PEMO3

Empress EMS is the new contractor for Montefiore EMS. They are running 4 ALS trucks to start, as part of the NYC 911 EMS system, and went into service the other night after months of hard work and planning. This is one of the four trucks (2016 Ford F-350 4x4/AEV Traumahawk), and the Supervisor truck (2016 Ford Expedition).
 

 

North White Plains FD recently refurbished their air and light trailer.  This trailer is capable of filling an unlimited amount of SCBA bottles self-sufficiently, has a light tower for scene lighting, and electrical generation capabilities.
 
It can be towed by Rescue 33, Utility 147, or Car 2322.
 

 

For years any emergencies on the river have been hit or miss.  I recall a fisherman lost off of Croton Point Park (he jumped in to retrieve a stuck lure) who was swept off the rocks and went missing.  There were so many agencies involved searching for him but no one could talk to each other.  The Coast Guard sent a chopper but no one on shore could talk to them.  There were numerous "fire department" boats racing around but no one could figure out what frequency they could talk on.  We need a plan...a frequency...and most importantly a helicopter with the capability of responding in bad weather and radios that are compatable with 60 and 44 control.

First and foremost, the incident, and the outcome, sucks.  I do not believe anything anyone did or tried to do last night would have made a difference.
 
Going back a few years, maybe 2009-2010, a Response Plan was developed by the "Westchester Marine Emergency Response Association" along with Westchester County Department of Emergency Services.  That plan basically called for a three-tiered response to all Hudson River incidents, meaning the area of jurisdiction - as well as the next closest agency to the north and south - would be dispatched.
 
From a MOS standpoint with my FD, this is an "OK at best" approach.  During my time as Chief we modified this to include Rockland units, since many incidents happen to fall on or beyond that imaginary line that divides Westchester & Rockland.  At the time, according to this "plan" we attempted to utilize Marine 22 (I think) as a radio channel for all FD, PD, etc. vessels to communicate during river operations.  When we had a river incident that fell under our Command, we always tried to steer everyone on to this channel, since we should all have this capability.  I could be wrong but this sticks out in my memory, and it was designated to keep Marine 16 open for emergency traffic.
 
Last night's incident is just another reminder that when someone dials 911 from a cell phone, it's truly a crapshoot as to where they really are vs. where they think they are.  And this doesn't just apply to waterways - a lot of cellular 911 calls for land based incidents require some searching to find them.  Because of this, it highlights the benefit of starting out resources from different angles.
 
Since Rockland switched to their new radio system, communications on the river have suffered.  But there's no reason why the four counties (Westchester, Rockland, Putnam & Orange) can't develop a plan to always work off the VHF Marine radios.  Afterall, as boats, we should all have them and the signal is decent.  Command vehicles should also install this capability.
 
The frequency of incidents, and the complexity of them on the Hudson River is only going to increase the demand for our services.  There needs to be a standard of training for boat operators, crew members and people responding and playing command.  If EMS is getting on a boat, they need proper training too.  It's 2016 and the fact that the same stupid stuff continues to happen irritates me, because we should be well-trained, well-prepared and have pre-plans developed where we can all work together and provide a professional-level of service.  
 
The days of letting the first people to the dock get on the boat needs to end, and the Chiefs of all of these FDs with river response responsibilities need to work all of this out.
 
Additionally, I think it's time for the FDs that are going to be in the marine operations game to seriously look into grants to get the training we all need and the proper vessels to do what is needed.  We all can't stand around, holding our d**ks waiting on County PD or someone else to get there when someone's life is in the balance.
 
 
 

Just a point of information.  Peekskill OEM has a mobile command vehicle equipped with not only Westchester DES and PD but Rockland, Dutchess,  Putnam,  Orange and Marine channels along with a PC with ICS software. It is not trunking capable but that is another thread.  The unit is only a simple phone call away through the PPD desk.

There's alot of problems with operation north of the washington bridge on the hudson river.  The biggest is the correct rescources.... its not there.  I've seen the police and fire boats on the river.  They can't handle a large to major incident in 5 foot seas.  yes the hudson can and has experienced seas that big and alittle bigger.  Someone needs to get a 50-60 foot steel or alumiun boat similar to what NYPD has. Without a jet drive, either direct drive shafts.  A large 500 to 1500 GPM pump that can also be lined up to send a suction hose over to a vessel with a plumped fire monitor and a portable one. In addition to a manifold set up to run hand lines.  Along with portable pumps, gas, or electric, 3cm and 10cm radars, FLIRR, 2 VHF radios with DSC, ECDIS, DGPS two units, 2 trunk radios (since ems and fire are on different bands), radios for rockland and nyc NYPD avaition and marine units.  Below deck a "med bay" one or two M tanks, BLS supplies minus the drugs. a PAD. Rescue equipment: scoop with vertical and horizontal lifting straps, a PECU (portible exothermix cuting unit), 2 peri-jet dewater, Foam and lots of it. 500 gallon min. with appriorate nozels and attachtments for monitors. standard fire fighting tools, haligan, axes, crowbars, sledge hammers, wedges, cribbing, along with multiple fire extinguishers, co2, dry chem, pkp, 
 
this is just some of the things that should be availible at a moments notice on the hudson river.  think and prepare for the worst...  a loaded barge with gasoline vs a fully loaded ferry in a good storm.   it can happen don't say it can't.    its just a matter of time before agencies along the river get caught with there pants down and its not going to be good. yes FDNY and NYPD will step in but FDNY will take a while to get the big boats up the river, NYPD aviation will be on scene very fast with divers. and the NYPD patrol boats will come too in time, probably faster then the bigger FDNY boats. But there newer boats are fast now, not like the firefighter.  
 
you might say why only receational boats and some tug boats go up and down the river... yes they do along with some commercial ships from time to time.  how will the recources availible now assist a crew of 15 on a ship with a large engine room fire ?  anchor the vessel in the channel? put her in a soft bank? call for tug boats that have barges alongside?  
 
The new tappen zee bridge is going to be higher, that means bigger ships can come up the river.  they will no longer be restricted by air draft, the river is about 30-35 feet deep in the channel in the shoal spots... a litte dregging and that can become 50 feet.   I don't think a massive surge of ships will come up the river but an occationaly a big ship can and more then likely will.  plan on it. 
 
thats my rant for now, mind you i am in the merchant marine, a paramedic, and a vol. fire fighter for some years. 
B Fleming

Just a point of information.  Peekskill OEM has a mobile command vehicle equipped with not only Westchester DES and PD but Rockland, Dutchess,  Putnam,  Orange and Marine channels along with a PC with ICS software. It is not trunking capable but that is another thread.  The unit is only a simple phone call away through the PPD desk.

alright ill bite and start by asking you how many of those commenting on this incident where there last night? Those that were there can comment on how much of a mess it was NOT those that sat home and love to play armchair QB. OK   

Just a point of information.  Peekskill OEM has a mobile command vehicle equipped with not only Westchester DES and PD but Rockland, Dutchess,  Putnam,  Orange and Marine channels along with a PC with ICS software. It is not trunking capable but that is another thread.  The unit is only a simple phone call away through the PPD desk.

Buchanan's Utility 12 is a dedicated Cascade and Light Unit. On board compressor and generator. High and Low pressure fills with fittings for SCBA, SCUBA, Air Bags 300 foot air hoses can fill operating ladder/tower bottles 4 portable generators and additional electric lights. Unlimited on-scene bottle filling ability. Can also refill other cascade units.

Many things have changed since EMTBravo introduced the "Incident Alert" in January of 2003. One of the major factors is online scanner feeds. Whereas before, only certain people could listen to certain incidents because they had scanners. Now, anyone can basically listen to anything going on anywhere via sites like Broadcastify.com, and anybody can post using their mobile Facebook app.
I often wonder what can be done with Incident Alert to bring it back. Partnerships with other websites and social media sites, maybe a robust app? I was posting as many (major) incidents as I could a couple of months back, but I didn't feel like members were appreciating it.
If anyone is complaining about "Why wasn't that posted" or "I never see good posts anymore", why didn't you post anything that would be valuable here, or, if you know about something, why do you not post and then complain no one posted it? There are still several members who care, and who are trying to come up with informative and quality posts.
What does the next generation of EMTBravo include? I plan on getting to work on that as soon as I can.

Personally, I found this part validates much of Yonkers Fire union's claim.
Despite criticism by its own union president in recent years that the department is understaffed, Davis said the department has an "adequate complement" of firefighters but that relying too heavily on overtime during occasional shortages was cost prohibitive.
"The days are gone when we had unlimited budgets," the mayor said. "If we spend it all on overtime, we can't buy trucks, we can't upgrade (equipment)."
The Mount Vernon Mayor is essentially saying that they could handle more of their own business, but rather than using overtime and/or having their taxpayers shoulder the financial burden to do that, they are consciously putting that burden onto the taxpayers of other communities.

I think we're all on the same page here about departments abusing mutual aid so I won't even touch that. But this quote is what worried me the most.
Really? I had no ideas fire worked that way. Apparently if a fire occurs in one town that makes it less likely for there to be another fire elsewhere. Amazing.

Based on some of these posts, I can't help but wonder if some of you were dropped on your heads as babies. What is even more concerning is how little some people know, armchair quarterback and jump to conclusions.
I have a fairly good amount of training regarding trains and train emergencies. I have - what I believe - is a wealth of knowledge of the fire service, including resources in this county and around us. I also have responded to and run a handful of incidents involving mass-casualties.
I have never - nor has 99.5% of you - had an incident like this. The people running it did a TOP NOTCH JOB, and the fact that some of you are sitting back, typing away and criticizing any decisions of the Incident Commander or any others at this incident just fortifies why I have little faith that we can ever become better as a county. Some of you posting here are officers, past officers or - God help us - aspiring officers in your respective agencies. As the Maitre D' in Ferris Bueller's Day off said, "I weep for the future."
/rant
And for the record, this is me, as a person, voicing my opinion which has no reflection of any affiliation I have or have had in the past.

Can you give us the reference you are using for this information? Who "mandated" the function for the use of the METU?
It seems to me that Westchester made a calculated choice to opt out of using the vehicle for a variety of assignments the way other UASI partners are. YPD has been using theirs with great success and I'm sure if there was a mandate prohibiting that they wouldn't be able to do it.
FDNY can use the vehicles for MCI and other things (see policy attached). It may just be less efficient in the city where ambulances are far more abundant than here in Westchester.
To think that a vehicle that can transport two dozen people (or more) sits idly by while ambulances have to be summoned from around the county just doesn't make any sense. With the airport, railroads, high-rises, and other significant hazards in the county to limit the resource to only nursing home evacuations is unwise. Especially when you consider how fragmented and inadequate the EMS system is in the county. It is almost as if the county just wants the toys but not the responsibility of using them.
When has a nursing home in Westchester County ever had to be evacuated? How about in the UASI territory?
I heard the same thing. FD/PD/EMS operating at a serious MVA on the parkway "witnessed" the train accident.

Ossining has a lot of firefighters and a lot of apparatus. And being that many units directly surrounding Valhalla were called in, It makes sense to bring in 1 & 1 from OFD. Armonk and W. Harrison are better left alone in a situation like this to cover other calls, especially since they're both responders to the airport (which the county considers a big deal). You also have to remember that you can't strip all of your neighbors of equipment and manpower. Sometimes you have to call in someone from a few towns away so you can keep responders available for everything else. It's really like a game of chess when you bring in mutual aid and stand by companies.

Where was the DES METU? Why have a METU respond from Yonkers when there is one literally up the street?

I actually see that as a valid question and not a statement that 60 is in someway incapable of doing the job. A YFD dispatch would probably be better familiar with streets, locations, unit assignment and problems that crop up in certain areas with calls. Based on this valuable added resource a YFD would be a great asset.

The problem boils down to one simple issue: my toys, my sandbox. While the trunk concept is great issues such as end user cost for equipment and county restrictions as to who gets access and who doesn't makes it difficult (important to avoid system overload). Alot of agencies opt for their own frequencies because then they uultimately have control. Again, my toys, my sandbox. Occasionally I had actually wondered if the system would have been better served had it not gone trunked but if each battalion was issued a UHF pair if that would have worked better. I also don't knowif the trunking system could do department pagingand if it could with the cost of individual receivers for each member be out of reach of most department budgets.

I actually see that as a valid question and not a statement that 60 is in someway incapable of doing the job. A YFD dispatch would probably be better familiar with streets, locations, unit assignment and problems that crop up in certain areas with calls. Based on this valuable added resource a YFD would be a great asset.

I actually see that as a valid question and not a statement that 60 is in someway incapable of doing the job. A YFD dispatch would probably be better familiar with streets, locations, unit assignment and problems that crop up in certain areas with calls. Based on this valuable added resource a YFD would be a great asset.

As far as, "it seems to be working" thats incorrect. I have been listening to the scanner since this situation unfolded and their response time has increased by 2-4 minutes at least. That is a huge problem, especially in cardiac related runs. It appears the calls still come in through YPD didpatch, then they get routed to 60 control which is apoarently causing the increase in response time. Also there has been alot of confusion and incorrect units dispatched to runs, then corrections which also cause more delays. Im not saying its 60 control or anybodys fault, but anytime response times are increased, thats a problem. Hopefully this will be resolved soon.

its about time.

State law is silent on who provides law enforcement, other than the requirement to have law enforcement, so village town, county (which includes Sheriff) or State is acceptable.
State law specifically prohibits county fire. In fact in the 1980's they had to pass laws to allow counties to run hazmat teams and in the 1990's to run USAR teams.

I actually see that as a valid question and not a statement that 60 is in someway incapable of doing the job. A YFD dispatch would probably be better familiar with streets, locations, unit assignment and problems that crop up in certain areas with calls. Based on this valuable added resource a YFD would be a great asset.