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Brothers and Sisters,
LOCAL 1014 MEMBERS BATTLE 3RD ALARM BLAZE IN LYNWOOD - CORTLAND IC
Local 1014 members went into action in Battalion 13 as they rolled up on a commercial building fire with heavy smoke and fire showing. The fire broke out on Wednesday, May 8th, at 8:09 a.m. in the City of Lynwood on the 5400 block of Cortland Street.
Our members battled heavy smoke and fire inside the commercial building and in the yard. The incident required a second and third alarm. There were no injuries to firefighters or civilians, and the fire was contained in the original building and yard with no extension to nearby buildings.
This was a major alarm fire where the skills, passion, and commitment of our members, the Los Angeles County Firefighters, were on display for the world to see. It was a reminder of how dangerous and dynamic our profession can be, and our members fought fire aggressively and provided a safe return for all. Our members are the best in the world trade; job well done! |
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PROTECTING AND SUPPORTING OUR MEMBERS THROUGH POLITICAL ACTION AND LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY - CALIFORNIA PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS 2024 CONVENTION
Union leaders from over 185 Locals and Departments throughout California came together to discuss political, legislative, bargaining and staffing, health and safety, EMS, and other issues relating to our proud profession. The way we allow our members to battle the blaze above and to know they are safe, protected, paid, and have medical and insurance to protect their families is through Local and State Union advocacy.
At this Convention as one example, and in the spirit of the theme “Success Through Solidarity”, the collective body shared in a victory when the Governor called to let us know he was adding the 66-hour work week into the budget, reducing the Cal Fire work week from 72 on the path to 56! This is a huge step in helping lift the tide for all boats in the fire service by helping Cal Fire add staffing to reduce the work week.
This could not have been accomplished without all Unions lobbying the Governor and working hard to get the support needed to put it in the budget. There is more work to unify in our support as we talk with the Legislature to ensure they support the adoption of the budget with this change to Cal Fire Local 2881’s schedule.
In addition many resolutions were considered by the body for adoption, and in the end by majority vote the path and plan for CPF is laid out for the next two years. Many of the resolutions dealt with 37 Act Pension improvements, cancer research study and funding, and prohibiting PFAS gear and synthetic engineered wood in fire props as we worked to protect members safety. The Resolutions will make their way to legislative advocacy where our Leg team will begin crafting language for Bills and our Locals will join CPF to educate and gain support from the legislature on our issues.
At the Convention we also said goodbye to John Bishop, a retired LA County Brother and former Local 1014 Board Member in his service as Insurance Trustee for the CPF. John’s work was amazing with his experience on the Local 1014 Health and Welfare plan, and we thank John for his work on behalf of the nearly 35,000 members of CPF. Brother Jason Cervantes was nominated by President Freddy Escobar from LA City Fire Fighters Local 112, a long time friend and Marine, and the body unanimously elected Brother Cervantes to Insurance Trustee. Brother Andy Doyle also retired from Local 1014, and a Department member was re-elected as Trustee to the CPF and will continue to help with the CPF audits.
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Finally, in the spirit of recognition for hard work through the Unions, Local 1014, the CPF, and the IAFF, Brother Derek Urwin, joined by his wife Erin and their three exceptional children, was selected to receive the Dallas Jones Award for his work on cancer research and grant funding for such. Brother Urwin was brought to the convention to give an update on the efforts to study and research cancer causes in our profession so that we may work to prevent cancer. He had no idea that the state had selected him unanimously to receive the Dallas Jones Award for Excellence.
It was amazing to not only get the report where he identified all the partners, including his right-hand researcher, Captain Jamie Gabriel, who has just about registered every firefighter into the study, but also to see the look of shock on his face when with his family in the room, the body said thank you to the Urwin family for their support for us. Derek lost his brother early on in life to cancer, and it motivated him to go back to school, where he earned not only his undergraduate degree but a PhD in cancer research science and has dedicated his life to helping us all become safer in all we do to fight cancer.
In his words, “We must fight fire aggressively and also work aggressively to keep our firefighters safe while doing so." |
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SUPPORT THE EXPANSION OF THE FIREFIGHTER MEMORIAL
Brothers and sisters, be a part of history as we work to expand the Fire Foundation Memorial in Capital Park, Sacramento. The wall expansion and modification will carry all of the concrete and any parts of the memorial that are torn down into the concrete being poured into the new memorial project.
In addition, to help support the expansion, members can buy memorial challenge coins and choose to either keep them or put them into the concrete and foundation of the memorial. Local 1014 has purchased a coin on behalf of the Local to put into the foundation, and we will purchase other coins in honor of our members to display back at the Hall. We encourage you to honor one of our fallen and purchase a coin to place into the memorial. |
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In Solidarity,
President Dave Gillotte and the Local 1014 Executive Board |
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