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Firefighters' 24-Hour Shifts Get
Close Look
Las Vegas Review-Journal (05/06/12);
Mower, Lawrence
Clark County officials are reconsidering
the fire fighter tradition of the
24-hour shift. The fire chief in
Washington, DC, said earlier this year
that his department could save tens of
millions by having fire fighters work
more, but shorter, shifts. Evidence
suggests that extended work hours could
be dangerous and may lead to more
mistakes. Large Northeast cities that
are prone to larger fires, such as
Boston and New York, moved to shorter
shifts to keep fire fighters fresh for
battling fires that could last for
hours. Seventy percent of all U.S. fire
fighters use some kind of 24-hour shift.
Las Vegas Fire Department fire fighters
work every other day for six days, then
have four days off. Clark County fire
fighters work every other day for 10
days, then receive six days off.
Full-day shifts may be cost-effective,
as changing to shorter shifts could
require hiring more fire fighters. Ryan
Beaman, president of Clark County, NV
Local 1908, said the 24-hour shift
pattern is popular. "It's never been an
issue brought to the union," Beaman
said. "The fire fighters for the county
like it."
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Conn. House Passes Firefighter
Compensation Bill
CBS News(05/02/12)
The Connecticut House of Representatives
has passed a bill that would expand
workers' compensation statutes to
include fire fighters who suffer mental
or emotional damage after witnessing the
death of a colleague in the line of
duty. State representatives voted
143-to-3 in favor of the bill, which
requires fire fighters to receive a
post-traumatic stress disorder diagnosis
from a licensed and board certified
mental health professional.
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New York Fire Fighters Unite
Community to Help Young Cancer Patient
International Association of Fire
Fighters (04/27/12)
After Watertown, NY Local 191 fire
fighter Allen Mullin’s five-year-old son
Grant was diagnosed with Acute
Lymphoblastic Leukemia, fellow Local 191
members were the first to offer help,
organizing a head-shaving fundraiser
which generated $23,405 for Grant’s
medical expenses. To raise the money 60
Local 191 and Fort Drum, NY Local F-105
fire fighters asked businesses and
citizens to donate money. In exchange,
they would shave their heads. For the
event, three local hair stylists donated
their time and shaved heads at Local
191’s main fire station.
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Tyler Perry Thanks Firefighters
Atlanta Journal-Constitution(05/02/12);
Brett, Jennifer
A fire that broke out May 1 on the
property of Tyler Perry Studios in
Atlanta damaged the backlot facade of
one of the studio's buildings. No
injuries were reported. Following the
fire, Perry released a statement through
his publicist thanking Atlanta fire
fighters for immediately responding to
the blaze. The statement also thanked
the Atlanta Fire Department for acting
in a professional manner and for
limiting the damage from the blaze to
just one building.
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Reno Keeping 64 Firefighters With $14
Million Federal Grant, Brownouts Over
RGJ.com (05/03/12); Duggan, Brian
The Reno Fire Department has received a
Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency
Response (SAFER) grant award, a $14
million federal grant that will pay the
salaries of 64 fire fighters over the
next two years. This will prevent fire
fighter layoffs that the City had been
planning. The ongoing breakup between
the Reno Fire Department and the Truckee
Meadows Fire Protection District would
have forced Reno to lay off up to 80
members of the Reno Fire Department if
the county did not hire fire fighters
from Reno for its new department. The
ongoing brownouts of four Reno fire
stations may be over for now, and other
stations that have experienced reduced
staffing levels will now be fully
staffed. Reno, NV Local 731 has agreed
to extend its 7.5 percent wage and
benefit concessions for two years
starting July 1. Last year, Reno
received a $1.9 million SAFER grant that
pays the salaries of 10 fire fighters.
Although this money will expire next
summer, Reno also expects the
retirements of about 30 fire fighters
over the next two years. "It feels like
we’re at the first day of the rest of
our lives," fire fighter Ken McLellan
said. McLellan was one of the members of
Local 731 that was facing a potential
layoff.
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Upper East Side Firefighter Goes for
the Win on 'Who Wants to Be a
Millionaire'
New York Daily News(05/01/12); Salamone,
Gina
New York City fire fighter Rich Solero,
with Engine 39, Ladder 16 on the upper
East Side, was featured on the May 1 and
May 2 episodes of "Who Wants to Be a
Millionaire" as part of a week-long
series in which the show celebrated the
military, fire fighters and teachers.
"It was total shock," said Solero, who
knew he would be called on stage due to
a technical glitch that caused his name
to appear on a screen beforehand. While
the fire fighter, a nine-year veteran
and father of three, said he was
nervous, he hinted at some significant
winnings. He said his wife "didn't
believe me, even that night," according
to Solero, who lives on Long Island. "I
worked that night. She kept calling me
to ask me if I was joking. But it sunk
in late in the night. She's like, 'Oh my
God!'" Solero said he has always wanted
to be a fire fighter -- "Since I was a
little kid, I've had a fascination with
the trucks."
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