WoMag, CT SWAT Challenge

I had removed the Providence St. Station post earlier this week. Imagine my surprise to see it printed in the 8/28/08 Worcester Magazine Blog Log. I thank WoMag for their interest, I am sure it will bring a few new fans. I have since reposted it.

On Tuesday September 9th, Wednesday September 10th and Thursday September 11th, the West Hartford Police Department is once again sponsoring the 4th annual Connecitcut SWAT Challenge. This SWAT Challenge is the 3rd largest in the United States and features 34 SWAT teams from across the Northeast competing head to head in all live fire events, performed in full call out duty gear. These teams will compete in 8 grueling events designed to test their skills and fortitude while emphasizing teamwork and tactical prowess. Additionally, there will be over 80+ law enforcement companies represented at the vendor exhibition show which runs Tuesday from 0900-1700 hours, Wednesday 0800-1700 hours and Thursday 0800-1200 hours. These companies represent the best in law enforcement and will offer some of the most up to date and cutting edge technology that is available to today’s Officers. Even better, the event is FREE and OPEN to any law enforcement officer, as well as the general public. There will be raffles, give aways and hands on demos for those who attend. Food will be available as well. Come and support the men and women whom you serve with, as all of us come together during this week of remembrance. Tuesdays Open Shoots are available to ANY active SWORN Law Enforcement, Corrections, Federal or Military Officer. The shoots are on a first come-first serve basis with sign ups starting at 0830 hours on Tuesday September 9th. We hope to see many of you there at this unique and challenging event.

I will be there competing with my team. Thursday is being billed as " The toughest PT Challenge in any Police or SWAT Challenge in the United States." A 6.2 mile obstacle course with 18 testing stations along the way. I will have something to write about after that. You can check out their web site at:

http://ctswatchallenge.com/

I hope you come cheer on these elite law enforcement professionals.

Providence St. Fire Station

Tuesday, August 19, 2008


http: / /www. telegram.com/article/20080805/NEWS/808050651


From the Telegram article:
"Instead of relocating both firetrucks now at the Providence Street station, to make way for UMass Memorial Health Care EMS taking over the building, District 3 Councilor Paul P. Clancy Jr. suggested keeping Ladder 5 at the station, where it can be paired with a UMass Memorial ambulance. In return, he said, the city could offer to garage one of UMass Memorial's ambulances at the McKeon Road fire station. "

Well, that's funny. We were moved from McKeon Rd station because there was no room. Yeah, no room for EMS.

So now the community is up in arms that Chief Dio wants to close their beloved, albeit, condemned local station. Answer, "We'll put an ambulance in there. That should quiet the masses"

Well let me tell you how it really is. I get my ambulance at shift change. I do a checklist, if I am lucky and don't have to leave right away for a call. Then it's from call to hospital to call to hospital all day long. I will return to the station at the end of my shift. We will not be at the station waiting. We're too damned busy for that. We have already responded to 22,000 calls this year. Not a lot of time to be sitting in a fire station easing John Q. Worcester's fears of conflagration.

"UMass Memorial EMS, meanwhile, would take over the building and garage two of its ambulances there, as well as provide dispatching services from it. All costs associated with operations of the building would then be assumed by UMass. "

What a deal! We can take over the bill for a decrepit, old building the FD doesn't want anymore.

"By closing the 109-year-old Providence Street station, referred to as "The Rock" by many neighborhood residents, the city will be able to save $85,000 to $ 100, 000 in capital and operating costs a year".

See? What a deal! EMS is going to pay that for a station that has no one in it ninety percent of the time.

Why not keep the Rock intact? There was a fire station downtown, remember? Engine 1, Ladder 1, and Rescue. Why not put them in the new Franklin St station? Why not put EMS there, since it's such a prime spot for first response? Yeah, that might happen.

This is not the first time EMS has been the pawn in WFD administration's game. We spent a summer at Webster Square when they were temporarily closed. We did a tour at Tatnuck too, same reason. To appease the angry masses. I don't think we really ever made a difference, we just occupied the public's mind until they forgot what they were angry about. I'm sure the crowds on Vernon Hill will forget too, and we'll be out the door again.

New Blog

A coworker has put up a new blog( Central Mass Medics). Maybe I'll finally get motivated to work on mine more often.