The Worst Response Video Thread

PJH

Member
May 23, 2010
500
CO Springs&West PointNY
Hatzolah and Shomrim phone numbers are drilled into the NYC/NJ communties to call first before 911/local resources. They also will go out and do S&R for all the lost vacationing Jewish up in the mountains. Depending who is working the Hatzolah or Shomrim phones, they will be out in full force and then call local responders later if needed or happens to be on a religious holiday, after dark on Friday, etc.


So in a normal sense, no they wouldn't need it, but since they have boat loads of $$$, they can bling out many of the vehicles they own.


I was at one call that they showed up at and there were more lights on their ambulance than my ladder truck....and its a pretty damn loaded up ladder truck.
 

Torpedo

Member
May 9, 2012
583
USA Fl
Please forgive me if this is already here somewhere. From Australia...

 
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lafd55

Member
May 27, 2010
2,393
New York, USA
What makes that a "Worst Response"? If your vehicle is capable and you need to get somewhere then why not. Those rigs are pretty dependable so I have heard and seen.
 

MtnMan

Member
Dec 20, 2012
1,533
Eastern PA
lafd55 said:
What makes that a "Worst Response"? If your vehicle is capable and you need to get somewhere then why not. Those rigs are pretty dependable so I have heard and seen.

Does the vehicle have a snorkel, or were they just very lucky?
 

Torpedo

Member
May 9, 2012
583
USA Fl
I thought the wipers ...on intermittent was great. The paperwork in the dash seemed to survive the flood they released from the cab in the last frame. Worst response? Maybe not. Didn't know where else to post it. That's some truck though and yes, a snorkel for the diesel's air intake for sure. Loved the siren speaker getting drowned out and then still firing on all eight too.


:fangirl:
 
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Torpedo

Member
May 9, 2012
583
USA Fl
lafd55 said:
If it didn't have a snorkel it would have stalled while underwater.

A local guy here took his new vette through some street flooding and turned his L-88 V-8 into two four bangers when it hydro locked.


Split the V-8 block in two. Mechanic told me the air intakes for the EFI motor are down low on these cars. Bad day. 8K+ worth of bad day. Can't imagine what this would do to a diesel with twice the compression ratio but I imagine it would not be good. Stout truck!
 

MtnMan

Member
Dec 20, 2012
1,533
Eastern PA
Luv the way the narrator pronounces "mo-eh-way" and "mo-eh-soycle."


ETA: PIT maneuver. You're doing it wrong.
 
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lafd55

Member
May 27, 2010
2,393
New York, USA
I would have gotten out before he made it in deep. I hope the driver was fired or suspended or even given the bill for the repairs.
 

HFD eng1ine

Member
Jul 27, 2010
974
Essex County. MA
lafd55 said:
I would have gotten out before he made it in deep. I hope the driver was fired or suspended or even given the bill for the repairs.

The water wasn't "that deep" It was just rushing extremely fast due to the extreme flooding in Colorado last week into this week and therefor splashed up high onto the windshield. The truck kept going, on to save some of the 250 residents that were unaccounted for in Longmont and surrounding towns. The Engine is a Pierce Arrow XT. the flood has claimed 7 lives so far. Anyone here who thinks the rig was moving in 9 foot deep water is ridiculous and as a matter of fact, judging by the stop sign, the water was no more than 3-4 feet high.
 

lafd55

Member
May 27, 2010
2,393
New York, USA
And are you saying 3-4 feet is not deep...? What does the Manufacturer of the truck have to do with the water crossing? And finally are you saying that deep of water can not do any damage to the truck, not to mention equipment in the compartments?
 

HFD eng1ine

Member
Jul 27, 2010
974
Essex County. MA
lafd55 said:
And are you saying 3-4 feet is not deep...? What does the Manufacturer of the truck have to do with the water crossing? And finally are you saying that deep of water can not do any damage to the truck, not to mention equipment in the compartments?

No I am not, I am saying that people were dying and stranded and when the fire department was called this engine and crew responded. Neither of us were there and neither of our houses are under water so saying the driver should be fired is asinine.


And for the record....I'd like to know how much equipment firefighters use and store in compartments that would really be affected by water...water seems to be a key part of the job.
 
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Travelin Man

Member
Jul 9, 2010
295
Central Virginia
While I agree that there is isn't generally much equipment in the compartments susceptible to water damage (some EMS supplies come to mind), there is a huge risk of introducing water into the engine block based on the location of the engines air intake. Ever wonder why Pierce has moved their air intakes higher twice on the Quantum chassis? For this very reason - to reduce the chance of engine failure in flooding conditions.


Did they do the right thing? There's no good answer. This is a situation where you can go from hero to zero (or vice versa) in a moments notice and through no fault of your own. They could have saved lives, or become victims themselves...I know this much, I hope I'm not forced to make that kind of decision when I return to work on Saturday.
 

RescueWV

Member
Dec 31, 2010
337
Central PA
Isn't it something like only an inch or two of moving water that can move a passenger car? Obviously, fire apparatus is a bit heavier, but I'd imagine things could still get hairy very quickly in anything more than a foot or so.
 

bunnyfurr

Member
Aug 29, 2010
150
WA
It sucks to be in Colorado. Sorry for the loss of lives. Would it not be safer to find a boat and check the areas?? Do not know if this was an option. I live in WA State and we have the 100 yr flood about every 5 yrs and lost an engine doing the exact thing as above in the video. Drove right into a washed out section of road. Water was only 2 feet deep rushing across the road. The engineer was driving around 10-15 mph when the front just dug in and the rest followed. The washed out section of road was 6 feet across and around 4-6 feet deep.
 

HFD eng1ine

Member
Jul 27, 2010
974
Essex County. MA
bunnyfurr said:
It sucks to be in Colorado. Sorry for the loss of lives. Would it not be safer to find a boat and check the areas?? Do not know if this was an option. I live in WA State and we have the 100 yr flood about every 5 yrs and lost an engine doing the exact thing as above in the video. Drove right into a washed out section of road. Water was only 2 feet deep rushing across the road. The engineer was driving around 10-15 mph when the front just dug in and the rest followed. The washed out section of road was 6 feet across and around 4-6 feet deep.

Wouldnt it be hard to navigate a boat in water moving that fast
 

theroofable

Member
May 23, 2010
1,379
New Jersey
HFD eng1ine said:
No I am not, I am saying that people were dying and stranded and when the fire department was called this engine and crew responded. Neither of us were there and neither of our houses are under water so saying the driver should be fired is asinine.


And for the record....I'd like to know how much equipment firefighters use and store in compartments that would really be affected by water...water seems to be a key part of the job.

What good would the truck do if it was swept away. Now you are out all your rescuers. Water at that height, clearly coming over the windshield in gallons compromises the whole truck. All of the electronics were water damaged, and the engine could have been hydrolocked. I don't know why water halfway up the stop sign isn't deep. Find another way around to get there safely.


How much of the equipment could have been ruined? Assuming the water is a quarter to halfway up the compartment, any saws, hydraulic pumps for the jaws of life if they have them, the actual jaws tools, hose reels, need I say more? Thats already over 15k in equipment easily. You would be lucky to save the apparatus after going in that much water.

RescueWV said:
Isn't it something like only an inch or two of moving water that can move a passenger car? Obviously, fire apparatus is a bit heavier, but I'd imagine things could still get hairy very quickly in anything more than a foot or so.
Yes, on youtube there are numerous videos of tractor trailers and other large trucks being swept away by rushing waters.
 

RyanZ71

Member
Jun 14, 2011
1,001
Denver, Colorado
Fact of the matter is that they had to be out in that stuff, they were limited on vehicles/equipment they could use. They used the rig, the rig got them thru it just fine and we need to stop being so worried about the rigs. They knew what they were doing and they did it great. Kudo's to that department and my sincere thanks for them putting it on the line to help others out.


FYI not a lot of boats if any out in that area. Colorado isn't known for having a ton of lakes/reservoirs. They generally do river rescuing in the areas that flooded, not lake/pond rescue.
 

acala91

Member
Oct 15, 2010
1,662
FL
No I am not, I am saying that people were dying and stranded and when the fire department was called this engine and crew responded. Neither of us were there and neither of our houses are under water so saying the driver should be fired is asinine.


And for the record....I'd like to know how much equipment firefighters use and store in compartments that would really be affected by water...water seems to be a key part of the job.

RyanZ71 said:
Fact of the matter is that they had to be out in that stuff, they were limited on vehicles/equipment they could use. They used the rig, the rig got them thru it just fine and we need to stop being so worried about the rigs. They knew what they were doing and they did it great. Kudo's to that department and my sincere thanks for them putting it on the line to help others out.

FYI not a lot of boats if any out in that area. Colorado isn't known for having a ton of lakes/reservoirs. They generally do river rescuing in the areas that flooded, not lake/pond rescue.

At the end of the day, I could care less about the apparatus. What I am worried about is the 3-4 lives that were put in serious unnecessary danger by driving into those conditions. Water moving that fast that is that deep could have easily swept the truck away or a someone else mentioned, there could be some other hazard that was hidden by the water. I completely understand why they did it, but what do they drill in everyone's heads in fire and EMT/medic school? Scene safety, scene safety, scene safety.
 

Jarred J.

Lifetime VIP Donor
May 21, 2010
11,586
Shelbyville, TN
they weren't "on scene" yet :D
 

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