(Photos) Rochester, NY 2nd Alarm 12-18-13

[x635 4,066]

I happened to be upstate this past week when I was able to catch this second alarm in Rochester on Wednesday. It was a 3 story, wood frame abandoned residential structure. Operations were defensive from the beginning. You can note in two of the photos that the parapet wall collapsed onto an adjoining (vacant) building. The building was demolished after the FD picked up by the end of the day due to instability.

[fire 1 asst chief 49]

Great pix thanx.

[kinkchaser 352]

Does Rochester still use the Quad system with some sort of a mini=maxi apparatus set up, looks like they have a basic engine and ladder fire department , I remember talking to an outsider brought into be Chief of this Department and he wished he could go back to engines and trucks instead of a majority Quad fire department, does anyone know their operations ?

[dwcfireman 656]

Does Rochester still use the Quad system with some sort of a mini=maxi apparatus set up, looks like they have a basic engine and ladder fire department , I remember talking to an outsider brought into be Chief of this Department and he wished he could go back to engines and trucks instead of a majority Quad fire department, does anyone know their operations ?

No. About 4 or 5 years ago the RFD went back to the Ening/Ladder system. The ladders are still quints, for the most part. I think only 1 ladder is not a quint. I remember one of the midi's went to the academy, the rest were sold off.

On another note, good job to the RFD! That's an old building, and undoubtedly a tough fire to extinguish.

[22 Truck 6]

No. About 4 or 5 years ago the RFD went back to the Ening/Ladder system. The ladders are still quints, for the most part. I think only 1 ladder is not a quint. I remember one of the midi's went to the academy, the rest were sold off.

On another note, good job to the RFD! That's an old building, and undoubtedly a tough fire to extinguish.

RFD returned to Engine/Truck in 2008 after the then Fire Chief was tasked by city council to make budget cuts. His plan was to reduce the number of Firefighters/Chiefs in total, going from a department of 8 Engines, 9 Quint/Midi's, 1 Rescue, 1 Safety Captain, 3 Battalion Chiefs, 1 Line Deputy Chief to 13 Engines, 6 Trucks (Quints), 1 Rescue, 1 Safety Captain, 2 Battalions Chiefs, and 1 Line Deputy Chief. While the current number of vehicles seems more, each Quint/Midi co. consisted of 2 vehicles and 6 firefighters who could act as an Engine, Truck or split to be both. The current RFD operates with 4 firefighters on all apparatus. RFD also lost a BC (4 Chief's) and in 2012, was in the process of cutting the Safety Captain position completely when a heavily involved house fire occurred burning several firefighters while searching for possible trapped children. While not the way any of us want to do business, it was all of the ammo needed to go to city council to keep the Safety Captain (he was browned out that day).

All of the 6 current Trucks are "Quints", (Truck 10 is the only platform, it is also a Quint as you can see in the pics, the other 5 are all 110 ft. Quints) though the Chief wanted them called "Trucks" so the firefighters could get in the new mindset of what their "only" task was. Each of the Trucks have their own first due area, smaller than each of the Engines, but they will run alone on car fires, outside fires, etc.

Prior to the closing of the Q/M's, if the Quint/Midi co. was first due to a house fire, the Officer and Tip/Irons FF would stretch a line off the Quint, Quint Driver would pump, Ladder FF and Midi Shotgun would go the roof, search or throw ladders, and Midi Driver would finish water supply, then assist the first line or pump back to the Quint if a long lay. Now, if a Truck is first due to a house fire, Officer and Irons search, Ladder and Driver go to the roof or throw ladders, no line will be in place until an Engine arrives (unless it's ridiculously obvious the Engine is too far away, then they will pull a line but it's highly discouraged.

Ask any RFD FF or Line Officer, they want the Quint/Midi system back.

[x635 4,066]

Thanks for the excellent info, 22 Truck. Much appreciated as I was wondering what happened to the Midi concept that I've heard about in the past.

I noticed a Line Deputy Chief at the fire. What is the function of a Line Deputy Chief?

I saw 2 rather lightly used looking Midi's sitting at the academy/shops. Are they going to be keeping those? I know the current Chief is stepping down, and there is going to be a new mayor, any chance the Midi's may be brought back?

[dwcfireman 656]

I saw 2 rather lightly used looking Midi's sitting at the academy/shops. Are they going to be keeping those? I know the current Chief is stepping down, and there is going to be a new mayor, any chance the Midi's may be brought back?

midis.jpg

Aha! There they are. These bad boys are sitting outside the PSTF, last I recall. I brothers in Monroe County tell me these midi's get used at the academy for career classes and when vollie departments cannot produce an apparatus for a class.

As far as the RFD returning to the Q/M system, keep dreaming. It'll be a long time before the political structure of Rochester even considers it. They're having a tough enough time trying to NOT become the next Detroit!

[STAT213 332]

What's horribly ironic is that the quint/midi concept was a cost saving measure that cut the number of firefighters and companies; from what I remember quint/midi houses were actually engine and truck houses with 8 guys total that then went to 6. And now, it was sold as look look, we're getting back to true engines and trucks. But once again, manpower was cut. Houses that had 6 now have 4.

[22 Truck 6]

What's horribly ironic is that the quint/midi concept was a cost saving measure that cut the number of firefighters and companies; from what I remember quint/midi houses were actually engine and truck houses with 8 guys total that then went to 6. And now, it was sold as look look, we're getting back to true engines and trucks. But once again, manpower was cut. Houses that had 6 now have 4.

100% true, though we wish it was false

Thanks for the excellent info, 22 Truck. Much appreciated as I was wondering what happened to the Midi concept that I've heard about in the past.

I noticed a Line Deputy Chief at the fire. What is the function of a Line Deputy Chief?

I saw 2 rather lightly used looking Midi's sitting at the academy/shops. Are they going to be keeping those? I know the current Chief is stepping down, and there is going to be a new mayor, any chance the Midi's may be brought back?

midis.jpg

The LDC is sent on "multiple calls" or receipts of a "working fire". LDC will act as Command, freeing up the BC to act as Ops. Most run of the mill house fires, BC will stay in Command, LDC will check it out, and return to quarters. LDC organizes all station staffing.

EDC Curran (in the photo) is C2. Any 2nd Alarm or greater, C1, C2...on down, is notified to respond. They most often serve as liason's.

That's a pic of Midi 6 and Midi 7 hanging out at the PSTF. They were originally Midi 4 and Midi 8. Once those Quint co.'s closed, thy were re-assigned to the busy and last Q/M's to close > M6 (North Clinton) and M7 (North Goodman). There was brief talk of stripping the Midi's completely, and replacing with 5 inch hose for large water supply. Obviously, it didn't happen. M6 and M7 remain at the academy for training purposes only.

Also, Rochester is a far cry from Detroit. In fact, a fairly financially stable city. City council posed possible FF cuts, for no reason at all really. They continue to dump money into the epically failing school system, in which their answer is to dump as much money as possible into it, maybe it will get better.

Edited December 23, 2013 by 22 Truck

[dwcfireman 656]

Also, Rochester is a far cry from Detroit. In fact, a fairly financially stable city. City council posed possible FF cuts, for no reason at all really. They continue to dump money into the epically failing school system, in which their answer is to dump as much money as possible into it, maybe it will get better.

I was being a tad ironic with my statement. Having grown up there and seen the many changes over the years, including the thousands of layoffs between Kodak, Xerox, Bausch & Lomb, etc., along with hearing of harder crimes moving into once-nice neighborhoods, it's hard to keep a positive outlook on the city's future. Yes, Rochester is a far cry from Detroit, but it's easy to relate the woes.

It would be nice to see the Q/M system brought back. It worked efficiently and all of the guys loved it! But we'll have to see what the future holds.

[Bnechis 3,961]

Interesting to hear the positive comments about the Q/M concept. I taught some classes for Capt. Willy (<sp>) from RFD Training to the Rescue in the late 1980's and the comments from the experienced members then were it was the worst thing that had ever happened to RFD.

Makes me wonder if the system got better or those working now came on with it and got use to it and do not remember it otherwise.