Bu-Plank-Trose

[Bnechis 3,961]

Does the cost per resident vary depending on the size of the district? I know Montrose FD's district is almost 13 square miles, so would the cost per resident be lower then other fire districts??

Its not based on area, its based on population.

FDNY is cheaper per capita than most depts in Westchester.

Yonkers is cheaper per capita than NR (even though there manning is better.

A few years back I looked at about 25 VFD's in Westchester and found that New Rochelle per capita cost were lower than all 25. This is the main reason consolidation is financially so effective. THe larger the population base the more you can spread the costs and the less each taxpayer pays.

[hudson144 150]

Interesting thoughts by all,if you look at Westchester County a "County Fire Dept" should have been established years ago with Firehouses positioned throughout the county with proper manning,zones,specialized apparatus etc. to be available. Fairfax County VA did this yrs ago. Can or could Westchester do this? Sounds like Westchester 2000 all over again. Duplication of services too include police services will always be here. As far as the Tri-village,don't see it happening other than joint responses or automatic mutual aid that they presently do now.

[Bnechis 3,961]

An AFA is alerting us to a potential FIRE, and should be treated as such. A MINIMUM of 2 engines and a truck should be sent, so I don't think an engine/truck/rescue response is overkill. Keep the Rescue back, send another engine instead.

AFA are a giant can of worms. Is it really a potential fire?

Like everything else we do, we need to do a risk analysis.

About 2 years ago I did one for my dept. and was a little surprised at what I found. Over a 25 year period we did over 36,000 AFA's. I removed any call were we also recieved an additional phone call or calls and we also did not count water flow alarms. Approximatly 8 were actual fires. Now from a risk benefit, what I also found was we were more likely to find a fire from driving down the road and spotting flames, than from an AFA. Also we had more actual working fires that occured while we were out at AFA's and a property without an AFA had a fire.

Also, what is the potential for an MVA while responding to the high number of AFA's

I also find it interesting that the Fire Service is in effect financially supporting the alarm industry. They advertise that they will protect you, but all they do is make a call. My annual contribution to ADT is 30% more than what my taxes that for Fire, Police & EMS. The only reason it is worth it to me, is my insurance company reduces my premium by the same amount as my ADT bill, so I'd be paying it anyway.

I am not saying we should not respond to AFA's or even let PD "check & advise" but should we respond to them the same way we respond to a reported fire?

[newsbuff 286]

Sorry NEWSBUFF, Next time I will take my time to see what I type to meet your standards.

I never insinuated that you should write to my standards... I posted simply because it wasn't a coherent sentence, and wanted a clarification.

As an active member/officer in one department and associate in the other two departments you are never going to kill tradition or break up a department.

And this is the issue that we are all facing, but when is enough, enough. One day, someone will realize to put their ego on the back seat, and do something that BENEFITS your TAXPAYERS. As a member of the fire district, and a firefighter, isn't your first priority(personal safety aside), to protect life, limb, and propery of the people that you serve?

Tradition can be a great thing, and it shouldn't go away. It's good for comraderie, and morale. But when it gets in the way of your main job, fire protection, that's when things need to change.

As for trying to make since(sense?) of quick response and your proper assignment for each alarm and not waiting to see what you have first before M/A is called in, then I can see something in the lines of working together to get the job done.

So this in essence is using your mutual aid, but why not have everything on one level of training, standards, and responses.(Consolidation)

Then it could come down to each department as whole trying to sit down and not over spend on excessive equipement that is not needed. Nothing works like a snap of a finger.

Edited November 18, 2011 by newsbuff

[BFD1054 1,552]

The first step in the right direction would be to dissolve the village. The Town of Cortlandt surrounds it on 3 sides, and its not like there would be a huge amount of new property to deal with.

The village has its own PD, public services, DPW, etc.

With the ToC covering a much larger area, I can't see the addition of 1 square mile to be an issue.

But everyone(politicians included) needs their kingdom.

Newsbuff...if the Village of Buchanan were to be disolved, I'd be out of a job. Soo, please be careful with comments like that.

Now, as for Bu-Plank-Trose; I have been pro consolidation for YEARS. Read any number of my posts in regard to thos very topic.

I'm typing on my Blackberry. But when I get in front of a computer, I will contribute more to this topic. Its something I feel strongly about.

[efdcapt115 1,511]

Newsbuff...if the Village of Buchanan were to be disolved, I'd be out of a job. Soo, please be careful with comments like that.

Now, as for Bu-Plank-Trose; I have been pro consolidation for YEARS. Read any number of my posts in regard to thos very topic.

I'm typing on my Blackberry. But when I get in front of a computer, I will contribute more to this topic. Its something I feel strongly about.

Mike,

If it were up to me, I'd form a committee of employees such as yourself, the people who know the inner workings of the municipalities, and task you with coming up with a consolidation plan. I'd bet you people could do a better job than any committee filled with political appointees, whose first priority would be to save the political appointment jobs, and put everybody else's @ss on the chopping block.

[mreis95 77]

You know who else needs to think about a merge is the Greenburgh FDs. (Fairview, Hartsdale, Greenville...)