Fire Departments Suck on ladders.

[Goedjn]

What for? I couldn't even LIFT a 60 foot 1A ladder, much less position the damn thing. I have enough trouble managing the 28 footer I've got, with a stabalizer on the end.

[Mortimer Schnerd, RN]

My point was that he was wrong... it couldn't be done. As for what you *could* buy locally, I borrowed a ladder from across the street when I was running satellite cable all over the outside of my father's house... including up to the third floor. The ladder I borrowed was almost too heavy for me and my old man to carry, and once we stood it up and leverage raised its ugly head, it really became almost impossible to reposition.

That was a heavy duty ladder to be sure; but it wasn't anywhere near what the fire department uses.

[Mortimer Schnerd, RN]

I know a guy in Nigeria who'd sell you one for that. He's the lawyer for the late, tragically departed fire chief and he needs an American to help him get the assets of the department out of the country before the government confiscates it. Send me your email address if you can help.

[deke]

Here you go.

You may have to bargain with them a bit to get the price.

[Dave Martindale]

Don't forget to mention that the recipient will have to advance the money needed to ship the ladder from Nigeria, plus bribe a government department to issue the necessary ladder export permit.

Dave

[bigjim]

I agree that the SWAT teams in Columbine blew it- There is a lunch truck in the video!!!!! Those idiots need some b@LLs. Even cops think that in that type of situation the officers need to barge in and get the perps startled and lives will be saved.

[Kurt Ullman]

You are really brave with other people's lives...

[mm]

That's the way they figure it, but it might be a lot less. The real costs are the costs of the gasoline it burns and a proportional charge of the cost of overhauling the engine and other repairs.

But they normally, I believe, quote costs including a proportional cost of the crew's time, and the initional cost and interst on the price of the helicopter, and the costs of running the whole department. Must of these are fixed costs that don't actually go up when they do a specific thing.

That's for sure. Lately there has been a change in rescue rules, at the Louisiana or federal level, that means pets will be rescued to if possible. Because of Katrina, when, even though they could have taken many of the pets just by doing so, they had a policy against it.

Another example is an article on tv news about concern for the pets of aliens being deported, especially I guess the ones left at home when no one comes back.

And of course the enormous amounts spent on medical care for pets. There was an episode of According to Jim where spent 1000 to fix up a hamster, that sell for 10 dollars and barely have a personality (or even a hamsterality), This was a comedy, but I think it could happen.

It might well be a measure of prosperity that people are willing to do all this. Used to be, I think, most dogs were working dogs, shepherds, etc., although maybe I'm wrong about that.

[bigjim]

[Luke Howett Fitzhugh]

You're ignoring the missed opportunity costs. You seem to think these guys and choppers are sitting around all the time. Whatever else they had to do at that time still has to be done. For that reason, crew costs are completely reasonable to include.

Hmm... "initional cost and interst"? What language is that? No, the cost of running the whole department is not included in those estimates. The Coast Guard isn't even organized into departments. $10K certainly doesn't pay the cost of the entire PD or FD for that length of time.

Luke

[aemeijers]

I agree- my 24 foot fiberglass 1A makes me feel old, pretty quick. (I only needed a 20 foot, but the 24 foot was 50 bucks cheaper, across the street.)

aem sends...

[Steve B]

I can see you know nothing about ladders. IIRC, the story said the guy was quite a way up a tree. Ever try manhandling just a 16" ladder? Know what it takes to get a multiton fire ladder truck near enough to a given point to use a ladder? I didn't think so, either. That's why they are usually used on solid asphalt or concrete. WITH outriggers extended.

How would you have done it? Maybe you ought to start a service. With your intelligence, you could make millions.

Or not.

Steve

[Steve B]

Did you see the guy during the interview talking about potty training the bird? He looked like a Moonie on 'shrooms.

Steve

[Oren]

(Good luck and prayers tomorrow with the procedure)

-- Oren

"My doctor says I have a malformed public-duty gland and a natural deficiency in moral fiber, and that I am therefore excused from saving Universes."

[Steve B]

Thanks. Due to the multi-tentacled insurance company, I found out yesterday that I did not send them the notification in time, and I am therefore bound to their policy for thirty more days, moving my procedure (the one I should have had last July) to May 3rd. I have made some calls to some old friends here in Las Vegas. (It's nice when you live somewhere for fifty years) They may be able to have the insurance company do an "annulment". And that would allow me to have the procedure immediately. I have actually had to go to the federal level of Medicare coverage and Insurance Regulations.

In the meantime, my meds dosages have been increase from 2x to 8x normal dosages, and I am barred from going to my Utah cabin until at least the end of May. I take nitro, and am afraid of falling off a ladder and going boom.

So, I'll just sit back for thirty days and try not to do what they want me to do .................... die in the meantime and go away because of their incompetence and ass dragging.

Sheesh, talk about fire department ladders sucking.

Thanks for the good wishes.

Steve

[Jim Tiberio]

No offense but if that's the criteria then does that mean we should be pointing our shotguns at all the lazy people on welfare or those with fake disability claims?

[Steve B]

Only pointing? Why not make a bounty on them? Anyone bringing in proof (such as the videos investigators take) should be able to claim a reward. There are rewards for information leading to arrest and conviction in all sorts of crimes. Why not this?

(I know why, but this is just for the sake of discussion.)

Steve

[Jim Tiberio]

Keep in mind, I never said whether or not I want to point my guns at them, just curious why this is so bad but the true slackers and drags on society aren't.

[Steve B]

"Jim Tiberio" wrote

I definitely would not point guns at them. Cameras are a different thing. And rewards for those who point them.

Steve

[Harry K]

Ummm....Did you guys miss all the coverage somehow? That they were following policy just like all the other departments had the same policy. Did you somehow miss that that policy was changed nationwide after Columbine?

Harry K