|
|
Brothers and Sisters,
Local 1014 joins hundreds of IAFF Locals from the US and Canada with our management partners at the John P. Redmond Health and Safety Symposium and Dominic F. Barbers EMS conference to train and help shape the national Health and Safety and EMS policies and best practices. This biennial conference has evolved into the leading labor/management partnership in training, education, and research, influencing federal, state, and local policies affecting our profession.
Local 1014 and LA County Fire had a strong team in place to participate in the training and network and present. Members of your Executive Board, Chief Gerald Gonzales, Captain Jamie Gabriel, Engineer Derek Urwin, Captain Eric Tumberello, Captain Vince Roldan, Captain Steve Blackburn, and Lifeguard Specialists Lauren Dale and Josh Fehring spent the week in a multitude of sessions learning and presenting on a variety of firefighter Health and Safety and EMS issues.
The symposium was rich in subject matter, with Labor and Management speaking with the US Fire Administration, FEMA, NIOSH, National Registry, and Legislators who ultimately have the authority and funding for some of our profession's work. Dr. Lori Moore of the US Fire Administration and formerly of the IAFF and Chair of the IAFF Standing Committee on EMS, was one of the keynote speakers and also ended up being a major help in aiding our brothers and sisters in Lahaina with dollars to support our USAR Teams efforts. Of particular interest and more details to come, LA County Fire Department and Local 1014 along with FDNY and Locals 94 and 854 will be working together to develop a violent worker policy based on our shared experience with this issue. We shall not rest until we have both policy and management training to deal with volatile workplace situations. No one should have to work in an environment where, either verbally or physically, we feel threatened or harmed. Balancing the policy against our rich culture with traditions is a challenge, but with both departments leaning in, we are confident we can strike a balance and get this done. We also worked hard on the newest Wellness Fitness Initiative subjects that will eventually make their way into our WFI agreement via MOU relating to “Total Fire Fighter Fitness” with five components similar to professional athletes - Breath, Eat, Sleep, Connect, Move. Click here to view the Fit to Thrive website.
Captain Jamie Gabriel and Dr. and Brother Derek Urwin led a panel of instructors who brought forward the latest research efforts and data and evidence helping Unions in the fight against cancer both from our occupation and, ironically, from our turnouts where the ever-present PFAS issue plagues us. Dr. Urwin and Captain Gabriel have entered over 800 LACoFD Firefighters, including one of the largest populations of women firefighters in the cancer research studies.
|
|
Major research and efforts regarding Firefighter Wellness and Behavioral Health, Fitness, Cancer Prevention, Operations issues with Ventilation and Fire Attacks, Lithium Battery Issues, and Paramedic Protocols and research for best practices regarding patient care were all subjects intensely covered and the Doctors and Union and Managers from throughout the nation worked to help guide standards and policies based on data and research. In addition, Fire Captain Frank Aguirre of LAFD shared the Boyd incident particulars as well as members of Black Sunday from FDNY and members of Wooster Mass to talk about the LODD fires with great attention to personal experience, making the room quiet and intense while we trained to help prevent future LODDs where possible and also to honor those who we lost. Click here to view the live feed from the Redmond Conference.
We want to thank Fire Chief Marrone for supporting this training and symposium and the team of Local 1014 brothers and sisters who took the time to represent our great Department and Union on the national stage. Local 1014 - Los Angeles County Fire Department can stand proud in our part to make our profession better and safer. |
|
USAR TEAMS IN HAWAII
Local 1014 continues to help our brothers and sisters in Lahaina as our IAFF PEER Support team and our USAR Search Team remain in place with the hard days of rebuild and closure for so much tragedy that impacted directly the firefighters and lifeguards of Maui with the loss of homes and family.
The Maui County Firefighters and Hawaii Firefighters Local 1463 are proud men and women who much like Local 1014 rarely ask for or need help. This fire is different and our help has been embraced both in search and PEER Support. Local 1014 will remain on the ground as part of the FEMA-requested assistance, ordered and funded by the U.S. Fire Administration with former IAFF EMS Director now US Fire Administrator Dr. Lori Moore. We are blessed to be able to help, and fortunate to have the USFA and FEMA in our court through our hard work and political action.
Please continue to keep the Maui County / Hawaii Firefighters Local 1463 Brothers and Sisters in your thoughts and prayers and consider giving to help them in their time of need. |
|
 |
This week, our LA County Fire Peer Support Team and our Peer Dogs helped Santa Monica Firefighters as they said farewell to Brother Dom Smith. We shall not forget.
|
|
 |
| LACOFD and Local 1014 attended Cal Fire Captain Tim Rodriguez's funeral this week to pay our respects and honor his sacrifice. We shall not forget. |
|
48/96 UPDATE
We continue meeting weekly with the Chief to push for the 48/96 trial. The decision to support or oppose a 48/96 trial shift schedule change rests solely with the Fire Chief. We will push for a final analysis and evaluation from him early next week. We need his partnership to make this a reality with the Board of Supervisors. We have asked him to make history as a leader and be bold to simply try a life-changing schedule that bolsters work-life balance. We are addressing his final concerns and then it’s up to him to decide where he lands in this moment. As a reminder, the 48/96 trial is like any other staffing changes, it must mutually be agreed upon between labor and management. Local 1014 fully supports a 48/96 trial as voted on by the membership. We continue to push the Fire Chief to decide so we can continue down the path we need to ensure our members' voice is heard.
Finally, Congratulations to Chief O'Brien and Theresa Berrera on their promotions to permanent positions in these two seats they have been working. We look forward to nothing less than a fantastic effort on behalf of our Department and our members who boldly serve our communities. |
|
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.
|
|
In Solidarity,
President Dave Gillotte and the Local 1014 Executive Board |
|
|
|
|
|
|
