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Last weekend, Local 1014 and the Department joined unions from across the state to honor 36 fallen firefighters as their names are added to the California Firefighters Memorial Wall. Among them were three of our fallen brothers, Fire Captain Arn Tretsven, Fire Captain Kenneth Renz, and Fire Fighter Specialist William “Bill” Lenzen, who were honored for having served with bravery and distinction.
Each year, the California Fire Foundation (CFF) honors the sacrifices made by fire service members who have given their lives in the line of duty. This annual ceremony remains an uplifting service for the families, friends, and loved ones celebrating the lives, heroism, and accomplishments of our fallen. It was a beautiful weekend coming together as a fire family. Thank you to the amazing staff at the CFF for this event.
The California Firefighters Memorial is a unique and stunning tribute to the more than 1500 firefighters who have died in the line of duty since California became a state in 1850. The California Firefighters Memorial was unveiled on April 6, 2002, and is a lasting tribute to the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect their fellow Californians.
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Emergency Staffing Meeting
Today, Local 1014 Vice Presidents Tony Carcioppolo and Kurt Kobler met with Chief Deputy Jon O’Brien and Deputy Chief Eleni Pappas in an emergent meeting to discuss staffing. We appreciate the collaboration with two trusted leaders from management. Local 1014 has been and is still committed to fixing these staffing woes that have ebbed and flowed throughout our ranks, impacting us all at certain points. For some of us, our whole careers.
Long-term solutions have to be made, though. Your union, just like you, gets frustrated with management’s failures to hire and promote. Local 1014 is tired of plugging holes in this sinking ship. The Department has all but abandoned getting 50 people back to work. That should be the Chief’s only MAP goal, not how many station supply orders can be denied. Management should care about getting their people healthy and happy.
They have failed to promote and hire appropriately. The excuses of DHR controlling our exams needs to stop by the Department. The Fire Chief needs to fight back against DHR and show he cares about exams that matter to safety-sensitive positions—more importantly, show that he cares about all of us. Local 1014 is fighting back, and we expect management to also fight with us.
There will be some temporary changes coming to staffing very soon, though, to try and help with recalls. The logistics are still being worked out. President Gillotte and your Union board will be working through the weekend to get some changes made immediately.
Local 1014 appreciates all your hard work, as the workers are the foundation that holds our organization up. No engines respond out of 1320 North Eastern, nor do recalls happen there. We are the workforce that keeps us strong. We might bend, but we won't break as we fight back for a healthy work environment. |
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| LA COUNTY FIRE SAFETY - MEASURE E
This week, we had a major win for the measure with a resounding endorsement from the LA Times. We continue to push forward on the Measure E campaign with our comprehensive digital and mail campaigns, which will continue through election day.
As we have said many times, political action is the most important thing we do to affect our wages, hours, and working conditions.
Measure E will be the first additional revenue measure for our Department in 30 years and will bring an additional $152 million annually for stations, equipment, and staffing. Not since Proposition E in 1997 have we had additional funding for our Fire Department. We have been good stewards of the public’s funds and have used them to provide world-class services to our residents. But since 1997, we have seen a dramatic shift in the scope of our emergency services, the intensity of our fire season, and the use of technology as a critically important tool for providing emergency services.
Unlike other County departments, we cannot use general fund money. We need to ensure our Department has a stable and adequate funding source for our needs as we project continued growth over the next 20 years in population and call loads.
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WELLNESS ON THE FRONTLINE
This week, your Peer Support Team, Dr. Steve Froehlich, and our contracted clinicians Niki Stephanian and Lyndee Venosta, joined the Peer Support teams from throughout California in law enforcement, fire, EMS, and the military to share their experiences and train together on the latest methods and standards of member care and support.
This year, Travis Howze, military, fire, and law enforcement speaker and PTSD survivor and expert, was our keynote speaker and delivered unique insight into fighting Post Traumatic Stress Injury and how to climb up and out of the ashes. We also networked with many Peer Support leads and clinicians from throughout the state, who converged on the PSA conference.
Local 1014/LACOFD Dispatcher Cerena Lewis spoke about the rigors and stress of dispatching during both critical and non-critical calls. As we worked to bring all dispatchers into post-traumatic stress presumption, she will become a pivotal person to testify during assembly and senate hearings. Cerena shared the power of calls and the daily stressors dispatchers face. Thank you so much to sister Cerena Lewis and all of our LA County Fire Dispatchers for all that we do in this arena.
Finally, we continue to honor and mourn Brother Tony Pighetti one of the lead peer supporters in the State of California who brought his expertise to the 1805 foundation to Maui during the Lahaina crisis. We will never forget. |
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OPEN ENROLLMENT IS HERE!
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,
President Dave Gillotte and the Local 1014 Executive Board |
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