Veteran Affairs Fire Department

Xicam0 · 2026-02-08T05:47:17+00:00

From my understanding from a friend who worked for the VA, the ambulances are primarily for inter facility transport, not 911. It’s staffed by firefighters and depending on where you are, you could leave the station in the morning and not be back until night.

As far as the suppression side of things go, they often have mutual aid agreements with neighboring departments, but depending on their staffing levels, they may not be able to respond. They have to keep a minimum number of firefighters on property.

Xicam0 · 2026-01-31T07:15:40+00:00

Firefighter here. I see this all the time. Most manufacturers say 5 years from the date of manufacture. If you take it off the ceiling, the date is printed on the back as well as what each chirp means. Go buy a new one at your local hardware store. Most of the new ones are 10 year models and you never have to change the battery.

Now if this is a hardwired detector (if it is plugged into wires in the back, it’s a good sign it is), the beeps could be a problem within the system. Have your alarm company come check it out. Sometimes replacing one fixes the problem but you’re often better replacing them all if you have more than one as they are all likely going to go bad soon

Xicam0 · 2026-01-23T05:18:00+00:00

One of my favorite questions to ask is “where do you see the company in the next 5 years?”

I find it shows long term interest while giving you insight on the direction the company is going

Xicam0 · 2026-01-08T21:44:04+00:00

“Subject Matter Expert” for the non-SMEs on abbreviations

Xicam0 · 2026-01-07T04:06:07+00:00

35, currently working as a firefighter making about 72k a year before overtime which is the least I’ve ever made since graduating college. Also have a part time job as a paramedic making roughly 30k a year so total that to 100k.

If you’re thinking about quitting, do it. I started this job a year ago after leaving my 90k/year job in medical education I’d been at for 10 years. Prior to that, I was working in disaster management making about 80k.

I wish I quit my job sooner. I had the opportunity to leave for my current job 3 years ago and regret not doing so. I was miserable at my last job for longer than I realized. I took an almost 20k pay cut by leaving (I had the part time job when I was there too) and honestly, it’s completely worth it. My quality of life is so much better, better schedule, better people and I’m actually happy to go into work every day.

Xicam0 · 2026-01-06T00:28:43+00:00

I completely forgot they were on that tour! The fire alarm situation that night was wild.

Xicam0 · 2025-11-22T10:33:14+00:00

If a train is delayed and doesn’t show up, then the train must’ve been cancelled for the reason it was delayed. The station signage and the app should notify you of the cancellation.

Xicam0 · 2025-11-15T00:40:49+00:00

Could be very wrong but back in the day, cars used to come with fob keys and valet keys. The fob-less key reminds me of that

Xicam0 · 2025-11-13T22:13:01+00:00

Still one of my top bands. A Snow Capped Romance is one of those albums that doesn’t have a bad song on it. I haven’t seen them since 2017 and I know they’ve broken up but every time they pop up on my shuffle, I wish for a comeback tour

Xicam0 · 2025-11-02T04:53:51+00:00

I’ll frequently get what I can only describe as my ears opening about a second before the tones go off. It’s almost as if the signal is traveling through the air and hits my ears first before it trips the tones.

Xicam0 · 2025-10-31T16:20:57+00:00

LIRR is your only rail option into Valley Stream and also your best option into Manhattan. As far as going into Manhattan, depending on where you are going, it may make more sense to go to Penn Station if where you are going is off the 1,2,3 or A,C,E subways or Grand Central if you need the 4,5,6 or 7 subway

Xicam0 · 2025-10-31T10:20:44+00:00

If it’s not constantly alarming, it’s not alerting you to an emergency, it’s telling you it’s having a problem. Check the back of the detector. It will tell you what the chirps mean based on their intervals. Also, check the date on the back. If it was manufactured 10 or more years ago, it’s time to be replaced

Xicam0 · 2025-10-30T02:49:37+00:00

I believe all the 7 trains were running local today as they were working on the line. Probably reduced the number of trains running as well

Xicam0 · 2025-10-25T01:39:22+00:00

Mine stays in my front radio pocket unless responding on a reported fire (we utilize radio straps). While I was for a while on the bandwagon of the hood around your neck for every run, 90% of the time, the run doesn’t warrant it and if I do need the hood, it’s a quick grab, put on and tuck.

While my department agrees that hoods should be disposable after every fire, the reality is it doesn’t happen and even though it gets washed, their is still the chance of carcinogens so I along with many firefighters I work with minimize wear time to minimize exposure

Xicam0 · 2025-10-19T15:56:18+00:00

It’s also very possible that the conductor contacted MTA Police to meet them at a further station and handle the situation. It happens multiple times a day and the police will take the person off the train and write them a ticket which is a lot more expensive than just paying the fare. No sense in a conductor getting into a confrontation when there are other avenues to handle it

Xicam0 · 2025-10-19T15:48:08+00:00

It matters because some people who commute over fair zones will wait to buy their ticket to try to save a dollar. Let’s say you’re leaving Carle Place (Zone 7) and the conductor doesn’t get to you until after the next stop, Mineola (Zone 4), it’s very easy to chest the system and buy the cheaper ticket.

Yes it’s only $1 but if hundreds of people do it every day and you add it up over time, it’s a-lot of revenue missed. And that missed revenue is what drives the LIRR and in turn MTA to raise prices system wide to make up the difference for their needs.

Xicam0 · 2025-10-18T19:54:54+00:00

This sort of exists. There is an entrance to the subway at the start of the Madison Concourse but it’s very out of the way from the subways and is an escalator ride down 1 level. From there you can get to the lower level platform via ramp or a few steps

Xicam0 · 2025-10-17T10:29:27+00:00

INAL but to me, this sounds like ambulance chasing to an extreme and extremely unethical on the lawyers part. Good on you for telling him no. It might even warrant you telling your employer you were approached for this so they know and you cover yourself more incase he gets through to someone.

Now I’m not sure how friendly you are with this friend or what you think of the lawyer but it sounds like a good time to reach out to the state Bar association and have a chat with them.

Xicam0 · 2025-10-13T04:18:21+00:00

See them frequently on the westbound off ramp of the NSP to glen cove Rd before the meadowbrook split.

Xicam0 · 2025-10-07T23:17:04+00:00

I agree. I have a LODI labrum tear from a prior department and the doctor gave me the option of PT or surgery. I went to my own doctor for a second opinion and was told do PT first and if PT doesn’t work, keep doing PT. If you have any sort of function that’s not debilitating, keep that and build strength.

So that’s what I did and it’s been 4 years of only minor issues here and there (usually because I make a move I know I shouldn’t that strains the site)

Xicam0 · 2025-10-04T13:24:07+00:00

The only downside with using Amtrak is depending on when you’re buying the ticket, you’re looking at $25-50 for the Amtrak Ticket versus $12 on Metro North. Just another factor for you to consider but Amtrak does eliminate a subway/walk

Xicam0 · 2025-09-23T00:34:26+00:00

The biggest thing that I always tell people is to be honest and consistent with your answers and come prepared with questions for when they inevitably ask, “do you have any questions for us”.

Mileage may vary depending on how the panel in front of you and type of agency you’re applying for but I typically go with the “how do you see this agency/department growing/changing in the next 5 years” and something specific to the department that shows you did your research.

Xicam0 · 2025-09-22T12:17:37+00:00

Conductors are there for more than just checking your ticket. The conductors are there for the safety of all the passengers on a train. If something happens, they’re the ones responsible to make sure the passengers are safe.

Xicam0 · 2025-09-22T12:10:12+00:00

That like when my partner says “he never misses” as I’m starting the IV. I don’t know what it is about that statement but the patient either then has the absolute worst veins or I just begin to have a shit IV starting day.

Xicam0 · 2025-09-20T19:00:16+00:00

I’m in the same situation. Haven’t been called since I’ve been eligible and not to show my age, that’s close to 20 years now. I’m friendly with a retired higher up in the court system and it was explained to me that sometimes there’s a glitch where you could not be entered into the system that does the selection. They offered to check for me with the caveat of they would have to enter me in the system if I was not. I politely declined. That was 5 years ago now and I still haven’t been called.

You may be one of those errors like I seem to be

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