Is This For Real? (Somers Commissioner Election)

[helicopper 1,050]

Just to be fair...

Another candidate's site:

http://www.vote4arena1214.com

I don't believe the third candidate has a site.

I can't comment on any claims made on either site nor do I endorse any candidate. Simply posting FYI.

Thank your for posting the link to the other website. Just to clarify, EMTBravo is not endorsing any candidate in this election. A member posted a question about the statements made by one candidate and that's it.

EMTBravo is reviewing the issue and will remove any post/thread considered "advertising" or political endorsements pending a formal policy regarding this.

[efdcapt115 1,511]

Most here realize I'm posting from Florida. I have no ties, no connections, nothing, to the Somers Fire District. What I do have is experience in a system that had it's own dispatching room for many decades, including the first 6-8 years of my career. We followed New Rochelle in the move to 60-Control dispatching after a consultant report was done on our district. The recommendation to move to 60-Control was done because the district was looking for ways to maximize our career staff out in the field, without adding positions.

Our union was against the idea initially, because our own dispatch position had a value to our membership; if one of us became injured or sick and was unable to perform on the fireground, being able to slide them into the dispatch position could potentially keep them employed. Losing that was THE major drawback to going to 60-Control dispatch.

Aside from that, the initial problems with start-up of 60-Control dispatching our department, were the common ones to be expected. They included a lack of knowledge of the district, that only our experienced firefighters with years working in the district could possibly have.

As the months turned into years, the initial problems with moving to 60-Control dispatch were addressed as they arose, and corrected. The system began to function rather smoothly. I do not recall any of the issues with the move to 60-Control involving any sort of life hazard, or serious dysfunction of the system that caused a serious problem to become worse.

One thing I can attest to is that 60-Control NEVER "LOST" a call for help within our district. We had some storms where we ran 30+ alarms in a day tour (before we went to 24 hour shifts) and probably 50-60 alarms in a 24 hour period. They would get backed up as our company availability would go to zero with all units tied up at alarms.

When I found myself in the position of doing tour command during one of these multiple call days, I simply kept track of the units and a rundown of alarms. As units became available I had them all go 10-8 to headquarters, and as 60-Control delivered more alarms, the 10-8 units would pick them up as available.

This would lead to L-17 responding way deep into L-16 first due, and all the engine companies would be responding into others' first due; from headquarters.

It worked out great.

And 60-control NEVER lost an alarm, or any call for our service anywhere.

That's my experience with the change-over from self-dispatch to 60-Control dispatch. It can be done.

[wraftery 1,275]

If you are giong to switch to 60 Control,you can't expect POOF!, 60 has hydrant maps...POOF, 60 can open our firehouse doors. It's not a macic act. You have to do some work on your part to get these capabilities. If you want 60 to give out hydrant info, for example, you have to at least give 60 your GIS hydrant overlay in a compatable format. If you don't have an overlay,, worst case scenario is that you have to get some GIS equipment and go hydrant to hydrant to create an overlay. Want CIDS? Start gathering building info.

Two proverbs apply here:

1. GIGO Garbage in...garbage out

2. There ain't no free lunch

[Alpinerunner 61]

Just to be fair...

Another candidate's site:

http://www.vote4arena1214.com

I don't believe the third candidate has a site.

I can't comment on any claims made on either site nor do I endorse any candidate. Simply posting FYI.

From a personal, unaffiliated standpoint, I like Arena's ideas and website better. He goes much deeper into the issues and it actually sounds logical.

However, 60 Control, get on that MDT dispatching! I volunteer in a department with it, and since I joined, we have always had it and I can't imagine life without it!

[38ff 250]

I can only imagine what Walter would of said about this when he was dispatching for KEC-625 back in the 90's.....

[Dinosaur 844]

Thats not mutual aid, thats an open agreement for coverage in consideration of billing. Nothing wrong with it, just call it what it is.

Amen, brother. They call it "mutual aid" when it is really more of contract for back-up service.

Somers pays WEMS more than 1/2 a million bucks a year to staff their first ambulance and dispatch them from their own facility. Since Somers is a political subdivision did they bid this out or just give the contract with WEMS?

Does WEMS a private for-profit business pay for the space they use at the district? Why are Somers taxpayers underwriting their operation?

Didn't Mohegan split their EMS operation from the FD and create a VAC that can now bill for service? Why doesn't Somers do the same thing? Then users of the system can subsidize it instead of just their local residents. How many accidents does Somers go to on 684 or other roads that involve non residents?

The whole dispatch thing makes no sense at all. 60-Control could dispatch Somers in a heartbeat. They dispatch tons of busier agencies. Its like Somers wants to be its own private little empire.

Does the WEMS crew at Somers go out of the district on mutual aid if that's the first call?

[Ga-Lin 86]

Amen, brother. They call it "mutual aid" when it is really more of contract for back-up service.

Somers pays WEMS more than 1/2 a million bucks a year to staff their first ambulance and dispatch them from their own facility. Since Somers is a political subdivision did they bid this out or just give the contract with WEMS?

Does WEMS a private for-profit business pay for the space they use at the district? Why are Somers taxpayers underwriting their operation?

Didn't Mohegan split their EMS operation from the FD and create a VAC that can now bill for service? Why doesn't Somers do the same thing? Then users of the system can subsidize it instead of just their local residents. How many accidents does Somers go to on 684 or other roads that involve non residents?

The whole dispatch thing makes no sense at all. 60-Control could dispatch Somers in a heartbeat. They dispatch tons of busier agencies. Its like Somers wants to be its own private little empire.

Does the WEMS crew at Somers go out of the district on mutual aid if that's the first call?

Not arguing with anything you said except WEMS is an excempt not for profit organization.

[mreis95 77]

Somers doesn't cover the interstate. I remember reading something saying the paid crew does not go out of district it is soley for those within the district.

[velcroMedic1987 330]

Somers doesn't cover the interstate. I remember reading something saying the paid crew does not go out of district it is soley for those within the district.

None of 684 runs through Somers or the Somers FD doesn't respond to it?

[Remember585 815]

None of 684 runs through Somers or the Somers FD doesn't respond to it?

Both.

[JM15 386]

Somers does not respond to 684 (unless mutual aid) The Paid crew does not respond on mutual aid calls and the volunteers are paged out to respond.

[mreis95 77]

I meant nor and didnt mean ?. My bad yesterday was a long day.

[PCFD ENG58 1,085]

What do you mean "lost in the shuffle"?

60-Control, and many other large regional dispatch centers handle multiple major incidents and high volume without any adverse outcomes. If you think that they'll somehow lose your call, I'd be very surprised to learn of that ever happening (at least in recent history - to cling to isolated incidents from 10-20-30 years ago would be unfair).

Yes it does Happen ! to me as I gave a call to 60 control via a house phone call that I recieved at the watch desk. It was NEVER DISPATCHED and yes it was very busy but that is no excuese!

[helicopper 1,050]

Yes it does Happen ! to me as I gave a call to 60 control via a house phone call that I recieved at the watch desk. It was NEVER DISPATCHED and yes it was very busy but that is no excuese!

Recently?

I'm guessing that your department addressed it with 60-Control and it was an isolated incident, right?

[newsbuff 286]

The same could be said about the major ice storm that the region encountered earlier this year. My friend's department responded on over 100 calls(FD+EMS) throughout the day. They were receiving calls at HQ from motorists involved in MVA's that said, "We called 911 and got a busy signal." Fortunately they have dispatching capabilities and were able to handle these calls in a timely fashion. Now I do understand this is an extreme circumstance, but these things do arise. So to say that a call is never lost, is wrong.

Edited December 8, 2010 by newsbuff

[Dudley 7]

Motorists calling 911 from a cell phone are initailly connected to a NYS Police dispatcher- not 60 Control.

[Goose 188]

All of these "issues" could have been solved years ago if the county had the authority to mandate everyone go to 60 control dispatching. That would justify modernization of equipment, expansion of capabilities and proper staffing. Having you're own dispatching center just compounds the fragmentation and makes the problem worse in the long run. Westchester just doesn't seem to get it...we are so far behind the 8 ball as compared to the rest of the country (hell, even the tri-state area) it's only a matter of time before all of this blows up in our face...

Edited December 8, 2010 by Goose

[JM15 386]

While I could see this happening in extreme situations I don't see this being the norm.

[PCFD ENG58 1,085]

Recently?

I'm guessing that your department addressed it with 60-Control and it was an isolated incident, right?

Don't know because I was not asked about it again ?

[corporal 6]

What do you mean "lost in the shuffle"?

60-Control, and many other large regional dispatch centers handle multiple major incidents and high volume without any adverse outcomes. If you think that they'll somehow lose your call, I'd be very surprised to learn of that ever happening (at least in recent history - to cling to isolated incidents from 10-20-30 years ago would be unfair).

i am refuring to a call i was at over the summer when an VAC requested 60 to page out for another crew to respond and were told their request was acnolaged but they were to busy. you know somerthing like that.

[Bart 0]

It might be of interest to see what Pilla's opponent says about his accomplishments http://www.vote4arena1214.com/svfd/Paid_Staff.html

Edited December 10, 2010 by Bart