Emergency Services Museum For Westchester

[thebreeze 194]

Money always has to come from somewhere, just because the government doesn't take it straight from the taxpayers hands and hand it to a museum desn't mean that the museum or the people running it aren't doing so at your expense. Almost all museums receive tax exemptions, revenue lost in one area has to be made up in another, and for a museum to run totally off of donations and be well off enough to really do a good job of showcasing whatever it covers, well that would be quite a lot of donations. Something that I don't think you are going to see in this economy, especially with such a specific audience who has an interest in something like an emergency services museum for just one county. The entirely unique exhibits of the Museum of Natural History draw millions of visitors from around the world every year from which to solicit donations, I don't think the Westchester County Emergency Services museum would have quite the same draw or donation pool.

As far of the Hall of Flame museum goes it is run by the National Historical Fire Foundation, its a museum that showcases the fire service on a national and even international level, it covers multiple continents not just one county so while they are funded mostly by donations, they have a fairly larger base to solicit from. Also its tax exempt, so again, not putting anything into the system, just taking from people who do.

Insofar as how your city chose to handle it, it seems the museum is going to be administrated by the Old Settlers Association which is, tax exempt. This good ol boys association, (founded to hold confederate soldiers reunions, and the only way to become a member is to be a direct descendant of someone who lived there before 1900), only has about 300 members so I don't think they operate on membership dues, and judging from their IRS filings it doesn't look like they run totally on donations either. In fact they seem to own a few trailer parks which they rent out space in, I am assuming to people who are not eligible to join their association. The money always comes from somewhere and right now noone in Westchester has any to give! So until some super Westchester buff wins the lotto and opens his own museum that he actually wants to share with the general publis, I think we are out of luck.

[ptwatson 82]

New York State Fallen Firefighters Memorial, Police Officers Memorial and EMS Memorial in Albany, NY, along with the names of every other brother and sister who died in the great State of New York doing a job they loved, protecting life and property.

True, their names are enscribed on these memorials. Their names are also on the memorial in front of 60 in Valhalla. But, do we know the history that goes along with their sacrafice. Maybe a little history of who they were etc. It would be nice to know how they gave their lives in that way it's just not a name.

[JBE 328]

Seth, you got defensive. I've been to most of those museums. And I have to agree with the opinions of the folks here. They aren't worth more than one or two trips. Last I remember, the LA County Museum is in a big garage out in Bellflower, as I was out there last year. Philadelphias is small, Bostons is tiny, the Hall of Flame was impressive to a point. With the economy being the way it is, a lot of people may not want to spend money out of their pockets, either through the dreaded taxes, or through donations. Maybe one day the display at 60 can be expanded into something larger and not rotated, but it's a question of money. One thing the NYC Fire Museum does is holds events, so that helps fund it. There are plenty of places where one can see the rich history of Firefighting and Emergency Medical Services. I'm just another guy on this site who disagrees with the idea that Westchester could use one at this time, or somewhere down the road.

[Bnechis 3,961]

True, their names are enscribed on these memorials. Their names are also on the memorial in front of 60 in Valhalla. But, do we know the history that goes along with their sacrafice. Maybe a little history of who they were etc. It would be nice to know how they gave their lives in that way it's just not a name.

Thier has been a huge battle over the criteria for Firefighter placement on the NYS Memorial. If you knew the details you would understand why.

It is hard to consider the worthyness of the wall criteria when some gave all while searching above the fire for a missing child and others in their late 80's with a major cardiac condition who coded while being arrested after ignoring a lawfull request to open a road for law enforcement.

The 1st is dishonored by considering the 2nd for the same honor.

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

Thier has been a huge battle over the criteria for Firefighter placement on the NYS Memorial. If you knew the details you would understand why.

It is hard to consider the worthyness of the wall criteria when some gave all while searching above the fire for a missing child and others in their late 80's with a major cardiac condition who coded while being arrested after ignoring a lawfull request to open a road for law enforcement.

The 1st is dishonored by considering the 2nd for the same honor.

Does it dishonor a US Army Ranger killed in a roll-over in country when an Army Reservist killed in a firefight is buried with the same honors?

By your logic, since the Army Ranger was not killed in combat, he should not be memorialized to the same degree that this comrade in arms should be?

What about the in-house member that has an MI in the station? Does he deserve the same honor as someone who has an MI on-call, on scene?

I am not trying to debate honors, memorialization etc, I would like to know where the line is that says you qualify as a LODD, you dont qualify is in your opinion.

Edited April 14, 2011 by bvfdjc316

[x635 4,066]

Well, if the general concensus is that a musuem is not needed, I hope documents and photos aren't thrown away, but donated to the Westchester County Records Archive as mentioned by Chris498.

And, if there is an artifact that a department feels should be given a good home, but they don't want it, they should try to find that good home.

History is not something that should be thrown away. And yes, when I win the lottery, I will be doing a few things for the Westchester emergency services community, and prove y'all wrong, lol.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Does it dishonor a US Army Ranger killed in a roll-over in country when an Army Reservist killed in a firefight is buried with the same honors?

By your logic, since the Army Ranger was not killed in combat, he should not be memorialized to the same degree that this comrade in arms should be?

What about the in-house member that has an MI in the station? Does he deserve the same honor as someone who has an MI on-call, on scene?

I am not trying to debate honors, memorialization etc, I would like to know where the line is that says you qualify as a LODD, you dont qualify is in your opinion.

As a veteran I can speak on this matter with a little more then just opinion...in logic..yes it does have a difference between dying in a roll over versus a firefight. Same as there are many of us who feel that getting LODD benefits and listed on a memorial when having a heart attack at a parade dishonors the system of those who make the "ultimate" sacrifice. There are differences and by your logic someone who dies in a training accident in the states would get the same honors and listed on a memorial for a conflict as the person who died in a roll over "in country" and those who were killed during active combat. I can even take it further in another format if we'd like to as I can take it to the extreme in order to try to reduce LODD's. Like if you don't have your seatbelt on and you die..you shouldn't get benefits as you'd statistically would be here if you had worn it.