Friday Update 8-16-19
Updated On: Sep 06, 2019

Los Angeles County Firefighters IAFF Local 1014

Representing over 3200 Firefighters, Paramedics, Dispatchers,
Pilots, Wildland Firefighters, Forestry and Health Haz Mat 
Personnel

FRIDAY UPDATE 
 

Brothers and Sisters, 

El Paso Strong - these words mean so much.  El Paso Firefighters are one of the strongest and most resilient memberships in our International Association of Fire Firefighters (IAFF).  

It was an honor to respond as part of a 31-member task force of IAFF trained peers, including members from LA County, LA City, Oxnard, Heartland Fire, Arizona, and FDNY, to compliment the 11-member peer team from IAFF Local 51 - El Paso Firefighters. 

Brother and President Joe Tellez thanked President Gillotte and the LA County Peer Support Members as part of the team that responded to 35 Fire Stations, 3 shifts, over 1,000 personnel, the Medical Examiner's Office, Dispatch, Command and Training Centers to debrief and provide peer and clinician resources for all involved in the incident. 

Our LA County Peer Support Teams are specifically trained through the IAFF and the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF) to help First Responders cope with mass-casualty incidents. This is one of the characteristics which makes our program uniquely qualified to help our brothers and sisters as they work to recover from this incident. 


The binational town of El Paso is 85% Latino and Spanish speaking. El Paso Firefighters are proud and deeply dedicated to the community they serve. They embraced our national support and brotherhood and sisterhood as we did our work. 

Behavioral health and post-traumatic stress injuries (PTSI) are common following a 
response of this magnitude. Ensuring that Firefighters and First Responders have the tools to recognize and respond to signs and symptoms of these injuries is key to keeping folks healthy and getting them back to work to continue to help others as they move toward healing. 

On a personal note, I would like to convey how proud I am of our Executive Board and our membership for always stepping up to handle jobs like this as we help our brothers and sisters nationwide.  I also want to thank our Fire Chief Daryl Osby and members of his executive staff for supporting this operation with our personnel.  Chief Osby has communicated to me the importance of helping others, who one day might help us.   

God Bless the Firefighters and citizens of El Paso, Texas. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.


 

In Solidarity,

President Dave Gillotte and your Executive Board


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