Bedford Called To Pound Ridge Fire?

[Viper 139]

Did I miss something, or did Bedford Village not get called to the fire in Pound Ridge last night? If not, why? They border Pound Ridge.

[Flashpoint 94]

Does Bedford have a tanker?

[x635 4,066]

Do they still own the land at Route 172 & Route 22?

I know, at one point, the plans were to build a substation there that could house a tanker since their current station is extremely cramped and obsolete. There were also plans to build a bay out back. Are those plans dead in the water?

I know Bedford has a great source engine (Engine 108 Front and Engine 108 Hosebed). But, even though they are surrounded by departments with Tankers, isn't having your own kind of a must have?

[Using_All_Hands 140]

1. Where the fire was, appeared to be closer to Vista and Connecticut.

2. Tankers were needed, which Bedford lacks.

3. The IC called a Truck from Bedford Hills, Bedford doesn;t have one.

4. Anyone with a scanner knows Bedford struggles to cover what seems like the majority of their calls. Why take the gamble?

5. Wouldn't this be more appropriate for the Chief or Bedford to contact the Chief of Pound Ridge?

[HalfVolley 11]

2. Tankers were needed, which Bedford lacks.

4. Anyone with a scanner knows Bedford struggles to cover what seems like the majority of their calls. Why take the gamble?

Couldn't that problem be resolved with a Pumper-Tanker like Bedford Hills Tanker 5? Or make it Bedford Hills Station 2 since they seem to be flush with manpower.

[mreis95 77]

You could also argue why Mount Kisco was 1st called as a relocate engine skipping over Bedford and others.

[mreis95 77]

3. The IC called a Truck from Bedford Hills, Bedford doesn;t have one.

Not true. Their fast was called on the 10-75 and they utilize the tower ladder as their fast truck.

[1075thebox 1]

Bedford Hills was not the FAS Company, they were the ladder company requested by the IC.

[EddieT 5]

There is nothing constructive about this thread . The resources needed were called , the fire was put out . What is the problem?

[SilentShadow 32]

There is nothing constructive about this thread . The resources needed were called , the fire was put out . What is the problem?

In the tangled web of mutual aid in this county, it sticks out that Bedford wasn't called in any capacity, especially when other departments had to travel through Bedford to get to the call. I'm also curious to know why Bedford doesn't have a tanker? There's nothing constructive about not talking about it and sweeping it under the rug.

[x635 4,066]

Here's something interesting to consider. If each department was to respond on it's own with all their apparatus, they'd bring with them, without having to establish a water drafting source:

Bedford Hills: 4,950 gallons of water (17 square miles)

Katonah: 5,900 gallons of water (14 square miles)

Pound Ridge: 6,050 gallons of water (25 square miles)

Armonk: 4,750 gallons of water (16 square miles)

Mount Kisco: 3,250 gallons of water (mostly hydranted area of 3.2 square miles)

Bedford: 2,238 gallons of water (3.6 square miles, unable to confirm)

(Information taken from department websites)

The two other fire districts in Bedford have renovated and expanded their facilities greatly in recent years, as well as upgraded their fleet's capabilities. Where does the land at Route 172 and 22 stand? Is their still plans to build a substation to house a tanker there? Or build behind their current firehouse? I know they are extremely cramped and they have to shuffle apparatus to get the right ones out for every call, but the firehouse is over 100 years old and of important and integral to the community character of Bedford Village, something that matters to the taxpayers.

So, the question would be, Bedford is very similar to the communities mentioned above, which surround it. The only difference is, they don't have a tanker, so they have less water on the first due. I know automatic mutual aid can make that irrelevant. I know certain resources can be shared, like a rescue. But, I'm not a tanker or water supply guy as I come from a land with these little things you plug into and they give you as much water as you want (ideally). Is a tanker in a semi-rural department with huge mansions and no hydrants considered as essential like a first due engine, or is it something that could be shared. Don't you want as much water with you as soon as possible?

[KJ8806 44]

There is nothing constructive about this thread . The resources needed were called , the fire was put out . What is the problem?

I agree what's the problem what's done is done beford wasn't called I'm sure the IC had a reason for It maybe people should ask the IC of the fire why the choice was made before second guessing Edited November 25, 2015 by KJ8806

[SilentShadow 32]

There is nothing constructive about this thread . The resources needed were called , the fire was put out . What is the problem?

I agree what's the problem what's done is done beford wasn't called I'm sure the IC had a reason for It maybe people should ask the IC of the fire why the choice was made before second guessing

So, again, you two are basically saying that we shouldn't learn and improve from each incident? "As long as we put the fire out".

And maybe you two are missing the basic, simple, non critical question of why Bedford doesn't have a tanker? There is not one person on this forum that can explain that, or is afraid of some social media phobe who wants it kept top secret?

"As long as we put the fire out". Wow.

[KJ8806 44]

No I'm saying everytime theres a incident and something doesn't go peoples way everyone is second guessing and yes the resources were called in and it was handled so move on to the next time something goes wrong then we will have this problem of second guessing again.

[Steve Panzella 3]

I was a member from a neighboring department and moved out west 20 years ago.

From what I remember with Bedford Village not having a tanker, was that their firehouse has a basement beneath the apparatus floor, and the structure of the floor cannot support the weight of a tanker truck.

I'm sure someone who posted on this page would have known that.

I also remember 20 years ago, that they purchased land at routes 172 & 22 as a location for a new firehouse.

I guess within that time frame, there is some kind of resistance or a funding issue with proceeding to get it built.

Bedford has good dedicated members, but as a very affluent community, they don't have the population fabric that lends to community involvement to join the volunteer fire department.

[EddieT 5]

So, again, you two are basically saying that we shouldn't learn and improve from each incident? "As long as we put the fire out".

And maybe you two are missing the basic, simple, non critical question of why Bedford doesn't have a tanker? There is not one person on this forum that can explain that, or is afraid of some social media phobe who wants it kept top secret?

"As long as we put the fire out". Wow.

I never stated " as long as we put the fire out " I stated the needed resources were called and the fire was put out . Starting an argument between the 2 departments will not correct not having a tanker or not having a ladder truck . Bedford was called to the scene of a structure fire in Pound Ridge in July , for a engine so the 2 departments do us each other , When they have whats needed .

[SECTMB 612]

I was a member from a neighboring department and moved out west 20 years ago.

From what I remember with Bedford Village not having a tanker, was that their firehouse has a basement beneath the apparatus floor, and the structure of the floor cannot support the weight of a tanker truck.

I'm sure someone who posted on this page would have known that.

I also remember 20 years ago, that they purchased land at routes 172 & 22 as a location for a new firehouse.

I guess within that time frame, there is some kind of resistance or a funding issue with proceeding to get it built.

Bedford has good dedicated members, but as a very affluent community, they don't have the population fabric that lends to community involvement to join the volunteer fire department.

I think this pretty much explains the Bedford Village situation. Although it does not explain why 20 years have passed and the issues have never been addressed. The firehouse has been obsolete for a generation and its hard to understand how one of the wealthiest Villages in Westchester, making it one of wealthiest in the nation, has not placed a higher importance on their first responders and their ability to handle any circumstance that may arise.

As Steve points out, the Department is staffed by good dedicated members, as all Westchester volunteer departments are, but like many other Westchester volunteer departments, the cost of living for those villages does not exactly lend itself to volunteerism, especially to the fire service. The young who grew up in their respective villages and would have the 'fabric' of the community at heart and would make the best candidates for the fire service typically can't afford to live in the village they grew up in.

[Mini-Attack9 39]

1) The land owned by the Bedford Fire District is actually located on the corner of Old Post Road and Southbrook Rd, directly across from Greenwich Road. Not at Route 172 and Route 22.

2) Bedford is in committee to replace Engine 110, a 1987 Seagrave Engine. The members of the department and district feel that replacing the engine is what they need to better serve the community.

3) As a Chief of a neighboring department that has an excellent social and working relationship with the Bedford Fire Department I can say that the departments in our area (especially the 13th and 16th Battalions) train multiple times a year and we run through as many "Water Supply" and structural firefighting scenarios as we can plus we all run together on a regular basis.

We all know the resources the BFD has to offer. Engine 109 is the scene engine, going directly to the seat of the fire. while Engine 108 lays to or from a water source, while the mutual aid tankers nurse or set up for shuttle operations. The Chief Officers of BFD have done a great job for pre planning all of their box alarms for Greater Alarms. On any reported Structure Fire in their district, they get at a minimum of a mutual aid Ladder Company and Tanker, and as the incident envolves so do the resources called in their predetermined Greater Alarm polices.

4) In this time with all of the talks of how Fire Departments should be consolidating, sharing resources is the most economical and fairest option for the taxpayers of the Bedford Fire District and the Town of Bedford.

5) Lastly, in regards to the Pound Ridge Incident, The Chief called the resources he felt were necessary for THAT incident, and in no way was he trying to "shaft" BFD out of the mutual aid assignment.

Thanks for reading and have a great Thanksgiving!

J.Nickson

Asst. Chief BHFD

Edited November 26, 2015 by Mini-Attack9

[x635 4,066]

Thanks for reading and have a great Thanksgiving!

J.Nickson

Asst. Chief BHFD

Thank you Chief for that excellent response and explanation! I wish we had more of that on here.

[huzzie59 75]

Drop The Mic!