61MACKBR1

After having read the article in today's Journal News as well as viewing the On Line Video, that the Journal News shot at the fire scene, it appears that only FDMV Tower Ladder 1 was the only FDMV ladder apparatus at the scene (Based on EMTBravo.net reports earlier in the week, FDMV Tower Ladder 1 was the only Ladder Company in the city available to respond to call and "in-service"). Based on the video, it appears as if Eastchester FD provided an Aerial Ladder as the 2nd due latter to the incident (as it appears as if the EFD ladder was providing a Master Stream onto the house). I am not sure what additional ladder companies were either dispatched to the scene of the incident or dispatched to Mount Vernon for Station House "Stand By" as part of Mutual Aid? Based on the article in the JN "Neighboring" Fairview was dispatched to the scene and arrived about 1 hour after the initial alarm was sounded. Not sure if Fairview supplied an Ladder Truck (or an Engine Company or both) to either the scene or to cover the city during this fire. If anyone on EMTBravo.net has first hand knowledge of what companies worked the fire last night (both FDMV and Mutual Aid) as well as what companies were called in to help cover the city, we would appreciate being updated (rather than simply speculation based on newspaper articles)

Seth - Excellent Points - Well Said - Yes, I would agree that the experience that members of the Fairview FD would get, would certainly be very valuable. However, as I mentioned in my previous post, the response time from Greenburgh/Fairview to Mount Vernon is one that I would certainly question. I, too, agree with you also Seth on Regionalization. It wouldn't surprise me that the Politicans, thinking that it might be an better, more cost efficient measure, seriously looks into Regionalization. But the Unions would never allow it. But, I don't want to open up that can of worms again.

So, if we read the post about the Fire in Mount Vernon yesterday, an Eastchester ladder gets called in (16 or 17) to assist with the fire and a Fairview Ladder (along with an "Unknown" Engine Company) gets called in all the way from near White Plains to help cover the city. What is the response time from Fairview to Mount Vernon? What if another fire is reported just at the time that Mutual Aid is requested from Fairview via 60 Control. Someone is going to get seriously hurt and major property damage is likely if someone doesn't step up to the plate (are you politicians listing?) and does something about the situation within the Mount Vernon FD and the Mutual Aid plan for Mount Vernon. (What's next for Mount Vernon if Eastchester and Fairview decide they have had enough (like what New Rochelle and Yonkers have done)? Maybe mutual aid will come from Peekskill or some department in the northern end of Westchester County. To Fire Professionals and Non Fire Professionals (like myself) the situation appears to make no sense at all.

I believe that the FDMV Repair Shop is at Station 2 on Fulton Avenue (but not sure if any repairs are done at the DPW Garage). Does anyone know if FDMV was able to get a Spare Ladder on loan yet?

Gee, one would wonder if FDMV will sign a waiver of liability agreement that FDNY will certainly want them to sign before they "lend" Mount Vernon a ladder truck. Time is counting down with the Cold Weather now in place. God willing, there will be no major fires in Mount Vernon this winter season. It would be horrible to hear that someone was caught on a roof or needed to be taken out of a window, and all of the Ladder Trucks from Mount Vernon were inoperable and could not be raised? Isn't Ladder 4 an Old Mack Baker that they purchased as a used truck many years ago from another department. Is there a Statewide Fire Officer and/or Fire Fighters Union who could hold protests outside of Mount Vernon City Hall? I am sure that the men of the FDMV are tired of working on apparatus that are not functional (or possibly safe) as are the municipalites surrounding Mount Vernon who are fed up with having to consistantly support the City of Mount Vernon because of poor management within the Mount Vernon Government Administration. If the citizens of Mount Vernon spent more time and effort to assist in supporting their Fire Department rather than spending all of thier effort in saving the High School Athletic Programs (imagine how much of Denzel Washington's personal contribution to the MVHS Athletic Program, would have helped in the purchase of a few new fire trucks).

Several weeks back, it was reported on EMTBravo.net that the Mechanic and Captain from FDMV was in Yonkers testing the old YFD Ladder 78, that I believe was eventually sold at auction. Why doesnt' Mount Vernon ask Yonkers if they can "Borrow" on of their Spare Ladders (76, TL77 (The Old Mack Baker that was recently retired), 78, 79, TL80. or TL81) , similiar to what New Rochelle did when they were down to no spares. Now that would be "Mutual Aid" with no direct impact on YFD. If this realisitic?

Seth - That's interesting information. Eastchester too? I don't believe that Yonkers had many Mutual Aid response requests into either Bronxville, Tuckahoe or Eastchester for Mutual Aid over the past 20 years or so. I think (Can someone confirm) that EFD did disband Engine 28 (in Tuckahoe) as a First Line resonse company, but I don't believe that this is similiar in nature to what is going on currently in FDMV. Does anyone else know why Eastchester was included by the Office of Fire Commissioner within the Yonkers Fire Department

Could the bottom line issue just be a case that FDMV just doesn't have enough apparatus to cover a city of its size? I am not a firefighting professional, so I will leave the answers to those who are more in the know. But, if I was a citizen of the City of Mount Vernon, I would certainly be concerned that the city that I lived in was not adequately equiped with enough Fire Suppression Apparatus needed. Mutual Aid, in other Northeastern States and related counties, is controlled by either the COUNTY or by a designated Regional Fire Control District. In relationship to Mount Vernon, such control, if based on similar Mutual Aid plans would be exclusively controlled and managed by the County of Westchester, Department of Emergency Services. The County-Based Agency would assign Mutual Aid manpower and apparatus. Within the area that I reside, Mutual Aid is controlled and managed by the Southern New England Fire Emergency Mutual Aide Assistance Program, availability is based on the 3/1 rule, where no more than 1/3 of any communities’ active apparatus will be committed to mutual aid. This mutual aid plan does not allow one community to commit all of its apparatus resources to the receiving community, thereby causing a community to be without resources. Mutual Aid, as defined by the Southern New England Fire Emergency Mutual Aid Assistance Program, is as follows: Mutual-Aid assigned by the the respective REGIONAL CONTROL CENTER (similiar in nature to Westcheser County's 60 Control) is based upon the need as outlined within the following categories: 1. Major fire in progress 2. Relocation to vacant station 3. Single company to another incident. 4. Balance of full assignment to another incident. 5. Special apparatus to incident scene.6. Directional coverage on highway. 7. Automatic aid - initial assignment 8. Mass Casualty Incident 9. Haz-Mat / WMD Incident The Regional Control Center has full authority to allocate and control all Mutual Aid requests and assignments, as directed by the RCC, to local municipal and volunteer fire departments with that RCC sector. So, the question that I have for those who are more knowlegable that I (and possibly others members of EMTBravo.net) concerning this issue, is: a) How much authority does 60 Control have over the allocation and assignment of Mutual Aid Assistance. Does the "Fire District" within the Southern Westchester Area (Battalion 18) that is responsibility of Battalion Chief Walter Ferguson, have (or should have) total control over the management of Mutual Aid for the area and departments that he is reponsible for? (along with 60 Control) as it relates to the assignment all Mutual Aid from departments within its area, rather than Mount Vernon requesting it "directly" from another department? (In the case of Battalion 18, it would be for the Departments from Eastchester, Greenville, Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, Pelham, Pelham Manor and Yonkers) To me, a non firefighting individual, it appears to be simple. FDMV should request M/A via 60 Control and BC Ferguson, who makes the decission on who and what companies travel into Mount Vernon. If any member of EMTBravo who is more knowledgable and hands on regarding this matter could respond and help us all gain a better understanding of the agreements that are currently in place and maybe what they feel it should be, in order to "save lives and property" without prejudice, that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance

Chief Flynn - So that everyone on EMTBravo can get a complete understanding of Yonkers position in this matter as well as to get correct information directly from a Senior Level Officer within the Yonkers Fire Department, so that we can all have our facts correct, I have just a few questions relating to your response above: So, if we understand you correctly, based on your post, as part of a Mutual Aid request made by the City of Mount Vernon, The Yonkers Fire Deapartment will respond to Mount Vernon, as either A) On a Stand By A Station Status" provided that an effort is being made to recall all Off Duty Mount Vernon Fire Department Personnel to either respond directly to the fire in question OR to be used to provide support in their stations able to respond directly to fires throughout the city. Once an Officer from the Yonkers Fire Department determines that the manpower needed if sufficient, Yonkers will return to its city B ) Or to "Respond Directly To Fire" provided Mount Vernon recalls all off duty firefighters to repond to the fire at hand. Once an Officer from Yonkers determines that the manpower needed is sufficient, Yonkes will return to its city Is that correct? If, so then, I have a question for you. Assuming that Mount Vernon recalls ever single off duty firefighter that they have to respond back to the city, BUT, Mount Vernon does not have enough Fire Suppression Apparatus "In Service" to respond to either the fire OR to respond to other alarms in Mount Vernon, would Yonkers stay? Or would Yonkers LOAN rigs to Mount Vernon FD for their Off Duty FF's to respond on? I may be wrong, but I believe that the issue is not the willingness of Mount Vernon to pull in all of its off duty manpower to help the city out, but rather a case that Mount Vernon does not have enough available and "working" spare apparatus to suppliment a major fire and/or support the city for other fire related calls during a major fire. I am sure that everyone is looking forward to your response Cheif Flynn. Thank you.

I just happened to come across, over the internet, with the official Impact Study Response that the Yonkers Fire Department IAFF Local 628 had presented to both the City of Yonkers and to the developer, STRUEVER,FIDLCO, CAPPELLI. A number of interesting information was outlined in their detailed impact study response. Within the response (to which I have provided the URL Link below, in case other members of EMTBravo.net would like read for themselves, it appears as if the following is being recommended for the future of the Yonkers FD, as it relates not only to the SFC Downtown Project, but as it relates to the current/on going RIDGE HILL Project: "Local 628 proposes that in order to provide fire protection for the SFC project,without jeopardizing safety and the Departments ability to adequately respond tofires and other emergencies city-wide, the City and the Fire Department need totake the following actions: 1 ) Replace the 2 Companies that the Department is currently short 2) Implement the 1 Ladder Company proposed under the Ridge Hill project 3) Increase the YFD by 1 Additional Company 4) Increase the staffing of 9 of the Companies in the SFC projects response area, from 3 Firefighters and 1 Officer to 4 Firefighters and 1 Officer This would result in a total of 22 Companies, staffed each tour with 75 Firefighters, 22 Company Officers, 2 Battalion Chiefs, 1 Safety Officer, 2 Battalion Aide FF's, & 1 Fire Investigations FF. (See Table 4) This would provide sufficient personnel and equipment to respond to a high-rise fire with 11 Companies staffed each tour with a total of 43 Firefighters, 11 Company Officers, 2 Battalion Chiefs, 1 Safety Officer, 2Battalion Aide FF's, & 1 Fire Investigations FF. (See Table 5) This would also provide the Yonkers Fire Department with sufficient available units to respond to additional alarms at the scene of the high-risefire or to provide fire protection for the rest of the City with 11 Companiesstaffed each tour with 33 Firefighters and 11 Company Officers. (SeeTable 5). [Note that unless additional Chiefs and Officers were re-calledto duty, other Company Officers would be required to assume thefunctions of Incident Commander and Safety Officer.]" Within this Impact Study Information, the IAFF Local 628 have indicated that they, along with Commissioner Pagano are recommending that the following Fire House Apparatus Level: Station 1 (New Fire Headquarters To Be Built on Neprahan Avenue and New Main Street): Tower Ladder 71 Rescue Company 1 New Engine Company as part of the SFC Development Plan (Engine Company 301 ?) Safety Battalion Station 3 Engine Company 303 Battalion 1 New Ladder Company as part of the SFC Development Plan (Ladder Company 77 ?) Station 4 Engine Company 304 Ladder 74 Station 6 Engine Company 306 Station 7 Engine Company 307 Fire Investigation Unit Station 8 Engine Company 308 [Note: YFD Marine Unit is housed from this Station as well] Station 9 Engine Company 309 Ladder Company 72 Station 10 Engine Company 310 New Ladder Company as part of the RIDGE HILL project (Ladder Company 76 ?) *Note: Given that the existing quarters of Engine 310 is a "Single Bay" Building, one would have to presume that based upon the information provided within this IAFF Local 628 report, that a New Station 10 would need to be built in order to house both an Engine Company and a Ladder Company Station 11 Squad 11 New Rescue Company as part of the SFC Downtown Development Project (Rescue 2 ?) Note: The Collapse Unit is also housed at Station 11 Station 12 Engine Company 312 Tower Ladder 75 Battalion 2 Mask Service Unit Station 13 Engine Company 313 Ladder Company 73 Note: The Foam Unit is also housed at Station 13 Station 14 Engine Company 314 Ladder Company 70 Again, this is directly from information provided by the Yonkers FD Local 628. Here is the Link to read further: http://74.125.113.104/search?q=cache:wETSB...;cd=3&gl=us

From what I have been able to read from the Mount Vernon Local Firefighters Web Site, Ladder 2 (The Seagrave) should be an active "In Service" ladder company running out of Station 1 (Headquarters) along with Engine 6. Ladder 3 is listed as a front line company (The KME) running out of Station 3 (along with Engine 3). The Mack Baker TL is listed as a SPARE and the realitively new TL 1 is the one, that I believe that FDMV has had problems with ever since it has been in Mount Vernon. Not sure if either Ladder 2 or TL 3 are currently OOS. Given the size of the City of Mount Vernon, with its varied structures (Commerical and Residential) you would think that the staffing levels should be that of what they had back in the Late 60's Early 70's (6 Engine Companies, 3 Ladder Companies, 1 Rescue Company, and 1 Foam Company). Every other large city in Westchester County is able to secure Federal Funding for Equipment/Apparatus/Manpower. Why not Mount Vernon?

Placing PD, FD, and EMS all under the "Total Direction" of a "Group of PD, FD, and EMS" that would make up a New WCDES Management Team, who would also take FULL CONTROL for the budget and allocation of All Overtime, i'd bet that Consoldiation would work. It works great in Baltimore County, Maryland and Gwinnett County, Geogia (Gwinnett County is almost identical in square miles and population as that of Westchester County). The only roadblock, and it is a HUGE ROADBLOCk, in my opinion, is the respective PD and FD Unions (and possibly local PD and FD Leaders who would have to give up hands on control). Taking the best PD and FD leadership, say from New Rochelle, White Plains, Mount Vernon, Yonkers, and other municipalies within the county, and create this new Management Group, makes too much sense.

Not meaning to bring the subject up again, but what about having control of PD, FD and EMS all under the County of Westchester, Department of Public Saftey/Emergency Management Systems and REGIONALIZE all PD, FD, and EMS Services, as part of an agressive consolidtaion project? More Efficiency, Less Tax Payer Dollars Spent, Better Use of Equipment and Manpower. PROBLEM WITH THIS? The Unions will NEVER go for it.

Congrats Chief Dunn - The Citizens of Yonkers should be very honored to have a city official, like yourself, in a such an important civil service position. You Are The Best !!!!

(Article From CW11 Web Site) "CHILLER THEATRE RETURNS TO WPIX with A Special airing of “Tarantula” on October 25th" CHILLLLLLER THEATRE RETURNS FROM THE DEAD! For the first time in over 25 years, Chiller Theatre is back on WPIX with the presentation of the 1955 pulp horror classic Tarantula at 8 pm on Saturday, October 25th. Zacherley “The Cool Ghoul” (John Zacherle) and former host of Chiller Theatre in New York on WPIX (1963) will resurrect his alter-ego and host WPIX’s October 25 special. Plus, the 2 original opening: “Monster Montage” and the “The Six-Fingered Hand” along with Tarantula trivia will run as interstitials. In the 1955 film, a lab experiment gone awry creates a massive 100-ft. spider that menaces a small Arizona desert town and satiates its bloodlust with cattle -- before moving on to human beings! Tarantula features an uncredited cameo by Clint Eastwood in one of his first ever on-screen appearances. Directed by Jack Arnold (“It Came From Outer Space,” “The Incredible Shrinking Man”) Tarantula is considered by many to be one of the best of its genre and even inspired composer Richard O'Brien to immortalize it in the Rocky Horror Picture Show. (From Science Fiction Double Feature: "I knew Leo G. Carroll, was over a barrel, when Tarantula took to the hills…") “After our successful 60th anniversary celebration in June, WPIX received hundreds of requests for the return of Chiller Theatre. We are extremely excited to resurrect Chiller for our viewers with the special airing of “Tarantula,” said Betty Ellen Berlamino, WPIX/CW11 President and General Manager. The original Chiller Theatre aired in all of its ghoulish glory on WPIX in 1961-1978 and again from 1980-1982. Chiller Theatre:The Back Story... Chiller Theatre was a Saturday night show on Channel 11 WPIX in that showed classic horror movies. It actually began on WPIX during 1961 and in 1963 included Zacherley ("The Cool Ghoul") as the on-air host. However, by 1965, Zacherley left the show and a new opening was created using a montage of clips from various 1950s sci-fi films. This montage of clips started with the classic scene from Plan 9 from Outer Space with Vampira coming out of the woods. Then, the clip from The Cyclops showing Actress Gloria Talbot just inside a cave looking at The Cyclops. Various other clips continued throughout the montage, concluding with the classic "goof" from The Attack of the 50ft Woman with the alien from outer space, picking up one brand of car and then shown throwing a completely different brand of car into a ditch. Many baby boomers from this era growing up in the New York metro area, have said that this opening provided many nightmares and sleepless nights, forcing some to change the channel when this opening began. The montage opening served until 1971 when a claymation six-fingered hand was used combined with an animated swamp (with an eerie looking dead tree along the side). The word "CHILLER" magically grows in clay out of the animated swamp. A six-fingered creature then swallows the letters and then it lets out a deep and roaring "CHILLLLLLLERRRRRRRRRRR!!!" This opening was used throughout the the remainder of the show's run. Combined with the eerie special effects, this was an equally memorable intro, along with the mid-1960's montage opening, among various Chiller Theatre fans. The program usually aired at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday nights, but for a time in 1974 it was aired at 11:30 p.m. It went off the air at the end of 1978 and returned in early 1980 at 2:00 a.m. Sunday mornings. It was finally cancelled in 1982. The WPIX program showed very much the same classic horror and science fiction movies. Since 1995 New Jersey has been the host of the Chiller Theater Convention, which has become one of the largest horror conventions in the eastern U.S.A.

Don't forget to watch tonights WPIX/CW11 airing of "CHILLER THEATRE" and its showing of the movie "Tarantula" with Zacherly "The Cool Ghoul" as well as the 2 vintage Openings (The Original Monster Montage and the 6 Finger Hand). Pleasant Nightmares for everyone to follow.

Sure can - Here's another shot of the Old Croton Mack C Gerstenlager

That one looks like a Old Diamond Reo, but I may be wrong

They don't make rescues anymore like the Old Mack C Box Style Walk In. Those trucks stood up to the test of time and endurance. Mount Vernon FD had one just like the Croton rig pictured above.

Will that be kind of what Yonkers New Collapse Rig will look like when they get it?

Great Photos, especially that of FDMV's "Old Snokey" (That rig was a classic to which FDMV got allot of use from) & those 2 Classic EFD Rigs: Old Engine 4 (Probably late 1950's ALF) and the late Brockway Rescue 5 (Boy was that a Loud Truck!)

Perhaps something similar to this? A Supervac body on a Spartan Chassis. R1 is powered by a 400 hp Cummins turbo diesel coupled to an Allison transmission. R1 is equipped with a preconnected Holmatro cutter, spreader and ram for use in vehicle extrication. It also carries a complete set of technical rescue equipment along with a PTO drive, AC generator and air compressor and has a command light on the roof for lighting. R1 holds 500 gallons of water, has a 1250 gpm pump along with all the tools needed to attack a structure fire.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, October 15th, the City of Yonkers will be auctioning off the following Old YFD Trucks at Murray's Skating Rig: 1988 MACK FIRE TRUCK 1993 SUTPHEN FIRE TRUCK 1991 SEAGRAVE LADDER TRUCK I believe that the old bus is also being auctioned off as well. Does anyone know the original designee of these 3 old rigs (Is the 88 Mack the Collaspe Rig? Is the 93 Sutphen the old Foam Rig? and is the 1991 Seagrave Ladder the old Ladder 70? Here is a photo of the rigs at that auction:

Does anyone know if long time ANG FF Mario Scaduto is one of the members being deployed as part of this group?

Is this the Old YFD 72 and later Spare 79? (I see 68 on the plaqard but if I remember correctly that was the designation that it had while they were using it for training up in Valhalla) Seeing some recent web sites reflecting the Old TL71 and TL75 now being 80 and 81, does anyone within Yonkers and YFD know if YFD is going to keep the number 77 "open" for future designation if they plan on auctioning off the Mack Baker TL? (Didn't YFD also recently keep 301, 302 and 305 open for future designation, rather than assigning these numbers as either spares or reserves?)