Busy day in Troy, NY, 3 seperate fires

[JackEMT 77]

Busy night in Troy, fighting three seperate fires this morning: http://www.news10.com/story/16513452/three-fires-ignite-throughout-troy

[nysff 18]

Troy actually responded to all four fires last night. Watervliet has auto aid with Troy on all working fires. Troy Engine 4 was sent to Watervliet, which is short on the normal auto aid response of 1 engine, the rescue squad and medic 4.

Times Union

[JackEMT 77]

What does Watervliet have for manpower? I thought they were a pretty small dept. 1-2 engines and an ambulance? I see they called Albany, do they call them before say Cohoes, or since they pull Watervliet and Green Island, they don't want to strip Cohoes too?

[nysff 18]

What does Watervliet have for manpower? I thought they were a pretty small dept. 1-2 engines and an ambulance? I see they called Albany, do they call them before say Cohoes, or since they pull Watervliet and Green Island, they don't want to strip Cohoes too?

Watervliet runs with 7 or 8 per shift. They staff 1 primary engine, 1 tower, and 1 als ambulance with recall shifts staffing a reserve ambulance and reserve engine, plus they have a utility truck (formally Medic 1).

Troy called Albany in for a cover assignment for a truck company. Troy also had Green Island covering at Troy Station 3 and Colonie EMS with an ALS ambulance at Central Station plus recall members staffing reserve engines. Cohoes usually is not the first call into Troy for M/A due to what I can best describe as an argument years ago. Cohoes will go over on occasion and cover Troy station 1 in Lansingburgh (North Troy), but Cohoes only staff 2 man engine companies. When they go they take a man off Ladder 1 so there is an extended response time, although it is only 3-5 minutes delay.

Watervliet has been calling Cohoes on all working fires since they started a consolidation study about two years ago. Again, Cohoes has to shuffle some manpower around to provide a three man company. Watervliet also has the Watervliet Arsenal FD on the fire box as a FAST, however they are always put to work, leaving no dedicated FAST.

[th1 1]

Watervliet Cohoes and Green Island all respond on the 1st alarm unless told to back down. Watervliet also covers green island with its ambulance service. And recently Cohoes has been going to the scene of fires in the Lansingburgh section of Troy. And It takes green Island about 3-5 minutes to get a crew together for mutual aid because they only run with 2-3 men a shift

Edited January 13, 2012 by th1

[BFD1054 1,552]

Watervliet runs with 7 or 8 per shift. They staff 1 primary engine, 1 tower, and 1 als ambulance with recall shifts staffing a reserve ambulance and reserve engine, plus they have a utility truck (formally Medic 1).

Troy called Albany in for a cover assignment for a truck company. Troy also had Green Island covering at Troy Station 3 and Colonie EMS with an ALS ambulance at Central Station plus recall members staffing reserve engines. Cohoes usually is not the first call into Troy for M/A due to what I can best describe as an argument years ago. Cohoes will go over on occasion and cover Troy station 1 in Lansingburgh (North Troy), but Cohoes only staff 2 man engine companies. When they go they take a man off Ladder 1 so there is an extended response time, although it is only 3-5 minutes delay.

Watervliet has been calling Cohoes on all working fires since they started a consolidation study about two years ago. Again, Cohoes has to shuffle some manpower around to provide a three man company. Watervliet also has the Watervliet Arsenal FD on the fire box as a FAST, however they are always put to work, leaving no dedicated FAST.

I spend a fair ammount of time in the Capital District, but know very little about the local fire services.

Obviously, Albany is the biggest, best-staffed of them all.

However, i know that the other smaller FDs have minimal staffing. I had read about the consolidation study between Cohoes and Watervliet and thought it was a positive step.

Now, the Watervliet Arsenal FD is a federal one, correct? I know that they provide mutual-aid, but i dont know much about their staffing levels.

I guess i didnt realize how minimal the staffing was in Cohoes, Watervliet and Green Island.

nysff...you seem to be the best source for Capital area FD topics. So, ill throw this question at you if ya dont mind. Would/could it be feasible for Cohoes, Watervliet and Green Island to create some sort of merger/consolidation?

Again, i dont know a whole lot about the area in regards to response areas and distance between districts.

[nysff 18]

I spend a fair ammount of time in the Capital District, but know very little about the local fire services.

Obviously, Albany is the biggest, best-staffed of them all.

However, i know that the other smaller FDs have minimal staffing. I had read about the consolidation study between Cohoes and Watervliet and thought it was a positive step.

Now, the Watervliet Arsenal FD is a federal one, correct? I know that they provide mutual-aid, but i dont know much about their staffing levels.

I guess i didnt realize how minimal the staffing was in Cohoes, Watervliet and Green Island.

nysff...you seem to be the best source for Capital area FD topics. So, ill throw this question at you if ya dont mind. Would/could it be feasible for Cohoes, Watervliet and Green Island to create some sort of merger/consolidation?

Again, i dont know a whole lot about the area in regards to response areas and distance between districts.

Obviously there was interest in a merger/ consolidation or else the study would not have happened. Green island was not part of the study, nor was the Maplewood Fire Protection District that separates Watervliet and Cohoes. Green island's mayor wants to remain independent. The green island fd is staffed by 6 full time firefighters including the chief and assistant chief witht the remainder being call men. Watervliet provides the ambulance and ladder to Green Island so they run in the village around 2 times a day, sometimes more. The study has not gone anywhere as far as I know. The Cohoes union had issues with the study as they would be downsized with the recommendations.

Back in the late 90's there were talks of Troy and Watervliet merging, but that would be a nightmare as the two cities are in separate counties. Ironically, Watervliet was at one time the largest town in the state, comprising all of Albany County back in the 1800's and whatis currently the city of Watervliet was known as the Village of West Troy. That town fell apart in 1898 when the Town of Colonie ceded from Watervliet and green island formed their own town to maintain their own village . Now there are 12 independent fire departments covering Colonie, 1 in green island and1 in Watervliet.

[BFD1054 1,552]

Obviously there was interest in a merger/ consolidation or else the study would not have happened. Green island was not part of the study, nor was the Maplewood Fire Protection District that separates Watervliet and Cohoes. Green island's mayor wants to remain independent. The green island fd is staffed by 6 full time firefighters including the chief and assistant chief witht the remainder being call men. Watervliet provides the ambulance and ladder to Green Island so they run in the village around 2 times a day, sometimes more. The study has not gone anywhere as far as I know. The Cohoes union had issues with the study as they would be downsized with the recommendations.

Back in the late 90's there were talks of Troy and Watervliet merging, but that would be a nightmare as the two cities are in separate counties. Ironically, Watervliet was at one time the largest town in the state, comprising all of Albany County back in the 1800's and whatis currently the city of Watervliet was known as the Village of West Troy. That town fell apart in 1898 when the Town of Colonie ceded from Watervliet and green island formed their own town to maintain their own village . Now there are 12 independent fire departments covering Colonie, 1 in green island and1 in Watervliet.

Im aware that there wouldnt have been a study if there wasnt interest lol. The study was based on just Cohoes and Watervliet though.

My question was more toward the merger of those 3 departments and if it was thought of or even feasible.

To be honest, i know nothing of the Maplewood FD. Are they career, volunteer or combo?

You said that they run mutual-aid and some automatic m/a already, which is good. Thats why i was curious if it'd be feasible to merge and share resources and personnel even further.

I cant blame Cohoes Local for be against it if it were to reduce staffing, as its already low.

Thanks for sharing some history of the area. Crazy to know that Watervliet was at one time the largest Town in the State!

[th1 1]

Maplewood is a town of colonie volunteer fire dept. At this time the mayors of watervliet and cohoes are not sure what they wanna do yet as a merger. If they do merge a station in cohoes would have to shut down (cohoes has 3 stations). the mayor of cohoes is afraid that might hurt response times in the city.

In my honest opinion and thats all it is.

The mutual aid agreement between Watervliet, Green Island, and Cohoes works great. If one city gets a call for a fire as their depts being dispatched so is the other 2 depts. It gets the fires out more quickly and helps reduce the number of fire fighter injuries.

And Watervliet and Green Island just shared the cost of a arial truck for use in both the city and village. And Watervliet covers all ems calls in green island with their ambulance service. So there is some consolidation of services with those 2 depts

Edited January 14, 2012 by th1

[FDNY 10-75 640]

Watervliet, the West Troy Fire Department...

There was also talk of Albany providing fire protection to the Village of Menands. Honestly, they should get rid of the volunteer (Menands, Maplewood, Schuyler Heights) departments along the river and merge them into one reasonable sized paid department (Cohoes, Watervliet & Green Island). The number of volunteers is dwindling in Maplewood and Menands and they often can't get off the floor.

Also, back on topic, the brothers did a great job last night!

[nysff 18]

Watervliet, the West Troy Fire Department...

There was also talk of Albany providing fire protection to the Village of Menands. Honestly, they should get rid of the volunteer (Menands, Maplewood, Schuyler Heights) departments along the river and merge them into one reasonable sized paid department (Cohoes, Watervliet & Green Island). The number of volunteers is dwindling in Maplewood and Menands and they often can't get off the floor.

Also, back on topic, the brothers did a great job last night!

Eli,

The Albany/Menands talk was just that, talk. And it wasn't for full time coverage anyway. It was for either a truck or an engine depending on call type and location for mutual aid in addition to what Menands gets from the other town departments. Menands ended up using the Arsenal instead after formal discussions took place with the leaders of the village and the arsenal department. There were also informal meetings to become a joint fire district with Schuyler Heights, but the village officials and Schuyler Heights commissioners were not involved.

Back on topic, Troy and their mutual aid did a great job with the jobs. It has been pretty busy upstate since the new year began with multiple jobs in all three of "big" cities as well as the smaller ones. Cohoes has had three or four already which is not the norm.

Everyone stay safe.