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Union Fire Fighter News
last updated: May 17 2008 10:51 PM
- Collective Bargaining Bill Delayed By Partisanship
May 16, 2008 -- After an historic 69-29 cloture vote to bring the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act (H.R. 980/S.2123) on the floor of the U.S. Senate for debate, presidential politics, partisanship and the Senate's arcane procedural rules combined to temporarily stall progress on the bill that would give every fire fighter the right to collectively bargain. - Florida Fire Fighters Work Hard to Contain Wildfires
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May 14, 2008 – Hundreds of fire fighters from across the state of Florida are responding to more than 17,000 acres of wildfires in 14 of the state’s counties, including hardest-hit Brevard and Volusia. So far, no major fire fighter injuries have been reported, but one St. Lucie County Local 1377 member has lost his home. - Supermajority of Senators Vote to Consider Cooperation Act
May 13, 2008 -- In a remarkable show of bipartisan support for the IAFF and its members, 69 senators voted May 13 to consider H.R. 980, the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act. The 69-29 vote on the motion to proceed permits the Senate to debate and amend the bill. “Today, Senators from both parties stood up in support of America’s fire fighters, and stood up in support of our right to collectively bargain,” says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger. “This vote is truly a testament to the strength of our union and the respect its members garner on Capitol Hill.” - New Study Released on Fire Fighters and Cancer Risk
May 12, 2008 -- A new study conducted by the Massachusetts Department of Health under a grant from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) confirms that there are elevated cancer risks among fire fighters and that these risks are consistent with other studies of fire fighters. - DHS Opens Application Period for SAFER Grants
May 12, 2008 -- The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will begin accepting applications for FY 2008 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Services (SAFER) grants on May 27, 2008, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The deadline for receipt of applications is June 27, 2008, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. - Senate to Vote on Collective Bargaining Bill
May 12, 2008 -- The Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act, the IAFF's national collective bargaining bill (S 2123) is expected to be brought to the floor of the United States Senate for a vote Tuesday morning May 13, 2008. "More than 80,000 of our brother and sister fire fighters in more than 20 states do not currently enjoy basic employment rights," says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger. This bill will ensure that every fire fighter has the right to collectively bargain." - CPF Secretary Treasurer Dallas Jones Succumbs to Cancer
May 11, 2008 -- It is with the greatest sadness that the IAFF, California Professional Firefighters and Los Angeles County Local 1014 announce the passing of one of the giants of the fire fighter labor movement -- CPF Secretary-Treasurer Dallas Jones. Jones, who served 32 years with Los Angeles County Fire Department and Local 1014, died May 10 after a valiant battle with lung cancer. “This is a tragic loss for all who knew Brother Jones and certainly for me as a friend of mine for almost 30 years," says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger. "He was a great leader and a loyal and giving friend to so many of us.” - NIOSH Issues Safety Advisory for Aerial Ladders
May 9, 2008 -- The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has issued a safety advisory regarding the set-up of aerial ladders with a locking waterway. NIOSH is currently investigating an April 8, 2008, fire fighter line-of-duty-death involving an aerial ladder with a locking waterway. This incident highlights the importance of following the manufacturer’s recommendations for aerial ladder operations to ensure the safety of IAFF members. - IAFF-MG Riders Heading to Fayetteville
May 8, 2008 -- The 2nd Annual IAFF-MG National Rally “Fire Fighters Hog Ride” will be held in beautiful Fayetteville, Arkansas, May 12-15, 2008. The IAFF-MG will meet in Fayetteville and spend three days networking and riding in the beautiful Ozark Mountains. Located in Northwest Arkansas in the Ozark Mountains, Fayetteville, home of the University of Arkansas and IAFF Local 2866, is the cultural capitol of the region, and enjoys a thriving economy and a vivacious atmosphere. From Dickson Street nightlife to Farmer's Market on the square to the annual Bikes Blues & Barbecue Rally, Fayetteville is big on personality with much to experience, yet has the intimate feel of a small town. There is something for everyone! - NIOSH Seeks Safety and Occupational Health Specialist
May 8, 2008 -- The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Division of Safety Research with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Morgantown, West Virginia, is looking for a Safety and Occupational Health Specialist in the Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program. - Fire Fighters Get More Soothing Alarms
May 7, 2008 -- Heart failure is the greatest cause of death for on-duty fire fighters. A new alarm aims to ease one major source stress by waking up fire fighters with peaceful sounds. - Run the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, DC!
May 6, 2008 -- As a charity partner of the Marine Corps Marathon, the IAFF Burn Foundation reserves a limited number of entries for IAFF members and supporters to participate in the Marine Corps Marathon on October 26, 2008, as a member of the IAFF Burn Foundation Marine Corps Marathon (MCM) Team. - CHARLESTON: Charleston Sofa Store Phase II Report Released
- Senate Bill Strips House Provision Requiring FAA to Update Airport Standards
April 30, 2008 -- A bill under consideration by the Senate eliminates House-passed language that would require the FAA to improve its Airport Fire and Rescue Standards. In response, the IAFF has issued a press release charging that the lax safety culture of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) extends beyond aircraft maintenance to the outdated 20-year-old FAA standards for fire and rescue operations that jeopardize lives in the event of an aircraft incident at an airport. “As Congress reviews the FAA’s inadequate response to aircraft maintenance issues, it should also investigate the dangerous FAA fire and rescue standards at the nation’s airports,” says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger. - NIOSH Issues User Notice for Certain Air Purifying Respirators
April 25, 2008 -- The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has issued a user notice regarding the use of CBRN APR respirators with the use of suits qualified under the NFPA 1994 standard. The NFPA 1994-2007 certification of the Indutex JetGuard Plus Class 3 Ensemble specifies that the Millennium@ CBRN APR is to be used as part of this ensemble.