|  Connecticut Bill Protects Emergency Responders Against Infectious Disease
July 1, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell has signed a bill requiring hospitals to promptly notify paramedics, fire fighters, police and other emergency responders when a patient they have treated or handled has been diagnosed with an infectious disease. Read More...
|  Five IAFF Members Graduate from the National Labor College
July 1, 2009 -- Five IAFF members received degrees during the National Labor College’s (NLC) 11th commencement ceremony on Saturday, June 27, 2009 in Silver Spring, Maryland. Michael Mullins and Paul Pureza both of Virginia Beach, VA Local 2924, Michael Rogers of Charlottesville, VA Local 2363, Tracey LaBass of Prince William County, VA Local 2598 and Chris Anderson of Tucson, AZ Local 479 were among the 102 graduates who earned bachelor’s degrees in various labor studies disciplines. Read More...
| British Columbia Fire Fighters Achieve Breakthrough on Pensions
June 30, 2009 -- Professional fire fighters in British Columbia have taken a major step toward solving a longstanding pension problem -- a step that takes full advantage of a regulatory change the IAFF won at the federal level in Canada in 2003. On June 16, Surrey, BC Local 1271 signed a landmark agreement with its employer to move into a newly-created group within the provincial pension plan that covers municipal employees. The group qualifies for an increased annual pension accrual rate of 2.33 per cent for each year of credited service, compared to the 2 per cent available to most working Canadians. The higher accrual rate will significantly improve a retired fire fighter’s monthly pension.
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| Muncie Fire Fighters Sue City
June 29, 2009 -- The union representing city fire fighters has filed a wrongful-termination lawsuit against the city, arguing that the mayor did not have the authority to lay off 32 fire fighters this month. According to the International Association of Firefighters Local 1348, that authority lies with the Board of Public Works and Safety. The union has also filed a request for an injunction to reinstate the fire fighters, at least until the board of works determines whether to retain the men or continue with the layoffs.
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|  Danbury Fire Fighter Helps Counterparts in Colombia
June 25, 2009 -- During a visit to Colombia two years ago, Danbury fire fighter Walter Artega was shocked to see the equipment his counterparts were using. So the seven-year veteran of the city's fire department took it upon himself to get them better equipment. "They don't get nearly the kind of funding that departments around here do," he said. "Luckily, they also don't get the same amount of structure fires, due to the masonry construction. When he returned from Colombia, Artega recruited fellow city firefighter Joe Kovalsky to help him find equipment that departments in the region weren't using.
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|  Fire Fighters Picket Colorado Governor in DC
June 24, 2009 -- IAFF fire fighters and grocery workers spent much of the day hounding Governor Bill Ritter as he attended high-dollar fundraisers in Washington, DC, hoping to hit the Democrat where it hurts as he gears up for re-election in 2010. The group of union members, angry at Ritter's recent veto of a pair of pro-labor bills, started the day by picketing the capital offices of the BGR Group, an influential lobbying firm, shouting slogans as startled commuters walked past.
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| Retired New York Local 94 Fire Fighter Writes Book About Fallen Son
June 24, 2009 – Retired Uniformed Firefighters Association (UFA) of New York Local 94 fire fighter Michael Mozzillo has released his first book, “My Son My Hero,” about his son, Christopher, who died September 11, 2001. Mozzillo was a 13-year veteran of the FDNY before an injury forced his retirement. His son had been on the job and a member of UFA Local 94 just under two years when he was killed. Read More...
|  Fire Fighter Meets Obama’s Grandmother While Delivering Aid
June 24, 2009 – As part his quest for a masters degree in public policy and public administration, Glenview, IL Local 4186 fire fighter Scott Waddle traveled to Kenya to learn first-hand more about African politics. During the trip, Waddle and his classmates met President Barack Obama’s grandmother and delivered almost 400 pounds of medical supplies to her village – Kolego. Read More...
| Lehigh Fire Fighters Get Last-Minute Reprieve
June 24, 2009 -- A decision was made that could save fire fighters' jobs and save lives. But the question still remains -- for how long? The Lehigh Firefighter commission listened to the requests of residents and the firefighters' union to hold off on any layoffs until they had more information on the budget. "I think the board was listening and I think they at least took the first step and attempted to look at all the avenues at funding sources prior to the layoffs," said Firefighters Union President Walt Stevens. But he says that doesn't mean fire fighters are safe.
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| Contra Costa Local Defends Fire Fighters of Shorter Stature
June 23, 2009 -- Contra Costa County, CA Local 1230 is encouraging fire fighters across Northern California to attend the June 25 fire district meeting to speak out against a Rodeo-Hercules Fire District board member for questioning the ability of 5'2" women to be fire fighters. Bill Prather, who told Contra Costa County Local 1230 President Vince Wells that female fire fighters under 5’2” are unqualified to do the job and “put us all at risk,” stands to lose his position on the board over the remarks. Read More...
|  Senator Conrad Welcomes Fargo Fire Fighter Recruits
June 23, 2009 -- North Dakota Senator Kent Conrad met new recruits hired by the Fargo Fire Department with funding through the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program. “Our fire fighters are the bravest of the brave," says Conrad. "They risk their lives every day to protect our community and save lives -- from fighting fires to assisting with flood preparations, to helping with all types of emergencies. They have earned our respect and deserve all the support we can provide.” Read More...
|  Kokomo Fire Fighters Draw a Crowd
June 22, 2009 -- A steady stream of men, women, and children traveled from Foster Park to City Hall as the Kokomo fire fighters hosted a “Walk for Public Safety.” The purpose of the demonstration was to draw attention to the recent lay-offs at the Kokomo Fire Department, the elimination of the city’s ambulance transport service, and what fire fighters and their supporters say is a risk to public safety created by these cuts. The crowd of more than 1,000 gathered 90 minutes before the regular meeting of the Kokomo Common Council, and members of Firefighters Local 396 rallied those in attendance. Vice president Jeremy Shaw said, "The fire fighters acknowledge that the city, the state and the nation are facing tough economic times. But public safety is not where you start your cuts. We’re not pushing to shut down the senior citizens’ center. We’re not pushing for the pool to be closed. We just know there are other avenues available to save money or make cuts before you cut public safety."
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| Save the Date for Professional Firefighters Golf Tournament
June 22, 2009 – The 46th Annual U.S. and Canadian Professional Firefighters Golf Tournament will be held September 6-9, 2009, at the Amelia Island Plantation Hotel and Resort in Amelia Island, Florida. Miami-Dade, FL Local 1403 is this year’s host. Read More...
| Pittsburgh Fire Fighter Designs Kits to Spare Children's Lives in House Fire
June 22, 2009 -- Pittsburgh Fire Captain Jim Wyzomirski has created a fire safety tool he hopes will spare parents the nightmare of losing a child in a house fire. Wyzomirski's crew from station 8 was the first to arrive at a house fire in June 2007 that killed five children. Such preventable deaths inspired Wyzomirski to design "Wyz's fire survival kit for kids," or the "Wyz Kit" for short. Pittsburgh's state oversight board, formally known as the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority, awarded a $25,000 grant to build 1,000 prototypes of the kit that he will distribute — along with a 35-minute instructional video lesson in fire safety — to public school children in the fall.
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| South Tucson Fire Fighters Negotiate First MOU
June 19, 2009 – Twelve South Tucson, Arizona fire fighters – all members of Tucson Local 479 – have negotiated their first Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the City of South Tucson. The Local 479 members report the most significant thing to come out of the new agreement is the new open line of communication between labor and management. Read More...
| Ontario Tell Council: 'Seconds Count in Emergencies'
June 19, 2009 -- Top fire fighting officials in Ontario had a sobering message for any Thorold city councillors who might be thinking of scaling back fire fighter responses to medical emergencies. Mark McKinnon, executive vice-president of the Ontario Professional Fire Fighters Association, and Shayne Mintz, an executive board member with the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs, said doing so could lead to residents experiencing life-threatening medical emergencies dying. McKinnon and Mintz appeared before city council to speak after councillors asked John Cunnane, director of Niagara Emergency Medical Services (NEMS), to speak about how responses to medical emergencies are handled.
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|  San Francisco Fire Fighters Rally to Save Public Safety
June 18, 2009 -- Citizens, police officers and sheriff’s deputies joined San Francisco, CA Local 798 fire fighters in an aggressive show of labor to encourage supervisors to vote “yes” to keep San Francisco firehouses open. On a flatbed truck outfitted with informational literature, loudspeakers and American flags, Local 798 members spoke fervently to citizens numbering in the thousands in an effort to convince the San Francisco Board of Supervisors that closing firehouses would drastically endanger the safety of the citizens of San Francisco. Read More...
|  5K Helps Tennessee Fire Fighters Train for World Championship
June 18, 2009 – Chattanooga, TN Local 820 fire fighters Eric Stone and Vernon Horn have qualified to compete in the Firefighter Combat Challenge World Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada, in November. As a training exercise, the two recently ran in local 5k race – the BlueCross Riverbend. Read More...
|  Orlando Fire Fighters Protest Layoffs
June 18, 2009 -- Hundreds of fire fighters from across Florida picketed Orlando City Hall June 15 to protest Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer's proposal to lay off 46 fire fighters. Dyer plans to eliminate approximately 10 percent of the city's workforce to avoid a budget deficit projected at $43.5 million next year. IAFF members attending the Florida Professional Firefighters (FPF) Convention were among the union workers at the rally. Read More...
|  IAFF Works to Help Save Boeing Jobs
June 17, 2009 -- IAFF members in St. Louis and across Missouri participated in a "Protecting Our Nation, Protecting Our Jobs" rally organized by the Greater St. Louis Labor Council to call attention to the tens of thousands of local jobs at stake if federal cuts are made to the F/A-18 and C-17 aircraft programs, both built by Boeing. Both of these planes are designed and assembled by Boeing in St. Louis. Read More...
| IAFF Fire Fighters Reach Out to Haitian Fire Fighters
June 15, 2009 – With the help of Montgomery County, MD Local 1664 members and others, 13 Haitian fire fighters participated in the two weeks of training in swift water rescue and other fire and EMS operations at the Montgomery County Fire Rescue Training Academy. Read More...
| Maine Fire Fighters’ Right to Take Political Action Protected
June 12, 2009 – Rumford, ME Local 1601 President Mark Tripp and nine other Local 1601 members have been fully vindicated after being unfairly suspended for endorsing two Town Board of Selectmen candidates. In the IAFF Guardian Policy case, the arbitrator ruled that the town did not have just cause for the discipline and did not follow disciplinary procedures as dictated in the labor-management contract. Read More...
| Muncie Mayor Reduces Number of Fire Fighters to Lose Jobs
June 11, 2009 -- Muncie Mayor Sharon McShurley's administration now intends to layoff only 32 fire fighters next week, which will leave enough manpower to keep five Muncie fire stations open. McShurley announced the latest fire department deployment after City Controller Mary Ann Kratochvil offered revised numbers for pension costs of laid-off fire fighters. With 78 fire fighters now guaranteed, McShurley said the city would provide an average five-minute response time on any call.
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| Pittsburgh Council Postpones Vote on Act 47 Plan
June 11, 2009 -- Pittsburgh City Council refused to vote on a proposed new recovery plan, with some members saying they need to hear personally from a vacationing Mayor Luke Ravenstahl before acting on the 300-page document. The amended plan to right the city's pension fund, force budget cuts or tax changes, cap worker raises and strip out work rules took on water for a third straight day, as a growing number of council members trashed it. The risk of losing state funding was disputed by Josh Bloom, an attorney for the firefighters' union, who said state sanctions only kick in when distressed municipalities subject to Act 47 refuse to adopt an initial recovery plan. The city has been functioning under a plan adopted in 2004, and the new blueprint has been presented as an amendment.
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| Lake Forest Fire Fighter Finishes 100-Mile Run
June 11, 2009 -- Lake Forest, Illinois, fire fighter and endurance athlete Colin Barr ran the longest race of his life -- the Kettle 100 Endurance Run in Kettle Moraine State Forest in Wisconsin. Barr, 32, from Cary, said he's glad he ran the century race, but he'll never do it again. "It was a great one-time challenge," said the three-time Iron Man competitor and author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Triathlon Training. Of the 126 runners who started the race, Barr was among a field of 90 that finished. The race drew competitors and supporters from across the country to the heavily wooded, rolling terrain of Kettle Moraine State Park.
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|  Orlando Slashes Public Safety Budgets With $105 Million in the Bank
June 11, 2009 -- The city of Orlando is demanding $4.3 million in concessions from fire fighters. Spread out across the union’s 446 fire fighters, that’s about a 14 percent pay cut, says Orland Local 1365 President Steve Clelland. The mayor has repeatedly noted that these are tough times. Patching a $43 million hole in a $345 million budget isn’t easy. But the situation isn’t necessarily as dire as the city contends. Records show that the city has nearly $105 million in its operating funds reserve, money set aside to save the city from economic calamity.
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| Barrie Local Credits New Firehall to Political Action
June 9, 2009 -- After numerous delays, the City of Barrie, Ontario, is finally getting funds for a new firehall and emergency operations centre, thanks to political action by Barrie, ON Local 1753. Funding for the project was announced June 5 by local member of Parliament (MP) Patrick Brown, member of Provincial Parliament Aileen Carroll and Barrie Mayor Dave Aspden. The cost of the $14 million building will be split between the federal provincial and local governments.
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| Bosses' Pay Riles Orlando Workers Who Might Be Laid Off
June 9, 2009 -- Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer wants city employees to tighten their belts to avoid a $43.5 million budget deficit, but some workers say top managers' belts aren't getting tight enough. Dyer has 88 "appointed" positions — including the highest-paid staffers on the payroll — under his control. He has ordered them to give up next year's pay raise, take a weeklong unpaid furlough and give up some perks, which together amount to about a 6 percent pay cut. Dyer, paid $156,205, would take the same cut. To some lower-level workers, particularly those who would be laid off under Dyer's plan, it seems like a token sacrifice. Hit with falling revenue and rising costs, Dyer has proposed shedding more than 10 percent of the city's work force, including laying off 222 employees. The layoffs would hit most departments, including cops and fire fighters.
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|  Lehigh Fire Fighters Take Battle to the Streets
June 8, 2009 -- Fire fighters took their battle to the streets of Lehigh Acres with big signs and flyers in an effort to save their jobs and to save lives. They plan to keep it up all week, they said. Dozens of fire fighters, many of whom have already been told they have lost their jobs or facing layoffs, waved signs asking the public to help save their jobs. Chief Don Adams announced last week that nine fire fighters and two administrative office workers would not have job in four weeks. He also called in another 30 to tell them they would be facing layoffs next month, too. He has a list ready for the next 30. He said employees are being laid off according to the length of time they have been with the department.
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