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.
 

"Two Fire Fighters Die in Ohio House Fire" (Cincinnati Enquirer)
"Riley Open to Fire Talks" (Charleston Post and Courier)
"IAFF Releases Model Contract Clause Database" (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"Bill to Promote Fire Fighter Safety Standards Introduced in House" (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"IAFF: FEMA Payment to Gulf Coast Communities for Fire Fighter Overtime Long Overdue" (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"IAFF Publishes Guide to Surviving An Economic Crisis" (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"Salaries, Strong Recruitment Ease Area Paramedic Shortage" (Washington Post)
"City Gambling by Removing Ladder Trucks From Service: Firefighters" (Ottawa Citizen)
"New Fire Chief Blazes Trail" (Beaumont Enterprise)
"Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Providence Fire Fighters" (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"Philly Radio System Fails Years After It Was to Be Fixed" (Philadelphia Daily News)
"15 Fire Fighters Offer to Help New Orleans Rebuild" (Green Bay Press Gazette)
"Former Fire Fighter Files Federal Lawsuit Over Firing" (The Tennessean)
"Bryant Fire Chief Returns to Work" (Benton Courier)
"Rader Is Only Female Currently in Fire Department" (Herald Dispatch)
"Triple Slaying Shocks Winnipeg Paramedics" (Winnipeg Free Press)
"No Inquest Into Fire Fighters' Deaths" (Northern News Service )
"Arbitrator to Decide Who Can Dispatch Fire Fighters" (Beaumont Enterprise)
"BCPFF Burn Fund Building to Boost Burn Care and Research" (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"Union: City Lax on Firefighters Vaccinations" (NJ.com)
"Protection Needed at Santa Clara County Jail" (ABC News San Francisco)
"No Investigation of Fire Chief" (Times Tribune)
"City's Dispute With Fire Department Continues" (Hackensack Chronicle)
"Buffalo Fire Fighters to Get 5.5 Percent Raise" (WKBW News)
 

Two Fire Fighters Die in Ohio House Fire
Cincinnati Enquirer (04/04/08); Radel, Cliff

Two fire fighters died early in the morning April 4 after they fell through a floor inside a burning home in Colerain Township, according to Fire Captain Steve Conn. The fire fighters' names aren't being released until their families are notified. The two -- a man and a woman -- were members of Colerain Township Engine Company 102. The fire broke out shortly after 6:00 a.m. The emergency "Mayday" was declared at 6:45 a.m.
(Web Link)
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Riley Open to Fire Talks
Charleston Post and Courier(03/28/08); Menchaca, Ron; Smith, Glenn

Charleston fire fighters hope they may have finally found an ally in Mayor Joe Riley. The mayor recently announced that he is open to fire fighters' requests to have more input into the way their department is run. His announcement is the result of a visit from several prominent members of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), including General President Harold Schaitberger. During his visit, Schaitberger pledged to put the IAFF's full influence toward helping local fire fighters. The IAFF has dedicated itself to mediating talks between the Charleston Fire Department and city officials following a furniture store fire that killed nine fire fighters. Experts say the fire raised some serious concerns about whether the city is properly seeing to the safety of its fire fighters. In South Carolina, the law prevents city officials from participating in collective bargaining with unions. However, the mayor claims to be open to suggestions from IAFF leaders. No matter what the outcome, local fire fighters have been encouraged by the IAFF's presence in their corner.
(Web Link)
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IAFF Releases Model Contract Clause Database
International Association of Fire Fighters (04/01/08)

A Model Contract Clause Database developed as the second resource of the IAFF Labor Information Database is now available online. The Model Contract Clause Database is searchable by clause type and links to the main Collective Bargaining Agreement/Wage Schedule Library for easy reference from model clauses to full collective agreement language where applicable. This Model Contract Clause Database is an invaluable resource for local affiliates interested in improving or obtaining benefits at the bargaining table. 
(Web Link)
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Bill to Promote Fire Fighter Safety Standards Introduced in House
International Association of Fire Fighters (04/09/08)

IAFF priority legislation to enhance fire fighter safety and health has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. On April 2, Representative Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) joined with 17 original cosponsors from both parties to introduce H.R. 5686, the Firefighter Fatality Reduction Act of 2008. 
(Web Link)
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IAFF: FEMA Payment to Gulf Coast Communities for Fire Fighter Overtime Long Overdue
International Association of Fire Fighters (04/09/08)

IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger issued a statement on the decision by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to reimburse hurricane-affected communities for the overtime that fire fighters worked in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. "First responders stepped up and worked tirelessly in adverse conditions to help victims of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita stranded by flood waters. Their communities did the right thing by paying fire fighters for every hour they worked," says Schaitberger.
(Web Link)
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IAFF Publishes Guide to Surviving An Economic Crisis
International Association of Fire Fighters (04/08/08)

To help IAFF affiliates prepare for and prevent proposed cuts in staffing, health care benefits, compensation, pension plans and other areas as a result of an economic downturn, the IAFF has revised and published its "Surviving An Economic Crisis" guide. This hands-on guide includes advice and guidance to help affiliates understand how their respective local governments operate in order to evaluate the threat, identify resources and develop a strategy and plan to prevent or minimize adverse actions on fire department budgets and individual benefits. 
(Web Link)
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Salaries, Strong Recruitment Ease Area Paramedic Shortage
Washington Post (04/04/08)

To curb a critical shortage, fire departments across the Washington, DC region have pursued paramedics like star athletes in recent years, enticing them with signing bonuses, handsome salaries and the promise of fast-track career paths. The increasingly sophisticated recruiting tactics have worked, fire officials say, turning around a shortage that gripped the region after the 1990s. During that decade, the number of medical-related 911 calls increased as the area's population grew by 16 percent and aged overall.
(Web Link)
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City Gambling by Removing Ladder Trucks From Service: Firefighters
Ottawa Citizen (04/01/08); Seymour, Andrew; Bird, Jessey

The head of the Ottawa Professional Firefighters Association (OPFA) says staffing shortages led to the decommissioning of a ladder truck at the fire station closest to a fatal blaze that claimed the life of a two-year-old boy. While OPFA President Peter Kennedy does not believe the decommissioned truck would have changed the outcome of the tragedy, he does believe inactive ladders are having a "negative impact" on fire fighters and pose a threat to public safety. "We feel we are not properly staffed. When they take these vehicles out of service, they are making a choice, and they are gambling on what is going to happen. When something does happen, we are going to call them on it every time," says Kennedy, who pledged to open a probe into fire fighters' response to the blaze. Preliminary reports into the fire found that fire fighters first to arrive on the scene did not have back-up before entering the burning townhouse.
(Web Link)
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New Fire Chief Blazes Trail
Beaumont Enterprise (04/01/08); Dixon, Dee

The Beaumont Fire Department in Beaumont, Texas, recently joined the ranks of a handful of other Texas fire departments by naming its first female fire chief. Anne Huff, who was appointed Beaumont's fire chief in March, is one of four female fire chiefs in the state. Huff's selection culminates 20 years of service in the department. Beaumont still does not have a large contingent of female fire fighters in its department, which makes Huff's appointment that much more remarkable. "When you're a minority, especially a severe minority, it's easy for people to discount your contributions," says Huff, who is one of seven women to come up through the ranks of Beaumont's fire department.
(Web Link)
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Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Providence Fire Fighters
International Association of Fire Fighters (04/04/08)

The Rhode Island Supreme Court has denied the City of Providence's appeal of the 2004-2005 arbitration award granted to Providence, RI Local 799. The city sought to overturn the decision, arguing that Local 799's arbitrator, Frank Montanaro, failed to disclose his position on the Rhode Island Blue Cross Blue Shield's board of directors. Additionally, the city argued that the neutral arbitrator, Michael Ryan, failed to follow state statutes in his decision.
(Web Link)
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Philly Radio System Fails Years After It Was to Be Fixed
Philadelphia Daily News (04/09/08); Gambacorta, David

For more than three decades, police and fire fighters in Philadelphia relied on an analog radio system maintained by the city. By the mid-1990s, city officials felt that the system was outdated, so they solicited proposals on a more modern radio system from Motorola, Ericsson-GE Corp. and E.F. Johnson. The city signed a contract with Motorola in 1999. Three years later, cops and fire fighters officially started using Motorola's 800-megahertz digital system, which came with a $54.8 million price tag that later rose to $62 million. But complaints arose immediately from cops and fire fighters on the street.
(Web Link)
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15 Fire Fighters Offer to Help New Orleans Rebuild
Green Bay Press Gazette (04/07/08); Hoeft, Mike

Fifteen Green Bay fire fighters will spend a week in New Orleans helping that city's fire fighters rebuild their homes in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Green Bay's crew will be housed in temporary trailers next to New Orleans Fire Station 14, which recently was renovated and is back in use. The fire fighters expect to hang drywall and plaster at homes and may help at fire stations. "Doing this kind of project is a first for us," said Ryan Gibbons, trustee for Green Bay Professional Fire Fighters Local 141 executive board.
(Web Link)
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Former Fire Fighter Files Federal Lawsuit Over Firing
The Tennessean (04/02/08); Walters, Kevin

Former Franklin fire fighter Stephen Zachar has filed a federal lawsuit claiming his former bosses at City Hall unlawfully fired him because of his involvement with fire fighters unions, among other claims. Zachar, who lost his job last August 7, wants back pay and other compensation, including possible reinstatement to his job or compensation as a result of his firing.
(Web Link)
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Bryant Fire Chief Returns to Work
Benton Courier (04/01/08); Burks, Matt

Embattled Bryant Fire Chief Randy Cox returned to duty, ending a medical leave of absence that lasted about a month and a half. Cox, 49, who has been part of a city investigation into the fire department since February 28, said he plans to work with city officials and fire department employees to help resolve the ongoing controversy. Fire fighters recently issued a vote of no confidence in Cox, who has served as chief since 1999. Lt. Daniel Weger, president of Bryant's fire fighters union, said the department continues to stand behind the vote of no confidence.
(Web Link)
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Rader Is Only Female Currently in Fire Department
Herald Dispatch (03/28/08); Tarbett Hardiman, Jean

When Jan Rader was working as a jeweler, she saw a woman have a heart attack outside her store. She didn't know how to help, but two of the four fire fighters who were first responders to the scene were women. When her parents, Bob and Kay Rader, called from Ironton and said that the Huntington Fire Department had an opening, she came back to the Tri-State to apply. In 1994, she joined as the third woman ever to serve with the Huntington Fire Department, and today, she's the only woman on the department and the only ranking female fire fighter in the state of West Virginia.
(Web Link)
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Triple Slaying Shocks Winnipeg Paramedics
Winnipeg Free Press (03/31/08); McIntrye, Mike

Kevin Martin thought he was prepared for just about anything in his job as a paramedic -- until he walked through the front door of a Weston-area home early Saturday. Six people had been gunned down, execution-style -- three of them fatally. Alex Forrest, president of the fire fighters union, said one fire fighter had "significant exposure" to blood while performing CPR on one of the shooting victims with no pulse. "He had blood on his face, mouth and eyes," Forrest said. The fire fighter had to get medical treatment because of concerns about blood-borne diseases. Forrest noted the NDP government is passing legislation this spring that will allow emergency responders to legally demand a blood sample from patients. Forrest said the fact several fire fighters who were licenced paramedics also responded to the scene was a valuable asset as it freed up ambulances for transport.
(Web Link)
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No Inquest Into Fire Fighters' Deaths
Northern News Service (04/02/08); McDiarmid, Jess

The Northwest Territories coroner's office will not call a public inquest into the March 2005 deaths of two Yellowknife fire fighters, the deputy chief coroner has said. The NWT Worker's Compensation Board investigated the March 17, 2005, incident that left Lt. Cyril Fyfe and fire fighter Kevin Olson dead. According to the coronoer, the WCB brought everything to light, made recommendations and followed up. "So for us it would just be duplicate," said Cathy Menard.
(Web Link)
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Arbitrator to Decide Who Can Dispatch Fire Fighters
Beaumont Enterprise (04/02/08); Dixon, Dee

Attorney Diane Dunham Massey is currently serving as an arbitrator between the Beaumont, Texas, fire department and city officials in a long-running dispute over whether civilians should be allowed to dispatch fire calls. The issue was first raised in 2006, when the Beaumont City Council approved plans to combine the fire and police dispatch centers in one building. The new dispatch center is scheduled to open in May. While fire fighters will initially continue taking fire calls, once the training process is completed that responsibility will be handed over to civilian dispatchers. City officials contest that computer-aided dispatching programs should alleviate any problems associated with a civilian's lack of fire fighting expertise. The new dispatch center will employ software already in use in many other dispatch centers that instructs the dispatcher which equipment to send based on the fire type and its location. However, the fire department argues that civilians can not compare to fire fighters when it comes to dispatching calls. District Chief Keith Stewart, who runs the fire department's dispatch center, gave a number of reasons why the change to civilian dispatchers is unnecessary in his testimony before the arbitrator. He said that fire fighters working in the dispatch center already receive ongoing training, and as supervisor of the center he can easily monitor the handling of calls for quality purposes. Quality control and training concerns had been two of the major issues raised when the City Council decided to make the switch to the new dispatch center. 
(Web Link)
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BCPFF Burn Fund Building to Boost Burn Care and Research
International Association of Fire Fighters (04/07/08)

With a recent donation of $750,000 in services from a union construction company, the British Columbia Professional Fire Fighters (BCPFF) Burn Fund is even closer to breaking ground on a new one-of-a-kind facility in Vancouver, British Columbia. When completed, the Burn Fund Building will be the first facility in North America to offer clinical research, accommodations for families of prolonged care patients and an educational resource center under one roof. 
(Web Link)
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Union: City Lax on Firefighters Vaccinations
NJ.com (04/05/08); Shea, Kevin

William Paradiso, a fire department union official in Trenton, New Jersey, complained that the city has been too lenient on hepatitis B vaccinations for fire fighters, and now the state health department is investigating. Under New Jersey's Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health bloodborne pathogens regulations, employers are required to provide hepatitis B vaccinations at no cost to each employee who could come in contact with blood or other infectious materials while working, and this applies to fire fighters because they will soon become medical first responders. Employees, however, can sign a declination statement if they choose not to receive the vaccination. According to Paradiso, the city administration and those in charge at the fire department urged fire fighters who could not recall whether they had been vaccinated to sign declination forms. 
(Web Link)
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Protection Needed at Santa Clara County Jail
ABC News San Francisco (04/03/08); Rusk, Karina

There's a flurry of phone calls going on at San Jose City Hall. The hot topic is whether fire fighters are safe responding to calls at the county jail and whether there are too many of those calls. 911 medical calls often thrust San Jose fire fighters into the heart of the Santa Clara County Jail. Two buildings hold 1,400 criminals in a place with spotty cell phone and radio communication. It is an extraordinary circumstance and although fire fighters take risks every day, they even find it more risky than normal. 
(Web Link)
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No Investigation of Fire Chief
Times Tribune (03/27/08); Brown, Stacy

There will not be an independent investigation of union allegations against Scranton Fire Chief Tom Davis, said Mayor Chris Doherty. In a letter to council President Bob McGoff, Doherty said he appreciated council's suggestion to review important public safety matters, but appropriate steps have already been taken to correct any deficiencies. Council voted 4-1 to request an independent investigation of Chief Davis over allegations made by the fire fighters union, which has sought to have the chief fired. "We're not surprised. This is what we expected," fire fighters union vice president Dave Gervasi said. "Sadly, we'll be forced to start litigation on these issues at another burdensome cost to the city and our fire fighters. What's really discouraging is the fact that Doherty and McGoff alone would place greater consideration on the reputation of a political appointee than the safety of their fire fighters and residents."
(Web Link)
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City's Dispute With Fire Department Continues
Hackensack Chronicle (03/27/08); Bonamo, Mark J.

More than 200 people packed the Hackensack City Council meeting on March 18 to debate the fate of eight Hackensack emergency medical technicians (EMTs) whose jobs are on the chopping block. The City of Hackensack says these positions would be eliminated in a cost-cutting move claiming to save Hackensack taxpayers nearly $600,000. Supporters of keeping all eight members of the EMT squad employed under Hackensack Fire Department (HFD) auspices wore bright red T-shirts emblazoned with the slogan "Save the eight" written over their hearts. One by one, backers of the EMTs parted a Red Sea of shirts and stepped up to the microphone to state their case.
(Web Link)
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Buffalo Fire Fighters to Get 5.5 Percent Raise
WKBW News (03/31/08); Rizzo, Jenny

After seven years, Buffalo fire fighters could finally be getting a raise. The city's control board approved the wage hike that was an arbitrated deal worked out in court. The 5.5 percent raise means fire fighters will see a little over $3,000 more in their paychecks per year. The negotiations between the fire fighters union Local 282 and the city over this deal has been ugly at times. And while fire fighters are pleased to finally get this raise, some are still bitter over the fight to get it.
(Web Link)
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