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While our membership finishes out the last day of 2013, some with friends and family, and some with brothers and sisters at the shop and on the job serving our citizens today, we clearly all will be reflecting on 2013 and preparing for 2014.
We have many things to be thankful for in our lives and certainly as “Los Angeles County Fire Fighters” (Whole 1014 Family!) we have more than most in the Fire Service to be thankful for in our wages, benefits, and working conditions. We wouldn’t want to work anywhere else, and clearly many others pray to be able to work here. We should be proud of our job and our Union and the people that make it happen each and every day.
Please also take a moment to remember all those who we lost in 2013 on our job, and also to “Never Forget” all of those we lost historically. Their families will go on, and so too does life, and we can be a part of that forward motion while keeping them all in our hearts, our thoughts, and our prayers.
While we often think of end of the year as a “Winter Wonderland”, once again we are “California Christmas” with high danger fire weather with everything in alignment and possibly the worst fire weather pattern in 10 years. Welcome to yet another Los Angeles County winter and along with that, we will likely see augmented and fire weather staffing take shape today through the end of the week.
We had a similar situation Christmas Eve / Day and beyond, and we must give credit and thanks to new Deputy Chief Marrone and Seasoned Vet John Tripp who once given control to get it done in collaboration with Local 1014 Reps, moved mountains and worked together to change yet another short notice staffing situation into progressive mission and member friendly actions to deal with not only the event, but those that are impacted by the event…our members. Thank you to Chief Osby for working with President Gillotte who along with VP Morse was actually on Strike Team Engines Pre-Staged North on Christmas Day.
New Year’s Eve / Day and through the end of the week we will also celebrate what we like to now call “Groundhog Day in December”. We will have fire weather and the Department Ops Bureau will staff like it is the first time they have ever done it. Seems like we just did this…oh yah, Christmas Eve / Day? We also have done it every year for over a Decade with clear tools to use right in the Manuals, MOU, Staffing Procedures in the Rules and Regulations, and so forth…they are there for a reason and should be used effectively to both meet mission and member needs. Work is in progress to get the staffing issue for New Year’s Eve / Day and Week to the right folks from both Labor and Management to solve the instant staffing issue once again, and we will try to tackle this syndrome in early January 2014 so we don’t repeat “Groundhog Day in December”. We deserve better than that and we will work it out with the Department.
Having said that, “What it Is, It Is”. Fire weather is here and verified and we know our members are ready to step up and get it done. While no one likes to be recalled, or on telephone standby, especially during the Holidays, our job knows no limits on when and where we are called to serve. While on telephone standby, and knowing there is Fire Potential and Recall Potential, we invite you to give some thought to staying alcohol free or limiting your alcohol, especially those who would like to “get on a fire” if it breaks. We are a family and we only hurt each other if we don’t answer, or use excuses not to take our turns in the pot when called on. Younger folks with no kids etc., try and step up and help out where you can, it is tradition and a good one too…you will be repaid later in your career.
New Year’s Resolutions for us all: Not only in how we finish this year with Fire Weather Staffing, but a suggestion for us all to start our list of Resolutions for 2014, let us all seek to incorporate the word and the mantra of “RESPECT” back into our daily grind.
RESPECT each other and treat each other like brothers and sisters, RESPECT the Job and the Traditions that go along with it long before us and long after, RESPECT those we serve each day and treat them as if they were our very own family, RESPECT the Union Work and the MOU and Rules and Regulations we have fought so hard to put in place with great reason and purpose, RESPECT Professional Standards of Service for Our Trade and Occupation through how we look, act, and train and serve because folks, that is what we make:
“TRADITIONS OF SERVICE EXCELLENCE”…..Los Angeles County Fire Fighters IAFF Local #1014…
In closing we wish all of you a very Happy New Year and remember as with most holidays that may involve consuming of alcohol, CELEBRATE RESPONSIBLY! If you are going to have a little liquid cheer, GET A ROOM, GET A CAB, GET A DRIVER! Also DON’T TEXT AND DRIVE!; the next killer we will begin to tackle. Make good decisions, this is not just about fines and penalties…it is about your job, your families and other lives that could be affected with one bad night out. Don’t do it. Make a plan in advance.
Give those things a little thought, and when we come back in 2014, let’s get to it once again stronger than ever, more challenged than ever to be better, progress more and set more “Traditions of Service Excellence” in every way we can…
Happy New Year and once again….PLEASE CELEBRATE RESPONSIBLY! BE SAFE TONIGHT…
In Solidarity,
Your Local 1014 Executive Board
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