PEMO3

Chris I may be wrong but to the best of my knowledge even if a local state of Emergency was issued for Orange County it would not impact travel on an Inter-State Highway such as 84. I believe such a such down would have to come from the State or Feds. You also made a good point about filing, may jurisdictions throw the words "State of Emergency" around but do not file the needed paperwork up the line to make such an order. The other thing is States of Emergency are issued so common place in New York that they are beginning to no longer mean anything to the general public. Case in point is Yorktown, they issue every time there is a snowfall instead of using the term Snow Emergency.

Scott, Thank you for your honest and open response. It is clear from your post that one break down was the lack of a Unified Command and interoperability in communications. One could only wonder if correction of the breakdown would have led to better coordination of resources and a quicker resolution of the problem. I do not think anyone would challenge that their was an overwhelming call volume all over the tri-state region over the 48+ hours this storm blasted nor that each agency individual did the best that they could with what they had. I guess if any lessons that are learned from this incident help with pre-planning for future incidents not only on 84 but in other jurisdictions it is worth it.

Chris I agree with you regarding your questions. Who was the "IC" for this "rescue" operation or was there one? From media reports, and you can only take them at face value, it appears that they failed to close the on ramps to prevent additional vehicles from getting stuck. As they cleared some vehicles more piled in. It seems from the info that was circulated in other forums that it is extremely lucky that this did not become a recovery operation. I would love to here more about the operation itself and the reasoning behind some decisions made as a forum for lessons learned. This was a major unprecedented operation that may help with future incidents. The Taconic, Saw Mill, 684, 87, 9A and 9 all come to mind.

The point of having members respond in their POVs and not shoehorned into every apparatus that respond in for a drill is on point. Making members aware of the location of both staging and a "responder parking area" would help ensure access and egress is not blocked by dozens of vehicles abandoned and without keys available, parked every which way. An idea for large incidents would have members have a "vehicle accountability tag" that can be placed on their dash to identify the member attached to the vehicle and assist the location of the operator with the keys if the vehicle needs moving. As far as the Peekskill area north you are 100% on point with access as a major issue. North of the Annsville Creek bridge there is extremely limited access not withstanding a collision in many parts could easily be a river incident as cars could leave the track enter the river in many locations. An important safety factor that begs notice is making members aware that while the third rail is an issue so are the contact shoes on both sides of the train that can be energized as well. Members occasionally take a false sense of security that they are working opposite the third rail not realizing that contact with an energized contact shoe provides the same results. Make sure they are booted whenever possible for safety. Never assume power off will stay off.

The biggest help that any agency can do for itself is to pre-plan for the worst in their area. That includes identifying ahead of time staging areas, medivac landing spots and access and egress routes. When the s--t hits the fan you are not going to have the time to look for these areas quickly. Ensuring that an officer knows how to be a staging officer is important also. It is more than a parking lot attendant. Making sure that vehicle operators stay with vehicles, that keys to all sidelined vehicles are secured so they can be moved if need be. On a large incident a staging officer might actually need a staff to get the job done. Remember staging is another division. Edfcapt115 you are 100% correct Emergency Management is a support staff operation meant to decompress the ancillary work load of the IC and his staff by help coordinate inter-agency operations and resource procurement. They should be cross trained enough to know how to assist each facet of the operation.

Chris I agree both you and 61Mack. My only point was to get this done the public and the fire service both have to be on board or our local elected officials will find a way to derail it when they see the tax dollars are pointed to someone wallet other than their own.

The other problem that everyone is missing is the public. Explain to the average Joe that not having a "town" FD but a regional FD is better. While everyone here can see the benefits far out way the pitfalls, and there are some, the average citizen will only see one thing: my tax dollars are going from town A to subsidize town B and when I need help, the town A trucks and manpower may be in town B and not there for me. Regardless that town A right now can't get out to help in time to start with. To really work it needs a multifaceted planned approach that not only covers a detailed study and plan by the people that actually do the job, not a group of elected officials without a clue but also a comprehensive education program that would get the agencies on board first then educate the public why it is a better approach. Only after your have the support of the personnel and the tax base will it ever have a chance to get through the elected official red tape.

They should tell the reporter the solution would be that they would put the rig out of service while they go get their meals in their POV then what them complain that they should take the truck so they can respond faster. Sometimes it seems like anyone that works for the public good, volunteer and career alike, are open game for the media. The same type of public complainers used to happen in NYC when EMS would sit on a corner waiting for a call to drop and someone would call and complain that there was a crew goofing off reading the paper and having coffee when they should be "working". Sometimes I thing we should just replace the chevrons with a bulls-eye target.

To answer the question if services are paid by taxes why bill the answer is simple: to keep taxes down for the majority at large. While it is unfortunate that someone would need the services of either EMS or FD, those services do not come without an expenditure. While the cost could be nominal, say to cover the speedy dry on a fluid spill or the foam used and not include the cost of manpower it should be an avenue that is explored especially in an age when municipalities are trying to hold the line on tax hikes and cutting what they see as fat but agencies see as cutting to the bone. That added money, while maybe not millions could offset some expenses and actually make those budget cuts less painful. Most homeowners and automotive policies will cover fire department related expenses associated with a claim.

I agree with no censorship. It would be best if everyone followed a few simple life lessons. First before you hit send on a post take a minute and read it, then say to yourself does it convey the message or question I want or can it be read the wrong way and send a message I do not intend. If the latter is true, re-word the post. The way a question is worded can convey a tone even if unintended. Second, before anyone gets their back up about a post or a question and fires of a strongly worded rely that is sure to incite a fight ask yourself why am I upset. Is it possible the post struck a nerve because there is some truth to the questions or is it a personal issue. Either way before replying refer to lesson one and take a minute a review before you send. If everyone professional on this forum follows these simple steps I am certain we can see constructive criticism that will improve the services provided and the safety in which it is done.

While I am all for helping out other nations in a crisis, and we should, hundreds of millions have been spent, concerts have been held, charities have been created, corporations have donated tens of millions of dollars and goods, the networks and various television shows have just about created 24/7 coverage and yet we have a national crisis occurring under our noses that is all but being ignored. Families are becoming just as homeless here in the US as homes are foreclosed and jobs are lost by the hundreds daily. Children are going to bed at night hungry and grown men are seeing a jump from a bridge as the only solution to their problems. Maybe we do not have people trapped under bricks and concrete but they are trapped under mountains of debt and hopelessness. When I was growing up there was a saying that charity begins at home. Lets face is every time the US steps up to the plate and take resources that could best be used for its own population it is always ridiculed for its actions. Maybe it is time that priorities were reassessed.

I think the issue is that the young man did what he felt was ok and non-threatening and the flight crew reacted in a manner that they felt they needed to for the safety of the passengers in their charge. I don't think the issue here is religious indifference or callousness or the failure to ask a question. What we need to remember is hind sight is always 20/20. One could consider that the flight attendant may have felt that asking the young man a question about the perceived "threatening device" might be considered confrontational and a situation that they wanted to avoid at 30,000 +/- feet. I think the thread brought up some good points that better education might have helped but equally added that to expect every flight attendant to be a Jeopardy champion is a little unrealistic. Issues will always arise and people will always be inconvenienced but if it is for the safety of the public at large that must take priority. It is through these inconveniences that education develops and protocols to avoid reoccurrences evolve. "Out of every interaction in life we should learn something new for when we cease to learn we cease to evolve."

I think overreacting is a matter of opinion. What occurred here was something that surprised a flight crew and they acted in what they felt was the best interest of the rest of the passengers. Prefacing my statement with every religion has its own "weird" customs you must admit placing a box on ones head and wrapping a connected strap down your arm and hold another connected box might raise eyebrows to someone not familiar with what it is. Someone stated it was a leather strap not a wire but lets face facts not long ago the gentleman was wearing what appeared to be briefs not an IED. Looks can be deceiving. I can also see where some might say why land in Philly but on the other end the pilot may have been looking for an airport equipped for the worst case scenario or he may have been directed there by the FAA after declaring an in flight emergency.

ckroll I do not understand the point you are making here. If you remember clearly both the shoe bomber and the "crotch" bomber made it through security also but that did not mean that they were not armed with potentially lethal devices. Considering past history a "cautious" flight attendant would do just what they did - assume another potential device made it through regardless of the story they were presented. Remember what they are drilling into everyone's head - if you see sometime, say something. I would rather be cautious and alive.

I have to disagree with a lot of the comments supporting the youths actions and condemning the airline. I worked in NYC my entire career including Borough Park, Brooklyn, one of the most Orthodox areas in the city and never came across this practice. This aside remember the terrorist chant their prayers also prior to "self sacrifice" so the fact that the boy was "praying" is not a sole comforting factor for the flight crew. For this crew could have mistaken this to be his preparation for a terrorist act against the plane. It was said he was traveling with his "sister". How did they know that for a fact, could it have been an accomplice, remember there is a female terrorist on trial as we speak. While we are all entitled to our personal opinions remember when we second guess people for acting it will only cause inaction which will lead to larger problems. While people got delayed and a young man got an education into the fact that the entire world is not as familiar with his religion as he thought, in the end the all arrived at their final destination safely and yes now the world has been educated and also now knows what a phylactery or Hebrew tefillin is.

Great idea putting the chevrons on the inside of the doors. Something I never thought of but makes a lot of sense considering that the doors area usually open on a scene and cover the chevrons that are there for visibility to start with.

Susan Lucci is not Phyllis Diller's daughter although it is a common internet rumor. See: http://www.snopes.com/movies/actors/lucci.asp.

Many things can cause this. First check and make sure you have a good solid ground both on the scanner and on the light pack. If all else fails a ground loop isolator may reduce the issue. You can get this at Radio Shack, most larger auto part stores and most radio install locations, e.g. Best Buy and the smaller shops. Good Luck

Development and increased use of the Knox Box Rapid Entry System in many areas to increase entry time and decrease wait time for "key holders" while additionally providing vital facility information and/or keys located in the box.

I hope this sheds some light on the risks. Remember even if one person in the clinical trial had a reaction it becomes a risk regardless of how insignificant the chances. I still feel that the benefit outweighs the risk by that is my opinion. From the insert to the monovalent H1N1v vaccine manufactured by Medimmune: 4 CONTRAINDICATIONS 4.1 Hypersensitivity Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine Live, Intranasal is contraindicated in individuals with a history of hypersensitivity, especially anaphylactic reactions, to eggs, egg proteins, gentamicin, gelatin, or arginine or with life-threatening reactions to previous influenza vaccinations. ------------------------------DRUG INTERACTIONS------------------------------- • Antiviral agents active against influenza A and/or B: Do not administer Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine Live, Intranasal until 48 hours after antiviral cessation. Antiviral agents should not be administered until 2 weeks after Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine Live, Intranasal administration unless medically necessary. And directly from the Novartis package insert: CONTRAINDICATIONS • History of systemic hypersensitivity reactions to egg proteins, or any other component of Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine, or life-threatening reactions to previous influenza vaccinations.

Looking at the video it is obvious that it was worth it. Even though the Malibu was a smaller vehicle you can clearly see there is no intrusion into the passenger compartment but the same can not be said for the tank like Bel Air. A real eye opener. One would have thought on the surface that the larger Bel Air would have faired much better than it did. I guess it proves the theory bigger is not always better. I would love to have seen how different it would have been had it not been an off set crash but either a full head on or a t-bone but I guess the pool of spare Bel Airs is kind of slim.

Great to see a well thought concept put to real work. Just one question. With such a large area that Yonkers covers, where do you stage such an apparatus to minimize response time in the event its needed when on "standby"?

By the way called the school this morning as a fellow eagle scout to voice my opinion and they direct you to a voice mailbox set up just for this issue. Guess they are getting a lot of calls. Sorry they don't have an email address listed. Would make a great email campaign. Does anyone have one for them?

Based on the school code of conduct "Possessing a weapon. Authorized law enforcement officials are the only persons permitted to have a weapon in their possession while on school property or at a school function." It seems it would be an empty place if they include items in parked autos not on a persons body to be a violation. If this were the case a sweep of their parking lot would probably lead to the banning from the property of many students, faculty, staff and administrators who have a tool box in their trunk to say the least. Note their policy excludes every one from possessing a "weapon" unless they are Authorized Law Enforcement Officials. Lunch lady - gone - used knife to make lunch. Secretary - gone - use scissor to open mail. Custodian - gone - used a razor knife to open a box. Boy could this snowball.

My thoughts and prayers are with the Joyce family and the entire YFD family, his home away from home. May the good Lord grant you the peace and strength in this most difficult time.