Welcome to the IAFF Frontline News Brief, distributed twice a month to IAFF affiliate leaders and IAFF members. We encourage you to forward this news to your members and others in the fire service.

The Frontline News Brief is delivered directly by email and is also published on the IAFF web site. You can view past issues at http://www.iaff.org/Comm/frontline/news.htm.

Your feedback is also welcome - email pr@iaff.org with questions and comments.
 

"The Real Rudy" (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"City dismisses two more fire officials" (Baltimore Sun)
"Charleston chief blocks fire probe, then relents" (MSNBC)
"Pennsylvania Local Stands Ground Against Act 47 " (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"Maine Fire Fighters Score Two Legislative Victories " (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"Tradition of Risk" (The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC))
"Omaha mayor skeptical of downsizing" (Omaha World-Herald)
"California Local Helps Keep Tahoe Safe from Wildland Fire " (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"Texas Senator Goes Above and Beyond for Fire Fighters " (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"Local Firefighters Finding New Jobs" (Vallejo Times Herald (CA))
"Minneapolis Fire Fighter Earns Day in Court " (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"Berkeley Repeals Ban on Drug Tests for Cops, Firefighters" (Monterey County Herald (CA))
"Bottle ban: Rocky cuts no slack to fire crews" (Salt Lake Tribune)
"San Francisco's Wooden Ladder Tradition Also Saves Money" (Firehouse.com)
"'We Are Family' " (New Haven Register)
"Organizational Trust, Trust in the Chief Executive and Work Satisfaction" (Public Personnel Management)

 

The Real Rudy
International Association of Fire Fighters (07/11/07)

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is running for the Republican nomination for president of the United States on the premise that he is a hero of 9/11, and the one to protect our country against a future terrorist attack. The truth is, Rudy Giuliani failed to properly prepare the Fire Department of New York prior to September 11, 2001, and he has subsequently exploited 9/11 to make tens of millions of dollars and build a foundation for his presidential campaign. The IAFF has produced a video to tell the true story of Giuliani's leadership. 
(Web Link)
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City dismisses two more fire officials
Baltimore Sun (07/06/07); Linskey, Annie

The Baltimore City Fire Department has dismissed two more commanders for being "negligent" and "incompetent" in their roles at a live-burn training exercise in which instructors violated dozens of safety rules and a 29-year-old recruit died. This brings to three the number of fire officers fired in the wake of the February 9 fatal exercise, a significant development for leaders at fire departments around the country who are monitoring what's happening with training in Baltimore as they decide how -- and even if -- they will conduct live burns.
(Web Link)
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Charleston chief blocks fire probe, then relents
MSNBC (07/06/07); Dedman, Bill

The fire chief in Charleston, South Carolina, moved to block the federal investigation of the deaths of nine fire fighters, denying access to his employees for interviews. After pressure from federal investigators, the chief backed down. The standoff presented a new test for the Centers for Disease Control, which investigates many fire fighter fatalities.
(Web Link)
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Pennsylvania Local Stands Ground Against Act 47
International Association of Fire Fighters (07/09/07)

The members of New Castle, PA Local 160 have dodged the state's Act 47 bullet -- for now. The state-appointed financial recovery coordinator had proposed reducing full-time fire department staff from 24 to four and then supplementing the remaining four with volunteer fire fighters. However, New Castle Mayor Wayne Alexander and the City Council have agreed to extend Local 160's contract for seven years through 2013. Because the state cannot override existing contracts, the 20 fire fighters will stay on the job.   
(Web Link)
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Maine Fire Fighters Score Two Legislative Victories
International Association of Fire Fighters (07/10/07)

Tough lobbying by the Professional Fire Fighters of Maine (PFFM) and its affiliate leaders resulted in two legislative victories for fire fighters during Maine's 123rd legislative session: an appropriations bill to fund a 45 percent health care subsidy for retired Maine public safety officers and a ban on the use of deca-PBDE (polybrominated diphenyl ether), a toxic flame retardant. "I am very proud of all of the efforts by our fire fighter leaders," says Gerry Gay, president of PFFM. "They spent countless hours at the statehouse to ensure that both of these measures got the support they needed to pass."
(Web Link)
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Tradition of Risk
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC) (07/01/07) P. A1; Smith, Glenn; Menchaca, Ron

The old-school tactics of the Charleston, South Carolina, Fire Department have come into question following the June 18, 2007, blaze at a furniture store that killed nine fire fighters. For years, the fire department has taken an aggressive approach to battling blazes, in which fire fighters are trained not to stand around and wait for flames to die. The risk of rushing into a fire to save lives and property was considered to be part of the job. A national debate has developed over an acceptable level of risk, and the degree to which fire fighters should put themselves at risk to protect the lives of other people and property. As part of the debate, the Charleston department has been criticized by fire safety experts and union officials, who charge that its practices are not in line with nationally prescribed standards, and puts fire fighters in unnecessary danger. For example, they note that the commander during the blaze was actively involved in battling the fire, rather than maintaining a vantage point to monitor the inferno. Across the country, departments have moved away from going into buildings to fight fires, especially when property alone is at risk.
(Web Link)
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Omaha mayor skeptical of downsizing
Omaha World-Herald (07/10/07); Kotok, David

Omaha, Nebraska Mayor Mike Fahey's administration reacted with deep skepticism to a new study that calls for downsizing the Omaha Police and Fire Departments. His sentiments were similar to those of the police and fire fighters unions. Reducing the number of police officers "is not a good move," Fahey said. The suggested reduction in the number of fire fighters could jeopardize both public safety and the safety of fire fighters.
(Web Link)
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California Local Helps Keep Tahoe Safe from Wildland Fire
International Association of Fire Fighters (07/03/07)

In the wake of the Angora fire, which consumed 3,100 acres and 254 homes in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, Lake Valley, CA Local 4409 is working with the Nevada Fire Safe Council on a "Keep Tahoe Safe with Defensible Space" charity project designed to deter widespread damage. Money raised for the fund will be used to educate citizens in the South Lake Tahoe basin about how to create defensible space -- which includes eliminating flammable debris -- surrounding their residences. In addition, dollars will be spent to help the elderly and disabled clear the areas around their homes, giving them protections against wildland fires.
(Web Link)
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Texas Senator Goes Above and Beyond for Fire Fighters
International Association of Fire Fighters (07/05/07)

Mario Gallegos was a career fire fighter and a member of Houston, TX Local 341 for 22 years. After he retired, he continued to fight for Texas fire fighters as a member of the Texas State House of Representatives and later as member of the Texas State Senate. During the most recent legislation session, almost every bill Gallegos pursued on behalf of fire fighters and on behalf of the Texas State Association of Fire Fighters was passed and became law.
(Web Link)
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Local Firefighters Finding New Jobs
Vallejo Times Herald (CA) (07/03/07); Brown, J.M.

Officials in Vallejo, California, have approved close to $4 million in cuts to the city fire department's budget, and four fire fighters who stand to lose their jobs unless arbitration favors them may soon be working for the Hayward Fire Department. The fire fighters have not formally accepted the positions but must do so by July 23. The city and the union are butting heads over the issue of minimum staffing, with the city's chief labor negotiator insisting that the current minimum of 28 fire fighters must be lowered to shave $3 million off yearly overtime costs. Union officials, however, do not want the minimum changed, and they insist layoffs are not necessary considering that the department is already understaffed by 18 fire fighters. The city proposed in April that nine fire fighters be laid off -- a number that would be achieved if the four fire fighters move to Hayward and another five accept jobs that will soon be offered to them in Richmond; another four fire fighters are considering retirement.
(Web Link)
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Minneapolis Fire Fighter Earns Day in Court
International Association of Fire Fighters (07/03/07)

A member of Minneapolis, MN Local 82 has won the right to have her First Amendment case heard before a jury. That was the ruling of the 8th District Court of Appeals in the case of Kathy Davison v. City of Minneapolis and Fire Chief Rocco Forte.
(Web Link)
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Berkeley Repeals Ban on Drug Tests for Cops, Firefighters
Monterey County Herald (CA) (06/28/07)

City officials in Berkeley, California, have abolished a 20-year prohibition on drug testing of fire fighters and police officers. The City's human resources department is expected to begin discussion about specific testing procedures for each department. The repeal comes after a Berkeley police officer pleaded guilty to stealing drugs being held as evidence.
(Web Link)
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Bottle ban: Rocky cuts no slack to fire crews
Salt Lake Tribune (07/07/07); Carlisle, Nate

When Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson asked city department heads to eliminate bottled water, it sounded alarms with the ladder-truck-driving, ax-wielding population. "We definitely have had concerns," said Jack Tidrow, president of Salt Lake City's firefighters union. The elimination won't have fire fighters drinking from their hoses, but it is changing their hydration habits. The fire department will stop hauling chests of bottled water and sport drinks to blazes and will issue refillable 10-ounce containers to each fire fighter.
(Web Link)
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San Francisco's Wooden Ladder Tradition Also Saves Money
Firehouse.com (07/02/07); May, Meredith

While a majority of fire departments across the country use aluminum or fiberglass ladders, San Francisco continues to use wood, and is the only department to have them built and restored by city workers. Though the cost of wooden ladders is double that of fiberglass and aluminum and the ladders weigh 15 percent more, Captain Jerry Cohane of the San Francisco Fire Department says they are stronger and have a longer life span. Cohane adds that cracks in wooden ladders can easily be repaired, whereas fiberglass or aluminum ladders must be replaced. A trio of craftsmen make the wooden ladders, picking out the wood from the mill themselves and allowing the wood to acclimate in the shop for three years to discourage warping and cracking. San Francisco Fire Shop supervisor Mike Braun and colleagues Qing Du and Jerry Lee say their ladders have never failed, and most of the ladders they are asked to repair are worn or accidentally run over by fire trucks.
(Web Link)
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'We Are Family'
New Haven Register (07/09/07); Kaempffer, William

Kenny Oliver was a fire fighter/paramedic, an EMS instructor, a father of seven and 48 years old when he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. After almost seven months in the hospital, out-patient recovery and light duty, the 12-year veteran was cleared to return last week to the familiar confines of his fire ambulance, Emergency 1.
(Web Link)
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Organizational Trust, Trust in the Chief Executive and Work Satisfaction
Public Personnel Management (Quarter 3, 2007) Vol. 36, No. 2, P. 165; Perry, Ronald W.; Mankin, Lawrence D.

Recent research has found that fire fighters have far more trust in their organization than do most other employees. A study published in Public Personnel Management found that on a scale from one to five, the average fire fighter rates the amount of trust they have for their department at a 4.3. This number is compared to manufacturing employees who graded their trust in their organization at a 1.6. Researchers concluded that the social impact of fire fighting and the value of tradition and teamwork in fire departments contributed to the high score.
 
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