Friday Update: RETURN TO WORK 

Los Angeles County Firefighters IAFF Local 1014

Representing over 3200 Firefighters, Paramedics, Dispatchers,
Pilots, Wildland Firefighters, Forestry and Health Haz Mat personnel

Local 1014 Update
Friday, August 10, 2018

This week, members of your Local 1014 Executive Board joined thousands of Firefighter Union leaders from across the US and Canada to attend the 54th International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Convention in Seattle, Washington.  This year, the IAFF celebrated 100 years of progress through unity in the professional fire service.  Every two years, this convention offers an opportunity for our union’s international body to focus on our legislative and operational priorities. 

Members of your Local 1014 Executive Board testified on, and voted for, critically important resolutions including:

• Establishing a Behavioral Health Center on the West Coast to provide similar services to the IAFF Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health in Maryland.
• Funding a study on the effects of cell and radio antenna radiation on Firefighters.
• Increasing funding for cancer research.
• Supporting a National Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month.
• Encouraging the expansions of the IAFF PEER Support Program.
• Increasing funding for the IAFF Disaster Relief Fund to benefit members.
• and more.

Click here (https://convention2018.iaff.org/resolution-action/) for a full list of convention resolutions. 

IAFF General President Emeritus and Former Local 1014 President Al Whitehead was honored by the IAFF Executive Board and the convention attendees.  He spoke to the importance of unity in this time of uncertainty for unions and their members and offered a unique perspective on the progress the union has made towards protecting the health and safety of our members.

Click here (https://www.facebook.com/Local1014/videos/10156235585271195/) to watch a clip of Brother Whiteheads speech.  Local 1014 is proud to be a part of a long legacy of increases wages, benefits and working conditions for our members and members across this great nation and Canada through political action and advocacy. 

While at Convention, our negotiations continued with the County on our successor MOU. We are scheduled to meet with the CEOs office early next week. We will keep you updated as we continue to aggressively bargain with the County on behalf of our members.

Los Angeles County Firefighters IAFF Local 1014

Representing over 3200 Firefighters, Paramedics, Dispatchers,
Pilots, Wildland Firefighters, Forestry and Health Haz Mat personnel

Los Angeles County Firefighters IAFF Local 1014

Representing over 3200 Firefighters, Paramedics, Dispatchers,
Pilots, Wildland Firefighters, Forestry and Health Haz Mat personnel

Brothers and sisters

The union operation in Redding, California is going well and we are making steady progress on our objectives. The gratitude from the members and the department for the IAFF’s presence is overwhelming. 

We started our work here with the following objectives:

1. Account for all members and families. Included in this effort was ensuring all displaced and evacuated member families had safe and adequate living accommodations that were not in an emergency shelter.  As of 0800 today (48 operational hours) at least two members from L1934 are in need of emergency housing.  Their families are with extended family and the members remain on duty.  Working to secure immediate emergency housing in Redding for these members today.  As of 0800 today we have 10 member homes destroyed and 2 damaged.  We have confirmation on the status of over 90% of the IAFF members showing as living in the region.  We are working hard to reach 100% today.  We are distributing the IAFF Disaster Relief cards to all effected members in person as soon as is possible.  I will continue to update cards that need to be activated.

2. Address needs around LODD.  Cal-LAST was requested to assist the Disaster Operation, Local Union, Department and Family with the LODD Process.  Brother Ben Dominguez from Cal-LAST arrived yesterday and is engaging on all levels.  Brother Stoke is scheduled for autopsy on Wednesday August 1.  Disaster Team is working with the CalFire SART to ensure the autopsy is NFPA compliant to aid in the eventual filing for PSOB.  Family Liaison to Stoke family was briefed yesterday on available honors and services and they will begin the conversation with Alyson Stoke (Brother Stoke’s widow) as to her wishes and timeline.  24 hour Sentinel watch has been posted at the coroner’s office and is set to continue until internment.  We have created an online sign-up tool to manage this and are broadcasting to local leaders to aid in staffing this solemn detail.

3. Peer Support and Behavioral Health.  The IAFF assembled Peer Team is on the ground and fully engaged and having good effect.  The Behavioral Health mission is focused on the LODD, the fire impact, the loss of member homes and lingering stress and trauma previously unaddressed. The Behavioral Health program began with a brief overview on Friday AM during a department/local all-hands meeting following Brother Stoke’s procession to the coroner.  Station visits began on 07/28 and all stations and crews were met by our IAFF Peer Teams.  The reception was warm and welcoming and members seem to be engaging in the behavioral health awareness process.  Peer teams are providing written materials, online resources, group and one on one discussions as is needed.  Station visits continue today (07/29) and are on the plan for tomorrow as well.  This will allow us to visit all 3 shifts in their stations by 1800 tomorrow.  A more detailed synopsis of the behavioral health status of the local will be available in the next update as well as the plan for next steps and resource needs.

4. Support for members otherwise impacted by the fire.  In addition to the 12 members noted above, we have approximately 60 IAFF members evacuated or living in the evacuation zone.  Operations are in place to provide generators and other needs to those choosing to remain at their home to defend it and supporting those who have other needs due to being evacuated.

5. Engage and coordinate with the Carr Incident.  Members of our team have been in regular contact with the Incident Commander and his team, the incident behavioral health team, and the situation unit to monitor fire behavior and attempt to anticipate and members’ home at risk and prepare to respond to their needs and share information or resources as needed.  The Carr Incident Command Team has been very cooperative and supportive.

6. California Fire Foundation SAVE Program.  We are partnering with CPF and the California Fire Foundation to provide $100 SAVE debit cards to all members who’s homes were damaged or destroyed.  That partnership also extends to the RFD and L1934 to provide the same cards to members of the community who lost their homes.

7. General support to L1934 and L2881.  Obviously union business continues in spite of the emergency and we are closely engaged with Brothers Oliphant and Lowrey (L1934 Local President and VP) and Brother Dow (L2881 General Vice President) to cover any day to day needs for their local and members.

8. General support to L2881 Benevolent Fund.  L2881 has leaders and staff from both the local and their Benevolent Foundation working in the Disaster Support Center and are consolidating efforts to ensure all IAFF members are receiving maximum support in the most efficient way possible.  This partnership continues from my work in Santa Rosa and is a huge value add to the IAFF investment in supporting our members.

9. Visitors.  The following leaders have visited and participated in the support effort.  It is readily apparent that the presence of high level leaders in the community (especially one largely considered remote from the rest of the state).  DVP Lima, CPF President Rice, L2881 President Allen, 10th Dist Burn Coordinator Feyh.  CPF Sec/Tres Lopez is expected sometime today or tomorrow at the latest.

Thank you Mr. General President and Sec/Tres Kelly for your support of the operation and thank you to all of the staff for the tremendous support and quick work to get things set up here, it really is making a positive impact for our members during an otherwise dark time.  The member data, maps, hotel rooms, peer support ordering, logistical support and the positive thoughts are much appreciated and we could be nearly as effective has we have been without all you are doing.

The latest tragic reminder of the dangers of our chosen profession:

Brian Hughes, captain of the Arrowhead Interagency Hotshots, was killed when he was struck by a tree while fighting the Ferguson fire near Yosemite National Park. (Courtesy of Brad Torchia)

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-ferguson-fire-death-20180729-story.html

This week, your Local 1014 Executive Board has continued the long and grueling negotiations process with the County of Los Angeles. We met with them multiple times over the past two weeks to grind out the final items on the successor MOU including specialty bonuses, additional MOU items and the establishment of a Behavioral Health Program, often meeting well into the night to get the best contract for our members. Next week, we are scheduled to continue negotiations. We will keep you updated as we progress towards a contract that takes care of all our members. Once a tentative agreement is reached, we will be sending it to our members for a ratification vote.

Yesterday, we celebrated the retirement of Brother John B. Tripp, “The Firefighter’s Chief,” who is retiring after 30+ years of service to the County of Los Angeles. The event was well attended by past members, legends of the LA County Fire Department as well as past 1014 Board Members.  Brother Tripp has remained a Local 1014 Brother his entire career and has always been a man of character dedicated to the fire service and our members. On behalf of our members, we thank Brother Tripp for his years of dedicated passion and mentorship.

Additionally, last weekend, our Executive Board also attended the grand opening of the Los Angeles County Fire Museum in Bellflower. More than three decades in the making, the museum is a multipurpose venue, housing antique fire engines and memorabilia as well as serving as an event venue. Special thanks to the Los Angeles County Fire Museum Association for preserving our history for future generations.

If you have the opportunity, please make the effort to visit and get a chance to see first-hand the rich history of the Los Angeles County Fire Department and its Firefighters. The museum is located at 16400 Bellflower Boulevard in Bellflower, for more information, visit www.lacountyfiremuseum.com.

Los Angeles County Firefighters IAFF Local 1014

Representing over 3100 Firefighters, Paramedics, Dispatchers
Pilots, Wildland Firefighters, Forestry and Health Haz Mat personnel

It is with a heavy heart that we announce that on Saturday, July 14, Cal Fire Heavy Equipment Operator Braden Varney was killed while battling a the Ferguson fire in the Sierra National Forest. Brother Varney died at the scene as crews battled the fire in the rugged area near Yosemite National Park. Varney, 36, was a residents of Mariposa and had served in the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit for a decade. 

On behalf of the 3,200+ members of Local 1014, we offer our deepest condolences to his wife and two young children and to our brothers and sisters at CAL FIRE Local 2881.