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Sisters and Brothers,
GOOD NEWS FRIDAY
This week we are taking a break from regular business in our communications to talk a little bit about the amazing things we have to be grateful for and the work that “WE SHALL NEVER FORGET” pushed forward.
This week our PEER Support Team Leads, Chaplains, K9 Support, and Dr Steve Froehlich, our Lead Clinician and Behavioral Health Provider, attended the annual Public Safety PEER Support Association (PSPSA) Wellness on the Front Line Conference to train, educate and network with law enforcement and fire agencies from throughout the state.
The conference covered many items, including resources available, the training levels needed under the law, and best practices in reactive and proactive behavioral health tools for public safety departments and members. Networking and resource relationships are also continued and courted between Fire and Law Enforcement and Military agencies so that when any of us needs help or resources, we can call on others or provide for others the needed help.
Los Angeles County is no stranger to incidents and events that have taken us to our limits, tested us beyond what is imaginable, and impacted our lives forever. One of our most impactful and tragic incidents is the Sierra Incident. We will NEVER FORGET this incident and our brothers and their families. We will also share this incident with other agencies to look for and demand actions in leadership training, workplace violence and hostile work environment management, conflict resolution and mediation tools that work and have accountability. The standard of “NO MEMBER HAS THE RIGHT TO BE AT WORK EITHER VERBALLY OF PHYSICALLY HOSTILE THAT ANY MEMBER FEELS THREATENED”. PERIOD.
The conference dealt with some emerging models being worked on by LA County and other California agencies based on resiliency training that begins in the drill tower, and leadership training that deals with conflict resolution and mediation with third-party experts. We must have policies and practices that are in place with tools and training for our Captains and Chiefs to use in dealing with workplace issues and conflicts and restore unity and harmony and teamwork in any station environment and not simply just “report it up the chain or to CPOE” both systems that failed us and continue to fail us.
Special thanks to Captain Ed Monroe, PEER Captains Ross, Roldan, and Blackburn, and our LEAD PEERS and K9 Handlers who came to the conference and presented on the Sierra Incident. Lessons learned from PEER Support and Clinician resource need, and an Operational Auto Aid resource need and the discussion was very impactful and other agencies have similar conditions in their workplaces. The resources LA County Fire received were a direct result of our work to help others and court those relationships with Fire Chiefs, PEERS, Clinicians, and Union Leaders and this conference reaffirms those relationships and commitments between agencies.
We also reviewed the statistics and the data surrounding the “Pawsitivity” of service PEER K9’s on our teams. LA County Fire has moved to 6 - K9 PEERS and plans to try and integrate K9’s into every station at a lower level of training. This is such a positive development in our Department, and our push to get an agreement with the Department has now netted a realization of how important sports, chow, real live training and K9’s have on our mental well being. FFPM Jake Wendell has become the state expert and passionate pioneer on the Fire PEER Dogs and the intense training and handler network that feeds our Departments. Thank you, Jake!
We look forward to continued Labor-Management collaboration in finalizing our Wellness Division complete with all the tools and resources we need. Thank you again to all the agencies and Unions that responded to LA County when we needed them.
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CHAPLAINS PROGRAM
We worked hard to preserve and maintain our Chaplains Program. Our Chaplains are now part of the Wellness Division and embedded in PEER Support. Lead Chaplain Vince Roldan, who, with his team, has been part of the core of our response teams and MMT teams to help our members and our families through some of the most difficult times. Chaplain Roldan has put out a recruitment EA looking for more Chaplains. We encourage our members to take a look and if you have a calling to serve others and be trained to help with LODD, PSOB , MMT and PEER work with a spiritual embrace. Please contact Vince if you are interested.
In addition, we are also encouraging our members to consider contributing to the Chaplains Fund to help with family expenses surrounding services and memorials. Things like airfare, hotel and transportation to the memorials and services can be offset and handled through this fund and we coordinate with the Chaplains on the work.
Here are the instructions to log on to MYLACOUNTY.gov. We suggest $5 a pay period as a guide, more if you can. It is only the cost of a cup of coffee to help our team get the work done and be there for our families.
1. Login into MYLACOUNTY on the Los Angeles County Workplace.
2. Click on the Charitable Giving Tab
3. Click on Direct Designation Agencies
4. Scroll down the list of charities and click on LACFD Chaplains Benevolent Fund
5. Enter an amount and click OK.
Remember to say thank you to all those who work so hard to serve us, our families and our communities by going above and beyond including our Honor Guard, Pipes and Drums, Memorial Management Team, Video Unit, PEER Support, Dr. Steve, K9 Handlers, Museum Mamas, Explorers and everyone who makes it happen when we need it most! |
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NEXT WEEK IS THE LAST WEEK FOR OPEN ENROLLMENT!
The Local 1014 Health Plan is among the most comprehensive plans available to Firefighters anywhere in the nation and is tailored to meet our Firefighters’ needs. It is also the #1 choice for our members and their families.
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In Solidarity We Work to the Rule,
President Dave Gillotte and the Local 1014 Executive Board |
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