WCDES Scene Support Trailers?

[billfitz 109]

What are They? How does one request them? What is the response time? and who responds with them? ??????????????????

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

What are They? How does one request them? What is the response time? and who responds with them? ??????????????????

Chief, I have been asking that question since this summer and no one I talk to has a clue (at least none of the instructors at the WCFTC seem to let on if they do know something).

EDIT: Just saw your other post Chief, and thank you, my post above still holds.

Edited February 17, 2011 by bvfdjc316

[velcroMedic1987 330]

The county and other places has spent oodles of grant money on equipment and toys and big vehicles that they can't staff.

And because they cant staff them they dont like to talk about them. Youd think theyd be out there parading these resources around but because they have no plan to staff them and deploy them when they're needed its embarrassing to them.

And because the four cities that account for most of the population dont need a lot of help and try to hold the county accountable, the County doesnt want to get caught claiming to have resources that it doesnt really have when one of the cities needs them.

And as a political appointee the boss there has to tread lightly or face the unemployment line.

Try calling your legislator and ask them what these trailers can do. DES has to answer to them.

[Dinosaur 844]

LOL, this is a good one...

[PEMO3 523]

It is a shame that resources that should be well publicized so agencies know what is available are not but I guess everyone is hitting the nail on the head: These resources are not available. They look pretty, collect dust and even had tons of money spent to build a massive garage and lot to house them.

[TimesUp 148]

There has been lots of money spent at wcdes. This money could of been better spent by a fire department that actually responds to emergency's.

Edited February 17, 2011 by ltrob

[Jybehofd 85]

I have been down there alot lately and have seen trucks and stuff that looks brand new too... there is a scene support truck too? looks like a 10 wheeled modified box truck with a 4 person cab... i can't say for sure i didn't take a really good luck at it... but it would be nice to know what is there if we need it... why can't the tech rescue guys or hazmat guys staff it as a volunteer thing? just get it there type of thing?

[WCFCX613 6]

' I have been down there alot lately and have seen trucks and stuff that looks brand new too... there is a scene support truck too? looks like a 10 wheeled modified box truck with a 4 person cab... i can't say for sure i didn't take a really good luck at it... but it would be nice to know what is there if we need it... why can't the tech rescue guys or hazmat guys staff it as a volunteer thing? just get it there type of thing ? '

Letter To Legislators Burrows, Burton, Harckman, Myers, Nonna, Rogowsky, Ryan ;

As A Member Of The Public Safety & Security Committee I'd Like You To Be Aware That An Enormous Amount Of Federal Funds And Taxpayer Dollars ( Millions + ) Were Spent On Vehicles For Westchester County DES At Grasslands Reservation And MOST Of These Are Housed In A Special Garage Collecting Dust Because They Can NOT Be Manned Or Were NOT Needed. Numerous Attempts By Fire Service Personnel To Inquire How These Vehicles Can Be Special Called And/Or Utilized Were Met With SILENCE. This Is A Misuse Of Taxpayer $$$$ And Federal Funds And Someone Should Be Held Accountable For This Horse & Pony Show Before The Media Is Involved In An In-Depth Investigation. i.e. 1) A Field Communications Unit And Paid Lieutenant That ONLY Appear At Parades And Public Safety Expos Rather Than Responding To Major Fires, Etc. 2) Scene Support Trailers That Have Been Parked For 6+ Months And NO ONE Can Explain Their Purpose. 3) Collapse Rescue & Support Vehicles That Haven't Logged 500 Miles Since Being Purchased From A Long Island Fire Department.

http://www.westchesterlegislators.com

[wraftery 1,275]

What are They? How does one request them? What is the response time? and who responds with them? ??????????????????

Billfitz makes a maajor statement he He doesn't know re. Why would an IC call for these resources if

1 He doesn't know if they exist or is it rumor

2 He doesn't know what types they are or what they carry

3 He doesn't know How to ask for one

4 He doesn't know response time

5 He doesn't know manning or skill level of responders

If he did call for one of these resources, he is very likely, when it gets to the scene, to find out that it is not what he needed and the situation status has worsened in the meantime.

If you were an IC, would you call for something this questionable?

I would go for a sure thing as opposed to a guess.

[Anesti 329]

That ONLY Appear At Parades And Public Safety Expos Rather Than Responding To Major Fires, Etc.

#1 is a lie i havent seen it at a parade. . Now i havent been to many wc fires, but i saw it at the white plains multi alarm fire.

[PEMO3 523]

The silence by those who know what these trailers contain or don't contain is deafening and in a sense speaks volumes.

[x635 4,066]

While at the Firehouse Central Expo in Dallas, TX this past September, I was told by a manufacturers rep that Westhester County had one of these on order, POSSIBLY part of a regional grant (meaning Nassau, etc are getting one as well). Don't know if that materialized or not.

[PFDRes47cue 653]

I saw the Collapse Rig once when it was dispatched to help shore up a house. It took a long time to get there because they drove up and down a street in the wrong town due to being lost. I guess they don't have county radios that they can use to contact 60 for directions, or a phone to landline 60, or perhaps a GPS!!!

[61MACKBR1 222]

If it is true that WCDES is appropriating another "Large Response Vehicle" one would wonder whether or not "Regionalization" of services throughout Westchester County is on the horizon? Thus, all of these pieces of apparatus and equipment, that "could" be better utilized (in the eyes of some) and "might" be better distributed, in cases of large emergency situations. Again, look at Balitmore County (MD) and Gwinnett County (GA) and how they have successfully managed a "Regional Fire/EMS Service" with Cities, Townships and Villages similiar in sizes to Yonkers, Elmsford, Valhalla, Eastchester, New Rochelle, Irvington, etc, etc). Allot of obsticles to overcome (both Logistical and Political), but it "could" be possible.

While at the Firehouse Central Expo in Dallas, TX this past September, I was told by a manufacturers rep that Westhester County had one of these on order, POSSIBLY part of a regional grant (meaning Nassau, etc are getting one as well). Don't know if that materialized or not.

Edited February 18, 2011 by 61MACKBR1

[JM15 386]

I saw the Collapse Rig once when it was dispatched to help shore up a house. It took a long time to get there because they drove up and down a street in the wrong town due to being lost. I guess they don't have county radios that they can use to contact 60 for directions, or a phone to landline 60, or perhaps a GPS!!!

When was this?

[PFDRes47cue 653]

When was this?

Towards the end of the summer I believe. It was the first time I saw the Collapse Rig in action.

[Tanker 10eng 140]

Towards the end of the summer I believe. It was the first time I saw the Collapse Rig in action.

can you let us know what town this was in ??? and something more then end of summer? your making a claim with no real facts, sounds more like hear say... care to back this up ?

[firedude 985]

If I remember correctly, recently the Technical Rescue Team responed somewhere in Northern Westchester. They used R77 and U77. Members responded to the sceene and to the rig. The only reason they got there without being lost, was because car 2001 gave them directions.

Also, when was the last time Field Comm was used?

Edited February 18, 2011 by firedude

[PFDRes47cue 653]

can you let us know what town this was in ??? and something more then end of summer? your making a claim with no real facts, sounds more like hear say... care to back this up ?

Absolutely!

I was sitting Gordos Restuarant in Hawthrone, NY after a monthly meeting (which means that this was the second Thursday of a month this summer) At approximately 21:00 hours I heard sirens that sounded to be approaching Gordos from the south. I turned around in my chair and positioned myself to be able to se out the window (as did the other emergency service personnel that I was eating with). We then observed a Westchester County rig pass by Gordos traveling north bound from Elwood Ave to Commerce St. I believe that this was the Collapse unit (We believe this is what we read on the side of the rig). Approximately 4 minutes later, we heard sirens approaching Gordos once again. However, this time they were coming from the north. We once again positioned ourselves to see out the windows facing Commerce St. We then noticed the same exact truck passing by us again! This time instead of going back onto Elwood Ave, they continued to the left (up the hill) on Commerce St.

I ten asked around and someone said that a department had unstable house due to (If I remember correctly) a car going into the house. The Collapse unit was requested to assist in shoring up the house. I believe this call was in Valhalla and the direction of travel taken by the rig supports this.

Require further? Hopefully not, I think that is all I have.

P.S. You should jump on the case of the poster directly before this one. Sounds like another case of hear say...

ATTENTION: Gordos is a great place to eat and/or enjoy a drink or two. The employees are GREAT and so is the food! I highly recommend it.

Edited February 18, 2011 by PFDRes47cue

[Tanker 10eng 140]

yeah, there to... the recent call was not Northern Westchester, but in Putnam County.... try finding anything in Putn am Valley.... alot of small back roads which goes on for ever ... did 2001 give directions ?? maybe ?? whats the big deal? ( I have heard many agencies give directions to units ) I was in the back of R77 and we got to the job with out a problem... and yes the GPS in the cab was on and working...

as for the " Hawthrone call " if it was the TRT call, it was allot colder then summer, because I was complaining about how thin the gear was, as I was freezing... maybe it was late winter ? Again, I was in the back of the rig, but from what I was told we were redirected to the scene by the IC... so did the rig go down the street and come back maybe ? but there are better reasons then they were lost... You can go to any Dept, and see the same thing... PD, FD or EMS..

I remember plenty of times responding to calls in CFD, and making a wrong turn or not going the way the IC wants and having to " recalculate "... the King's college fire - E 119 responded to one gate of the complex, as ordered, only to turn around and head out to another entrance, back down the same road we just went code 1 to... so lets not assume they are clueless, until you know the full story..

[billfitz 109]

While at the Firehouse Central Expo in Dallas, TX this past September, I was told by a manufacturers rep that Westhester County had one of these on order, POSSIBLY part of a regional grant (meaning Nassau, etc are getting one as well). Don't know if that materialized or not.

The NYC Urban Area Work Group (which includes NYC, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Yonkers, PA of NY & NJ) about two years ago had all members agree to purchase a medical evacuation vehicle - (similar to a plan in Northern NJ) - the idea was to buy identical vehicles which would be operated locally but be available regionally - each partner agreeing to buy at least one & NYC buying a few. The spec has not gone out to bid yet but should soon. I don't see the vehicles being delivered for some time yet.

[PFDRes47cue 653]

yeah, there to... the recent call was not Northern Westchester, but in Putnam County.... try finding anything in Putn am Valley.... alot of small back roads which goes on for ever ... did 2001 give directions ?? maybe ?? whats the big deal? ( I have heard many agencies give directions to units ) I was in the back of R77 and we got to the job with out a problem... and yes the GPS in the cab was on and working...

as for the " Hawthrone call " if it was the TRT call, it was allot colder then summer, because I was complaining about how thin the gear was, as I was freezing... maybe it was late winter ? Again, I was in the back of the rig, but from what I was told we were redirected to the scene by the IC... so did the rig go down the street and come back maybe ? but there are better reasons then they were lost... You can go to any Dept, and see the same thing... PD, FD or EMS..

I remember plenty of times responding to calls in CFD, and making a wrong turn or not going the way the IC wants and having to " recalculate "... the King's college fire - E 119 responded to one gate of the complex, as ordered, only to turn around and head out to another entrance, back down the same road we just went code 1 to... so lets not assume they are clueless, until you know the full story..

I was not trying to attack or point fingers at the work the County does. I did not say you guys are idiots or suck at directions or anything along those lines. I was simply bringing up an incident in which I saw them out and about. This is a thread about them not being out and about so I was mentioning an instance when they were. I was not assuming they were clueless, I was saying that I saw them go code on down one road and then back the same way apparently missing the sharp right turn which FYI lots and lots of people do!

You can not know the full story until you bring it up in threads such as this and people fill you in or elaborate on them. That is the purpose of sharing knowledge, correct?

I think we are referring to different events. I was speaking of an event that I believe was in Valhalla not Hawthorne. Also I do not believe it could have been late winter when I saw the rig because I am not away at school during that time frame. Either way, as I said, I have seen the truck out...thats all.

As far as freezing, try the North County! (Just kidding)

Does TRT go to collapse calls? Is the Tech Rescue truck the same as the collapse unit? Meaning same rig?

Edited February 18, 2011 by PFDRes47cue

[X2321 133]

Dec. 27, 2009 Stevens Ave Valhalla Car into a house.

[PFDRes47cue 653]

Dec. 27, 2009 Stevens Ave Valhalla Car into a house.

Ahh thanks! Early winter means I had just gotten home from school. It all makes sense now.

Edited February 18, 2011 by PFDRes47cue

[Tanker 10eng 140]

This is also the call I am referring too

[moggie6 54]

The same thing is a foot in Dutchess County as well. Only a select few know of the special equipment at the county.

[PEMO3 523]

Tanker 10eng since you appear to be part of the county team and apparently in the know, maybe you could shed some light on the equipment that has created all the speculation here, specifically the Scene Support Trailers. What do they contain? What is their intended use aside from dust collection? and Who are they for? are some of the questions asked so far. It seems that the answers are classified and require the use of a secret decoder ring to obtain.

[NJMedic 96]

The NYC Urban Area Work Group (which includes NYC, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Yonkers, PA of NY & NJ) about two years ago had all members agree to purchase a medical evacuation vehicle - (similar to a plan in Northern NJ) - the idea was to buy identical vehicles which would be operated locally but be available regionally - each partner agreeing to buy at least one & NYC buying a few. The spec has not gone out to bid yet but should soon. I don't see the vehicles being delivered for some time yet.

Here in NJ what have several special resources obtained thru our UASI group. The Regional Catastrophic Planning Group is a separate has a much wider view and includes NYC, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Pike County, PA, and several counties in Conn hugging the NYS line. They do more planning then money providing. One of the projects in a evacuation of NYC, hence Pike County, PA (Rt 80).

The NJ UASI has provided seven counties in NJ with specialized resources for police, fire, EMS, public health, haz mat, and hospitals. This includes the formation of rapid deployment forces for each county, SWAT vehicles, and specialized training for law enforcement; the fire service has several career departments that are equipped with large rescue trucks as part of the Metro USAR Strike Force, foam tenders, 12 inch hose and Neptune pumping systems, fire boats for Jersey City, Newark, and Perth Amboy, and training. For EMS they have provided seven Mass Casualty Response Units, staging trailers, MCI trailers, ASAP mini ambulances, logistics units, and planners for certain regions. We are currently having 9 medical ambulance buses built for the region.

All these resources are used on every day events. Even though the resources are known about there are several departments that will not call for them, thinking they can do everything on their own or be put into the position of having to call for help.

[NJMedic 96]

If I'm thinking of the same vehicle the scene support truck (Big box truck with a tailift assembly?) carries a number of tent shelters, HVAC and generators provided by a company called Western Shelter. This same company provides tents for the Federal USAR teams, DMATs, and FEMA as a whole. Its the same system we use in NJ. If this is the same truck you will not see it on the road everyday. These tents are usually used for the BIG ONE. A building collapse, mass pandemic or hospital failure, large scale flooding, etc.

[JohnnyOV 2]

Tanker 10eng since you appear to be part of the county team and apparently in the know, maybe you could shed some light on the equipment that has created all the speculation here, specifically the Scene Support Trailers. What do they contain? What is their intended use aside from dust collection? and Who are they for? are some of the questions asked so far. It seems that the answers are classified and require the use of a secret decoder ring to obtain.

It's quite possible there is nothing in them... just speculation. If there was any equipment in there, it should be public knowledge since it was purchased with grant money. Why doesn't someone submit a FOIL request if the county is being so secretive about it?