Castle Point VA hospital (dutchess) current apparatus

[fireman3484 1]

heres some shots of Dutchess countys biggest kept secret, the Castle Point VA hospital's fire department apparatus. CPFD runs 3 shifts of 5 firefighters (currently 4 per shift due to open positions). All are Interior, hazmat tech, EMT-B and confined space rescue tech. We run 2 engines, 2 ambulances (used for transporting patients around the hospital grounds) and a Hazmat/decon truck .

http://s20.photobucket.com/albums/b244/fir...nt%20apparatus/

[stephen morea 1]

seems to be still kept a secret, I got blocked by a pass word.

[fireman3484 1]

seems to be still kept a secret, I got blocked by a pass word.

sry forgot to take it off private. it works now.

[x648eng119 2]

How's Engine 224 doin?

[lad41der 0]

Maybe some day people will wake up Rob. Its free and gets out the door on "FIRST" dispatch. I know if I was a chief and had that I would be utilizing it 24/7.

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

Did all of the VA's get the same HazMat/Decon rig? The one at Montrose and this one look ALMOST identical.

[fireman3484 1]

Castle Point and Montrose are part of the Hudson Valley Healthcare system. Almost everything is split between the 2 places. Hazmat 3 and 91-69 (hazmat rigs) as well as E-225 and 91-11 (ferrara engines) are twins. They were spec'd at the same time for both campuses. Castle Point Engine 2 is actually the old E-225 from montrose. Each campus has 15 firefighters divided into 3 shifts. Most of the other VA's are set up similar. Theres a few that are slimmed down to 3 man shifts because of career departments on the outside.

[hudson144 150]

If somebody can explain the hiring process it might make a few younger guys out there more aware to work for the VA Hudson Valley. Thanks.

[texastom791 31]

How big is their response area? Do they just cover the home or do they actually cover a town?

[stephen morea 1]

correct me if im wrong but these rigs are in addition to montroses rigs wich are 1 pumper, 1 haz-mat rig, 1 international midi-pumper, 1 ambulance, 1 boat, and 1 chiefs car

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

This is based on what I have learned from this site and other information, if by in addition you mean part of the same program of hospitals as Castle Point then yes they are but the Castle Point Veterans Affairs Hospital is in Dutchess and the Montrose Veterans Affairs Hospital is in Westchester. But they are all Veterans Affairs apparatus.

Texastorm, from what I have been told, there primary response area is their assigned VA Hospital and campus but from what I understand and what has been brought up on this site is they will go mutual aid in certain situations. In Westchester, the International Midi-pumper will respond as RIT and HazMat 33 will respond to HazMat situations but again, their primary response area and responsibility is the VA.

Edited August 12, 2008 by bvfdjc316

[stephen morea 1]

I was talking from an apparatus standpoint as to what their ''sister station'' has in addition to what castle point runs at their campus. I was trying to firgue out what the whole department runs, both campuses.

Edited August 12, 2008 by stephen morea

[x648eng119 2]

I know this has been mentioned in other threads..

Down here at Montrose, we run 3 crews. 2 crews are currently staffed at 4, one crew is staffed at 5. We also have a chief on during the day.

Right now, we are on automatic mutual aid with Mini Attack 28 (The International Midi-Pumper) as a RIT team, for Buchanan on any structural fire. MA-28 also is on an automatic response for brush fires within Buchanan due to the small size, and the "pump and roll" capabilities.

We also dual response with the Montrose Fire District to all calls at the NYS Veterans Nursing Home, and Battery Place. (Seeing as how MFD has to go through our property to get there, it makes sense. )

We also do first response on EMS calls to the NYS Veterans Nursing home. Being that it is not VA property, it is considered mutual aid.

We will also respond mutual aid if requested with our engine (full size engine), or Haz Mat truck, but we have to leave a minimum of 1 firefighter on campus, and immedately initiate a callback, and relocate a mutual aid engine, so that our campus is covered.

Apparatus we run: (MONTROSE)

Engine 225 - 2006 Ferrara/Spartan Advantage Pumper - 1000 Gal tank, 1500 GPM pump

Mini-Attack 28 - 1998 International/E-One - 300 Gal tank, 750 GPM pump - with booster reel and "pump and roll" capabilities. Also carries all our RIT and Confined Space equipment

Ambulance 48B1 - 2005 Ford E-450/Wheeled Coach - STAYS ON CAMPUS!

Haz Mat 3 - 2003 Frieghtliner/Mickey - Haz Mat and Decon Truck

Marine 21 - Rescue boat only - no firefighting capapbilities

Edited August 12, 2008 by x648eng119

[TRUCK6018 50]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I believe Castle Point responds automatic aid to Chelsea Fire for (at a minimum) structure fires and auto alarms at some of the health care facilities.

[fireman3484 1]

Castle Point is on automatic 1st alarm for structure fires, CO calls, and vehicle fires. We used to be on AFA calls at Fishkill health related (now Elant Health care) but no longer. Our response with Chelsea changes everytime the chiefs change. Some have used us more, some less. We have never been totally removed. People think that we are there to take over, which isnt the case. we are just an under utilized resourse.

As far as the hiring process goes, once a job vacancy is announced (usajobs.com) it is posted to the website with a list of requirements. applicants need to submit a bunch of information and answer the a few knowledge, skills and abilities questions. It then goes to the national VA's grading people and is scored and a list is generated and sent to the chiefs. The chiefs do interviews and grade each applicant based apon whatever questions he feels like asking. once that is done, the grades are combined and a hiring list is submitted to HR who is responsible for offering the jobs. The whole process is quite long. its usually about 6-8 months from the time you submit your paperwork to the time, if your lucky enough, to get a start date.

As Turd stated, we can respond when requested, except for the ambulances. At CP, if we are committed for longer then 30 minutes, we initiate our call back list and a mutual aid company is relocated.

[JetPhoto 626]

Maybe some day people will wake up Rob. Its free and gets out the door on "FIRST" dispatch. I know if I was a chief and had that I would be utilizing it 24/7.

Don't speak on what YOU do not know!!

First of all you can't even get the chief in charge correct.

second we do use Castle Point when it is needed. Fireman 3484 is correct it does change with different chiefs just like almost every other fire company when a new chief is put in m/a plans might change. Castle Point and Chelsea have always been their for each other when needed.

You must listen to different radio than I do because our response times have improved greatly. So like other vol. fd's in todays world not everyone gets out right away.

Castle Point is their for any department to call not just Chelsea. They can be their for initial attack or as a fast team.

Jim Tompkins

Chelsea

[billy98988 107]

Don't speak on what YOU do not know!!

First of all you can't even get the chief in charge correct.

second we do use Castle Point when it is needed. Fireman 3484 is correct it does change with different chiefs just like almost every other fire company when a new chief is put in m/a plans might change. Castle Point and Chelsea have always been their for each other when needed.

You must listen to different radio than I do because our response times have improved greatly. So like other vol. fd's in todays world not everyone gets out right away.

Castle Point is their for any department to call not just Chelsea. They can be their for initial attack or as a fast team.

Jim Tompkins

Chelsea

well said jim.

[Guest]

Are those ambulances not NY State Certified? If so, I can only assume that is because they are a federal agency...Do you write PCR's?

Thanks

[CFD048 32]

Don't speak on what YOU do not know!!

First of all you can't even get the chief in charge correct.

second we do use Castle Point when it is needed. Fireman 3484 is correct it does change with different chiefs just like almost every other fire company when a new chief is put in m/a plans might change. Castle Point and Chelsea have always been their for each other when needed.

You must listen to different radio than I do because our response times have improved greatly. So like other vol. fd's in todays world not everyone gets out right away.

Castle Point is their for any department to call not just Chelsea. They can be their for initial attack or as a fast team.

Jim Tompkins

Chelsea

thanks jim. i try not to get into discussion on this panel with people who have no clue what they are talking about. as i have said, anyone local to Chelsea who want to discuss our response procedures may contact me at any time. rob

[MoFire390 118]

Are those ambulances not NY State Certified? If so, I can only assume that is because they are a federal agency...Do you write PCR's?

Thanks

48B1 in montrose is State Certified. When they respond to the NYS Vets Home they do fill out paper work on what they did before the ambulance gets there. Terd, correct me if im wrong.

[x648eng119 2]

Yes, they are NYS DOH certified.. It just doesn't transport off campus. Whether we first respond to the NYS VNH or we do a medical emergency call on campus, we fill out a PCR. We also have a DOH agency code.

[RNMedic08 0]

Castle Point FD also responds to all medical emergencies on campus. This includes the in-patient medical unit, nursing home units, the urgent room and any other patient care areas. They also respond to Castle Land Daycare and private residence's housed on the grounds. They have an agency code and do fill out PCR's. The facility code at Castle Point is 136. All Firefighters are EMT-B's. They will and have gone mutual aid to the community and in fact were more than likely the first full crew responding to 2 recent fires in the Chelsea area.

They are truly an asset to not only the Veterans they serve but to the Dutchess County community.

Bottom line is utilize the resources available and swallow your pride and politics when it comes to doing the right thing to better serve YOUR community.

[Rimrockny24 0]

Where is the academy for the VA fire departments?

[Guest ECAFD3]

Where is the academy for the VA fire departments?

In the past they have sent people to westchester. no-ones gone recently still waiting to hear the plan on that