CPF LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE SET FOR MAY 12-14 

Fire Union Leaders from throughout California will descend onto the State Capital to meet with our Assembly and Senate leaders and the Governor, Insurance Commissioner, Lt. Governor, and Secretary of State to lobby our Firefighter Issues and earn support for the Firefighter bills. This is the arena for things like our Cancer Presumption Laws, Behavioral Health and PEER Support Laws, Health and Safety Laws, Pension Laws, and more are crafted, amended, and worked through to finish on behalf of our profession.  

We also work to address Emergency Medical Services Commission (EMSA) issues and budget issues affecting Cal Fire and Contract County municipalities.  As an example, we successfully lobbied to leave our funding in place and work to ensure our inmate camps stay in place following the fires, and we have an agreement.

This year, we will be hosting a special FIRE OPS 101 with Sacramento Firefighters putting the elected leaders through the EMS and FIRE Paces in full gear.  We work with 3-person and 4-person crews in different configurations so they can feel the heat and the staffing impact on all we do.  This is incredibly helpful in generating heartfelt support for our issues.  We’ll keep you posted on our work and send some pictures of your elected leaders taking a stab at our work.  

This year's conference will address the ‘37 Act and PEPRA reform issues for our members as we try to secure the single highest year and age of 55 for retirement.  We will also be seeking additional funding for our paid crews, aircraft and Contract Counties SRA area coverage.  The fires highlighted the need, but did not alter the budget outlook as we work to get support.  This will not be easy, but as always, we work to ensure that we are a priority for state budget items.  

EMSA UPDATE 

CPF, along with Local 1014 EMSA Committee Members, continue to work to have input and help guide our state EMS issues. We have established an EMS Policy Advisory Committee (EPAC), and CPF and Cal Chiefs, our State Chiefs organization, have representatives. 

EPAC meets to discuss and recommend draft regulations on key issues regarding EMS. Alameda County Firefighters Local 55 President Sean Burrows and CPF EMS Health and Safety Director Kevin Greene serve as CPF reps.  Sean and Kevin are not only long-time friends of LA County Local 1014 but also remain in contact with Chris Reade and our Board on issues pertaining to LA County.  EMSA stakeholders who might not necessarily align with Public Fire Based EMS Systems are constantly challenging our service areas and trying to take our work, take our jobs.  The private EMS agencies are pushing back on “Pre-Rule Making” issues in law as we work to secure there drafts from the committee, and we have the best legal representation also to fight this opposition to the work, which ultimately is a collaboration of EMS Stakeholders for state rules and regulations affecting our EMT and PM licenses.  

Our priorities center on public, not-for-profit, patient care principles, protection our “201” rights to provide such service, and not allowing private Fire or EMS agencies to provide service in place of public fire agencies who have provided the service under state law, and to keep fire agency autonomy with Fire Chiefs and Unions not appointed and or elected Fire Commissions having anything other than an advisory role in operations.  Alternative transport destinations, EMS licensure, and disciplinary issues, APU, and Community Paramedicine, are all topics in play as well.  

We’ll keep you posted on the upcoming regulatory and draft policy work as it takes shape over the next few months to coincide with our Legislative Session.