Middletown NY may loose tiller......unless

[JetPhoto 626]

MIDDLETOWN – The Middletown Fire Department may be ending an era of having a two-driver hook and ladder truck in the Excelsior Hook and Ladder Company. The common council has approved the purchase of a new $1.3 million single-driver truck to replace the 21-year-old vehicle.

Two-driver fire truck soon to be history in Middletown

[antiquefirelt 994]

All to save money by cutting staffing? Another case of the city not trusting the FD to know best how to safely operate on the fireground.

[IzzyEng4 427]

All to save money by cutting staffing? Another case of the city not trusting the FD to know best how to safely operate on the fireground.

I believe MFD employees career firefighters to operate the apparatus. I am uncertain of their actual career staffing levels as the department is primarily volunteer by my knowledge.

Hopefully those from up north can elaborate more.

[helicopper 1,050]

All to save money by cutting staffing? Another case of the city not trusting the FD to know best how to safely operate on the fireground.

I don't think it's a matter of trust. It's the issue of small communities with major budget woes looking at every avenue possible to save money. That is what they're elected to do; they're not there to just rubber-stamp the budgets from their municipal departments.

It may be a bitter pill to swallow but this is the economic time that we're in.

[AndyC3J 190]

Middletown is a combination department. Only the drivers are paid/career. They've been looking to replace Truck 1 for over a year. While the story of what they're going to get changes every time I hear it, the decision to stay with a tiller had been pretty solid up until now. Thought the whole thing was on hold when Truck 3 got wrecked. Will be interesting to see how it all pans out.

The current mayor's view on MFD seems to change based on how the wind blows, which doesn't help matters much. But, that's another story for another thread.

Edited November 15, 2010 by AndyC3J

[ffp20 14]

here another bitter pill: they'd also save a boat load of cash by cutting the number of cops and bring in unpaid or low paid reserve or auxiliary cops. Or better yet bring in the county sheriffs office and state police. (said with a hint of sarcasm)

[IzzyEng4 427]

Thanks Andy for the info.

Sarcasm there ffp20???? Not you, never!!! Hahahahaha!

[Alpinerunner 61]

here another bitter pill: they'd also save a boat load of cash by cutting the number of cops and bring in unpaid or low paid reserve or auxiliary cops. Or better yet bring in the county sheriffs office and state police. (said with a hint of sarcasm)

They would certainly save lots of money with County Sheriffs as there is no such thing in CT, haha.

[CTFF 65]

They would certainly save lots of money with County Sheriffs as there is no such thing in CT, haha.

The Middletown in the article is in NY, not CT's Middletown.

[antiquefirelt 994]

I don't think it's a matter of trust. It's the issue of small communities with major budget woes looking at every avenue possible to save money. That is what they're elected to do; they're not there to just rubber-stamp the budgets from their municipal departments.

It may be a bitter pill to swallow but this is the economic time that we're in.

My thought is that the FD needs the duty staff at the fireground on the initial call. The replacement truck will require one less firefighter to bring to the scene, reducing the immediate resources by one. No one expects rubber stamps, or shouldn't anyway, even in good times, but forcibly reducing staff by changing the apparatus against the better judgement of the people who run the FD, will only lead to more losses, hopefully only monetary. It appears they admit that the new proposed aerial will not be able to make the same spots as the tiller type, a significant tactical disadvantage, plus reducing staffing!

The bitter pill is that as the economy fails crime and fires go up, short changing those that protect the public is poor public policy.

[spin_the_wheel 460]

Is every unit staffed with 1 career driver? (Tiller with 2)

Are there any other paid F/F's?

[JetPhoto 626]

Middletown FD web site

[spin_the_wheel 460]

If its not about cutting 1 firefighter from the budget, it appears there are 2 Ladders and 2 Engines in the house. I understand Middletown is a very strong volunteer based FD, if this is the case would it be so out of the question to have the career staff man 1 Engine and 1 ladder. Split the 5 on duty HQ members between 2 rigs and have the Volunteers run the tiller and 1 Engine.

Now you are getting 1 and 1 to the scene with 5.

[16fire5 693]

here another bitter pill: they'd also save a boat load of cash by cutting the number of cops and bring in unpaid or low paid reserve or auxiliary cops. Or better yet bring in the county sheriffs office and state police. (said with a hint of sarcasm)

OCSO does not do road patrol.

[ace84 100]

OCSO does not do road patrol.

Actually the OCSO has an active road patrol. They run 911 calls and frequently supplement patrols in the cities of Middletown & Newburgh towns of Wallkill and Hamptonburgh

OCSO does not do road patrol.

CITY OF NEWBURGH — City police and Orange County sheriff’s deputies spent the toughest nights of October patrolling together.

http://www.recordonl...1109797/-1/NEWS

[AndyC3J 190]

Yes, one paid FF per apparatus, aside from the tiller's 2. Don't know how true this is, but there has been talk of eliminating the career guys from all but Central, and having vollies who are qualified to do so drive the other apparatus. Been a lot of driver training going on lately, and I don't think they've hired anyone new (don't hold me to that). Will be interesting to see how things work out.

As for "needing" a tiller......there's a reason why they kept the old Engine 6 as a spare, and not E-4. Shorter wheelbase. You do the math.

[Danger 160]

I don't think they've hired anyone new (don't hold me to that).

Hired a couple guys who recently completed their recruit training at Montour Falls