Village Of Port Chester Disbands Career FD

[spec 2]

14 minutes ago, Ladder44 said:

Cause there are no volunteer cops, the town can get away with laying off these guys by having the "volunteer security blanket"

 Like this

 

I guess You've never heard of Auxiliary police officers? Most departments have them including Port Chester, they are pretty much volunteer cops.

Edited May 5, 2016 by spec

[Chkpoint 131]

Here is a story out of Kansas City.  Although it doesn't appear anyone was fired and these were positions that were never filled.  But none the less it also occurs on the PD side. It's always public safety. http://lawofficer.com/2016/05/100-kansas-city-pd-jobs-eliminated/

[FireMedic049 597]

9 minutes ago, spec said:

 

I guess You've never heard of Auxiliary police officers? Most departments have them including Port Chester, they are pretty much volunteer cops.

That's a false comparison.  Many police departments don't have auxiliary officers, unlike many many fire departments that do have volunteers or only volunteers in many cases.  Although they may be volunteer, auxiliary police officers are not typically used for front-line policing.  They tend to be used in more of a "security" role for events rather than responding to 911 calls.

[LTFIREPRG 154]

6 hours ago, spec said:

 

I guess You've never heard of Auxiliary police officers? Most departments have them including Port Chester, they are pretty much volunteer cops.

Just for the record, Port Chester last August (2015) basically disbanded the Auxiliary Police, forbid them from performing in any official capacity.  They claim it was due to when they were formed it was under the civil defense laws and that no longer applied and lack of training and money to fund that training. 

[Chkpoint 131]

Aux officers are not properly trained to be a police officer.  They are a peace officer if I'm right. and in Westchester I believe most Aux while in uniform performing such duties they carry a gun.  For the most part Aux are just a security force at local events, parades, fireworks, sporting event etc...   Usually don't take action and call for regular patrol car if something happens.   In NYC they don't carry guns and usually are at street fair events etc..   They don't have training and or take classes in law which basically will protect you.  And basically don't go through tactics training.   At least a volunteer FF is given some type of training for Interior FF or Haz Mat.  But professional FF and professional cops go through an academy spending months training to do what we do.  We also go through hours of training every year to keep certified and stay sharp on our skills.  And last but not least professional cops and FF can't disappear for years or months and then just come back and go to alarms. 

[kinkchaser 352]

Any Career Firefighter from other Departments volunteering in Port Chester must resign forthwith, The volunteer members must ban together and think of a sane way to reverse this situation, as they hold the upper hand in this battle, Remember Port Chester is a densely populated compressed community with a high fire risk not some pristine Norman Rockwell community,

[LTFIREPRG 154]

Make no mistake about it, this whole thing was orchestrated by the 3 chiefs.  I quote the Mayor in his attempt to justify this to me "This was all balanced against our volunteer response capabilities and their contingency plan."

[kinkchaser 352]

Sorry to hear that a collusion is suspected. How about Rye Brook picking up the eight PCFD firefighters and giving their area 24 hour fire protection for the same or nearly the same million dollars they are now paying Port Chester. 

They could be self sufficient and escape from the annual contract drama.

[luggnutz404 3]

1 hour ago, kinkchaser said:

Sorry to hear that a collusion is suspected. How about Rye Brook picking up the eight PCFD firefighters and giving their area 24 hour fire protection for the same or nearly the same million dollars they are now paying Port Chester. 

They could be self sufficient and escape from the annual contract drama.

lets hope this doesn't turn into a big circle jerk like the rural metro fiasco 

[5slow 9]

I don't live in Rye Brook, but this would seriously bother me: (From Journal News)

 

"... the village will save $800,000 next year through eliminating base salaries totaling $600,000, as well as associated benefits, overtime and equipment costs, officials said."

 

So for eight full time positions, including benefits and other perks Port Chester is saving $800k by eliminating these positions.

 

"Rye Brook has paid Port Chester just under $1 million a year to staff the Rye Brook firehouse for a 12-hour overnight shift."

 

Okay, I'm not a mathematician, but Rye Brook has been paying Port Chester a million bucks for one half time position and Port Chester has been paying less than a million bucks for eight full-time positions.  So the Rye Brook contract pays for the entire paid Port Chester staff annually, but they still can't keep them on? Port Chester has made an annual profit of $200k thanks to Rye Brook! Anyone else see something wrong here?

 

Like I said in the first sentence, I don't live in Rye Brook, but if I were mayor, now that the contract has been breached I'd be doing the math that Port Chester has now supplied and sue going back to the original date of contract for the total amount they overpaid for the half-time position they were given.  There is obvious fraud here on many levels.  Port Chester is going to end up paying so much more on this one in the end... 

[fdalumnus 165]

11 hours ago, LTFIREPRG said:

Make no mistake about it, this whole thing was orchestrated by the 3 chiefs.  I quote the Mayor in his attempt to justify this to me "This was all balanced against our volunteer response capabilities and their contingency plan."

 

 None of the three are capable of passing the test, nor any of the other requirements of becoming a professional firefighter.  Pure jealousy on their part, not one bit of logical thinking on their part. What next, maybe eliminating some of the volunteer apparatus and/or companies? They just opened the door for further reductions of the fire dept budget. "No new turnout gear for Brooksville, (just saying) We'll just have Mellor pick up the slack." Sounds crazy. You're effing right!  If any member of the Port Chester FD thinks the politicians care one iota about them, I have a nice new bridge in Tarrytown to sell to them, dirt cheap.

Edited May 6, 2016 by fdalumnus
misspelled word

[frost025 94]

The Million Dollar Caper, if the money that rye brook pays port Chester each year does not pay for the service where does the money go. Swiss bank account , somebody is getting bulls...ted. To really put the icing on this cake the other day a brand new engine demo showed up at fire headquarters you should of scene the drooling going on .Don't believe this was done to save money. PERSONAL....

[fdalumnus 165]

A new demo?

 

I guess thats the tradeoff. A new toy for 2392's company. (E-60)

[SECTMB 612]

A question? Obviously if Rye Brook was actually paying $1M for coverage which, by admitted breach of contract no longer exists, they presumably could approach the dismissed firefighters to work directly for Rye Brook.  It's been a while since I was in the area, but I recall a nice firehouse on King Street.  Whose firehouse is this? Port Chester or Rye Brook? And, if Rye Brook was only paying for a full time night shift Port Chester firefighter(s), who provided the coverage during the day?

 

Can someone let us know how this area is/was covered.

 

 

[luggnutz404 3]

7am 7pm  rye brook  7pm 7am it was port chester

[Bnechis 3,961]

1 hour ago, SECTMB said:

A question? Obviously if Rye Brook was actually paying $1M for coverage which, by admitted breach of contract no longer exists, they presumably could approach the dismissed firefighters to work directly for Rye Brook.  It's been a while since I was in the area, but I recall a nice firehouse on King Street.  Whose firehouse is this? Port Chester or Rye Brook? And, if Rye Brook was only paying for a full time night shift Port Chester firefighter(s), who provided the coverage during the day?

 

Can someone let us know how this area is/was covered.

 

 

 

Rye Brook owns the house on King St.

 

A number of posts have assumed that PCFD was only providing an engine and a career firefighter from 7 pm to 7 am.

 

They were also providing (not getting into quality), the balance of the response to alarms (not mutual aid) 24/7. So even daytime when RBFD was staffed, PCFD automatically responded. Also PCFD Chiefs provided the IC since RBFD has no officers.

[Chkpoint 131]

Sounds like PC came up with the $1mil quote to RB to not just cover one of the salaries but all salaries and overall wear and tear of equipment.  I mean it sounds like one hell of a scam. I would like to know where they came up with this number. I would be interested to hear about the breakdown of that million dollars.  Sounds like PC basically made out on this deal.  Career staff salaries covered and little extra for the coffers. Did PC spend any of their own money on fire service? 

[kinkchaser 352]

If Rye Brook presently has eight firefighters and they picked up the eight dismissed firefighters from Port Chester and paid their salaries with the million they no longer have to give the PCFD. That would give them . 16 members on the Department, the same number of career firefighters many of the smaller jobs in Westchester have right now give or take a few ===Larchmont, Pelham Harrison, Pelham Manor etc. When appropriate officers could be developed from the group, ie One Captain, three Lieutenants and twelve firefighters on 24. hours a day coverage

A four person or three person shift could take care of the vast majority of smells and bells calls before the need for mutual aid. 

 The benefit for Rye Brook would be a professional Department for about what they are paying now without having to deal with the contract and any future PCFC drama ,additionally, they would get fully trained veteran firefighters well versed in their Department and community. ( they work there now)

 The eight Port Chester firefighters would again be employed and their families protected.

  I think it would be worth a conversation. it could really be a win-win-win all around.

[Ladder44 73]

14 hours ago, kinkchaser said:

Any Career Firefighter from other Departments volunteering in Port Chester must resign forthwith, The volunteer members must ban together and think of a sane way to reverse this situation, as they hold the upper hand in this battle, Remember Port Chester is a densely populated compressed community with a high fire risk not some pristine Norman Rockwell community,

 

How is this even acceptable? outisde of this recent issue....idc if you are career and vollunteer at home, but to vollunteer in a combo dept? do those "double dippers" run mutal aid into other career depts with PCFD?

 

Before this gets out of hand, im career and vollunteer in my boonedock town in no whereville CT, but i dont run mutal aid fires into the neighbooring iaff city, nor does anyone else whos career and vollys with me.

Edited May 6, 2016 by Ladder44

[firecapt32 282]

I am throwing my 2 cents  in again  might be 3 cents with inflation    PC is  claiming  150 interior and 150 exterior  firefighters.  its all speculation but  lets  just look at the 150 interior. questions I would have to ask. do all have nfpa physicals? all mask fit tested??  bail out  qualified?  with personal ropes?  ages of the interior firefighters??  training of the firefighters??--osha-bbp haz mat?? do they all live within the confines of PC?  do the Officers and Chiefs  have additional training  above the firefighter lever??  if  what the mayor  claims to be true  then these records  should be made available to the public  to assure them that they are  safe.  does any one of you  know the answers??

I am sure there  are well trained  well qualified  firefighters in Port Chester. it  just  how many.

 

[fdskier 1]

The more and more I read the more confused I am..

then I read the rye brook FD website and I get more confused-

"Fire services are provided by the Rye Brook Fire Department which operates 365 days a year from 7 am to 7 pm. These services are supported and supplemented by the Port Chester Fire Department. 

The Rye Brook Fire Department is under the control and command of the Port Chester Fire Chief."

 

can somone explain exactly how rye brook operates? What FD says they are open 12 hours a day? What FD has no chief? 

Who is in charge at rye brook FD?

 

Can someone lay out in simple terms and numbers the paid  staffing for each dept for both day and night shifts?  And any other basic info about staffing and SOPs?

 

like I said the more I read the more confused I get. And the whole $1 million contract and the $800k savings is an entirely different conversation...

[fdskier 1]

On May 5, 2016 at 5:32 PM, luggnutz404 said:

7am 7pm  rye brook  7pm 7am it was port chester

 

So the rye brook has their own paid guys during the day and pay someone else to work the night shift???

or are they vollies and they only respond during the day? And the vollies get nights off???

 

 

 

 

[SECTMB 612]

26 minutes ago, fdskier said:

 

So the rye brook has their own paid guys during the day and pay someone else to work the night shift???

or are they vollies and they only respond during the day? And the vollies get nights off???

 

 

 

 

 

Until I am corrected, up until the breach of contract, I believe Rye Brook maintains a paid department to respond to alarms from 7am to 7pm.  During these hours they are supplemented by the Port Chester FD (Paid and Volunteer) and are subordinate to the Port Chester Chiefs 24/7.

 

From 7pm to 7am a paid FF(s) from Port Chester staffs (staffed) the Rye Brook fire house for an initial response, supplemented by the Port Chester FD (Paid and Volunteer).

 

Rye Brook paid Port Chester about $1M for this arrangement.

 

 

[Dinosaur 844]

On 5/5/2016 at 10:30 PM, spec said:

 

I guess You've never heard of Auxiliary police officers? Most departments have them including Port Chester, they are pretty much volunteer cops.

 

Nope.  They're really not the same thing.  They are not the same thing and the comparison is not a valid one.  Auxiliary police have substantially less training than police officers.

[Dinosaur 844]

On 5/5/2016 at 10:16 PM, Ladder44 said:

Cause there are no volunteer cops, the town can get away with laying off these guys by having the "volunteer security blanket"

Problem is they're saying that the eight victims of this "supplemented" the volunteer force.  So they're claiming that there's no substantial change in coverage by eliminating the eight career guys. 

 

 

[notlim650 3]

Could this be the Mayors next Press Release when they hit the tax Cap

 

The Board first considered in depth the possibility of abolishing the paid firefighters Sanitation positions a couple of years ago but was able to avoid doing it at that time.  Recently, with the budget deadline fast approaching and the possibility of having to override the tax cap looking more and more likely, the Board revisited the option of abolishing the paid firefighters Sanitation positions and decided that doing so was in the best interest of the Village and its taxpayers.  The Private Contractor Start in June

 

If you Work for the Village of Port Chester you Should be out with the Firefighters, You Could be Next. Using the Volunteers is just another way of Subcontracting Union jobs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[frost025 94]

I have a good idea maybe the village should sell one of the pieces of apparatus and firehouse property of a company that can't get rig out for a call and put the brothers and sister back to work.....

[Bnechis 3,961]

13 minutes ago, frost025 said:

I have a good idea maybe the village should sell one of the pieces of apparatus and firehouse property of a company that can't get rig out for a call and put the brothers and sister back to work.....

It has nothing to do with money. The administration just wants them gone.

[dwcfireman 656]

1 hour ago, frost025 said:

I have a good idea maybe the village should sell one of the pieces of apparatus and firehouse property of a company that can't get rig out for a call and put the brothers and sister back to work.....

 

They have a couple companies that don't go any where on almost all alarms because the chiefs' redistricted the responses so certain companies get to see more work....You can take the train of thought from there.

[Oaks 18]

Did Port Chester participate in the Airport drill today? I've seen Engine 58 there on emergencies and drills in the past. That's another part of Port Chester's jurisdiction that I hope speaks up....I'm sure the airport ARFF guys would rather see an engine for mutual aid sooner then later.