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Special Tribute to Vincent J. Bollon ... Tuesday, March 16, 2010




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News from the IAFF

"Town Hall Meeting Renews Fire Service Commitment to Inclusivity"
"Fire Department Network News Features IAFF-MDA Boot Camp"
"2010 Media Awards Contest Entry Form Available Online"
"IAFF Legislative Conference Is March 14-18"
"Economic Crisis News Headlines"

Fire Fighters in the News

"Maine Fire Fighter Awarded the Bronze Star " (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"Oklahoma City Public Safety Unions Plan More Political Activism" (NewsOK)
"Kansas City Fire Fighters, Police Oppose E-tax Repeal Petitions" (Kansas City Star)
"Layoff Notices Expected for 80 Flint Police Officers, Fire Fighters" (ABC News 12)
"NLV Fire Department Wants Cut of Private Company's Ambulance Calls" (Las Vegas Sun)
"Jacksonville Fire Fighters Send Flag to Ground Zero" (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"Fire chief defends his call to cut rescue unit" (The Columbian )
"City Pension Recommendations Expected Wednesday" (WBAL)
"Council Divided Over Layoffs as Another Union Says 'No'" (State Journal-Register (IL)
"South Kitsap Fire Fighter's Super Bowl Dream Comes True" (Kitsap Sun )
"Chimpanzee Trains for Fire Service With English Boxer" (YouTube)


 

Town Hall Meeting Renews Fire Service Commitment to Inclusivity

This ground-breaking town hall session serves as a forum for a discussion of challenges in the fire service and larger labor movement. The town hall included: Cheryl Horvath, International Association of Women in Fire & Emergency Services; Bill Lucy, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists; Joseph Muhammad, International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters; Alberto Olmos, National Association of Hispanic Firefighters; Harold Schaitberger, IAFF; Carolyn Williams, Coalition of Labor Union Women; and Sean McManus, McManus & Huber (moderator).

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Fire Department Network News Features IAFF-MDA Boot Camp

For more than 50 years there has been a partnership between the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) and the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). MDA is the IAFF's "Charity of Choice," and so far more than $450 million has been raised by fire fighters and their Fill-the-Boot campaigns, making them the greatest contributor to MDA. To run a successful campaign, every department or local must have a coordinator, and once a year, MDA holds a boot camp for those coordinators.

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2010 Media Awards Contest Entry Form Available Online

The International Association of Fire FightersMedia Awards Contest is conducted annually to honor reporting and photography that best portray the professional and dangerous work of fire fighters and emergency personnel in the United States and Canada. The contest also recognizes outstanding work by IAFF affiliates in communicating with their members and the public.

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IAFF Legislative Conference Is March 14-18

The 2010 IAFF Legislative Conference will be held at the Hilton Washington Hotel March 14-18, 2010, and will feature a dynamic lineup of speakers, and members are encouraged to stay through the final day of the Conference.

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Economic Crisis News Headlines

The economy is affecting IAFF members throughout this union through staffing reductions, station closures, cost shifting and wage concessions as local governments lose revenue. To help IAFF members get a clearer understanding of the depth of the financial crisis, the effect it's having at every level of the economy -- including local and state budgets -- the IAFF has prepared the following summaries of and links to "economic crisis" news articles related to cuts in state and local budgets, fire fighter staffing, health care benefits, compensation, pension plans and other areas as a result of the economic downturn.

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Maine Fire Fighter Awarded the Bronze Star
International Association of Fire Fighters (02/19/10)

Augusta, ME Local 1650 fire fighter James Worcester has been awarded the United States Armed Forces Bronze Star Medal for brave actions he took on June 3, 2007. Worcester is a member of the National Guard and serves as a Sergeant in Company A, 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery Regiment.

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Oklahoma City Public Safety Unions Plan More Political Activism
NewsOK (02/14/10); Estus, John; Dean, Bryan

Oklahoma City's public safety unions say they will be more vocal on issues of general concern to the public this year. The decision to get more involved in City politics and policy comes after last year's unsuccessful MAPS 3 proposal, which has led police and fire fighter union leaders to see the benefit of political activism. The fire union plans to launch a web site to serve as a forum for informing and engaging residents on City policy, according to Phil Sipe, president of Oklahoma City, OK Local 157. A looming issue for the union is a raise for fire fighters. Although arbitrators granted fire fighters a 1 percent raise in September, binding arbitration law allows City leaders to put the issue before voters, which council members have never done before. Fire fighters were the only city employees to receive a raise last year, but City Hall says its budget shortfall has already forced it to lay off workers. Political observers say the relationship between the City and the unions is already broken, but Sipe remains optimistic about future negotiations. "We can make this work, and our membership very much wants to make it work," Sipe says.

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Kansas City Fire Fighters, Police Oppose E-tax Repeal Petitions
Kansas City Star (02/10/10); Helling, Dave

Kansas City, MO Local 42, the Fraternal Order of Police and others are urging Kansas Citians not to sign petitions seeking a local vote to repeal the one percent levy. “This misguided ballot initiative will...force massive cuts to public safety, including cops and fire fighters,” said Sherwood Smith, Greater Kansas City Fire Fighters Local 42, in a statement. “So we will join together to call on voters not to sign any petition for a ballot measure that will eliminate the earnings tax and gut funding for public safety in our great city.”  

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Layoff Notices Expected for 80 Flint Police Officers, Fire Fighters
ABC News 12 (02/19/10)

Layoff notices were expected February 18 for 80 Flint police officers and fire fighters. But at last check, they had not been given yet. Mayor Dayne Walling announced the massive cuts February 17. Fifty-seven police officers and 23 fire ighters will be pink slipped. The last thing heard was that the city was working on a seniority list so they knew exactly who would be pink slipped.

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NLV Fire Department Wants Cut of Private Company's Ambulance Calls
Las Vegas Sun (02/18/10); Dostal, Erin

The North Las Vegas City Council recently held a special meeting to hear a proposal that would have the fire department handle all emergency calls. Facing the prospect of having to lay off 21 fire fighters, fire officials crafted a proposal to become North Las Vegas' sole ambulance provider as a way to increase revenue for the fire department. Taking over ambulance service would generate about $1.6 million a year for the fire department, enabling it to keep up to 16 fire fighters, according to fire officials. Twenty-one people spoke at the public forum, including 12 who were against the proposal, although the council decided to postpone a vote until its March 3, 2010, meeting. The Chamber of Commerce and MedicWest described the proposal as a move to drive out private business. However, North Las Vegas Fire Chief Al Gillespie said the city only accounts for about 7 percent of MedicWest's business in Las Vegas Valley. Henderson has a good ambulance service that is handled by its fire department, according to Dan Pentkowski, head of Henderson Professional Firefighters. "I urge them to expand the role of fire fighters in North Las Vegas," he said.

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Jacksonville Fire Fighters Send Flag to Ground Zero
International Association of Fire Fighters (02/17/10)

An American flag erected on a man-made island off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida, commemorating the 343 FDNY fire fighters who died on September 11, 2001, is on its way to Ground Zero. The flag will be put on display for a few weeks and then return to Jacksonville for permanent display. 

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Fire chief defends his call to cut rescue unit
The Columbian (02/23/10)

Firefighters and residents brought their fight to bring back Rescue Unit 3 to the Vancouver City Council on Monday night, as Fire Chief Don Bivins justified his decision to cut the medical response vehicle as his only option.

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City Pension Recommendations Expected Wednesday
WBAL (02/23/10)

Highly anticipated recommendations that will affect thousands of retired Baltimore city police and firefighters and their pensions will be handed down.

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Council Divided Over Layoffs as Another Union Says 'No'
State Journal-Register (IL) (02/12/10); Poole, Deana

Springfield, IL Local 37 rejected the City’s proposal of furlough days and reduced salary increases, making the possibility of layoffs more likely. The union says in a statement that the City did not bargain in good faith and that their offer is not considered a legitimate offer. “As we have stated all along, we are open to begin proper discussion with the administration, to find a resolution to this challenge,” the statement says. “We believe passionately in our commitment to safety and we are committed to serving the public professionally.” Mayor Tim Davlin has said that if the concessions are rejected he may be forced to lay off 20 fire fighters and close some stations on a rotating basis.

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South Kitsap Fire Fighter's Super Bowl Dream Comes True
Kitsap Sun (02/06/10); Farley, Josh

Jamel Linzsey and Bryan Hinkle have never met. But the brothers between them have conspired to make a dream come true. Linzsey, a South Kitsap fire fighter who’s battling terminal cancer, took in Super Bowl XLIV from the stands of Dolphins Stadium in Miami. That’s due in part to the efforts of Hinkle, a Central Kitsap High School grad who played linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers for more than a decade. “It’s unbelievable,” Linzsey said. “I never thought I’d go to the Super Bowl in my life.” Linzsey, an Iraq war veteran who came to South Kitsap from Sunnyside Fire Department near Yakima, was diagnosed with carcinoma, an aggressive cancer that had already spread throughout his body.

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Chimpanzee Trains for Fire Service With English Boxer
YouTube (11/30/08)

This YouTube video is the story of a Chimpanzee who trains to be a fire fighter.

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© copyright 2010 International Association of Fire Fighters

February 24, 2010

The IAFF represents more than 296,000 full-time professional fire fighters and paramedics who protect 80 percent of the nation's population. More than 3,100 affiliates and their members protect communities in every state in the United States and in Canada. In addition to city and county fire fighters and emergency medical personnel, the IAFF represents state employees (such as the California Forestry fire fighters), federal workers (such as fire fighters on military installations), and fire and emergency medical workers employed at certain industrial facilities.

The Frontline News Brief includes summaries of news articles related to fire fighters, emergency response and the fire service. It is distributed twice a month to IAFF affiliate leaders and members.

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