Rockland chiefs honor their firefighters

[x635 4,066]

Good stuff. It's amazing how much different and how much stronger and more progressive the Rockland fire service is compared to Westchester. Also seems like they get along much better on both a local and countywide level.

Rockland chiefs honor their firefighters

11:29 PM, Mar. 19, 2011

Written by James O'Rourke

SPARKILL — Rockland's bravest gathered at the Sparkill Fire House on Saturday night to recognize the efforts of their finest volunteers.

FULL ARTICLE: http://www.lohud.com/article/20110320/NEWS03/103200379/Rockland-chiefs-honor-their-firefighters?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Frontpage

[efdcapt115 1,511]

Good stuff. It's amazing how much different and how much stronger and more progressive the Rockland fire service is compared to Westchester. Also seems like they get along much better on both a local and countywide level.

FULL ARTICLE: http://www.lohud.com/article/20110320/NEWS03/103200379/Rockland-chiefs-honor-their-firefighters?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Frontpage

Hi Seth,

Was wondering what you meant by Rockland Fire Service being "much stronger and more progressive <sic> compared to Westchester"? Are you basing that statement on this one article, or other information? If it's other info, maybe you could expand a bit on it? I'm curious to learn why you formed this opinion.

Thanks.

[x635 4,066]

Hi Seth,

Was wondering what you meant by Rockland Fire Service being "much stronger and more progressive <sic> compared to Westchester"? Are you basing that statement on this one article, or other information? If it's other info, maybe you could expand a bit on it? I'm curious to learn why you formed this opinion.

I've always had a positive view of the Rockland fire service, and this is just my personal viewpoint. Of course they have their drama and issues, but I just think that countywide, their fire service is run better.

My experience in Rockland has always been good. I took my Essentials of Firefighting in 1997 at Westchester Fire Training Center. The training center was falling apart at that time, and most of the training facilites and props were broken. That led me to take Initial Attack I & II, Ladder Company Operations, etc at Rockland's FTC. My experience with Rockland far surpassed Westchester at the time. I had, as one of the instructors, Jerry Knapp, who was excellent. They also had a flashover simulator. They also had trailers to bring fire service training directly to firehouses, a move Westchester put an end to several years ago. They also, at the time, offered far more courses then Westchester. Of course, Westchester Fire Training Center has progressed and gotten better, but at the time there was a vast difference.

Working in Empress EMS's tranport division in Rockland when it existed, I met and made numerous friends in the Rockland fire service. I also got to see it's EMS systems in action. This included a single countywide ALS provider, and many VAC's that were getting busy hiring EMT's- in 1997. Rockland also offered *countywide* ALS FAR before Westchester did.

And Gordon Wren seems to always be very proactive with the county side of the fire service. He seems to get the fire service there good publicity, and works to unite the Rockland Fire service, and not divide them.

The departments over there are very busy, yet don't seem to have the issues Westchester does with getting out with well trained and strong manpower. I have always been impressed.

[spin_the_wheel 460]

2 things, Rockland is a much smaller County, it's easier to keep a finger on the "pulse" of whats going on, and the demand for classes needed. The other thing it is an all Volunteer County, members see it as ONE fire service.

I have been on this site for years, forgot how or why I stumbled here, but there seems to be a lot of friction between career and Volunteer. Many in Westchester do not see it as one fire service. The posts speak for themselves at times.

[efdcapt115 1,511]

I have been on this site for years, forgot how or why I stumbled here, but there seems to be a lot of friction between career and Volunteer. Many in Westchester do not see it as one fire service. The posts speak for themselves at times.

There are many people on this site, both career and volunteer, who would disagree with your assessment of there being "a lot of friction between C&V." Most in Westchester do not see it as one fire service because it is not one fire service; Westchester is a complex County that runs the gamut of fully career cities in the south, to combination departments in between, and fully volunteer in the north.

There are many disagreements, and certainly training standards would qualify for being one of the areas of most disagreement; but blanket statements such as yours, coming from outside the County, are at the very least, counterproductive.

[spin_the_wheel 460]

You are right my views come from what I see here and from the freinds I have made from Westchester ,due to this site. I am an outsider and I really dont know what is going on. But I do think it is eaiser for Rockland to unite more as one due to the fact it is all Volunteer. Sorry if I mispoke or pissed anyone off...really. be safe all.

[res6cue 67]

I really ought to know better than to keep this thread alive, but I just can't resist chiming in with my semi-annual post.

First of all, Rockland has its fair share of drama and BS, just like everywhere else. The grass is always greener from the outside looking in. Let's get that clear right up front.

Rockland is a small, tight knit county and fire service community, always has been. Part of that is due to the fact that the county's entire fire service is 100% volunteer going back 177 years and counting. Another part of that is due to geography, namely the mountains and Harriman/Bear Mountain parks running the entire western and northern borders, the river running the entire eastern border, and another state running the entire southern border. Of the 9,000 or so annual fire calls, very few of those are interaction with out of county depts (going or coming).

The RCFTC is a nice facility, and has always been very progressive in making sure the latest and greatest techniques and props are available. The flashover simulator that was installed in the early 90s is a good example of that, it was one of the first in the entire US. I remember depts coming from hundreds of miles away to train in it. It also helps to have so many FDNY brothers as volunteers and instructors in the county, and some damn fine men at that. While most people these days only know the name Andy Fredericks, the tradition of FDNY men among Rockland's ranks goes back a hundred years or more. Many of the fire companies in the county have FDNY men listed as charter members. That tradition continues to this day, with many of those volunteering FDNY brothers working in elite squad and rescue companies in the city.

I'm sure there are other factors that contribute to Seth's perception. He mentioned Rockland Paramedic Services, which as someone who started out in Spring Hill EMS 21 years ago, I can attest to how much it meant to have a single ALS provider operating in the county. Back when I started, it was the Good Samaritan Hospital medics, and Nyack Hospital medics. They eventually merged to become what is now RPS. There were various ALS services in Haverstraw/Stony Point throughout the years, such as Mobile Life, Empress, and actually too many for me to even remember. Those two towns are now covered by Rockland Mobile Care, which is RPS for all intents and purposes. They run a Type II up there instead of the usual fly car because one or both of the towns requires the ALS provider to have emergency transport capability.

Well anyways, discussing EMS is getting off topic, since only one fire dept in the county, Piermont, runs EMS calls. That might be another reason the fire service is so tight knit, the fact that it still is a FIRE service, and hasn't been torn apart by outside distractions. 9,000 annual runs, only 179 of them Piermont's ambulance going on BLS runs.

The county Volunteer Firefighters Association is a strong organization that does it's share to keep morale up among the 42 fire companies that make up the 26 depts. I cannot remember a time when the annual county parade didn't have 100% attendance from all 42 companies. It's almost unfathomable to think a company ever would miss that parade.

That's just my 2 cents, from a guy on the inside looking out.