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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://daily.iaff.org/frontline/morenews.html.

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

"Preparedness should be our legacy" (Newsday)
"Officials Slow to Hear Claims of 9/11 Illnesses" (New York Times)
"Families created Tribute Center out of love" (USA Today)
"Always Remember, Never Forget " (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"IAFF Convention Coverage Available Online " (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"Court Upholds Philadelphia Local 22 Contract" (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"Fire Fighters Raise Record $23.6 Million for MDA " (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"Air Force Staffing Reductions Threaten Fire Fighter Positions " (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"Firefighters Struggle to Stay Afloat After Katrina" (Firehouse.com)
"Chief must still reach out to firefighters" (St. Petersburg Times)
"New Orleans City Council Votes to Give Fire Fighters 10 Percent Raise" (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"After two-year ride, biker to reach Ground Zero" (The Journal News)
"Fight Stress With Martial Arts" (International Association of Fire Fighters)
"Fighting Fire With Robots" (Philadelphia Inquirer)
"Rescue finale emotionally gripping " (The Cincinnati Post)
"Bad numbers kill joint fire departments proposal" (Miami Herald)
"Florida Local Speaks Against Privatization on Radio Show" (International Association of Fire Fighters)



 

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Preparedness should be our legacy
Newsday (09/11/06); Schaitberger, Harold

We are rebuilding. Our souls and our soil are works in progress, and the rehabilitation of our lives may take longer than the reconstruction of Ground Zero. Five years since the devastating terrorist attacks that claimed so many, September 11 is still taking a toll on all of us. Five years later -- and four weeks since British and U.S. law enforcement arrested two dozen people in the London suburbs accused of plotting once again to hijack and crash commercial airplanes -- we pause to reflect.
(Web Link)
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Officials Slow to Hear Claims of 9/11 Illnesses
New York Times (09/05/06); DePalma, Anthony

The ailments contracted by more than 40,000 first responders and recovery workers at Ground Zero are just now being addressed by government officials. It has been five years since the collapse of the World Trade Center, and Dr. John Howard, appointed by the Bush administration to oversee the government's 9/11 health efforts, notes that responders have more than likely lost their trust and faith in the government's ability to respond to health disasters and environmental destruction. Dr. Howard's office has no full-time staff to work with 9/11 responders or on health issues related to the collapse, and the first payout for ill workers, $52 million, will not be enough. Recently, New York's government finally issued guidelines to help doctors diagnose 9/11 ailments, but many claim that linking the dust and debris from the collapse to various ailments has been difficult and often requires complex testing. Moreover, workers' compensation systems that are meant to deal with these ailments are not well-funded to handle the additional costs of the extensive testing responders will need, and many ailments can take months or years to surface. A recent fire department study revealed that fire fighters lost about the same amount of lung capacity it would have taken them more than 12 years to lose during normal duties. The number of fire fighters with sarcoidosis, a lung scarring disease, rose to five times the expected rate in the first two years after the buildings' collapse. The fallout from the 9/11 attacks continues to grow as responders deal with post-traumatic stress, and union workers struggle to pay health care costs after losing their insurance when they become too ill to work.

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Families created Tribute Center out of love
USA Today (09/11/06); Barker, Olivia

The Tribute Center, a new museum of artifacts, images and stories from the World Trade Center site and created by the September 11 Families Association, opens to the public September 18. Lee Ielpi, a retired member of FDNY who lost his fire fighter son on 9/11, is the co-founder. "This is what hatred, this is what ignorance did," he says. Designed as an interim destination until the official memorial is completed in 2009, the museum includes five galleries across 6,000 square feet that remind visitors of "what we had and what we lost," says Ielpi. Funded in large part by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the Lower Manhattan Development Corp., the $3.4 million center is a way to influence what gets built across the street. This place, Ielpi stresses, is not for survivors. It's not for family members of the victims. "It's for you all out there who are already becoming complacent."
(Web Link)
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Always Remember, Never Forget
International Association of Fire Fighters (09/11/06)

On the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the IAFF offered a special tribute to remember the fire fighters who lost their lives that day and to the families, loved ones and members who carry on. "We will always remember the response of our members at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and never forget the sacrifice made by our fallen brothers," says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger.
(Web Link)
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IAFF Convention Coverage Available Online
International Association of Fire Fighters (09/07/06)

More than 3,000 delegates, alternates and guests attended the IAFF 48th Biennial Convention August 27-September 1, 2006, in Toronto, Ontario. IAFF leaders from across the United States and Canada focused on setting the agenda for the International for the next two years.
(Web Link)
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Court Upholds Philadelphia Local 22 Contract
International Association of Fire Fighters (09/12/06)

The Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County First Judicial District of Pennsylvania has upheld Philadelphia, PA Local 22's arbitration award, despite the City's attempt to appeal several portions of the contract. The City took issue with provisions that would seek to improve paramedic stress levels, safe staffing and certain benefits. The court denied the City's appeals. "This is a total victory for the members of Local 22 and the public we serve," says Brian McBride, president of Local 22. "The June arbitration was a fair award that considered both fire fighter safety and economic concerns. Now, the court has reaffirmed that."
(Web Link)
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Fire Fighters Raise Record $23.6 Million for MDA
International Association of Fire Fighters (09/05/06)

Fire fighters set another record in contributions and pledges during the annual Muscular Dystrophy Association's Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon, raising $23.6 million. IAFF members have donated nearly $275 million to MDA since 1954. Held September 3-4, 2006, at the South Coast Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, the broadcast featured IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger, who appeared throughout the Telethon, along with IAFF General Secretary-Treasurer Vinnie Bollon. Schaitberger praised fire fighters for their dedication and commitment to fill the boot for Jerry's Kids, and recognized more than 100 locals from across the IAFF.
(Web Link)
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Air Force Staffing Reductions Threaten Fire Fighter Positions
International Association of Fire Fighters (09/06/06)

The U.S. Air Force is proposing reductions in its workforce of approximately 40,000 positions over the next few years, including the elimination of more than 900 fire protection positions. The Air Force currently actively operates an estimated 94 fire departments at various facilities. The IAFF represents civilian fire fighters at 19 Air Force facilities. "We are very concerned not only about the civilian positions, but the overall degradation of safety that these reductions will result in for all Air Force fire fighters," says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger.
(Web Link)
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Firefighters Struggle to Stay Afloat After Katrina
Firehouse.com (08/29/06); Kyle, Susan Nicol

Hurricane Katrina destroyed numerous fire stations in the Gulf Coast region, and some are attempting to keep going while they work on rebuilding, while others are encountering new challenges as the populations change. Across the areas impacted by the aftermath of Katrina, fire departments have witnessed their ranks decline. Many fire fighters still do not have places to live. Certain regions have seen an increase in population that is burdening already inundated fire departments that have witnessed increases in calls for emergency medical services and debris fires. In addition, morale is low as problems increase. Numerous fire departments in Louisiana and Mississippi are recognizing that they need assistance in servicing their communities. As crews work to get their private lives back to normal, they worry as well about maintaining their fire equipment and replacing ravaged stations.

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Chief must still reach out to firefighters
St. Petersburg Times (09/10/06)

Clearwater, Florida  Fire Chief Jamie Geer gave the City Council a progress report after leading Clearwater Fire and Rescue for two years and after the city was found guilty of discriminating against a Clearwater, FL Local 1158 female fire fighter by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. On three other recent occasions, a federal hearing officer ruled that the city also committed unfair labor practices against union members by threatening their jobs and denying their right to engage in certain union activities. Other complaints still await hearings. Despite that record of illegal behavior, Geer touted the progress made in the department in his report, including new training and improved supervision. However,  Geer will fail if he cannot forge ties with his fire fighters, including the union leaders who represent them.
(Web Link)
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New Orleans City Council Votes to Give Fire Fighters 10 Percent Raise
International Association of Fire Fighters (08/27/06)

Members of the New Orleans City Council have voted to give New Orleans, LA Local 632 fire fighters the same 10 percent raise that Mayor Ray Nagin promised police officers. The Council vote goes against Mayor Nagin, who opposed the 10 percent raise, and instead favored a unilaterally instituted plan to boost annual starting pay for first-year fire fighters only. The 10 percent increase, which would become effective September 1, 2006, must still be approved by the Civil Service Commission.  "Local 632's leadership is to be commended for this recent victory," says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger. "I am proud of the grassroots lobbying and public awareness campaign efforts that President Nick Felton and his members initiated to ensure safety and a pay increase for New Orleans fire fighters who never left their posts through the devastation of Hurricane Katrina."
(Web Link)
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After two-year ride, biker to reach Ground Zero
The Journal News (09/07/06); Garcia, Ernie

Following the horror of September 11, Dan Boehly, a handyman from Grayson, Kentucky, sold his possessions, took a hiatus from his job at a pet food mill, got on his 24-speed Diamondback and became the 911 USA Cyclist. Embarking on the two-year bike tour through 48 states to raise money for fallen public safety officers, Don Boehly says ne never knew how rough it would be. "I've been looked at ... as if I was a vagrant," said Boehly, 51, who cycled 20,785 miles before reaching Yonkers on his way to Ground Zero. "I was determined to be in New York City on 9/11 to give people hope that someone out there is caring about them." Boehy  relied on fire departments, local governments and generous strangers around the country for places to spend the night as he fulfilled his mission. He was inspired to make his cross-country tour after visiting New York in 2002 and encountering sidewalk vendors hawking September 11 memorabilia whose sales did not appear to benefit charity. He says  legitimacy is important to him, so he only put links to well-known charities on his Web site, including the International Association of Fire Fighters, the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association of New York City and the Army Emergency Relief. A tall and slender man, Boehly estimates that he's gained about 28 pounds this year -- despite of all the exercise he's gotten -- from the rich dinners he's had at many firehouses. When his tour is done, Boehly will write a book chronicling his adventures, near-death brushes with inattentive drivers and scary moments in the wilderness.
(Web Link)
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Fight Stress With Martial Arts
International Association of Fire Fighters (09/05/06)

Members El Paso, TX Local 51 and their families are benefiting from weekly Tai Chi classes offered through the El Paso Fire Department Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Following the advice of an EAP counselor, Local 51 President Joe Tellez agreed to try an introductory class at the Texas School of Tai Chi and Healing operated by Sifu Ray Abeyta, himself a former fire fighter. "I was non-stop stressed out," says Tellez. "I needed to find a way to reduce stress."
(Web Link)
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Fighting Fire With Robots
Philadelphia Inquirer (08/23/06); Avril, Tom

In a novel approach to machine automation, a group of academic researchers has developed fire fighting robots that work together as a team to assist their human counterparts. Though still a few years  from battling an actual blaze, the three-wheeled machines are a significant departure from roboticists' earlier attempts to build one big device to do everything. The idea is similar to a colony of ants working in concert. "You distribute the task among many, many guys," said Vijay Kumar, chair of the mechanical engineering department at the University of Pennsylvania. In a trial at a robotics conference at Penn, graduate students designated one robot as the fire fighter, and had four others roam around the lab, constantly pinging it with radio waves and ultrasound to keep track of its position. The robots were developed by researchers at Penn, Carnegie Mellon University and MIT. As recently as five years ago, scientists had difficulty coordinating the actions of two or three robots, but today's complex algorithms enable them to manage dozens. The idea is for humans to remain above the details of a particular operation, instead directing the team of robots with high-level instructions. The military is taking particular interest in the research, though it could also be used for search and rescue, monitoring the environment and building living quarters for astronauts in space. The amount of robotics research conducted throughout the world has doubled in the past three years, thanks to cheaper components and advances in processing power.
(Web Link)
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Rescue finale emotionally gripping
The Cincinnati Post (08/29/06); Malaska, Dave

The Season 3 finale of FX's "Rescue Me" includes a nod to the fifth anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks. In the scene, show co-creator Denis Leary, as an FDNY fire fighter, takes members of his shift to the FDNY memorial on the facade of "Ten House," home to Engine Company 10 and Ladder Company 10, just outside Ground Zero. The memorial is embossed with the names of all 343 New York fire fighters killed that day. There, they stand in awe of the scene and sentiment. "I think that scene, without any dialogue at all, is one of the most powerful things we've done with this show," said Leary in an interview leading up to the finale. "The fire fighters, in a quiet, private way, take pride in the fact that they've got their memorial up, and next door there's still nothing but a pit." In preparation for the scene, the show's cast was taken to the memorial. "If you've even been to the Vietnam Memorial, you have that reaction," Leary said. "More exactly, there's a wall in Colorado built by the International Association of Fire Fighters with the names of every fire fighter killed in the line of duty." Leary went there in 2000, when a cousin's name was added to the wall as one of six killed in a 1999 Worcester, Massachusetts fire. He went back in 2002, when the fire fighters killed on September 11 were added to the wall.
(Web Link)
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Bad numbers kill joint fire departments proposal
Miami Herald (08/24/06); Dellagloria, Rebecca

Proposals to merge the Hialeah, Florida fire department with Miami-Dade Fire and Rescue Department have been rejected, as figures show the savings to the city -- about $2.8 million -- would be minimal. Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina said there had been speculation that the city could save $14, $16 or even $20 million by merging. ''When I'm running a budget of $240 million, $2.8 million is not a substantial savings,'' he said. Hialeah Local 1102 fire fighters have supported the merger for the past several years, since the city's fire union and former mayor, Raul Martinez, clashed during contract negotiations. The Hialeah Fire Department has lost many of its fire fighters in recent years because of better pay at departments around Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Luis Espinosa, president of Hialeah Local 1102 , said he is confident that Robaina will give the city fire fighters a salary increase since the merger will not happen. ''He told us he will either give us parity with Dade County so fire fighters will stop leaving the department, or he would let us merge,'' Espinosa said. "His decision was not to merge, so therefore we expect parity.''
(Web Link)
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Florida Local Speaks Against Privatization on Radio Show
International Association of Fire Fighters (09/01/06)

After the Airport Authority at the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport in Florida voted 4-1 to allow Rural-Metro to take over fire fighting operations, 14 members of Suncoast Professional Fire Fighters and Paramedics Local 2546 could lose their jobs when the private company takes over October 1. "No one is better qualified than our Local 2546 members to serve and protect citizens who fly in and out of this airport," says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger.
(Web Link)
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