HVVFA convention parade

[MoFire390 118]

Hey gang its that time of year the convention parade in lake george has finally arrived. Was wondering what departments are going and were they are staying.

Thanks

Ken

[Guest 29-Indigo]

Hey gang its that time of year the convention parade in lake george has finally arrived. Was wondering what departments are going and were they are staying.

More importantly, who ISN'T going and actally in town protecting their residents?

To those of you going, have a good time, but don't drink so much that you end up being pulled out of the Lake!

[MoFire390 118]

Just wanna say congratulations to the Cortlandt engine company montrose fd for winning best overall at the parade today!!!! Along with a congrats to all the other winners.

Ken

[FF398 45]

Great Job Montrose FD!

[jack10562 414]

Something to think about...in many places, poor call coverage happens quite often, even without having active responders and equipment out of town.

[16fire5 693]

The ultimate responsibility to cover you district lies on the fire chief. Most municipal leaders rely on the fire chief whether paid or volunteer to keep them aprised of the departments response capabilities. The issue with the Hudson Valley Paraade is compounded by the fact that it involves departments from all over the region and many times multiple adjoining departments taking a large percentage of their active membership out of town not for 4 hours but for up to 4 days. It is not a matter of if but when service at home suffers. I would also venture to guess that the trip costs taxpayers money. The volunteers only need to look at the scrutiny that civil service employees are under in these difficult economic times to see that events like this leave the door open to public questioning.

[BFD1054 1,552]

Im all for having a good time, and parades are just that, a good time. They can be good for comradere/morale, but so can training and running alarms with your fellow firefighters.

I think most of the members who have posted on here have VERY valid points and concerns. It is only a matter of time before something tragic happens and its going to bite someone in the a$$. Good luck sitting in front of a judge and jury explaining that someone died because your manpower and equipment were 3 1/2 hours away for a parade. Im just a volunteer, i like my house, my possesions and my freedom. Something happens and you can and WILL lose all of that. Your nice little firehouse will be closed down and that will be the end of it.

Again, i am not knocking parades or for that matter, those who attend them. Personally, parades are not on my top priority list, they never have been. But thats just me. When i do march, i enjoy it and i have a good time.

I just think that departments need to pre-plan a bit. Depts should not be sending most of thier line officers and 90% of their active members to these things. Chiefs just have to tell some guys "sorry, but im delegating you to stay back to answer alarms." Someone brought up associate/social members. Hell, if you can get those members to put on a uniform and march, thats great. Send associate members and a hand-full of active members, but leave guys behind to do what we're here for, to protect our districts.

I too heard the countless Chief officers announcing the apparatus that would be "Out of Service for the Lake George Convention." I just shook my head. Maybe some of these companies did the right thing and left members and proper equipment back in town, i can only hope that was the case.

Can you count on mutual-aid? Probably not since many adjoining companies were also at the Convention.

Sorry for my rant. Again, i have nothing against Parades per-say or those that attend them. Just have an issue with lack of hometown coverage during these events.

Hope everyone who went had a good and safe weekend.

Stay safe.

[TAPSJ 30]

No offense but what is the differance between attending a parade, spending time with your family, celebrating a holiday, a tuesday night, or a friday during the day??? Thier is NONE, we are Volunteer's most of us and some are paid, MANPOWER is the LARGEST ISSUE we have other then Water. So instead of complaining about who was where, infront of computer, go out thier to the schools, churches, grociery stores and get members to join. Show them the joy and feeling you can get of saving a life or property. The trophy's are an added bonus. I personally know of one department that was up in Lake George and had a call, for the 15-30 guys and gals that went up thier, the same amount maybe a little less was operating on a scene down here. So I personally think you want to go to a parade and show your pride for your Fire Company, then go do it and if you think thier isn't enough coverage at home, then stay home. The decission is on YOU and only YOU to go or not to go, no one forces you to go. This is just my opinion and that is that. Stay Safe Out Thier!!!

Thomas

[16fire5 693]

No offense but what is the differance between attending a parade, spending time with your family, celebrating a holiday, a tuesday night, or a friday during the day??? Thier is NONE, we are Volunteer's most of us and some are paid, MANPOWER is the LARGEST ISSUE we have other then Water. So instead of complaining about who was where, infront of computer, go out thier to the schools, churches, grociery stores and get members to join. Show them the joy and feeling you can get of saving a life or property. The trophy's are an added bonus. I personally know of one department that was up in Lake George and had a call, for the 15-30 guys and gals that went up thier, the same amount maybe a little less was operating on a scene down here. So I personally think you want to go to a parade and show your pride for your Fire Company, then go do it and if you think thier isn't enough coverage at home, then stay home. The decission is on YOU and only YOU to go or not to go, no one forces you to go. This is just my opinion and that is that. Stay Safe Out Thier!!!

Thomas

As for the decision being you and only you I think the chief and leadership actually bear some responsibility. The commissioners and fire chief have a sworn oath to provide fire protection. If they know they will lack staffing I believe it would be their responsibility to address the issue. The mere fact that the department is volunteer does not take away the fact that you have a responsibility to respond to calls.

[x129K 1,393]

Any word on the AC from Plattekill who was injured?

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

Any word on the AC from Plattekill who was injured?

http://www.firefighterclosecalls.com/news/fullstory/newsid/110192

[Remember585 815]

http://www.firefighterclosecalls.com/news/fullstory/newsid/110192

I didn't know about this - thanks for sharing. Hopefully he recovers well.

[fireguy43 35]

Perhaps before we draw conclusions, we should try to ascertain the facts of a situation, especially when we have no first hand knowledge of what happened. The company that went four dispatches was mine. We did not go to Lake George, so the entire premise of the comment is invalid.

For the record, there were four members geared up an ready to go at the firehouse, but a driver did not respond. A response was eventually put together with an officer and an engine from another company of the same department. That same company responded at 12:30 am to a mutual aid structure fire in Lagrange, but no one was awake to hear that one....... why a driver did not respond is a separate issue and has nothing to do with parades.

As to the Orange County MVA, I cannot comment as I don't know what happened. I know, isn't that a novel idea.

Well, we didn't go. But I did hear a company from Dutchess County go 4 dispatches for a AFA Saturday morning with only an officer ultimately responding. And yesterday an Orange County department had a serious MVA with entrapment. It took them 2 dispatches to get their rescue out. BUT, they had a another company from 2 districts away respond for them.

Yes, clean your uniforms, polish your trucks, take the whole department 100+ miles away for the weekend and make us proud boys!

Congrats to the "winners" and hope all had a good time.

[ex-commish 490]

I think most of the members who have posted on here have VERY valid points and concerns. It is only a matter of time before something tragic happens and its going to bite someone in the a$$. Good luck sitting in front of a judge and jury explaining that someone died because your manpower and equipment were 3 1/2 hours away for a parade.

I

Unfortunately the only "judge" some seem to worry about is the parade judge.

[INIT915 1,119]

Well, we didn't go. But I did hear a company from Dutchess County go 4 dispatches for a AFA Saturday morning with only an officer ultimately responding. And yesterday an Orange County department had a serious MVA with entrapment. It took them 2 dispatches to get their rescue out. BUT, they had a another company from 2 districts away respond for them.

Yes, clean your uniforms, polish your trucks, take the whole department 100+ miles away for the weekend and make us proud boys!

Congrats to the "winners" and hope all had a good time.

I heard that same accident in Orange.

I also heard Putnam and Westchester departments STRUGGLE to cover calls all weekend, some starting as soon as Thursday.

Job well done. Not.

Perhaps before we draw conclusions, we should try to ascertain the facts of a situation, especially when we have no first hand knowledge of what happened. The company that went four dispatches was mine. We did not go to Lake George, so the entire premise of the comment is invalid.

For the record, there were four members geared up an ready to go at the firehouse, but a driver did not respond. A response was eventually put together with an officer and an engine from another company of the same department. That same company responded at 12:30 am to a mutual aid structure fire in Lagrange, but no one was awake to hear that one....... why a driver did not respond is a separate issue and has nothing to do with parades.

As to the Orange County MVA, I cannot comment as I don't know what happened. I know, isn't that a novel idea.

I love it! Yet again, members with only a passing knowledge of the events, and in this case based completely on misinformation, hijack the thread, and, as we now see, cannot even gather the basic confirmation before posting. Thanks fireguy43 for the correct version of events. I dare to say, I recently recall a roughly 24-hour period on this site where I literally only saw a handful of new topics or comments, and I and others, believe its antics like this. Feel free to post anything you want. Want a topic on manpower, start one! But to hijack threads, and in retrospect, using unreliable data, is really getting old.

[GAW6 66]

I love it! Yet again, members with only a passing knowledge of the events, and in this case based completely on misinformation, hijack the thread, and, as we now see, cannot even gather the basic confirmation before posting. Thanks fireguy43 for the correct version of events. I dare to say, I recently recall a roughly 24-hour period on this site where I literally only saw a handful of new topics or comments, and I and others, believe its antics like this. Feel free to post anything you want. Want a topic on manpower, start one! But to hijack threads, and in retrospect, using unreliable data, is really getting old.

Very well said!!! I couldn't agree with you more! As a Chief Officer, I always make sure sufficient personnel is available, whether it be for a parade, dinner, etc. It disgusts me how someone starts a thread, and it always turns into a paid vs. volunteer, or "somebody is going to be sued" issue.

By the way Montrose, staying on the topic at hand, - congratulations on the trophy - you guys always look great!

[BFD1054 1,552]

Very well said!!! I couldn't agree with you more! As a Chief Officer, I always make sure sufficient personnel is available, whether it be for a parade, dinner, etc. It disgusts me how someone starts a thread, and it always turns into a paid vs. volunteer, or "somebody is going to be sued" issue.

By the way Montrose, staying on the topic at hand, - congratulations on the trophy - you guys always look great!

Okay, here it goes. I must apologize for my post as i assisted in the "hi-jacking" of this thread, so im sorry if i upset anyone. Kenny started the thread to discuss the parade and the subsequent winners at said parade. I would probably be pissed if my thread was taken off-topic.

However, with all due respect Captain, i see you quote "somebody is going to be sued," which i will assume is a shot at my post. If you think for a second that this is a "NON-issue," or it will NOT happen, i will beg to differ. You stated that as a Chief Officer, you always ensure that your district is covered and i commend you for that, as it is our responsibilty to do such. However, there are plenty of agencies that do NOT pre-plan for coverage and that is the issue. Again, this could have/should have been a seperate thread. I mean no disrespect to you, just making my point clear.

As for Montrose at the convention...they always look sharp and have plenty of marchers, so it comes as no surprise that they took home a trophy. I still think the guys and gals in Maroon look much better though, but i guess im biased .

Stay safe

[Remember585 815]

There's nothing wrong with the guys and gals in the firehouse going on a trip together. If the Chief knows that a large number of his/her members are skipping town for vacation or whatever, then they should come up with a plan to ensure coverage of calls at home.

We routinely take companies out of service for training and have our other companies and/or Mutual Aid coverage in place.

Last month, many of our Officers and members were out of town at a function. We put a Captain in charge with a Chief's car, and took ourselves out of service for Mutual Aid for a few hours. The one call we had during this six hour period was handled without needing anything additional.

All it takes is some planning. If you know you're going to be short, make sure you have a plan in place to pick up for that shortfall.

Don't assume calls will get covered - MAKE SURE OF IT.

[MoFire390 118]

thanks mike, as for the platoon..always great to see u guys at the parades considering u are our neighbors. we work very close at trivillage calls and even with trainings. its always a pleasure to work with the guys and gals of buchanan (and verplanck as well)

as for the "hijacking" of the post i guess poop happens. but i should of known it was gonna happen..it does every year wether i post about it or someone else does...there are alot of good points that have been brought up in this board, and all of which i have read and commented on. but as i said before NOT all the departments who go up north have only active members. montrose (cortlandt engine company) is two seperate organizations. we just happen to fall under the same roof. we have both active and associate members. most of our members at parades are active, however when we went up north it was mostly associate members. as i said before we have over 60 active members.

hopefully thats all for now...