Goose

Create one large encompassing Dept that would oversee the career side of things and supply at least 1 career engine and 1 career ladder w/ 3-4 ffs to the two villages and the city of rye. Honestly, i look at my local budget and what do i see it being spent on? New toys. More and more new toys. Now, i have no problem having my tax dollars go to replacing old outdated apparatus but when i'm not seeing a uniform or what i feel is an appropriate response to emergencies i start to wonder if my tax dollars can't be better spent. Just think about it for a second, If we had an FD that covered these three respective areas not only would you get an appropriate response on every alarm but if you have a working fire you have the potential for fully staffed mutual aid within minutes of any request. In the mean time, hopefully Rye's leadership will smell the roses and include additional staffing for the fire department in any budge revisions or at least the 2009 budget.

The money is there, im pretty sure of it. In reality this is a decision the people should be making. Push for this to be taken to a referendum vote, i can almost guarantee that the people would approve appropriations to add additional staff, even it means a tax hike.

Saw this in the paper last night. I'm all for increasing staffing. But, i would much rather see a Town of Rye FD that folds the City of Rye and Villages of Rye Brook and Port Chester into one all suppression and prevention entity that would staff a career engine and truck w/ 4 ffs in each respective region, but thats a pipe dream.

The bottom line here is that the political system is being manipulated and abused and the Cops are being put in a dangerous position. You can deny and argue it all you want, but there is no question in my mind what is going on. I've seen it first hand. As a side bar, this has nothing to do with the Jewish faith at all. You can easily plug in any bloc and really the end result would be the same.

Chris, Cal, Oneyed - nice posts. Vacguy - You obviously have no clue what your talking about. As i stated before, this is a major issue. The hasidic community is a MASSIVE voting bloc with tremendous power and money. That's why you've got the town supervisor leaving his officers out to dry, because hes afraid of the political backlash. This has been an ongoing issue for some time. You just can't do this sorta crap. We can't have POs walking around second guessing themselves and being afraid that if the collar the wrong person they are going to have to deal with some sorta backlash. Thats not how we live in 2008. We have laws and one must abide by those laws, if you dont well then your going to get punished. It's Newtons 3rd law of Physics: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Thats what happened, the lady got caught and now shes belly aching because of it.

I'm not sure how i feel about this bill. It's cool that they will give vollies a break here and there, but for some reason i get the inkling that there is an assumption that those that does this in a career capacity are doing financially well. I've got to work 3 and 4 jobs to make ends meet (credit card bills, insurance bills, paying back student loans, FUEL!!). I only walk away with a few hundred dollars every pay period in my savings account. What i would rather see our esteemed NY State government do is address some of the larger issues - like duplication of resources, streamline consolidation efforts, let counties run FDs and EMS and push for having EMS as a third, dedicated, civil service. Maybe i'm bias but i just see some larger fish to fry out there...

x2 Jcoppola. Personal vehicle lights are a silly idea all around and i would also agree that they are dangerous. A professional warning package (lights and sirens) on a certified emergency vehicle only shaves a handful of minutes, if anything, off of a response what are some tiny grill lights and a slim dash light going to do? Nothing at all, period amen. Also, i am a big fan of having volunteers respond to their respective buildings. It just makes so much more sense. Yeah, i GUESS having an EMT or FF solo on scene is cool but you really can't do a whole lot. You can either watch the patient crap out or the building burn (some may disagree with me, but in my experience this is about as far as it goes). Head to the building because that is what helps get that truck or ambulance out the door and those are the pieces of equipment that have the real potential for making a difference.

You are so far off base, it makes me sick. Do us a favor and do some research into the politics that go on in Ramapo. Also may want to brush up on your constitutional law. When you're done, get back to us. This is not the first time that Ramapo cops have been screwed by elected representatives and it, sadly, won't be the last.

You think a little dash light, grill lights or wig wags are going to make traffic move? It's not. I drive a big multi-colored box with a gazillion LEDs, strobes and a 200 watt siren with ambulance plastered all over it. People still don't yield the right of way.

It would be so much easier if the state just copied AHA's protocols verbatim and made them into a state protocol rather than deferring on a third party. Not like it's going to change any time soon. I don't mind sitting through the AHA BLS course, brush up on some A&P and throw down on some rescue annies.

Come on man, you know that in 99.9% of agencies in the Hudson Valley EMT-Is are not recognized. I know MLSS recognizes them, other than that maybe Empress or Regional? It's one thing if your partner lets you start a line or grab a tube but officially your not going to be doing a whole lot, unless you move way upstate. As for the OP, dude stay in school and get a 4 year degree. It's going to take you farther than EMS ever will. I love my job and i love the people that i work with but EMS is a fractured system. If a family is what you look froward to, then i can tell you first hand that working two and three, in my case 4, jobs is going to take its toll on you. I've missed holidays and family events that can't ever be replaced. Either way, you NEED to get your 4 year degree. It is SO SO SO important you do that.

I can't hear jack with the sprague rappaport or ones that sport that thin vinyl tubing. Like anything, it's a tool. If you use it every day its well worth spending a few extra bucks, within reason. At the B level you don't need a master cardiology...

Don't waste your time or money. If you want to advance your knowledge and are serious about being in EMS for any extended amount of time just sign up for and take a paramedic course. As an EMT-I your going to operate as a B in 99.9% of the Hudson Valley. Sure it's cool to know how to tube a patient or start IVs but your pissing money away because your never going to be able to get your hands dirty in the field. Like i said, if your serious about this just go for your paramedic.

Cry me a river. You've got us by the family jewels one way or another because it's not like the need for gas is going to disappear overnight. I'll keep using good ol' Amex and would take my business elsewhere if the local stations stopped accepting. What the hell is this country turning into?!

Littmann Master Classic II since 2004 Thing just works. Bought it brand new in box off eBay, 80 bones. I never skimp on my personal gear.

I read about some county wide EMS system in the South that does this about two years ago. The sup's truck has a some sort of refridge or ice box with 1000 bags and is dispatched along with their medic units to any possible arrest. Apparently it worked well for them.

They did call in the TRT team, though it's not evident from those photos.

The boat shoes, shorts, turn out coat, baseball cap and two raidos is pretty bada$$. Wish i could wear that to work... Just as a side note, and maybe this deserves a new topic, but this whole Lake George buff confrence scares me. It seems as though it has left a good number of fire districts/protection districts/whatever severly understaffed. I've heard that some agencies even drive their engines and trucks up there?!

Awsome store. They always hook me and others serving the City of Pok up. Just go to their store on Main Street (300 or 200 block?), they can do just about anything you need.

x2

Had family on the first due engine and truck companies. Serious job for sure, but it's nothing the City can't handel. Best efforts are commendable by all on the scene.

I'm pretty sure it's public knowledge anyway...inst it (in terms of the names of witnesses)? I mean, any one of us could go down to White Plains and sit in on this trial if we pleased.

It depends on what type of equipment is being housed on top of the building. iDEN (nextel) and GSM (at&t and t-mobile) transmission equipment usually has a building or room associated with the tower because the equipment is bulkier and needs to be housed free of the elements. That tower looks to be a PCS tower - likely Sprint or Verizon. CDMA (what Verizon and Sprint use) equipment has a smaller foot print and can be housed outside in the elements. As far as the RF harming you from the actual panels...its no worse for you than throwing a bag of popcorn in the microwave and watching it pop. I don't know about around here, but i do know that in NYC there are strict guidelines about what you can and cannot store on top of a roof and where it can be located.

Date: 5 - 30 - 08 Time: 22:27 Location: Route 22 & 312 Frequency: Putnam 911 Units Operating: Brewster Fire, Brewster Ambulance, Medic 4, NYSP Description Of Incident: MVA involving an Empire State ambulance which is leaking fuel. Confirmed by NYSP. Writer: Goose 22:30 - 11-1-3 on scene 22:31 - 11-6-1 responding 22:32 - 11-2-5 responding along with 11-2-3 and 11-7-2 22:33 - IC-11 requesting an additional ambulance 22:35 - 11-7-1 on location 22:37 - Medic 4 responding to the scene from I84 from another accident 22:38 - 11-7-2 enroute 22:39 - 11-6-1 on scene 22:40 - IC-11 updating 1 patient w/ chest paint (driver of ambulance) 22:41 - IC-11 requesting 3rd ambulance on standby 22:42 - Medic 4 o/s, 18-7-2 (Mahopac Ambulance) to relocate to Brewster's station for standby 22:46 - County Car 2 responding to 22 & 312

Cool photos. I know Senator Saland has helped secure some serious funding for you guys, i think the most recent i recall is for the escape harnesses. Congratulations to all involved, good show put on by PFD!