Firefighter admits making prank calls

[FF402 133]

Firefighter admits making prank calls

By JONATHAN BANDLER

THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: June 11, 2005)

A Tarrytown firefighter has been arrested after making two prank calls to Briarcliff Manor police while firefighters in that village were answering a call about a gas smell, police said.

Briarcliff firefighters were responding to the routine call at a home on Chappaqua Road on Wednesday morning when police received a phone call in which a man yelled 'There's smoke' before hanging up. In another call a moment later, the caller said "Hurry!" then hung up.

Police traced the call to the main Tarrytown firehouse at 50 Main St. John Hilken was arrested Thursday after admitting to Briarcliff police Detective Joseph Pugliese that he was the one who made the calls.

Hilken, 35, of 120 Cobb Lane, was charged with second-degree falsely reporting an incident, a misdemeanor. He was released without bail at his arraignment Thursday night and is due back in Village Court on June 22.

He was the second Tarrytown firefighter arrested this week. Ex-Chief Joseph McCarthy was charged Monday with third-degree grand larceny, accused of using a village credit card to buy himself $3,000 worth of computer equipment, tool supplies and other items the day after his term as chief expired in April.

Hilken, a volunteer firefighter in the village since high school, said yesterday he regretted doing what he did and called it "a dumb mistake."

"It was a stupid thing, an idiot thing," he said, insisting he did not realize Briarcliff firefighters were responding to a call at the time. When asked why he called Briarcliff, he said, "It just popped into my head and I did it."

He declined to comment further and said he didn't want the arrest reported in the newspaper, worried that the Tarrytown Fire Department would get "another black eye" in the wake of the McCarthy arrest.

[WAS967 97]

"It was a stupid thing, an idiot thing," he said, insisting he did not realize Briarcliff firefighters were responding to a call at the time. When asked why he called Briarcliff, he said, "It just popped into my head and I did it."

At least he realizes the qualities associated with such an action. Personally, I think he's FOS when saying he didn't realize Briarcliff was on a call.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Adios amigo. He should be punished to the full extent of the law and never allowed to be part of the fire service again.

Whether Briarcliff was on a call or not, its wrong. Waste of resources and put both civilian and firefighter lives at risk with a phoney call that could have created an accident, someone has a heart attack, you name it.

[WAS967 97]

Yup. I think what he admitted to is just as serious as calling in a false alarm from scratch. I'm not going to say throw him in jail for life, but if he didn't want to give black eye to the department, he should never have picked up that phone.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Great points to WAS. We think way to alike, you better be careful..I am a "39'er" lol.

[COMMANDCHIEF 4]

I wonder what he does for an Encore...? Yell FIRE in a crowded theater?

[WAS967 97]

Great points to WAS. We think way to alike, you better be careful..I am a "39'er" lol.

Yes, but we could be fellow 36'ers too.....:->....maybe....

[Guest]

John Hilken, we've been friends for years so I don't fear saying this. YOU SCREWED UP and I thought you'd have known better. Especially so because earlier in that week you and I had a great discussion about what constitutes good conduct and professional behaviour in the volunteer fire service. 17 great years in TFD thrown away in 30 seconds. You and I are both acquainted with people we could expect that type of lunacy from without shock or surprise. That it sould be you to pull this type of stunt is more disappointing than maddening. Well, I am sure being expelled from TFD will be more of a punishment than the judge's sentence, and frankly my good friend, you deserve it. I am sad that I have to say that to you, but the fact is you'll reap what you sow. Think before you act in future.

[LCFD968 10]

WOW! I am in a little shock. The guy made a mistake and admitted to it. He will be punished for his actions and well deserved, but come on! He has been a firefighter since high school and has dedicated his life to TFD and you guys are going to toss him aside like a piece of dirt. No One is Perfect and We have all made mistakes some more than others and I am sure your friends and family would support you and not turn there backs in a simular situation. He dedicated a good part of twenty years in the FD and I believe he deserves a second chance. Of course someone has to kick his A$$ for being an idiot.

No one got hurt (Thank Goodness) and yes it could have been worse but it wasn't.

[Guest]

there's a certain line in the sand that ANY professional or volunteer firefighter may NOT cross. Sounding a false alarm clearly falls on the WRONG SIDE of that line.

Volunteer firefighting is a privilege. A "Screw-up" is one thing, malicious disregard for the safety of fellow FF's and the public is completely unforgivable.

Sorry, your finished, privileges revoked

[Guest]

WOW! I am in a little shock. The guy made a mistake and admitted to it. He will be punished for his actions and well deserved, but come on! He has been a firefighter since high school and has dedicated his life to TFD and you guys are going to toss him aside like a piece of dirt. No One is Perfect 

No one got hurt (Thank Goodness) and yes it could have been worse but it wasn't.

BS are you kidding me, this is a crime.There isn't anything worse than a Fire dept member calling in a false alarm, on second thought maybe a Fire Dept. member setting a fire. So this is total crap on given this person a 2nd chance, he isn't a kid and he knew what he was doing.

Throw the freaking book at him- he should pay for his crime. [-X

[LCFD968 10]

Don't get me wrong, I Believe no wait let me rephrase that, I HOPE he gets punished for what he did. But, He DID NOT CALL IN THE FALSE ALARM according to the article. If he did then I can understand where you are coming from.

[ajsbear 11]

As a minimum, wash and polish every piece of fire apparatus in the county

[LCFD968 10]

As a minimum, wash and polish every piece of fire apparatus in the county

Apparatus, Police Car, Fire Station, etc.......

[Guest alsfirefighter]

If he has been in the fire service so long, then he should be punished harder. He knows right from wrong, especially something involving the service your in.

Just because you choose to serve in a profession of helping doesn't make your criminal activity lighter. If a teacher of 10 years smacks a kid, does he get a lesser degree of punishment? We should be held above everyone else. Not the other way around. Criminal activity is criminal activity.

[Guest]

Don't get me wrong, I Believe no wait let me rephrase that, I HOPE he gets punished for what he did. But, He DID NOT CALL IN THE FALSE ALARM according to the article. If he did then I can understand where you are coming from.

Calling the Fire Department and saying "there's smoke" that is reporting something to the FD. and then to call a 2nd time and he said "HURRY" #-o I don't know what you call it, but according to most people that is calling in a false alarm. [-X

Try and make an excuse for this guy, but there is absolutely no way this wasn't a false call-and the reason it is worse than normal, is because this guy is a member of the fire service. :yikes:

[CAM502 6]

Don't get me wrong, I Believe no wait let me rephrase that, I HOPE he gets punished for what he did. But, He DID NOT CALL IN THE FALSE ALARM according to the article. If he did then I can understand where you are coming from.

"Police traced the call to the main Tarrytown firehouse at 50 Main St. John Hilken was arrested Thursday after admitting to Briarcliff police Detective Joseph Pugliese that he was the one who made the calls."

:-k :-k :-k

[LCFD968 10]

If he has been in the fire service so long, then he should be punished harder. He knows right from wrong, especially something involving the service your in.

Just because you choose to serve in a profession of helping doesn't make your criminal activity lighter. If a teacher of 10 years smacks a kid, does he get a lesser degree of punishment?  We should be held above everyone else.  Not the other way around. Criminal activity is criminal activity.

I am not sure if I am explaining it right. I think the man should be punished. Come to think of it I think they should flogg his A$$ in front of everybody at the next parade. I just think that people learn from there mistakes and sometimes they should be given another chance (after the beating).

[LCFD968 10]

Firefighter admits making prank calls

By JONATHAN BANDLER

THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: June 11, 2005)

A Tarrytown firefighter has been arrested after making two prank calls to Briarcliff Manor police while firefighters in that village were answering a call about a gas smell, police said.

Briarcliff firefighters were responding to the routine call at a home on Chappaqua Road on Wednesday morning when police received a phone call in which a man yelled 'There's smoke' before hanging up. In another call a moment later, the caller said "Hurry!" then hung up.

Cam502 you forget to quote first paragraph

[JBE 328]

Hmm, where do I begin?? Sorry, 968, but he should be punished severely for this action. Getting booted from TFD may be necessary. He didn't want to give TFD another black eye?? Too late, damage done. Yet another knucklehead.

[firecapt32 282]

well let me get my 2 cents in here. It was wrong wrong wrong!! no matter how you look at it/slice it/dicect it.!! Theres no place inthe service for some one like that period. ! A second chance? why ? so he might do it again?? go futher next time>?> I'm sure the local police are well into a investigiation as well as the village officials!! let the chips fall where ever they land. The Village of Tarrytown Fire Department should be up front with both the hard working firefighters that belong to the department and the village Officials and the police.

Let the bad apple not spoil the barrel of good firefighter in Tarrytown.

[JBE 328]

Just another added thought. If you're gonna call in a false alarm, make sure you're not doing it in your firehouse!!!!

[Guest alsfirefighter]

2nd chance? NO way. I believe in the 3 strikes rule for felons and I do not believe in parole either so guess you know my stance on that. If anyone here is, has been or will be a police officer knows about 2nd chances. Persons who committ crimes often give you a 2nd chance of committing a crime against you or giving you a repeat arrest. First time, shame on you....second time shame on me.

[bmfd231 3]

I just think that people learn from there mistakes and sometimes they should be given another chance (after the beating).

You have got to be kidding! A mistake is when you make a left turn when it should have been a right and you get lost. Yeah we can learn from that.

This action was not a mistake, it was a decision to do something that is known to be WRONG.

You cannot tell me that if you had been Lorena Bobbits husband (we all know what happened there :chainsaw: ) that you would have said it was just a mistake, give here another chance, everyone deserves a second chance. I don't think so!!!

This person must now be punished for this crime.