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The firehouse under Rt 9? How far did it get?

I like it. Good Luck............. The preconnected trash line is a plus and also the short length of 5" under the pump panel is key too. I like the Chevron striping on the back for safety. More and more departments are going with the unpainted rollup doors because the paint is prone to chip and peel as it does on one of our trucks. The only question I have is why does the rear ladder bracket appear to block the rear warning lights? Maybe it's just the angle of the photo. Anyway, looks great. Good Luck.

Congrats Tommy. You always put a constructive and informative spin on your topic discussions and reply's. Hope all is well.

Bro - We have painted rollup doors on most of our equipment, aside from the most recent purchases. We have noticed that on some of our equipment, the paint is starting to peel away or bubble a bit at the top and bottom of some of the 1" sections on some of the doors. And, painted or not, when dirt and grime gets up under the weatherstripping, the doors are stiff when opening and closing. This can be alleviated by keeping the equipment clean I guess.

Agreed that additional engines may tie up the scene if not needed, but when you call for additional manpower, one would assume that whoever is coming to their aid will be adequately equipped. If the staff has their gear and responds in a utility truck or the equivalent, what happens when they get there and they have no SCBA’s with them? Then again, they could always take them off one of the rigs before they leave and throw them into the utility – but then you are taking one of the engines out of service anyway. Same goes for having a TI camera on hand, a ladder or two and other tools that are stored on the engine or other piece of apparatus. Just a couple thoughts.

Safety has been and will continue to be the primary concern behind all firefighting evolutions, whether it be driving, riding, searching, interior, exterior, whatever...... at least that's the way it is in my district. With that said, seatbelts are a must by all riding on the apparatus to and from calls. As for donning the SCBA, SCOTT has a little thing on the bracket (kind of a seat belt) that prevents the pack from dislodging on its own. This strap is intended to buckle the bottle and harness in place behind its shouldner straps. The idea is, when you get into your seat, you should already be suited up with bunkers and your coat, then just wrap your arms under the shoulder straps of the pack and then buckle your seat belt. Now you can concentrate on donning the rest of your gear on the way to the call. It sounds confusing, but it really works, if done properly. Remember, the yellow strap must secure the SCBA in place behind the shoulder straps, leaving them available for you to begin the donning process as soon as you get in the truck.

To a point, I agree with the theory that with staggered shifts it is just easier to jump in the car and go, but let's be realistic here, NYC is not the most space friendly place to drive or park cars. That's why they stress mass transit. It wouldn't hurt some of these folks to use the train, bus or subway just like every other tom, dick and harry that works in Manhattan. Granted there will be exceptions and those exceptions should learn to park legally in lower Manhattan or whereever. If it means walking a block and a half, so be it. Parking in front of or near fire hydrants, crosswalks or any other area where your average joe would get a ticket should not be allowed at all, period.

tommy - did you try fahnstock (sp??) on 301? u have to rent a boat though................

Booster lines are definitely a thing of the past. Way back when, they were useful - or used to put out everything from rubbish fires, to brush fires, trash can fires and other small situations - like having hoseline fights (remember those times............). But from as safety and practicality perspective it makes more sense to use your traditional 1 3/4" line. Short preconnects, trash line preconnects off the side or front bumper work really well. Who wants to get into a situation where you need more water pressure than a booster line can provide? Not me................I also like the forrestry hose. We have anywhere between 300' to 600' of forrestry hose on each of our utility brush trucks and it takes up little space.

Central dispatch is the way to go. Works very well in Dutchess and takes the burdon off of the incident commander at major scenes - all mutual aid coordination is set up in advance and the beat goes on. As for 60 Control receiving additional compensation for Mohegan's volume - I'm sure they will address their own staffing concerns, etc.

Rest in Peace Matt! The debate will continue. Is it the appropriate time to bring all this up - probably not, it's already been started. What we should at least consider, is the 'shift'. If you are working the graveyard shift then you had better get some rest before you come to work - just like I sleep at night before coming to work in the morning. If I didn't - I'd probably fall asleep on the way to/from work or maybe even at my desk. Can't possibly ask my boss if I can crash in the conference room for an hour or so. Sleep is a necessity and you need to prepare your body for work. Rest in between shifts is always a nice thing - but, like FDNY, sometimes there are very few rest periods in between calls. That said, sleep before you come to work and you won't be as tired, no matter what line of work it is. If you work more than one 8 hour shift - well, that opens up a whole different can of worms.

To Matt, Jen, family and friends: Although I did not know Matt very well I just wanted to express my sincere sympathy to those who's lives he touched. I isn't fair when someone so young and with so much going for them is pulled right out from under us with no warning. I read the posts here and on Matt's myspace page and emotions got the better of me immediately. Over the recent past I have known 3 people, from birth to Matt's age that have left so suddenly - you just have to keep asking - Why? Keep the faith and Rest in Peace!!!!!!

In theory you are correct; you dial 911 and they come, end of story. It's all in the tax bill. But there are instances where EMS or ALS providers bill the patient for service. And there are also occasions where the building department may bill the homeowner for multiple false or malicious AFA's. Does this set a precedent - who knows?

good stuff. glad to see some still never forget.

I'm a huge fan of foam. We actually use it on most fires, structural, vehicle, etc. We have a prepiped CAFS system that automatically premixes the foam with the water. Simply press "FOAM" on the pump panel after you open up your discharge and you're off and running. Remember though, before shutting down, turn off the FOAM button and flush the line with water for about 30 seconds to remove any deposits. This works very well for us. With the automatic mixing, the Foam tank lasts a long time and does a very good job extinguishing the fire.

There are two different types of covers. One covers the hose in the hosebed (re FDNY) - the other is a cover that rolls down over the back doors to protect them from the hose couplings when laying in.

Nice shots. I'm sure Car 2 can't wait to get out of that Pickup !!! (LOL)

And I had no idea you were ALS firefighter !!!!!!!!! Happy BDay Tommy. Guess Who?

I'm all for doing a little extra work around the firehouse during downtime. Every station struggles with upkeep. If, and I use that work literally, the tour on shift has the downtime there is no reason why the station can't be kept clean - But cutting grass distracts one from his surroundings, mainly the radio. This is a bad idea.

I joined the fire service back in the early 80's because it was the thing to do. Following in dad's footsteps, making new friends, giving back to the community; call it what you want. The bottom line is I joined to hopefully make a difference - and help save lives. Good enough. I guess, 26 years later, I have met my goal. But I'm not giving up either. Three departments later I can honestly say I'm happy where I currently am - an extremely well run all volunteer fire department -the Business as we call it because that is what it is. We train, we are safe, we get the job done, we train again, we are safe again, and we go home. It all starts at the top though. You must have a very strong leadership structure, from the governing body to the incident command system to the rank and file, to instill the professionalism and gain the respect of so many dedicated firefighters. Not that departments like Larchmont didn't have strong leaders - I believe they did because Larchmont was my first stop. It was a history of 'bad blood' that did in that department - the inability of the career staff and the volunteers to work together successfully no matter what. Anyway, I enjoy what I do; I have given alot of my time over the past 26 years being away from my family for countless hours on nights and weekends. I wouldn't trade it for the world - our motto - Everyone Goes Home.

Every department has tradition; that goes without saying. Is it a popularity contest at times, yes. However, whether or not an officer is qualified, post election, is where the rubber meets the road. In my fire district company elected officers and assistant chiefs must deal with the wrath of the district chiefs and commissioners who are elected by the public. If you are not cutting it, you're basically run out. We have very strict SOG's in our district, followed to the letter, from top down. No, we are not perfect, but we do run a pretty tight ship and, like him or not, everyone respects, listens and learns from the commanding officer.

In East Fishkill and in most 'all volunteer' departments or districts the thing that makes most sense is to have your gear stored in the gear rack at the station. after all, you should have a crew to respond to a call and if folks chose to keep their gear in their car the rig wouldn't be able to roll. and if it did, what confidence would the driver have that enough manpower would be awaiting him at the scene? In combination departments such as Peekskill, it makes more sense to keep the gear with you since the rigs are rolling immediately and you cannot keep your gear ON the rig.