Radio system meetings May 2-5

This is just a reminder that a series of radio system meetings for the fire and EMS community will take place next week:
Monday - Rosendale firehouse, 7 PM
Tuesday - Accord firehouse, 7 PM
Wednesday - West Hurley firehouse, 7 PM
Thursday - Clintondale firehouse, 7 PM

Blue Wing Consultants will present several options based on the available bandwidth and frequency configuration. These meetings will be your opportunity to weigh in on which option you feel is best suited for Ulster County as a whole, and your agency specifically. There are many VERY difficult decisions that need to be made so your participation is strongly encouraged. Thank you and I hope to see each agency represented at one of these meetings.

Recruit NY Open House Weekend

RECRUIT NY OPEN HOUSE WEEKEND IN ULSTER COUNTY

Kingston, N.Y. -- The Ulster County Recruitment and Retention campaign, designed to bolster the ranks of the volunteer fire and emergency medical services, is partnering with the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY) in their Recruit NY program. A focal point of this program is an open house event at local fire stations and ambulance squad buildings during the weekend of April 9-10, 2011.

“I’m pleased that we are helping volunteer fire departments and rescue squads with their recruitment efforts,” said Ulster County Executive Mike Hein. “Our county-wide public service campaign has generated interest; however, many more volunteers are needed and the open houses scheduled for April 9th and 10th present a great opportunity for residents to visit their local firehouses and EMS squads to learn first-hand about the important work our emergency responders do.”

Volunteer organizations across the state are being encouraged to open their doors and welcome new members during this weekend. Local open houses are scheduled at:

Clintondale FD – April 10, Noon to 3 PM
Ellenville FD – Pioneer Station, April 9, 9 AM to 1 PM
Esopus FD – April 10, 8 AM to 2 PM (breakfast from 8 AM to 11 AM)
Kerhonkson FD – April 9, 10 AM to 2 PM
Kripplebush FD – April 9 & 10, 10 AM to 2 PM
Marbletown First Aid – April 9, 10 AM to 3 PM
Napanoch FD – April 9, 10 AM to 2 PM
Port Ewen FD – April 9 & 10, 10 AM to 1 PM
West Hurley FD – Wall St. Station, April 10, 12 PM to 4 PM (breakfast 8 AM to 11 AM)
Woodstock FD – Company 1 (Route 212), April 9, 10 AM to 4 PM
Wittenberg Station, April 9, 1PM to 4PM (spaghetti dinner 4 PM to 7 PM)
Zena Station, April 9, 10 AM to 2 PM

More information on Ulster County’s Recruitment and Retention program, including a registration form for anyone wishing to volunteer with a fire department or ambulance squad can be found at www.ucvolunteers.org or by calling 331-7000.

First alarm newsletter April 2011

To: All Ulster County Emergency Services
From: Art Snyder
Date: April 1, 2011
Re: News and information

Narrow banding – As most of you know, those agencies operating in the 150-170 MHz and 421-512 MHz frequency range (our EMS community and many law enforcement agencies) must be “narrow band” compliant by January 1, 2013. It was my desire to combine the meeting of that mandate with the migration to a new radio system. It is highly unlikely that will be possible. Therefore, look for news in the coming months on a time frame for this conversion. If you have not already done so, inventory your radios to determine which ones are narrow band capable, and ask your service shop what the cost will be for reprogramming.

Radio study – A series of battalion level meetings for fire and EMS agencies has been scheduled for the first week of May:
Monday May 2, 2011; 7 PM; Rosendale firehouse
Tuesday May 3, 2011; 7 PM; Accord firehosue
Wednesday May 4, 2011; 7 PM; West Hurley firehouse
Thursday May 5, 2011; 7 PM; Clintondale firehouse
The law enforcement update will be provided on Wednesday May 4, 2011, 10 AM, at the Police Chiefs Association meeting. During these meetings Blue Wing will present options based on available frequency spectrum. These will be working meetings and your participation is critical to the ultimate system design that will be recommended.

Spill reporting - The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation has provided the following guidance to determine the threshold for reporting petroleum spills:
Petroleum spills must be reported to the NYSDEC unless all of the following criteria are met:
• The spill is known to be less than 5 gallons, and
• The spill is contained and under control of the spiller, and
• The spill has not and will not reach the state’s water or any land, and
• The spill is cleaned up within two hours of discovery
Should a spill result in potential impacts to public safety (ie odors inside buildings), the spill must also be reported to the NYSDEC.
Unreportable spills could be related to a MVA where less than 5 gallons of auto fluids or motor fuel spilled to, and contained to, pavement and cleaned up within two hours of the incident.