Mount Vernon Fire Captain Gives Away Rescue Truck

[RWC130 594]

I was watching News12 tonight and I saw the Old Mount Vernon Rescue

was reported MISSING?

Months later?

Apparently months ago when it was scrapped at a local junk yard

for parts the City of Mount Vernon never authorized it? Interesting.

I guess who ever approved that will be in some hot water over this

as they mentioned the IG will be investigating this incident.

[jloftus 28]

Na, no problem we have so much equipment, its not like we could have used it as a MSU, or Rehab. No big deal, maybe saturday we could have a sale on bunkers?

[x129K 1,393]

Na, no problem we have so much equipment, its not like we could have used it as a MSU, or Rehab. No big deal, maybe saturday we could have a sale on bunkers?

Paypal OK?

[Bnechis 3,961]

http://www.emtbravo.net/index.php?showtopi...hl=mount+vernon

Emtbravo Reports - Feb 27

news 12 Reports - Aug 4.

Good thing news 12 is as local as local news gets.

[Future Fireman 4]

dillondotcom posted this quote in that topic Bnechis, and to be honest, it's a really good one. Maybe the mayor should answer this:

Its a shame what that city has done to its department. Anyother shady deal going on and someone is making out on it. They wont care until there is a fire with multiple deaths to civilians for department members. Then someone might finally ask this one very important question. "What the ____ is going on in this city?"

I've never seen such a poorly equipped FD in my life!

Mike

Edited August 5, 2008 by Future Fireman

[hudson144 150]

Whats the big stink? it was a rig that was going out to the pasture. Didn't need another clunker hanging around.At least it is gone now~

[ajsbear 11]

Wasn't it auctions off in Larchmont last weekend as parts?

[dadbo46 50]

Whats the big stink? it was a rig that was going out to the pasture. Didn't need another clunker hanging around.At least it is gone now~

IT'S AGAINST THE LAW !!!

[FirNaTine 370]

Whoever authorized it should be hung! Better yet, whatever FDMV could have gotten for it they should garnish the same amount out of the person's salary! What they should have donated was that yellow monster of a so called Crash Truck. What's the status with that? How does a Dept. let such a useful piece of equipment just sit and rot away? If they're not going to do anything with it, why not give it to a Dept. that will or donate it to the Cnty.?

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

I find it hard to believe that news 12 is just learning of this shady/sketchy "transaction". Great job on their part (insert sarcasm here). There is no reason why the firefighters in Mount Vernon should be denied the equipment (man-power is a whole other story) to do their job. Sure the rescue was being replaced and was worn down, but I am sure it could be used for something or at least sold and have the money actually be used for something.

I guess the good news is at least someone is watching the city either in it or regarding what it does and making sure that there is no wrong doing.

[Guest]

MOUNT VERNON - The city received nothing for an old firetruck after a fire captain gave it to a city business run by two of his friends, The Journal News has learned.

The 1986 Ford E One rescue truck was no longer operable, fire officials said, and had been sitting behind Station No. 2 until February, when it was moved to Superior Truck Parts, a business on South Third Avenue.

The Journal News received a tip about the rescue truck Thursday. That evening, a reporter went to Michael St. John's home in Mount Vernon, where the fire captain happened to be wearing a Superior Truck Parts T-shirt while working in his garage.

Article

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

I guess that explains at least a part of this situation.

BTW, the photo in the article looks like the exact photo that someone took for EMTbravo only the picture in the article has been cropped.

[jack10562 414]

I guess that explains at least a part of this situation.

BTW, the photo in the article looks like the exact photo that someone took for EMTbravo only the picture in the article has been cropped.

Thank you for pointing that out!

I have sent an email to the author of the article at LoHud, about that "coincidence".

[x635 4,066]

Thanks for your vigilance, I truly appreciate. However, that photo was used with permission.

As far as this situation goes, their is NYS Municipal Law regarding the disposal of municipal equipment.

If it is "donated", the City must pass a reolution. If it is put up for sale, then it must be done so at public auction.

Think about all the FDNY vehicles that are disposed of, many of which are in far worse shape then this rescue. They are sold at auction, and many are refurbished and continue to serve other departments.

This Rescue, if they felt the need to dispose of it, could have made the city a few bucks. This apparatus is worth money in parts taken from the chasis and motor, plus scrap.

Not to mention, I'm sure there are some rural departments with no budgets out there that could have put some TLC into this rig and made good use of it. Also, it could have very well been refurbished and put to other use within the city or offered to another department that might have had the money to refurbish it.

[Truck4 48]

I hope you were properly compensated for your photo.

[ajsbear 11]

Look at some of the rural mid west, northern or indian reservation rigs. a lot worse shap than this truck. I'll bet they have mechanics that would have repaired this rig and put it in service replacing some rig 20 years older. If they sold it for the salvage value, some department could have used it and FDMV could have used that money to get their new truck back in service.

What went on here is criminal, go around every rule for disposal of gov't property. There are guys who tow vehicles all day long for the salvage costs and make a fortune.

Of course they did not make any money? yea right.

[61MACKBR1 222]

With the cost of steel and metal (along with Engines and Transmissions that can be refurbished) at an all time high, that old FDMV Rescue Rig was worth allot more than people realize. (The Allison Transmission and Engine alone from that rig could be easily sold off at a decent profit to the city) I'd bet if FDMV sold off that old Rescue 1 along with the Old Foam 1 that is also "rotting out" behind the Fulton Avenue Station House, the city would be able to get enough for a very good down payment for maybe a New Foam Unit that Mount Vernon needs (Look at the Oil City Area! It will only take one disaster, god forbid, to wake up City Officials in Mount Vernon to realize that it is improperly equiped).

4 Ladders in Mount Vernon and only 1 works? To the point that they have to borrow one from Yonkers (the old L78 that New Rochelle had borrowed)?

I agree that an investigation needs to be made and if thru the investigation, the Captain and Chief Everett are found quity, they should both be repremanded "severely"

[x635 4,066]

I hope you were properly compensated for your photo.

First, I'm not a scab....I'm against the way "The Journal News" acquires photos nowadays, nor a hypocrite, since I have posted several times about this subject.

I specifically asked not to be credited or compensated (which was offered) for this photo, for reasons which I will send you a PM about.

The only reason I let the photo be used is to help my friends in MVFD out. They've been very good to me, and I in turn want to do the same.

[Lucifer 6]

Maybe some of the scrap money could have been used to pay for and install an escape ladder on the boom of the Seagrave TL.

[FirNaTine 370]

Maybe some of the scrap money could have been used to pay for and install an escape ladder on the boom of the Seagrave TL.

Never mind the escape ladder, what about using the money to pay the outstanding bill on the new TL, so the guy they owe the $3,000.00 to will fix the radiator and get it in service. Here is a Dept. that just got 3 new TICS donated to them because they are in such bad shape, but scrapped a piece of equipment illegally, which they could have bought the 3 tics with the $$$ they got for the old Rescue. That's what I call great Management! What's a matter they don't teach Common Sense in Montour or Emmitsburg! What a DISGRACE!

[FirNaTine 370]

Maybe they gave it away because the fuel tank was loaded up with DOMINO"S and it was no longer useful. OH wait a minute, that was the old Ladder#2. Sorry!

[RWC130 594]

The Journal News received a tip about the rescue truck Thursday. That evening, a reporter went to Michael St. John's home in Mount Vernon, where the fire captain happened to be wearing a Superior Truck Parts T-shirt while working in his garage.

I gave away a City of Mount Vernon Rescue Truck and all I got was a lousy T-Shirt!

[jack10562 414]

I gave away a City of Mount Vernon Rescue Truck and all I got was a lousy T-Shirt!

Priceless!

[tjd1012 5]

I wonder if the vulcans approved this donation

[helicopper 1,050]

This may prove to be a problem because junk or not municipal property can not just be "given away". There are procedures that need to be followed for the disposal of anything bought with government funds.

[jack10562 414]

I would like to know exactly what the "Deputy Commissioner" is getting paid for...anyway...

Deputy Fire Commissioner Deborah Norman referred questions about the matter to the Mayor's Office.

An awful LOT of shenanigans have gone on, supposedly during her "watch", and right under her nose.

Can you say Hmmmmmm?

[x635 4,066]

Have they scrapped the crash truck as well? It will be interesting to see if they give it away again, or if it is disposed of using another method.

[joetnymedic 43]

The plot thickens. Seems they were offered 15K before the truck was "given" away.

http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article...EWS02/808060411

[Danger 160]

This stuff has got to harm the public image of FDMV. You can't have a story about giving away money when you're begging for staffing and equipment.

[x635 4,066]

Bakker, veteran firefighters and the department's own mechanic said the truck, weighing more than 20,000 pounds, would have been worth money in scrap metal fees - particularly the aluminum rear box at more than $1 a pound - even if nobody wanted to pay anything for the truck parts.

MOUNT VERNON - The owner of a Bronx towing and road service company said yesterday that he would have paid up to $15,000 for a firetruck that the city got nothing for when it was given away by two fire officials.

This is why city vehicles are disposed of via auction- to give everyone a fair shot. I am 100% positive after seeing this vehicle in February of this year that it had a whole bunch of life still left in it if given proper care, and their would have been many different people who would have wanted to purchase this truck. Not to mention MVFD having a back up Rescue or Haz-Mat unit!!

Also, I'm just curious: how did Mount Vernon dispose of fire apparatus in previous years?

Just to note, Bakker Towing is a well established heavy truck towing and recovery firm in the Bronx. George Bakker was inducted into the International Tower's Hall Of Fame in Chattanooga, TN in 2004. They've historically built their own wreckers and road service vehicles from scratch. They aren't too far from Mount Vernon, I believe they are on the east end of 233rd St.