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BRIDGE LANE

Postby fusas » Sun Nov 19, 2006 9:58 pm

Just wanted to say what a wonderful job the Newton ransom fire company did Thursday night to rescue Ashley Keller from the raging waters on bridge lane- yea right.  First of all, the fireman that was blocking the road thought that the screaming coming from the woods was a deer.  Then had the nerve to try and stop the victims father from trying to rescue his daughter.  The fireman that tried to stop him, now thinks that the father should have charges pressed on the father because he did not follow protocol.  The only one that should have charges pressed against them is the Newton Ransom fire company because if the father had not gone to find his daughter, the family would be planning a funeral right now.  

Yet again the Newton ransom fire company proves how untrained and under-qualified they are to handle such situations.  There was such a lack of organization and control of the situation that the victim spent hours in the cold water while the fire company took 45 minutes to decide how to tie a rope.  I would like to know who voted the fire chief into his position.  He had no control over the situation.  He was giving wrong directions to the other companies that were trying to respond and had know idea how to handle this situation.  It was funny how the victims family was calling for some other members that used to be with the company because they knew things would have been done differently and there daughter would not have spent four hours in a creek and became so hypothermic that she was delusional.  I'm sorry it should have never taken that long.  The fire company wasted so much time trying to figure out how are we going to do this and who was going to do what.  Its pretty bad that the neighbor had to jump in the water to get the boat to her after the fire company made several failed attempts.  There needs to be a completed investigation as to what went wrong and why this played out the way it did.  If not for the victim’s father, family and the neighbor this would have had a tragic outcome.  Instead of following your damn protocols, you should think about how unorganized, untrained and uneducated your members are.  Newton ransom has yet again proven why they are the laughing stock of the area fire companies.  You prove every time that the pager goes off that Clarks Summit, Chinchilla, Justus, and lake Winola will beat your company to a fire call that is one mile away from the fire company.  Clarks Summit and Chinchilla usually pass the fire company and Newton has not even made it out the bay doors.  You can keep your bi-laws and your damn protocols.  No wonder you can’t keep members, no one wants to be associated with such an organization.  If you responded to that call, you should be embarrassed on how your "chief" handled the call.  This is not meant to all the fireman, just a few (and you know who you are S&S). All you heard on the Newton repeater was that the ladies auxiliary was concerned about making the hard working volunteers sandwiches.  They were there for four hours- not ten, but wait, 75% of the fire company are over-weight and in terrible shape-just who I would want to come and rescue me.  You should hope and pray that the family of this victim does not press charges against the company.   Way to go boys- another excellent example of your stupidity.  Bravo, bravo!!!
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Postby ry1958 » Tue Nov 21, 2006 10:09 pm

I agree with the person that stated that the Newton-Ransom Fire Company's response to the flood victim call was lacking in training and sound decision making.
People in the town are finding out that the people in key roles in the Fire Company are not as educated and reliable as they should be. People that had many more years of experience were driven away by petty people with their own agendas.
The same chinese-fire-drill will probably be displayed the next structure fire too, just hope it's not your house.
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thank you

Postby xtarax05 » Tue Nov 21, 2006 11:02 pm

your not the only one who thinks things were mishandled. its scarey these are the people who are supposed to save our lives. Newton-Ransom Volunteer Fire company is a joke! these people need more training and more common sense. im worried that we acctually trust our lives with these people. what happened to the fire fighters that were worth having? what happend to the people that cared about someones life not how good they look in the papers and the news?
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Postby LaurieT » Wed Nov 22, 2006 12:48 am

It is so sad to see posts of this nature pertaining to a tragic disaster.
You managed to give us your scenario, fusas, of the blow by blow operations of this rescue mission, as if you were standing right there, were you? Or did you hear opinions of others and decide to be the renegade and use this forum for your own hidden agendas?
I for one, thank our guys,all other companies who responded to our area, and the rescue dive team for getting out there and doing their very best, and I am happy the girl is home with her family.
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Postby Sal » Wed Nov 22, 2006 1:15 pm

Hi Folks,

The intent of this website is to provide information to the community and to allow people to express their opinion.

I have been actively involved in Newton Township for seventeen years and I know a lot of people in Newton.   I have had people tell me of many good and bad things about the Township but in all those years, I have never heard anything bad about the Fire Co.

The Fire Co. forum was put here with good intentions.  I was hoping that information would be put on here about events, fundraisers, safety tips and general information.

This website reaches many people in the community and it is a great way to get information out but the only way that the information can get on here is by the members of the Fire Co to put it here.

In other parts of this website there has been quite a few heated discussions but most of those people use their real name.  We do not like to remove people’s posts and the negative post above stated, “This is not meant to all the fireman, just a few”

Readers are reminded be skeptical of people that make strong statements but do not give out their real name.
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Postby ry1958 » Wed Nov 22, 2006 2:18 pm

If you have been a member for seventeen years then you
have seen for yourself how many people have left the organization.
Not one of the people who are so quick to jump on other people for their mistakes have anything to talk about. There is plenty of dirty laundry to go around up there, everyone knows it.
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Postby Sal » Wed Nov 22, 2006 6:49 pm

Hi ry,

I was never a member or involved in the Fire Co and I have no knowledge of their affairs.

I know some of the people involved in the Fire Co and they seem like fine people to me.

I am sure there are problems.  Everyone has problems.   :laugh:

All I can say is that I never heard anything bad about the Fire Co. form anyone that I know.
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Postby ry1958 » Thu Nov 23, 2006 10:09 am

Hi Sal,

Pehaps you could join the Fire Company, then you would see how fast the politics would drive you away too. I have seen first hand for over twenty-five years what the Fire Company has been like, and let me tell you it's not like it  was years ago.
People don't need to volunteer countless hours of their time to try to do good for the community, then put up with garbage from small minded people.
How many new Volunteers have joined the organization over the last couple of years, except for some kids? Maybe you could do a better job Sal, Good Luck.
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Postby Sal » Thu Nov 23, 2006 6:00 pm

Thanks Ry.

An officer invited me to join the Fire Co. some time ago and I would have liked to do so but I can’t keep up with everything that I got going as it is.  I would not be able to do much so I don’t think it would be fair to the others for me to join just so I could say that I am a member.

However, I was involved in another volunteer fire company so I know a little bit about it.  

I can see by what you said that you are not a young person.   I’m sure that the Fire Co. doesn’t have kids as firefighters but I know what you mean.  I often call young people kids too. :laugh:

The Fire Company that I was involved with had a lot of kids (young people) and they were great but experience comes with age and there were people involved in all age brackets.

Anyway, The reason that I am here is not to discuss the Fire Co. I am here as an administrator of this website.  There were some complaints regarding the first post on this topic.  I was reluctant to remove it at first because we want to allow people to have open discussions.  However, the poster never came back so it appears to be a hit and run attack.  

In my opinion, the way the post was written it was insulting to all the volunteers and that is not fair.  Foul language was used and that is not permitted.  In addition, it was it the wrong section of the website.  In my opinion, the post hand nothing to do with Fire Co. Information and was really some sort of complaint done in a demeaning and defamatory way.

Therefore, I decided that it would be in the best interest of all parties to delete the first post and move the topic to “What’s Your Beef?” section of the website.

You and the other poster seem to be able to express your concerns without being rude so the topic will remain with your post being the first post in the discussion.

I hope this is acceptable to all parties and I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.  :D
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Postby JoeP » Thu Nov 23, 2006 9:30 pm

I would like to make 3 points about this discussion.

1. I haven't taken any sides regarding the Bridge Lane rescue - all I know is what was reported in the media.  As an untrained observer, it would seem this type of rescue would have been within the scope of training skills and experiences of the Newton Fire Dept.  While I wasn't there I do wonder why other fire companies had to respond to complete the rescue.  That included engines coming up the Morgan Hwy on the wrong side because of the traffic backup which was a danger for those fireman also (I was in that traffic jam).

2. For Sal - I agree members have a right to express their views on this site within the limits of common decency, and respectable discourse.  But you have to apply the censorship rule equally; therefore, the derogatory post regarding Chief Reese recently made by firefightr2oo6 falls into the same category as the post made by fusas for the same reasons.  You can't have it both ways.

3. For those in politics, the public sector (e.g. township supervisors and administrators) and in other public service roles, whether elected, full time, part time, salaried or volunteer, professionalism is something not left at the job.

Being in the public light, one is often (fairly or unfairly) judged on how they conduct themselves in their private life as well (as some politicians have found out the hard way).  My point: professionalism is least measured on technical skills, experience or knowledge, rather, it is on how one conducts themselves and the examples they set everyday - 24/7.  Something to consider when you serve the same neighbors you live with.
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Postby Sal » Fri Nov 24, 2006 8:59 am

Hi Joe,

Your opinion is valued here and you are correct.  We cannot get involved in censorship.  The post remained as long as it did because I did not want to get involved in something like that.

I am big enough to admit when I make a mistake and to correct it. :oops:

Frankly I was not 100% sure that deleting the post was the right thing to do so I kept a copy of it and I put it back on in its entirety and unedited.

My sincere apology to fusas.
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Postby ry1958 » Fri Nov 24, 2006 10:12 am

This is a reply to Joe P's statement that working with the the public and holding an office, volunteer or orther makes your conduct 24/7 accountable to the community. If this is true than it should be the same for EVERYONE in the organization, not just a select few. I consider someone getting accused and investigated by the police for child-molestation a serious offense, one that should have at least had the same punishment for being a bad reflection on the fire company as other have in the recent past. What's good for one should be good for all but that;s not the way it works when your family is running the show.
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Postby JoeP » Sat Nov 25, 2006 1:33 am

Thanks Sal.  I think everyone needs to be reminded that you created this site so the residents and businesses of Newton Township had a way to exchange information and be informed as to what was going on in their community.  You filled a need that was not being provided by the township leaders, you did it on your own time and without support of any type from the township.  So we owe you a big round of thanks and I can think of no one better or fairer to administer this site.

So fellow residents, if you have a beef with the township, the board of supervisors or some township service (or lack thereof) - state it in a professional way.  Let's not turn this great site into a cesspool of personal attacks, individual vendettas, innuendos, offensive accusations, name calling and foul language.  Also, I know Sal has asked that folks who post on this site not hide behind an alias.  If you have something to say - say who you are.  Here is an opportunity for everyone to be "professional".

Remember, we are better off with this site than without it.

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Postby Sal » Sat Nov 25, 2006 1:19 pm

Thanks for the kind words Joe.

People do not need to put their real name at the bottom of a post or in the username.  They can put in their profile (just put it in the website box) that way their names can only be seen by registered members that are logged in.

That is a better way to do it for privacy issues.  This website is constantly being scanned by good and bad robots.  Information in profiles has a layer of protection that prevents gathering peoples information.

Getting back on topic, here is The Times Tribune's version of what happen at Bridge Lane.

Raging waters sweep woman
The Times Tribune
BY SARAH HOFIUS
STAFF WRITER
11/17/2006


NEWTON TOWNSHIP — After almost four hours in cold, raging water, a 19-year-old woman was pulled to safety Thursday at about 9:30 p.m.

Ashley Keller was undergoing treatment in the emergency room at Community Medical Center late Thursday. Rescue personnel on scene said the woman was suffering from hypothermia.

Ms. Keller was driving on Bridge Lane when she lost control of her car because of water on the roadway. She got out of the car and was swept a quarter mile down Gardner Creek, where she grabbed onto a tree and clung to it as the water raged around her, rescue workers said.

Newton firefighter Ralph Kettle Jr. said he was on the corner of Bridge Lane and Valley View Road, blocking the road to cars because of the water on the road, when he heard someone screaming for help.

The stream was about 25 to 30 feet wide and 6 to 7 feet deep, Bill White, president of the Scott Township Dive Rescue Team, said.

The dive team, along with numerous departments that make up Lackawanna County’s Rescue Task Force, tried at least seven times to rescue Ms. Keller. Firefighters then walked to the other side and set up a pulley system so the boat could be pulled across the stream.

“We were having a terrible time because the stream was so swift,” Mr. White said, adding that thick brush also made it difficult to reach Ms. Keller. “She is a lucky girl though.”

About 20 emergency workers stationed themselves at the corner of Bridge Lane and Valley View Road, as even more worked at the creek, several hundred yards away. Lights on the top of fire trucks shined into the field between the creek and the corner of the roads.
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Postby LaurieT » Sat Nov 25, 2006 1:42 pm

Hi Joe
I understand your objectives, but unfortunatly there are people with computers who can and have as you see, do damage not only to individuals in our township, but also to our town as a whole.
Public forums like this site can go either way, productive or non productive. I, as a new member in this community, and also on the volunteer fire department am disgusted with the rhetoric that has been spewed via the internet.
The people who have done this damage are a few, and it doesnt take rocket science to figure out who they are and what their agenda is.You will notice in the first three postings, they all refer to past members.It makes me sick to see these people looked on this first time EVER flood water rescue as an opportunity to try and fulfill their twisted agenda, trying to make people in our community think we lost some great members  due to pettiness?Sometimes things backfire though, like it has in this case, because I'm sure anyone reading these posts, and many are ,not only from our community, but also surrounding firehouses now knows and sees why some past members will stay in the past. I'm sure the measures taken by our guys will be discussed in their meetings at the firehouse, both what they feel went right, and wrong, and how to improve if the need for this type of rescue ever occurs again. Sad part is, the postings actually had nothing to do with how the rescue went. Our public service volunteers, and our paid <the chief of police> do as much for this community as possible. The families who have been attacked in this forum, S&S, are the most dedicated people you will ever find in a volunteer setting.Add another "S" and a "K" and we have 4 families, fathers, mothers, sons,and daughters who make life here in Newton Ransom a bit safer, along with the rest of the many active <key word> people we have. Are they perfect? heck no, but who is? Better to deal with imperfectness in people who are out there helping our small community than to deal with hecklers who do nothing more than sit there, and damage whomever they can in the short time they are around the firehouse. Yes, it is very obvious the 2 posters, fusas and ry1958 are around the firehouse. I truly hope they realize the "dirt" they speak of in the firehouse, is themselves.
Mean people suck <can I say that Sal?>   :wink:
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