PEMO3

Unfortunately, it is just that lax thinking that the would be terrorist is relying on. Have you not hear of soft targets? Those small sleepy Main Street coffee shops, etc. These are the targets that would bring fear and havoc into everyday life if an actual device did go off. The Time Square incident was almost expected, a small gas station in Small Town USA would redefine how people think and fear. The reality for most would become no where is safe. So no, that out of place box is not the same as kicking the tires on grandpa's Chevy and I would hate to be the person to have to tell the widow of the cocky responder who kicked the wrong box how sorry they are. Just my two cents....

You are 100% correct about 60 Control waiting for the IC to make the call on back fills, relocations, mutual aid units, etc but progress reports do a lot more than provide info for "scanner buffs" and the media in this type of environment. Progress reports allow surrounding departments to have a heads up on a job heading south so they can prepare especially if they are regularly 2nd or 3rd due for a particular district or call type. It allows 60 Control the ability to have a clear picture of what is going on in the field beyond the initial call, remember it is a partnership out there, you rely on them for info and they rely on you for the same. As far as announcing who is in command, many departments have more than one chief and they sometimes respond together to calls. While logic would say the senior chief (xxx1) is the IC he/she may decide that this is the perfect job to let an assistant (xxx2 or 3) get their feet wet and be IC while they step back and are there to assist as needed.

Enjoy your retirement. Just don't move to Florida like those other retirees...lol

I love the gold leaf lettering. Real sharp.

Glad you are OK. The photo looks a lot worse.

Chris while you and I are both smart enough to see it that way I can see the estate case coming where time of death is the difference in who gets the big money and some real slick lawyer will find a way to argue it differently. Something like if the heart is pumping that red stuff through those blood vessels and the blood was keeping the organs "alive" then the patient was not dead right right Dr X. Lets face it, it does create a gray area and lawyers love gray areas.

If I have read correctly all the information that I have seen this unit is a glorified ME unit that keeps the patient on "life support" until such time as the organs are "harvested' and the "plug is pulled" with that being said the patient would have been pronounced prior to the intervention of this unit which makes it an interesting legal issue since if the patient is being kept viable for harvesting which is the true time of death.

What everybody is missing is simple economics. It is in the city's best interest to have FDNY run all of the EMS tours. On average a FDNY EMT costs the city with benefits approx $55 per hr. A BLS call bills on average $550 and ALS calls start at $800 on up. With the city doing 1 million plus EMS call per year recovering the 30 to 40% of the calls that go to the voluntary units amounts to big revenue. Even if they had to staff the extra tours it would still be a cost effective proposition. Problem is the voluntary units could not guarantee the "insured patient" revenue stream their home base usually gets as the city units would be more prone to transport to the closest facility based on the "10 minute rule". As far as OLM maintaining their ambulances after the Montefiore take over one only needs to look at the political weight on the Montefiore Board of Directors to answer that question. As far as the dispatchers already being there and the telemetry staff already on duty, you are correct but there is a separate issue that the article is pointing out. Why should the voluntary units reap all the benefits and be able to bill for the calls with out sharing the wealth if the city provides the support for their operation. Lets face it, everywhere else you have to support the dispatching organization, whether it be an answering service or 60 Control why not in NYC.

The sad part is the use of privates by the city in the 911 system is a double edged sword. Back when EMS was under HHC it was the only part of the agency that actual operated in the black due to its positive revenue stream. It was brought into FDNY not for management reasons but to bolster call volume at a time when fire call volume was deceasing but that is a different thread. The voluntary units as they are called were and still are, are know to "homing pigeon" well insured patients to their home facilities and "dump" medicare and indigent patients in the HHC system. If the city wanted they could easily increase the number of tours and there by remove the voluntary units from the 911 system, become self sufficient and gain control of the system instead of having multi-service system but that would be a political hot potato that no politician it his/her right mind would touch. Right now you have FDNY EMS units, FDNY EMS Supervisors, Voluntary units, Voluntary supervisors and a city system paid for by the city that runs it. Chief John Perugia is on the money when he say that the voluntary units should kick in for the benefits of the system. In effect it would be a "pay to play" system. I find nothing wrong with that. Lets face it the average FDNY EMS unit does 6 to 8 calls per shift and more than pays for itself.

Capt you are 100% correct. Initial size up and timely progress reports are paramount to a successful operation. They do multiple things. First they keep your units abreast of what is going on at the incident and the potential for escalation (or de-escalation). Secondly, they allow for the timely detail of the incident to be memorialized by your dispatch center. Third, they prompt the I/C to think through the incident and not create a tunnel vision effect as a proper size up encompasses the incident, exposures, need for addition resources, etc. These initial size up and progress reports can and should be used by both EMS and FD to keep dispatchers, incoming units and other resources aware of the status of your incident.

Every time the news has nothing to report they have to make a story. The easiest and quickest targets are public servants. Their salaries, stories of abuse or anything that will tug at the taxpayer bases heart strings are the prime reports. If they got the facts straight it wouldn't be sensational enough to read. Wonder if their salaries are FOILable?

It is a beautiful rig. Looks well thought out. Best of luck with it.

George you make a great observation and point. If only half the effort was put into the more positive areas.

The linked NY Post Article is regarding a mayor and a fire chief at odds over "Truck Nuts" , rubber testicles for autos, on the back of a fire truck . Interestingly enough they are 'illegal and banned' in Virginia and Florida and carry a hefty fine. See this article Florida Ban . More on Florida Ban NY Post Article

Newark has pink slipped 167 Officers representing every officer hired in Newark since 2006. This comes as Newark's violent crime numbers have been on the rise. My heart goes out to these officers, given pink slips just before the holidays. Hard on them and their families in this economy and at a time of the year when cost of living increases with heating costs. Star Ledger report

This is way off base. The point is not about nature but about the actions of the chief. I don't care if he was told to remove a set of rubber testicles or a bumper sticker or a sticker of that boy pissing on pissing on a symbol, he failed to follow an order by a superior and was disciplined for it. I think we are getting off base fast, exactly how this became a national story.

A magnitude 3.9 quake was detected about 80 miles south-southeast of Southampton just before 10:45 a.m., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The epicenter was about 122 miles from New York City about 4.5 miles deep in the Atlantic Ocean. Lamont-Doherty Cooperative Seismographic Network Earthquake Data USGS Report Fox NY News Report

You definitely have a point here. It seems like there was a power struggle or flexing of muscles on some level here. We will probably never know the whole story anyway. I guess there are two lessons to be learned here. 1. Think before you act and 2. when the "boss" gives you an order to do something do it or it could turn around to bite you in the - - - . We have all done things without thinking and I am sure that the chief in this case is going through the "could have, should have, would haves" right now and wondering how a simple pair of $25 rubber testicles became national news.

My condolences to Chief Starkel's family and co-workers on his passing.

It seems as more information comes to light the Newark PBA was these officers own worst enemy. Newark Union president Derrick Hatcher told Booker in an email asking to return to the table "This e-mail is to inform you that our membership has expressed no interest in re-opening the contract or executing any side agreements with the City of Newark regarding the Lay Offs." Source NJ.com Surprisingly, the City of Newark address the layoffs on their website while the Newark PBA's website seems to ignore the fact that 167 officers are on the street. Regardless who is to blame it is a shame that 167 good men and women are caught in the middle and on streets with out pay in the weeks before the holidays. Hopefully, cooler heads will surface and get these officers back to work soon.

Exactly my thoughts. I am sure there were better fights to pick with the administration, e.g.funding, equipment, etc., then to take a "nobody touches my firetrucks junk" stand. I have seen my share of senseless battles but this one takes the cake.

Interesting enough this accident comes on the same day of the LoHud article in which William Gorton, a DOT regional director stated that the new "rumble strips will reduce the number and severity of incidents along this section of Route 9." Lo Hud Article

My prayers and sympathy goes out to both of FF Valentin's families, his brothers at FDNY and his family at home.

If I am not mistaken this job also included a HazMat job at HVHC because the workers partners took him to the ER in the garbage truck containing the chemical instead of waiting for EMS and FD on scene.

I agree total that you need to be well over the 30 min drive time mark or have extenuating circumstances to call for a bird. Unfortunately, with shows like the now defunct "Trauma" glorifying the fly them out concept and presenting a bird on patrol, dropping in at a moments notice and even in some case dispatched in place of a bus to a call it makes some think that by air is faster. EMSJunkie712 is on the money with his numbers and puts together the best visual argument for the 'driving is faster" statement. It is unfortunate that some still put the "bird on standby" before even rolling up on the scene based on dispatch data.