Congrats To White Plains FD- A ISO Class 1 Department!

[x635 4,066]

Congrats to White Plains FD on acheiving their ISO Class 1 rating recently!!

Are they the first department in Westchester to achieve this?

[Bnechis 3,961]

Congrats to White Plains FD on acheiving their ISO Class 1 rating recently!!

Are they the first department in Westchester to achieve this?

Yes. The only other ISO 1 in NYS is Syracuse

[SageVigiles 1,194]

Wow. I'm impressed. I didn't know White Plains was so on the ball.

[Guest]

good for the residents, but are they aware of how unprotected they are with such little staffing in that City? I guess ISO does not include staffing levels in the equation just hydrants and response times.

[INIT915 1,119]

Yes. The only other ISO 1 in NYS is Syracuse

What level are the other big Westchester Dept's at?

[stixx 7]

new rochelle fire dept at class 2.

Edited July 9, 2009 by stixx

[WHFD318 17]

Congrats to White Plains FD on acheiving their ISO Class 1 rating recently!!

Are they the first department in Westchester to achieve this?

What does the ISO Class 1 Rating mean?

How does a department achieve such a status?

Thanks

[exmrvfc 0]

This is something to watch with the consolidation study. The participating municipalities will be able to see if the taxpayers of White Plains see any savings on their insurance premiums with the decrease to a class 1. Getting to class 1 was the whole premise of the $47 million in savings.

[xfirefighter484x 234]

ISO Online - Rating Schedule

[Goose 188]

Wow. I'm impressed. I didn't know White Plains was so on the ball.

What exactly does that mean?

[Geppetto 31]

It's just that - a number on a rating system. It's great for the people who live and work there - it potentially saves them money. This site is primarily visited by buffs, firefighters and "learn-ed" emergency professionals. Always remember that Charleston, SC is a Class 1. That number tells you nothing about how a department operates.

$.02

[Future Fireman 4]

It's just that - a number on a rating system. It's great for the people who live and work there - it potentially saves them money. This site is primarily visited by buffs, firefighters and "learn-ed" emergency professionals. Always remember that Charleston, SC is a Class 1. That number tells you nothing about how a department operates.

$.02

Correction, WAS a class 1 dept. Now they're Class 3.

Mike

[FirNaTine 370]

It's just that - a number on a rating system. It's great for the people who live and work there - it potentially saves them money. This site is primarily visited by buffs, firefighters and "learn-ed" emergency professionals. Always remember that Charleston, SC is a Class 1. That number tells you nothing about how a department operates.

$.02

Got that right. It's all B.S.!!!

[spin_the_wheel 460]

If my info is correct there is only a 2% decrease in premiums going from a class 2 to a class 1. The biggest % decrease is an 8% decrease going from a 4 to a 3. Not counting going from a 10 to a 9 and a 9 to a 8.

Edited July 9, 2009 by spin_the_wheel

[pjm1733 22]

good for the residents, but are they aware of how unprotected they are with such little staffing in that City? I guess ISO does not include staffing levels in the equation just hydrants and response times.

Actually the criteria is a little more complex. A lot of good people worked hard on this. Exagerating on how unprotected residents in WP are. Is just not true. I know I can send A full assignment to my mothers house in under 5 minutes 24/7/365 and another 2/2 in under 8 min. Would an extra man on every truck help ? Sure. I would rather have a contract ! All my fire protection went to a parade tonight ! Residents in WP sleep tight ! I will being checking my smoke detectors !

Edited July 10, 2009 by pjm1733

[SageVigiles 1,194]

What exactly does that mean?

It means that I'm not from Westchester, and I had no idea how the departments down that way run. I wasn't aware that White Plains had the effective manpower/resources, water supply and communications required to get ISO Class 1, I rarely hear anything about them. It wasn't meant as an insult. I just honestly had no idea.

exmrvfc, the ISO rating doesn't really help the average homeowner with their insurance. Its really only effective for businesses. Milford, CT has ISO class 1, and as a result major companies (BIC, Subway, etc) all have either headquarters or major manufacturing operations there, because those companies will save so much money on their insurance as a result of the great fire protection.

[tommyguy 104]

Having grown up in White Plains they always were well-respected and considered an excellent department by residents.

There was a time when for many years hardly any structures were destroyed by fire. They had some workers with heavy fire but the buildings were always saved and eventually rebuilt. To me that was an amazing accomplishment.

I think White Plains has always been very active in doing inspections and enforcing code. That definitely helps.

I have a couple buddies who were career firefighters in the WPFD. They were proud but they always mentioned manning levels being a problem. I was very surprised to learn that Engine 68 (Station 2) has been taken out of service.

[pjm1733 22]

They did not take an engine out of service ! They added One of the best trained and well equiped Rescue Company's in Westchester ? Going from an engine who hardly ever took a ride, to a very active Rescue co. is a no brainer, it spread around the work load ! I am no expert on how it works, Engine 4 can be manned by on duty fire prevention people fast.

Edited July 21, 2009 by pjm1733

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

Did they take an engine out of service ? or add One of the best trained and well equiped Rescue Company's in Westchester ? Going from an engine who hardly ever took a ride, to a very active Rescue co. is a no brainer, it spead around the work load ! I am no expert on how it works, Engine 4 can be manned by on duty fire prevention people fast.

Can someone elaborate on the situation posted above?

[Anesti 329]

Can someone elaborate on the situation posted above?

from what i heard, engine 68 was taken out of service in 2004 and replaced by Rescue 88, engine 68 used to run out of station 2 with engine 66 and tower ladder 6, now 68 is a spare. what are staffing levels for white plains anyway??? just out of curiosity!!

Edited July 21, 2009 by Anesti

[tommyguy 104]

There is no problem, I don't mean to suggest that in anyway. The WPFD does a super job.

As a former resident of White Plains, this issue was also brought up by the White Plains firefighters union some years back. As the city has gotten bigger the Fire Department has gotten smaller.

My thought is, with the disbanding of Engine 68 -- which was originally quartered at Station 4 on South Lexington Avenue near Maple -- there are only three engine companies north of Bryant Avenue. That takes in all of downtown, the north end plus the Lake Street and Westminister Ridge areas.

Going way back, there was once an Engine 69 located at Station 5 on Robertson Avenue (near Chatterton Avenue). Residents considered it the 'Battle Hill neighborhood engine' and complained when the city shut it down. Back then the city explained that with the main streets being widened and improved because of the downtown Urban Renewal project, Station 2 could provide an adequate first response engine (Engine 66) to the neighborhood (which I lived in back then). People accepted it.

But friends I've had, guys I went to school with, who later became White Plains firefighters, mentioned there's times they'd like to see more firefighters assigned.

[FirNaTine 370]

I'm sorry but I just don't see the logic in taking an Eng. Co. o.o.s. to put a Rescue in service, no matter how slow that Co. may have been. It may look good on paper, until that Eng. Co is now needed at 3:00am for a Job with people trapped in its previous 1st due territory and it's nowhere to be found. I don't care how well trained and equipped a Rescue Co. is, they can't do much without water and I'm sure those whose house is burning would feel the same way. Why take out of service a piece of equipment that is responsible for extinguishing fires and replace it with a gigantic tool box! JMO.

[pjm1733 22]

I'm sorry but I just don't see the logic in taking an Eng. Co. o.o.s. to put a Rescue in service, no matter how slow that Co. may have been. It may look good on paper, until that Eng. Co is now needed at 3:00am for a Job with people trapped in its previous 1st due territory and it's nowhere to be found. I don't care how well trained and equipped a Rescue Co. is, they can't do much without water and I'm sure those whose house is burning would feel the same way. Why take out of service a piece of equipment that is responsible for extinguishing fires and replace it with a gigantic tool box! JMO.

Prior to Rescue 88 a full assignment was 3 Engines and 1 Truck //// Now a full assignment (structure fire) is 3 Engines 1 Truck plus the Rescue. That is an increase, not a decrease ! Engine 68 (aka E4) did not have a first due response area. when Station 4 closed (probably 30 years ago), E70 absorbed Station 4's E68 (Aka E4) area .

p.s. congratas to wp on the new ISO 1 Rating ...

Edited July 24, 2009 by pjm1733

[on the job 68]

Got that right. It's all B.S.!!!

NOT to knock the brothers of White Plains Fire Dept......but, after, what happened in Charleston, S.C. the hole ISO ratings should be evaluated.

Just dont forget that good old hose clamp