This seems so wrong

[paramedicmike]

When it leaves you with a happy, feel good story that your viewers will eat up like a Klondike bar? Absolutely.

We don't know this was mismanagement. We don't know the whole story. To criticize or make assumptions just isn't fair to anyone involved.

I knew a kid who arranged to take his girlfriend to prom with one of the engines from his volly fire company. There were a lot of behind the scenes arrangements that had to be made. In the end he ponied up a good chunk of change for everything. It wasn't a spur of the moment "hey let's take the engine to prom" deal. There were a lot of logistics involved.

And that was a volly company.

The logistics involved here are probably much more involved because there will be people who will ask questions along the lines of what you're asking. Until we know what those logistics are we can't criticize the process.

[DFIB]

Good points all Mike. How much do you think something like this would cost?

Even if it is approved I would be hard pressed to consider it a legitimate use of resources. Don't local channels cover whatever FFs invite them to cover anyway? I guess if we equate approved to legitimate we could even the playing field.

Edited August 19, 2012 by DFIB

[ERDoc]

I don't have too much of a problem with it. As previously said, there is a lot of info we don't have. It said the guy did 4 months of planning. What kind of planning? It's a warm fuzzy feeling story that is always good PR for the FD and PD with minimal impact of the service. How much was the FD really put out? They drove a ladder truck around the corner, threw up the ladder and called it a day.

People all have their obsessions. Google Walmart wedding and you'd be surprised how many people have gotten married at Walmart. The VAC I used to ride for allowed members and residents use of the facilities for meetings, parties, etc.

[DFIB]

It does look like the kind of set up that "city fathers" might think is a match made in heaven. FF and LE smooching on TV, kinda like a mastercard commercial.

[Bernhard]

I wouldn't do it and I didn't do it, even if I met my wife in EMS.

This said, I don't care much. I don't think this would have blocked resources from a real call (in fact, they probably even would have been faster since they already were on the street) and what does it cost to drive around some corners and ladder up a building? It's not more than an excercise...

Better to see equipment used in that than having to witness a real call where someone gets hurt or suffers a loss.

Don't take life so serious. It's not that he had stolen anything (just a LEO's heart). The idea is pretty lame, but that's not my decision. However, as an old romantic, I would suggest additionally bringing a large bouquet of flowers next time.

EDIT: typo.

Edited August 19, 2012 by Bernhard

[paramedicmike]

How much do you think something like this would cost?

I don't know the amount the kid paid for use of the truck. The total price included a rental fee, fuel costs, driver time and I think there was something in there about extensive washing and waxing.

[Richard B the EMT]

A few years back, the Ringling Brothers/Barnum and Baily Circus had a unit at the Coney Island Amusement Area in Brooklyn, NY. They wanted a photo op with Suzy the Elephant being washed by the crew of FDNY Engine 245, a Coney Island engine company. The apparatus officer didn't want to do it, the Battalion Chief didn't want the crew to do it (the Battalion is out of the same Fire House), and the Boro (County) Chief didn't want them to do it. E 245 is a busy unit, especially to doing "Medical" runs in support of the FDNY EMS units assigned their primary response area.

However, a Deputy Mayor of NYC ordered them to do the deed. Instead of the Engine going to the elephant, or the elephant being led to the firehouse, they met midway, in the area where the 4th of July Hot Dog Eating Contest is held, outside the original Nathan's Famous Hot Dog "stand". The picture appeared in the New York Daily News, the next day.

In protest, after the fact, the unusual occurrence of the Presidents of the UFA, UFOA, Superior Officers of the FDNY, and the FDNY Commissioner, happened: They were all in agreement the event should not have happened.

Side-note: During the half hour the event took, no calls, that normally E 245 would have responded to, occurred,

[Bernhard]

A few years back, the Ringling Brothers/Barnum and Baily Circus had a unit at the Coney Island Amusement Area in Brooklyn, NY. They wanted a photo op with Suzy the Elephant being washed by the crew of FDNY Engine 245, a Coney Island engine company.

This would be the use of public money/equipment on a private company public relations event, plus staff doing things they don't are trained for: washing elephants.

I totally understand that the line of command below the political level was against this mis-use,

[bsvalley]

These guys put their lives in danger with this equipment all the time. It's great to see something happy being done with it. Besides, How many parades has that truck seen? Maybe we shouldn't use our trucks for that either. Or School events for fire safety week. We can go teach them fire safety with out the trucks. Or how bout units that use their trucks on Med calls. really if it's not an accident...... Or maybe we just shut the hell up about what other Fire Departments do and mind our own station. Lord knows we all got enough of our own problems!

[ERDoc]

Whoa, easy newbie. This is a place where we generally try to have rational, civilized discussions. Feel free to disagree (that is actually encouraged) but no need for the chip on the shoulder.