Tag: Ridgewood Fire Department

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April 9th is Founders Day for the Ridgewood blog

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April 9th is Founders Day for the Ridgewood blog 

Ridgewood NJ, April 9, 2014 – The Ridgewood blog was founded in March of 2006 by James J Foytlin aka PJ Blogger .[1] Mr. Foytlin was born and raised in Ridgewood ,New Jersey and is a graduate of Ridgewood High School .[2] [3]

After many years living in New York City[4] Mr Foytlin returned to Ridgewood after a divorce and the tragic events of 9/11 . Once he settled in he noticed a lack of sufficient news coverage of local events . One day a friend from Brazil[5] showed him her home town on the internet and to Mr. Foytlin’s great surprise when he tried to reciprocate he was utterly dismayed at the absolute lake coverage of his home town. After all Ridgewood is only 18 miles from midtown Manhattan[6] the media capitol of world and there was not a single picture of Ridgewood to be found . How could this be? Ridgewood is a picturesque upper middle class village of around 25,000 located in Bergen county in northern New Jersey[7] . Founded by Dutch settlers before it became an English colony[8] . The town or village as its called is steeped in  rich history and tradition .Known for a large amount of Victorian era housing , a quality school system and a family friendly atmosphere.

Though busy getting reacquainted with his home town the fact that the Village of Ridgewood  was so under represented on the internet  continued to disturb Mr. Foytlin. Mr. Foytlin had been writing news letters for his job in financial services since the mid 1990’s . The popular flip, off beat investment strategy news letters had become email blasts with the advent of readily accessible internet.[9] By 2004 the email blasts were converted into blog format for the One Small Voice blog (https://onesmallvoice.blogspot.com/ ). [10]

Around that time the Village of Ridgewood had finally completed it’s much anticipated and long delayed renovation of the Village hall which has been flooded out due to Hurricane Floyd.[11] The renovation was marred by huge cost over runs and lengthy delays. In 2005 it opened with great fan fare , was once again flooded with the very first rain . Mr. Foytlin was more shocked by the abject lack of responsibility taken by elected officials than the fact that the $9 million dollar renovation had to some extent been a failure . That was the breaking point and Mr. Foytlin had had enough so he decided to give , citizen journalism a go and created the Ridgewood blog in March of 2006. [12]

The birth of PJ Blogger .By this time Blogging its seems had become quite the rage and mainstream news anchors such as Dan Rather had questioned the validity of information from non professionals sitting around in their Pajama’s blogging.[13] Mr. Foytlin not a fan of Dan Rather or any of the mainstream media decided to blog under the name PJ Blogger as a play on words and to plant himself firmly in the camp of the new digital media.

Innovations by the Ridgewood blog to citizen journalism.

“The Fly” is a column on the Ridgewood blog the originates from the expression ,”I’d like to be a fly on the wall “ . The idea is that every citizen has both a unique perspective and experience and these two factors can be used to gather news and opinions about local issues. Originally only of handful of people in town participated but with time the Ridgewood blog can now count on 30–50 semi regular contributors. These post are both anonymous and signed and are largely opinion as well a breaking news.[14]

The Ridgewood blog brings a free market lassie fare point of view to local issues . Mr. Foytlin aka PJ Blogger has stated that for local issues there are only two kinds of people ;the ones who say spend what every you want because I will not be around to pay the bill and the second group which are more focused on the ,”be careful this is my money your spending” . The Ridgewood blog is dedicated to the interplay of there two groups.[15]

[1][12] the Ridgewood blog website https://theridgewoodblog.blogspot.com/
[2] Birth Certificate born in Valley Hospital , Ridgewood 04/09/1962
[3] Ridgewood High School Class 1980
[4] 444 East 86th street ,530 East 72nd
[5] Monica Rocha
[6] Mapquest
[7] United States 2000 Census, the village population was 24,936.
[8] https://www.americantowns.com/nj/ridgewood/organization/vi…
[9] Fahnestock & Co. now Oppenheimer & Co.
[10] https://onesmallvoice.blogspot.com/
[11] https://www.ridgewoodlibrary.org/localhistory/lh_vh_pease.htm
[13] https://www.opinionjournal.com/diary/?id=110005611
[14] [15] James J Foytlin

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Ridgewood police, fire departments present budget requests

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file photo by Boyd Loving

Ridgewood police, fire departments present budget requests

MARCH 27, 2014    LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 2014, 3:35 PM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER

Ridgewood police officials attribute the department’s proposed 7 percent spending increase, in part, to a spike in mandatory officer training and the imminent replacement of aging administration vehicles.

During a Village Council budget work session last week, Chief John Ward detailed the police department’s anticipated 2014 expenses contained within its $6.6 million budget. The heads of the fire and information technology departments also presented their individual budgets.

Work sessions resume on Thursday night.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/community-news/ridgewood-police-fire-departments-present-budget-requests-1.752822#sthash.fKhq5ond.dpuf

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2-alarm fire guts Ridgewood barn

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Photo credit: Boyd A. Loving
2-alarm fire guts Ridgewood barn
March 22,2014
Boyd A. Loving
7:31 PM

Ridgewood NJ, A barn located in the rear of a home at 122 Cottage Place Ridgewood was gutted by a 2-alarm fire that was reported by a passerby at approximately 6:45 PM on Saturday.  The owners of the property were not home at the time Ridgewood fire fighters arrived and found the barn totally engulfed in flames.  No injuries were reported.  Fire officials at the scene could not provide an immediate cause of the blaze.  Response by Ridgewood FD, Ridgewood PD, Ridgewood EMS, and Ridgewood Emergency Services personnel.

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Photo credit: Boyd A. Loving

1-800-PetMeds Private Label

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One injured when SUV careens off Route 17 into snowbank

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Photo credit:   Boyd A. Loving
One injured when SUV careens off Route 17 into snowbank
February 15,2013
Boyd A. Loving
10:28 PM

Ridgewood NJ , One person was injured and transported to The Valley Hospital following a 8:55 PM Saturday accident in which a Ford SUV traveling southbound on Route 17 in Ridgewood careened off the roadway and came to rest on top of a snowbank in front of 555 Route 17, South.  The heavily damaged vehicle was freed from its perch by a flatbed tow truck, which removed it from the scene.  The right lane of Route 17 was closed for approximately 60 minutes to facilitate accident investigation, vehicle removal, and debris clean up.  Traffic moved freely through the area throughout the time.  Ridgewood PD handled the accident investigation; Ridgewood EMS transported the victim by ambulance.

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Photo credit:   Boyd A. Loving

Esurance

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Ridgewood firefighters work to free hydrants from deep, hard packed snow

Ridgewood1_firefighters_free_hydrants_theridgewoodblog.net
Photo credit: Boyd A. Loving
Ridgewood firefighters work to free hydrants from deep, hard packed snow
Febuary 15th 2014
Boyd A. Loving
1:29 PM

Ridgewood NJ, Fire departments throughout Bergen County have dispatched firefighters with shovels to free fire hydrants from the mounds of deep, hard packed snow created when snowplows cleared main road and side streets.  Here, a team of Ridgewood firefighters assigned to Engine Company #35 free up a hydrant located near the corner of Spring Avenue and Hope Street at the start of Saturday’s snow storm.

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Photo credit: Boyd A. Loving

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2 Toyota SUVs collide in pre Super Bowl Ridgewood Crash

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2 Toyota SUVs collide in pre Super Bowl Ridgewood Crash
February 2,2014
Boyd A. Loving
8:45 PM

Ridgewood NJ, A Toyota Highlander collided with a Toyota Sequoia at the intersection of North Walnut Street and Robinson Lane just prior to the Super Bowl kickoff on Sunday evening.

The Highlander’s driver was transported by ambulance to The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood with non life threatening neck & back injuries; the Sequoia’s driver was uninjured.  The collision’s force propelled both vehicles head on into immovable objects; the Highlander wound up smashed into a utility pole and the Sequoia wedged against a large tree.  Each car sustained heavy front end damage; both were removed by flatbed tow trucks.  Air bags deployed in both vehicles during the crash.  A stop sign was destroyed in the crash and the utility pole requires replacement.

RIdgewood FD personnel attended to a minor fluid spill resultant from the crash.  One summons was issued in connection with the incident; police at the scene did not reveal its nature.

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Flawed bid process will delay Maple Field cleanup in Ridgewood

maple+field1-300x19911

maple field

Flawed bid process will delay Maple Field cleanup in Ridgewood
TUESDAY DECEMBER 17, 2013, 10:32 AM
BY  DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

The Ridgewood Council has rejected the lone bid it received for the Maple Park turf cleaning job, a move that will delay a much-needed procedure at one of the village’s most used fields.

According to a council resolution unanimously passed last week, the village will put the project back out for public bid because the initial bid process was declared flawed.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/236204961_Flawed_bid_process_will_delay_Maple_Field_cleanup_in_Ridgewood.html#sthash.MGSmM45E.dpuf

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Mark Levin: Reader says not so fast Mark

mark_levin_bookends_theridgewodblog.net

https://queenofliberty.com/2013/08/14/mark-levin-rolls-out-his-new-book/

Mark Levin: Reader says not so fast Mark

Mark was shown where he made a mistake in stating in a footnote that delegates from Vermont belatedly attended the constitutional convention in Philadelphia in 1787. In reality, Vermont was not even a state until 1791. Before that it was a disputed territory between New Hampshire and New York. So Vermonters were not asked to nor were they qualified to attend the Philadelphia convention. He gave his challenger no credit for reading his book carefully and bringing this non-trivial mistake to his attention. He then refused to sign the book on the page where the footnote appeared and showed distinct signs of impatience and annoyance when he opened the front of the book and began to sign it.

At this point, Mark was challenged about Cruz’s eligiblity. But the challenge did not happen as Mark said it did. The challenger asked this: “Under what possible definition of the term natural-born Citizen does your friend Ted Cruz qualify to be president?” At this same time the challenger placed an annotated copy of an earlier TheRidgewoodBlog posting repeating CNN’s recent article questioning Cruz’s eligibility, and was pointing at the document. After cursing at the challenger , Mark replied: “I never said he was a natural-born Citizen.”, upon which his challenger said: “But you must be a natural-born Citizen to be President!”. Mark then said: “No you don’t!”, and the challenger said “Yes, you do. Read the Constitution.” Levin was showing no signs of changing his tune. The challenger then turned around and left the booksigning. There was no time during any of this dialogue for Mark to ruminate on the challenger’s motivations or talk about Canada or Cruz’s mother or anything like what he said on his Radio program

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Readers asks Why is Heather A. Mailander capable enough to fill in but not to actually be appointed to the position

village-hall-theridgewoodblog

 

Readers asks Why is Heather A. Mailander capable enough to fill in but not to actually be appointed to the position

Why is she capable enough to fill in but not to actually be appointed to the position. Another woman running a dept and not being recognized. She is better than Gabbert and Ten Hoeve

Heather Mailander would make an excellent choice for Village Manager. She is highly capable, has a tremendous work ethic, she knows the town and she well respected and liked by both Village employees and residents. Most importantly she has good common sense………..which is in short supply in Village Hall.

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Basement, Bathroom, Kitchen Remodeling, Roofing, Painting or Any Restoration Services By ALL DONE

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Appeals court affirms decision to reduce Ridgewood firefighter’s award to $500,000 from $3.5M

ridgewoodfiretruck_theridgewoodblog.net

file photo by Boyd Loving

Appeals court affirms decision to reduce Ridgewood firefighter’s award to $500,000 from $3.5M
Wednesday May 1, 2013, 12:29 PM
BY  CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER
The Record

RIDGEWOOD — A panel of appellate court judges agreed the village only has to pay one of its firefighters half-a-million dollars — far less than the $3.5 million a jury awarded him in 2012 for emotional distress.

The decision, issued Tuesday, upholds a Superior Court judge’s May 2, 2012 ruling, reducing Kevin Reilly’s damages to $500,000.

 

https://www.northjersey.com/news/Appeals_court_affirms_decision_to_reduce_Ridgewood_firefighters_award_to_500000_from_35M.html

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Postal Service set to cut Saturday delivery

bikeatthePostOffice_theiridgewoodblog

 

February 6, 2013 7:41 AM
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ– The U.S. Postal Service has announced that it will stop delivering mail on Saturdays but continue to deliver packages six days a week under a plan aimed at saving about $2 billion, the financially struggling agency says. Saturday mail cutback would not begin until August.

The move allows the USPS to focus on package delivery which has increased by 14% since 2010, At the same time technology which aids in package delivery has caught up with the delivery of letters and other mail declining significantly with the ever increasing use of email and other Internet based technologies. .

Under the new plan, mail would still be delivered to post office boxes on Saturdays. and Post offices now open on Saturdays would remain open on Saturdays.

The Postal Service for some time has advocated shifting to a five-day delivery schedule for mail and packages . The US Postal Service is an independent agency that gets no tax dollars for its day-to-day operations but is subject to congressional control.

The agency would need congressional approval to make the change and It was not immediately if that would be forth coming or even necessary.

Patrick R. Donahoe, postmaster general , says Postal Service market research and other research has indicated that nearly 7 in 10 Americans support the switch to five-day delivery as a way for the Postal Service to reduce costs.

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Ex Chief Bombace looks to resuscitate image after behavior was blasted by judge in Reilly verdict

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Ex Chief Bombace looks to resuscitate image after behavior was blasted by judge in Reilly verdict

Kevin Reilly alleged that he reported two incidents in which firefighter safety was compromised because of violations by his superiors.

The recent decision by Judge Menelaos W. Toskos reducing Firefighter Kevin Reilly’s 3.5 million dollar jury award to $500,000.00 told only half of the story.

Firefighter Reilly’s “whistle blower” claim that he and his colleagues were ordered to clean up an unknown chemical spill at The Valley Hospital was proven to be false during the court proceedings. The chemical had been identified by The Bergen County Hazardous Materials Team, which was called to The Valley Hospital at 7:30 PM on Sunday, August 12, 2007, at the request of the Fire Department, for what was then an unknown spill in the area of the Hospital Pharmacy. I was also called to the scene by the on duty Fire Captain.

The members of the Ridgewood Fire Department and Bergen County Hazardous Materials Team contained and then identified the spilled material, which was identified as 1000 cc of Glacial Acetic Acid. Bergen County Hazmat and Fire Department members then used an absorbent to pick up the liquid. Once all of the liquid had been picked up they double bagged the absorbent and the broken bottle for disposal. The bagged material was turned over to a Hospital Representative for disposal in the Hospitals normal hazardous waste flow. This action was documented in a report filed by the Bergen County Hazardous Materials Team (BCDHS Case Number 2007-8-71) see attachment.

The next day, Monday, August 13, 2007, Deputy Chief David Yaden and I returned to Valley Hospital in the morning to speak to the Valley Hospital Safety Officer about incident and to insure that the already contained and bagged material was going to be disposed of properly. When we went to check on the hazardous material it was noticed that the outer bag had been torn at some point. We called for the on duty firefighters to respond to The Valley Hospital and I instructed Firefighter Reilly and the other Firefighters to wear their appropriate respiratory protection with gloves and to place the torn bag into another bag and then place a hazardous materials label on the new bag.

None of the already bagged absorbent material had spilled from either of the inner bags. No spill was cleaned up by Firefighter Reilly or the other Firefighters. At no time were these Firefighters placed in any danger and because there was no spill there was no need to call the Bergen County Hazardous Materials Team for this situation.

James Bombace, Chief (Retired)

Ridgewood Fire Department