calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation b : a principal calling, vocation, or employment c : the whole body of persons engaged in a calling
Being paid is not necessarily part of the primary definition and really..... you did not have to go there.

Fortunately no one in either YPD or YFD took the bait and made any inflamatory comments in this thread. That's the last thing we need in these difficult times. If we have any disagreements over anything (which we certainly don't over this apparatus) we certainly won't be hashing them out on here. Good luck with the new rig YPD!

Perhaps this is why it wasn't widely posted already. The speculation and rabble rousing in this thread is unbelievable. Does the Yonkers FD consult with the PD before buying equipment or vehicles, probably not because they have their mission and the PD has theirs.
You're all calling it a "rescue" but it will be a POLICE emergency services vehicle and provide TACTICAL support (among other things) to the smaller trucks already in service in the city.
This thread is a prime example of why people don't want to post things here. (shaking head)

Chris,
We got hit pretty hard here and during the height of the storm there were very few plows on the road. We have two vehicles outfitted with plows that were busy responding to alarms so apparatus and ambulances could get to the incident locations.
From the onset of the storm to now we have recieved approx. 75-80 alarms. Also, we were extremely busy getting the elderly and invalids to shelter. We sustained heavy tree damage and most of the town was out of power and still is.
Our Town E.O.C. was open however it was basically a center for fire department operations and we did have communications with the PD.
We recieved a request from the Dutchess EOC for the snowmobile to transport water and blankets to stranded motorists and check the welfare of the occupants, also to transport them to a shelter. We responded within 15 minutes to the request along other neighboring departments.
There was no Unified Command to my knowledge with the exception of the communications between the fire departments. The Thruway Authority and NYS Police requested our assistance and were the authority over the incident. We did have contact with some units on scene but no command structure to my knowledge.
By the time we received the request the Thruway Authority had already started to redirect motorists through turn arounds to the eastbound side and off the highway. We were prepared to transport stranded motorists to a warming center at our HQ's until shelter was established. Most refused to leave their vehicles and the Troopers were not forcing the issue.
The storm severly taxed our resources and the resources of our area. We had members in stations from Thursday afternoon until Saturday evening when we sent as many as we could home and returned to stations Sunday morning.
Given the scope of the storm and the damage it caused I do believe we did as much as we possibly could and if there was a true medical emergency we would have made every attempt to get access to the patient. Just an example we had to remove one resident in a rowboat with a few guys acting as reindeer because nothing could get to where he was located. I am thankful for the dedication of our department members and their willingness to rise above the obstacles they face.
If you have further questions feel free to PM me
Scott Post

Town of Wappingers Contract is totally seperate they work for the town technically not for TransCare. Thier units are Town Of Wappingers Ambulance Not TransCare. The EMT's and Medic's get paid from TransCare but work for the town. This was an issue a few years back when a guy worked for Mobile Life and called them personally for an EMS Call and them came and DC 911 knew nothing and it was in the Town Of Wappingers Area. Town Of Wappingers Ambulance will not go cover City of Pooughkeepsie or Fairview.
Thomas

I want to go to the Parade on Sun. Just woundering time, place, how easy it is to get thier from the train?
Thomas