Behind the Scenes With The Grand Central Fire Brigade

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Behind the Scenes With New York's Grand Central Fire Brigade

This is what it takes to protect the world’s largest train terminal.

By Max Goldberg

December 16, 2015

Nestled in a small garage on Track 15 stands a team of highly trained firefighter-EMTs ready to respond to the emergencies of the world’s biggest train terminal.

With over 750,000 people passing through Grand Central Terminal every day, the Grand Central Fire Brigade shoulders a lot of responsibility. Formed in the mid-Eighties, the brigade has proven time and again that it can stabilize an emergency in less time than an outside department due to its specialized training set and central location. In addition to responding to emergencies, the brigade also plays an active role in preventing conflagrations by conducting daily safety checks of the platforms, hallways, stores and restaurants.

FULL ARTICLE: http://www.thedrive.com/article/1333

[nydude2473 79]

If I'm not mistaken, aren't these guys volunteers? Either way, they do a hell of a job being able to cover GCT and perform the tasks they are asked to do in such a location. Cool rigs too!

[AFS1970 504]

I know they all have other jobs. I was with someone once who needed an ambulance and when the small cart showed up there was a 3 man crew. One was an elevator mechanic, another was a ticket clerk and I think the third was a track worker.

A few years ago I took my EMT refresher at the yard in Stamford, I was one of only 4 in the class not to work for the railroad. At the time they said they had the goal of having an EMT on every track crew, because they would be closer to any incident than a local service.

[E106MKFD 56]

If I'm not mistaken, aren't these guys volunteers? Either way, they do a hell of a job being able to cover GCT and perform the tasks they are asked to do in such a location. Cool rigs too!

It is a combination fire brigade (Paid & Vol.). All are Metro-North employees and as AFS1970 pointed out, the volunteers come from a variety of different crafts and positions on the railroad.

The paid Fire-EMS Officer position was posted earlier this year http://www.emtbravo.net/index.php/topic/51126-mta-metro-north-fire-ems-officer/

[babhits16 28]

Do they allow non Metro North employees to volunteer?

[E106MKFD 56]

Do they allow non Metro North employees to volunteer?

No, only Metro-North employees can be apart of the Fire Brigade.

[nydude2473 79]

How often do they hire for that job, if you know? I know I've seen it posted on here before but have always been confused thinking it was something else. Looks like not a bad place to work.

[E106MKFD 56]

How often do they hire for that job, if you know? I know I've seen it posted on here before but have always been confused thinking it was something else. Looks like not a bad place to work.

They have had the posting up a couple times over the past year as they have expanded the paid staff, but not too sure how often it will be posted in the future. There is actually a similar position up right now under the title Control Center Coordinator that works directly with the fire brigade in Grand Central.

Check out the MTA employment site http://web.mta.info/mta/employment/employment_out.html and look under Metro-North Railroad for more details on the position.

[nydude2473 79]

They have had the posting up a couple times over the past year as they have expanded the paid staff, but not too sure how often it will be posted in the future. There is actually a similar position up right now under the title Control Center Coordinator that works directly with the fire brigade in Grand Central.

Check out the MTA employment site http://web.mta.info/mta/employment/employment_out.html and look under Metro-North Railroad for more details on the position.

Thanks so much! I'll take a look at the site.