IAFF Local 1014

Friday Update 6-16-23

Updated On: Jul 10, 2023

Brothers and Sisters,

STAFFING UPDATE

As we work hard to climb out of the impact of staffing shortfalls from long ago when the Department fell behind by a year and a half in recruit classes and subsequent promotions, we have made good progress on returning to full staffing.

The Union has partnered with the Department to run drill towers yearly, enough to fill the Firefighter ranks. We are finally seeing the fruits of our labor with the FF ranks and PM positions with relief, recalls down, ability to get benefit days off, and OT slowing midweek. We also have the FSA - FFT List issue resolved with over 50 of our FSAs set to be hired with conditional offers and a path for Class 170, 172, and 172, ensuring we will not fall behind. We expect the same path of travel for the FFS and Captains positions with the latest round of exams and promotions, which are expedited with academies and resources staffed to get it done. Congratulations to all who were promoted and will be promoted in the coming weeks. Special thank you to those who helped test, train, and prepare the promotees.

Thank you to our newest Paramedic School graduates also, who will step into one of the most amazing jobs in the LA County Fire Department. You are now part of this historic and rich program that leads the nation with an amazing level of service to our communities. Good luck, and have fun!

All of this has made a difference in getting relief in all ranks, allowing people to get back to work, and covering the spread together with reductions in recalls and the ability to get days off and get a better work-life balance. We have much more to do but are moving rapidly in the right direction and have accounted for retirements. The brush season will be challenging and test our progress, but with continued effort, we can adapt to handle emergencies.

Also, in the staffing world, our trial for recalls and SRC is continuing with the next phase of member evaluations set to take place over the next few weeks with data evaluation and a phase 2 survey with questions and amendments from the membership to more accurately get the input. We want all of this to be temporary and any changes taken with caution and merits of impact while evaluating unintended consequences of such change.

On a side note related to staffing, our “Return 50 members back to work” project has netted 27 people back to work which equates to over $5 million in the budget! We are moving slowly but steadily to ensure members' rights are protected while at the same time pushing proper care and treatment in a timely manner to get our folks back in the seats. The project has also moved to lifeguards in conjunction with LACOLA, and we expect more budget savings while we get injured lifeguards treated and back to work. This all matters for staffing and additionally for our budget and mental health. We will update on work comp in July as the work comp labor-management committee continues their work, including meeting with Sedgwick's top management executives to lay out expectations on their work as our third-party provider.

Securing our Future-Initiative Update

Local 1014 moves forward with consultant and polling to test signature gathered initiative for funding 50% plus one needed. We need staffing funds, building and infrastructure funds and as all of you know apparatus and equipment. We have not raised revenues in over 30 years and whole property taxes are the best source of income we have needs beyond regular rates of rise in existing funding . Protecting our future is one of our primary focuses and we are working with Chief Marrone and his staff and the BOS to look down the road and prepare for an opportunity to seek this critically needed revenue.

Thank you to those who came down to the general membership meeting. Once again, we had a wonderful discussion of hiring, staffing, and promotions. Stay tuned for the next survey in the next coming weeks. Please update your email and contact information to ensure all members who want to participate get a survey. Also, pass the word to those who don’t get the Friday messages to sign up. We want as many participants as possible.

10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY - GRANITE MOUNTAIN HOTSHOTS

On June 30, 2023, we will mark 10 years since the wind-whipped Yarnell Hill wildfire turned suddenly and killed 19 members of Prescott's Granite Mountain Hotshots as they moved to re-engage the inferno, 30 miles south of Prescott. The fire raged into Yarnell, a community of about 650 people, destroying more than 120 homes. In all, the blaze consumed 8,400 acres before firefighters, at last, contained it on July 10, 2013.

Kevin Woyjeck, the oldest son of our LA County brother Joe Woyjeck, was a member of the Granite Mountain Hotshot crew and was one of the 19 that perished that day. We ask all our members today to take a moment and remember Kevin and his crew. Although far away, this incident deeply impacted our LA County Fire Family and still impacts us today. We will never forget those who perished, and the impact o their lives continues to have a lasting positive impact on the fire service through the Kevin Woyjeck Explorers for Life Association and brother Brendon McDonough who has devoted his life to behavioral health in the fire service.

Each year on June 30th, it is a sobering reminder of how dangerous our job can be for our members and the sacrifice of our families. There will be memorials on June 30th in Prescott, Arizona. For those that cannot make it to Prescott on June 30th, there will also be Granite Mountain memorials at the Los Angeles County Fire Museum in Bellflower, California, and at the Hall of Flame Fire Museum in Phoenix, Arizona.

The doors for the FREE event at the Los Angeles County Fire Museum will open at 3 pm on June 30th. The services will start at 4pm. We will close the ceremony, then we will have a celebration with live music (Kelly Boyz band) free food (BBQ by Goo) etc. The Los Angeles County Fire Museums event is FREE and NOT a fundraiser. We hope to see you all there.

Click here to view flyer for the event.

LA Fire & Rescue is a docuseries coming this month! We are excited to share a frontline view of what our members are facing in Los Angeles County. From helicopter mountain rescues and lifeguard beach SOS, to fireboats, hazmat units and California’s raging wildfires, we do it all and we are excited to show the public the very real dangers and stressors of the fire service. LA Fire & Rescue premieres Wednesday, June 21 at 8/7c on NBC and next day on Peacock.

REMINDER: We are calling on local artists and those in our fire family to submit proposals for a permanent art installation to be installed at Station 81. This art installation is meant to not only provide a remembrance site for our Brother Tory Carlon, but also provide a place of healing for those most impacted by this incident and a reminder of the importance of our Fire Family and behavioral health in the fire service.

The art project will be installed at LACoFD Station 81 in Agua Dulce. The project must provide 1) a memorial and remembrance for Brother Tory Carlon, 2) emphasize the importance of our Fire Family and 3) provide a reflective space that emphasizes the importance of behavioral health in the fire service.

While we will be accepting submissions from the local community, we will give preference to members of our Fire Family who submit projects.

Click here to view art submittal application and requirements.

In Solidarity,

President Dave Gillotte and the Local 1014 Executive Board