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.
 

"A Bi-Partisan Election Triumph for IAFF Members" (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"Road Named for Fallen Charleston Firefighters" (Associated Press)
"More Than $3 Billion in Preparedness Grants Available >From DHS" (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"State High Court Rules in Favor of Louisville Firefighters in Overtime Pay Dispute" (WAVE-TV 3 )
"New Study Looks at Health Risks to Wildland Fire Fighters" (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"Atlanta Fire Chief Worried About Mass Retirements" (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
"IAFF Affiliates Defeat Anti-Labor Ballot Initiatives" (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"Battle Intensifies Over Bill to Expedite Union Organizing" (The Washington Post)
"Texas Local Gains Collective Bargaining " (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"Staph Infection and Fire Fighters" (CBS42.com)
"Ohio Fire Fighters Train to Save Their Own" (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"Miami-Dade Members 'Get Fit'" (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"Union Question Not Yet Settled" (The Longmont Times-Call)
"New Pay Proposal Has Jeff Firefighters Hinting at a Strike" (WWL-TV New Orleans)
"Sprinklers an Uphill Battle" (Myrtle Beach Sun News (SC))
"Firefighters Wear Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness" (NBC WEEK )

A Bi-Partisan Election Triumph for IAFF Members
International Association of Fire Fighters (11/05/08)

Americans made history November 4 by electing Senators Barack Obama and Joe Biden, the IAFF-endorsed candidates, as the next president and vice president of the United States. "It's an historic day in this country, and our entire union should be proud of what we've helped to accomplish in the race for the highest offices in this nation, as well as in helping our friends at so many other levels of political office," says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger. IAFF affiliates across the country proudly wore and displayed the signature gold-and-black "Fire Fighters For" shirts and signs in support of Senators Obama and Biden, making a difference in critical battleground states.
(Web Link)
Return to Headlines

Road Named for Fallen Charleston Firefighters
Associated Press (11/04/08)

A stretch of U.S. Highway 17 in Charleston, South Carolina, has been renamed in honor of the nine fire fighters who perished in the 2007 furniture store blaze. The christening of the Charleston Nine Memorial Highway was attended by families of the fire fighters and state and city officials. State Representative Leon Stavrinakis says the 3.6-mile stretch will commemorate the bravery demonstrated by the fallen fire fighters.
(Web Link)
Return to Headlines

More Than $3 Billion in Preparedness Grants Available From DHS
International Association of Fire Fighters (11/10/08)

The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released Fiscal Year 2009 application guidance for 14 federal grant programs totaling more than $3 billion to assist state and local governments in strengthening community preparedness. Congress restored more than $1 billion in cuts to these vital programs under President Bush's proposed FY 2009 budget. In addition, the IAFF played a key part in shifting the Homeland Security funds to preparedness and prevention. In recognition of the current economic environment, state and local governments will finally have more flexibility to use 2009 grant program funds to pay for overtime, new employees and other personnel costs. For the first time, the FY 2009 grant funds include targeted allocations for the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP), including $861.3 million for the State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) to strengthen and build state, territorial and local preparedness capabilities through planning, equipment, training and exercise activities and $798.6 million for the Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) to enhance regional preparedness by strengthening capabilities in 62 high-threat, high-density urban areas across the country.
(Web Link)
Return to Headlines

State High Court Rules in Favor of Louisville Firefighters in Overtime Pay Dispute
WAVE-TV 3 (10/23/08); McGill, Chris

The Kentucky Supreme Court has ruled that the Louisville Metro government should pay fire fighters overtime for working more than 40 hours a week. The ruling, which upholds a similar ruling made by a lower court, will require Louisville to pay fire fighters millions of dollars for overtime worked during the past five years. It remains uncertain exactly how much the city will have to pay its fire fighters because it does not yet know who will receive payments or how much they will receive, said Mayor Jerry Abramson. However, Abramson said, the total could be as high as $50 million to $60 million if the state Court of Appeals rules in favor of fire fighters in a separate lawsuit that claims the city should pay them overtime for the past 15 to 20 years. Abramson has vowed to fight that lawsuit. That decision could force the city to pay fire fighters even more overtime, said Craig Willman with Louisville, KY Local 345. However, Willman noted that his union would be willing to sit down with the city to discuss a settlement. The Court of Appeals is not expected to make a ruling on the lawsuit for at least several months.
(Web Link)
Return to Headlines

New Study Looks at Health Risks to Wildland Fire Fighters
International Association of Fire Fighters (11/12/08)

The Institut de recherche Robert-Sauve en sante et en securite du travail (IRSST) has released its findings concerning the exposures, health effects and recommended protection actions for wildland fire fighters. This major effort, led by Canadian researcher Dr. Claire Austin, addresses the complex and hazardous environment facing wildland fire fighters, including exposure to potentially toxic substances present in smoke from wildland fires and the resulting health risks to fire fighters. The study also includes documented, independent, health-based recommendations concerning the need for respiratory protection for wildland fire fighting.
(Web Link)
Return to Headlines

Atlanta Fire Chief Worried About Mass Retirements
Atlanta Journal-Constitution (10/31/08); Stirgus, Eric

More than one quarter of the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department's fire fighters will be eligible for retirement in the next three years, and the city is concerned that the loss of so many personnel will compromise fire fighter safety and lead to longer response times. The retirements of about 250 of the department's 977 employees could start as soon as November, and while new people can be hired, it takes about a year to train a new recruit. "It's going to be very stressful on the Atlanta Fire Department and the city of Atlanta to lose that many people and maintain a high standard of quality," said William Rhodes, a retired Atlanta Fire Department assistant chief and current executive director of the Atlanta Fire Foundation. Jim Daws, head of Atlanta, GA Local 134, says the department should institute a deferred retirement plan that allows the city to keep fire fighters who are eligible for retirement on the job without adding more money toward their pension benefits. The city council, however, has indicated it would prefer to hire and train new recruits, acknowledging that there would be a loss of expertise on the force. The city has so many fire fighters eligible for retirement at once because 268 were hired in 1980, after a hiring freeze was lifted.     
(Web Link)
Return to Headlines

IAFF Affiliates Defeat Anti-Labor Ballot Initiatives
International Association of Fire Fighters (11/05/08)

Election Day 2008 was an important day for IAFF members, and not only for the fire fighter-friendly candidates voted into office, but also for anti-union, anti-worker ballot measures that were defeated in Colorado and Arizona. An initiative in Oregon is still undecided.
(Web Link)
Return to Headlines

Battle Intensifies Over Bill to Expedite Union Organizing
The Washington Post (10/24/08); Fletcher, Michael A.

The proposed Employee Free Choice Act seeks to make it mandatory for employers to recognize unions if a majority of workers sign cards of support. The legislation, dubbed the card-check proposal, passed the House in early 2007 but failed in the Senate due to a Republican filibuster. However, the proposal is attracting renewed attention. At present, employers can require workers to hold secret-ballot elections on whether to organize, which labor organizers say lets firms pressure workers via a formal campaign. Thea M. Lee, policy director of the AFL-CIO, believes that the legislation would give added leverage to workers. Labor unions cite declines in wages, health care coverage and pension coverage as reasons to support the Employee Free Choice Act.  
(Web Link)
Return to Headlines

Texas Local Gains Collective Bargaining
International Association of Fire Fighters (11/06/08)

After a well-organized campaign, Pflugerville, TX Local 4137 has won its right to collectively bargain. On November 4, 2008, 70 percent of the city's voters cast their ballots in favor of Proposition 1. IAFF 11th District Vice President Sandy McGhee began working with the Pflugerville fire fighters two years ago. "One of my priorities has been to ensure job security and workplace rights," says McGhee. "Local 4137's successful Proposition 1 campaign was a big part of meeting that goal." Proposition 1 asked the city to adopt Chapter 174 of Texas' Local Government Code to give fire fighters and police the right to collectively bargain. The Chapter requires the governing body to meet with elected employee representatives and collectively negotiate benefits and working conditions. Once both parties agree on conditions of employment, the agreement is recorded into a legally binding contract.
(Web Link)
Return to Headlines

Staph Infection and Fire Fighters
CBS42.com (10/29/08); Rankin, Kimberly

Health officials say the risk of contracting a staph infection is higher among fire fighters because of their close work quarters and the number of locations they visit. To lower the chance of infection, fire fighters should clean their equipment and uniforms, following personal protective equipment procedures.
(Web Link)
Return to Headlines

Ohio Fire Fighters Train to Save Their Own
International Association of Fire Fighters (11/04/08)

More than 600 Ohio fire fighters are better prepared to save downed fire fighters after receiving training developed by Columbus, OH Local 67 member Craig Mosley and Grandview Heights, OH Local 1792 member Chris Evrard to standardize and improve fire fighters' ability to respond quickly and effectively to fire fighters in trouble.
(Web Link)
Return to Headlines

Miami-Dade Members 'Get Fit'
International Association of Fire Fighters (11/10/08)

In a joint effort to challenge all Miami Dade Fire and Rescue employees, Miami Dade Fire and Rescue and Miami Dade Local 1403 proposed a "Get Fit" challenge designed to help fire fighters and civilian personnel improve their health and fitness, experience friendly competition with their peers and gain muscle while losing fat. Lieutenants Denise Paganacci and Brandy Paternoster, fitness coordinators for Local 1403, organized the Get Fit challenge. "We wanted to stress to our members the importance of a healthy lifestyle that will last through retirement," says Paganacci. The 12-week contest, which began August 12, 2008, consists of three-person teams. Each team member paid $75 to participate; all entry fees benefit the Children's Cancer Caring Center, a free cancer treatment center.
(Web Link)
Return to Headlines

Union Question Not Yet Settled
The Longmont Times-Call (11/12/08); Carter, Rachel

As Boulder County election officials continue to verify and count "problem ballots," the city's police and fire union question still hangs in the balance. The question is winning by a 1 percent split: 50.5 percent of Longmont voters supported it, while 49.5 percent cast ballots against it. Longmont ballot question 2A allows police and fire employees to form a collective bargaining unit and requires the city to negotiate with them for pay and benefits.
(Web Link)
Return to Headlines

New Pay Proposal Has Jeff Firefighters Hinting at a Strike
WWL-TV New Orleans (10/23/08); Zurik, Lee

Fire fighters in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, are protesting proposed changes to their pay scale that they say would result in a 25 percent pay cut. Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard's proposal would abolish raises for the first three years of service and reduce increases to 2 percent for the fourth through 23rd year of service. Currently, fire fighters get a 5 percent raise for each of the first 15 years and 2.5 percent raises thereafter. Broussard also plans to overhaul the overtime payment system, which currently guarantees fire fighters 12 hours of overtime pay per week. Union officials say the proposal is retaliation after the fire fighters association unanimously passed a vote of no confidence for interim Fire Chief David Saunders and his supervisor, Homeland Security Director Deano Bonano. The council is expected to vote on the proposal at its mid-January 2009 meeting.
(Web Link)
Return to Headlines

Sprinklers an Uphill Battle
Myrtle Beach Sun News (SC) (10/26/08); Rodriguez, Jason M.

Although the International Code Council (ICC) inserted a requirement for sprinklers in new residential homes into its international building codes in September, it may be some time before North and South Carolina adopt similar codes, fire officials in the two states say. "I still feel it's going to be an uphill battle," said Eddie Watson, the president of the South Carolina Fire Marshal's Association. He added that the code needs to be presented "properly and correctly" to the general public before it is adopted -- a process that could take at least a year. Meanwhile, the North Carolina Building Code Council, which establishes the rules for building construction in the state, is not planning to discuss the ICC code in depth until its quarterly meeting in December. It remains unclear whether the council will adopt the ICC code because it has not yet taken a position on the issue.
(Web Link)
Return to Headlines

Firefighters Wear Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness
NBC WEEK (10/25/08); Ford, Gina

Fire fighters in East Peoria, Illinois, wore shirts in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. As a show of support, fire fighters were issued special navy blue shirts with pink ribbon emblems. Lieutenant Don Wieburg of the East Peoria fire department said fire fighters were inspired by the Pink Ribbon Tour, which asked fire fighters and police officers across the country to wear pink October 25-27. "It's just our fire department and our members here showing the support for all the breast cancer survivors and their families ... standing behind them and making sure that life goes on as they know it. Hopefully we'll be able to find better treatment for breast cancer," Wieburg said.
(Web Link)
Return to Headlines