ONE HUNDRED THIRD EDITION |
|
CAL FIRE Local 2881 members,
As we close the month of August, thousands of our brothers and sisters remain on the front lines of two of California’s most massive fires in history. Along with hundreds more still assigned to other major fires in the state. Unfortunately, this is nothing new, and it’s becoming the norm. By all indications, this year is shaping up to be the worst fire season on record.
Your extraordinary work during this past month has not and will not go unnoticed. As your voice in Sacramento, we are knocking on doors talking with legislatures, reporters, and the administration telling them enough is enough. It’s time for the state to open its eyes and realize CAL FIRE needs to be staffed appropriately, and our workweek changed to the fire service standard. The state must invest in the men and women who risk their lives, both physically and mentally, while protecting the residents of California.
Urban interface fires are a way of life and will only get more destructive and deadlier. The legislature must wake up and make firefighters a priority. We will not stop advocating for our members! We will continue to be your voice at the capitol until we achieve the staffing, workweek, and compensation you have earned!
Stay The Course,
President Tim Edwards
|
|
IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial |
|
With the significant health concerns related to COVID-19 and all the restrictions across the U.S. and Canada, the IAFF Executive Board on May 14, 2020, approved a motion to conduct the 2020 Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial ceremony without attendees, broadcasting it as a respectful virtual ceremony on September 19, 2020. We will still be engraving members’ names on our Wall of Honor this year and will note those etched on our Memorial during the virtual ceremony.
|
|
California Firefighters Memorial |
|
As we navigate these unprecedented times of the COVID-19 pandemic and the continued uncertainty it presents, we are cancelling the 2020 California Firefighters Memorial Ceremony and instead will have a California Firefighters Memorial Tribute for 2020 in lieu of an in-person ceremony. Ensuring the safety of all friends and family is of utmost importance.
|
|
August 26, 2020
The International Association of Fire Fighters and the Muscular Dystrophy Association enjoy a partnership that has lasted for 66 years. Over this time, the IAFF has raised over $670 million for MDA.
IAFF/MDA National Coordinator Roger Lopez joins the IAFF Podcast to discuss the relationship, all of the services the IAFF provides beyond filling the boot and the new virtual fill the boot drive being held online because of COVID-19.
To participate in the IAFF virtual Fill the Boot campaign, visit www.mda.org/ftb
|
|
From the desk of your State Supervisor Director |
|
Click letter above to enlarge. |
|
Additional note to our supervisor members:
Obviously the union is not going to let the ball drop on our members. After a long discussion with the Director last night, I'm pleased to report that the Director is equally engaged.
While we have resolution for most of our supervisor members, we will have no peace until there is a satisfaction for all our members.
Respectfully,
Joseph Q. Ten Eyck
|
|
KSRO INTERVIEW: Tim Edwards On How Cal Fire Fighters Are Doing Amid The Firefights |
|
Pat talks with Tim Edwards, Cal Fire Firefighters Union President, about how Cal Fire firefighters are holding up amid the multiple firefights throughout the state:
|
|
Upcoming Webinars from the IAFF |
|
Behavioral Health Among Fire Fighters and Paramedics: Treating Occupational Needs |
|
This presentation will introduce attendees to the unique needs of fire service members seeking behavioral healthcare, given by Dr. Abby Morris, a board-certified psychiatrist and Medical Director at the IAFF Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Treatment and Recovery. In her three and a half years at the IAFF Center of Excellence, Dr. Morris has worked with over 1,300 professional fire fighters, paramedics and dispatchers and developed unique insight into effective strategies for treating these individuals that will be shared with attendees. Additionally, participants will develop a further understanding as to how the occupational demands of the fire service impact a member’s behavioral health, learn new or enhanced best practices for treating fire service professionals and discuss treatment options that are most appropriate with consideration to these unique occupational needs including medication management, psycho-education and coping strategies.
This presentation is ideal for medical and clinical professionals seeking to treat or currently treating fire service members and IAFF members, fire service leadership, peer support team members, chaplains, spouses and other individuals in a capacity to support first responders in treatment and recovery.
|
|
Congratulations to the 2019-2020 Richard J. Ernest Scholarship Award Winners |
|
Click the image above to read more about each student! |
|
Hundreds of wildfires are currently burning in California, prompting evacuations, plumes of ash and smoke, and the declaration of a statewide emergency from the governor. It’s a familiar pattern in the state, where wildfires now regularly burn with more force and frequency than they have in years past.
Esri, a spatial analytics firm based in California, has put together a animated map of California wildfires over the last century. Using data from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the map shows how fires have progressed in severity over the decades, beginning in 1910 and continuing through last year. It includes statistics on the largest fires, the total number of fires in a given year, and the number of acres burned. Taken together, the statistics and visualization paint an alarming portrait of a state facing an increasingly urgent environmental crisis.
The map was created using Esri’s ArcGIS Pro platform, along with software tools including Cinema 4D, Redshift, and Adobe After Effects. The full video with credits is just over a minute and a half.
|
|
Suicide Awareness Month is an opportunity to #BreakTheStigma and speak out about behavioral health. You are not alone, and resources are available for help at HealingOurOwn.org
|
|
Israeli firefighters land in US to help battle California blazes |
|
Volunteer team of firefighters from Israel has arrived in San Francisco and is on its way to Sacramento to help battle local fires.
A team of firefighters from Israel has arrived in San Francisco and is on its way to Sacramento to assist US firefighters in their battle against wildfires in the state of California.
The team said it was dedicated to helping Californians fend off the flames in the most professional way possible.
In the picture can be seen the firefighting team along with the Israeli consul-general in San Francisco, Shlomi Kaufman.
|
|
Labor Day is September 7th.
Do you know the history behind it?
|
|
Throughout our history, the labor movement has accomplished a lot. If you get weekends off or overtime pay, thank the union members who fought for those rights. None of our movement’s achievements would have happened without the effort, organization and advocacy of our brothers and sisters. But injustice still runs amok. We must look to the past not only for inspiration, but for the tools we need to continue the fight. The roots of the problems we face today can be found in our past. So can the beginnings of the solutions we need for our future.
The labor history timeline highlights the key events and the people who helped bring about radical changes in the workplace and society.
See the AFL-CIO timeline from the labor movement here
|
|
Throughout the years, Local 2881 has negotiated many MOUs for our members. Because we come together as one voice, to take care of our own, we continue to improve the wages, benefits, and working conditions for the women and men of CAL FIRE.
WE ARE A LABOR UNION. WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER.
|
|
Read about the history of the IAFF here. |
|
What do you think about the single-layer pant? Share your thoughts with us via the survey link below.
|
|
Don't forget! Open enrollment begins September 21 and ends October 16. |
|
IF YOU ARE AN CAL FIRE LOCAL 2881
ACTIVE MEMBER
YOU ARE ELIGIBLE FOR BENEFITS
PROVIDED FROM OUR AFFILIATION WITH PORAC
IN ORDER TO VIEW AND ENROLL IN THESE BENEFITS
(INCLUDING HEALTHCARE AND AFLAC PROGRAMS)
WE NEED YOUR DATE OF BIRTH.
PLEASE GO TO THE FOLLOWING LINK TO UPLOAD YOUR INFORMATION:
Have questions about PORAC benefits? Check out the info below for more information.
|
|
Wondering why we are asking for your Date of Birth? At the 2019 CAL FIRE Local 2881 Convention, it was approved to add the membership of our Union into PORAC (Peace Officers Research Association of California) which cost an increase of $2.00 to your dues. There are several things that came with this but there still seems to be a lot of misinformation and confusion. This is information below is meant to help those still unsure about what PORAC is:
1.) Every L2881 active member is an associate or “Limited Member” of PORAC, except CAL FIRE Peace Officers.
2.) All CAL FIRE Peace Officers are “Full/Active” PORAC members and have access to the full benefits of PORAC, ensures they have adequate protection and benefits, and access to the PORAC Legal Defense Fund.
3.) As either an Associate or Full member, you have the OPTION to enroll into the PORAC Public Safety Healthcare/ Medical Insurance Plan
4.) As an “Associate” member, L2881 members who live in areas of the State who don’t have any or minimal options of getting a health insurance plans now can sign up for PORAC’s health insurance for them and their families.
5.) One of the PORAC requirements for membership is that every active member is officially signed up using their Date of Birth (DOB). Since L2881 does not collect DOB, members have seen a push to gather this information from the members.
6.) Active members who wish to sign up for the PORAC medical plan, have that option during the September Open Enrollment period. You must have signed up as a PORAC member for them to have your DOB.
- Signing up for the PORAC Medical Insurance during open enrollment, or a life changing event, enables a member to take advantage of some added benefits:
- Taking the plan into retirement in another state
- FREE body scan from head to toe, every 3 years, screening for heart/cardio disease, over 20 types of cancer, lower and upper back pathologies, lung disease and others.
- Lower premiums, depending on your location
- A healthcare plan for those members living in rural communities
7.) Members who DO NOT wish to sign up for the PORAC Medical Insurance, still need to sign up for their PORAC membership with your DOB. *This does not mean you are signing up for their Medical Plan.*
Click here to read answers to some commonly asked questions. Still have questions? Reach out to your Chapter Director. |
|
Did you just recently retire? Congratulations! Make sure to sign up to be a CAL FIRE Local 2881 Retired Member and stay in the know!
|
|
CalPERS Announces Health Plan Premiums for 2021
CalPERS Open Enrollment
CalPERS has announced the health plan open enrollment period for 2020. Changes made during the open enrollment period will be effective January 1, 2021. The open enrollment period is September 21 through October 16, 2020.
Open Enrollment Webinar
Do you know what to do or how to prepare for Open Enrollment? If you're eligible for CalPERS Health Benefits, join us for this informative webinar on August 12. Register here
1959 Survivor Benefit Program
The CalPERS Board has determined the rates for the State 5th Level will be as follows:
The required employee premium for the State 5th level pool will change from $5.40 to $5.95 per member, per month for fiscal year 2020-21. This is in accordance with Statute 21581(c), which specifies that when the total required premium (after amortization of surplus/unfunded liability) exceeds $4.00, the employer and the member shall evenly share the required monthly premium.
Long Term Care Program
The program administered by CalPERS is experiencing severe funding issues. As you may know, CalPERS was sued over the previous rate increases. The suit has not yet settled but it does appear any settlement will not be in favor of CalPERS. The long-term care staff is looking at all aspects of the severely underfunded program to recommend adjustments that will bring meet the future needs of all enrollees. It appears there will be a cessation of new enrollees until the staff comes up with reasonable alternatives. This option will be considered in the coming weeks along with appropriate solutions. The updated status of the entire program will be presented at the September, 2020 CalPERS meeting.
Like many other organizations, the CalPERS meetings are held online with participation from the audience via telephone contact. It is unknown when the in-person meetings will resume.
As a reminder, all members can access his/her health information year-round, including Open Enrollment updates, by logging in to myCalPERS, or learn more by visiting the CalPERS “Using myCalPERS” page.
***
A special note to those retired members who are on Medicare.
You may be entitled to a higher reimbursement for your Medicare Part B premiums. This provision could impact your Medicare Part D costs as well.
If you have been notified by the Social Security Administration that you are being charged a higher premium for your Medicare Part B and Part D coverage, you may be entitled to a higher reimbursement from CalPERS.
The notification from the Social Security Administration is via letter generally issued in the latter part of November each year. The letter will spell out the additional premium(s) based on your adjusted gross income reported on your previous year income taxes. You will also be billed monthly instead of quarterly for the Medicare premiums. If you receive a Social Security distribution, the amount will be deducted from your SS monthly distribution.
This additional charge is called the IRMAA (income related monthly adjustment amount).
If you have questions or are unsure of your charges for Medicare coverage, contact me through email. Make sure you keep all correspondence from CalPERS and the Social Security Administration.
Ray Snodgrass
State Retiree Director
|
|
With Personal Exposure Reporting from California Professional Firefighters, firefighters can document exposures to toxins that can produce job-related illness.
|
|
Right Photo by K. Tsudama
Bottom Photo by Aaron Comfort Dog
|
|
|
Study finds high levels of cancer-causing chemicals in California firefighters' blood: "I couldn't help but think about 9/11" |
|
Firefighters in northern California say they are gaining control over historic, deadly wildfires that have burned more than one million acres. However, researchers and former firefighters working on a new study fear the responders battling the blazes are in danger of suffering unprecedented long-term damage, as the wildfires destroy over 1,400 homes and businesses.
"Something has to be done about it now," retired Captain Tony Stefani told CBS News' Carter Evans.
Stefani, a 28-year veteran of the San Francisco Fire Department, started the San Francisco Firefighters Cancer Prevention Foundation after he himself was diagnosed with kidney cancer. The group funds research to study the link between firefighters' exposure to toxins and cancer.
"We can't wait for that latency period for five to 10, 20 years down the line to see if these men and women will contract various forms of this insidious disease," Stefani said.
Stefani said he was concerned about "the level of exposure that these firefighters are getting at these situations" as he watches the flames burn communities around him — levels he called "extremely toxic for long periods of time."
His concerns were shared by a fellow San Francisco firefighter, Captain Matt Alba, who urged the organization to fund a study analyzing blood and urine samples collected from dozens of firefighters minutes after they leave the frontlines of these unprecedented fires.
"The problem is this is a new realm for firefighting. It doesn't necessarily cleanly meet structural firefighting, and it doesn't cleanly meet wildland firefighting," he said.
Alba has been with the department for 18 years and spent a week and a half at the Camp Fire in Paradise, California. The state's deadliest and most destructive fire killed 85 people and destroyed more than 1,800 structures in 2018.
"We were starting to see a lot of members with those coughs, headaches," Alba recalled. "I couldn't help but think about 9/11 and what all of those responders went through 10 years after the incident."
|
|
Is your physical/mailing address updated with us?
Did you get the Summer 2020 Fire Front mailed to your home last month? If not, then we don't have your current address.
It's important for us to have it in case you are impacted or may be impacted by a wildfire or other emergency. Use the link below, call or email us to update it today!
(916) 609-8711 / dkelsch@L2881.org
|
|
Has your marital status changed? Update your L2881 beneficiary information with us today and keep your loved ones secure. Fill out this form and send it to Danielle @ dkelsch@L2881.org
|
|
Share your photos & videos with us.
What does your CAL FIRE look like? Help up show the #AllRisk CAL FIRE. Send us a DM on social media or reach out to DeeDee, your Communications Officer at (916) 202-0553
|
|
UPCOMING EVENTS
IAFF FALLEN FIRE FIGHTER MEMORIAL (virtual)
SEPTEMBER 19
CALIFORNIA FIREFIGHTERS MEMORIAL (virtual)
SEPTEMBER 26
EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING
SEPTEMBER 23-25
NATIONAL FALLEN FIREFIGHTERS MEMORIAL
OCTOBER 3-4
EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING
DECEMBER 1-3
|
|
|
 |
CAL FIRE BENEVOLENT
FOUNDATION
Provides funds for immediate life sustaining assistance to firefighters and their families who have suffered debilitating injury or loss of life.
Like, Share & Follow us!
|
|
|
|
CAL FIRE MUSEUM
Look in the summer edition of the Fire Front magazine for an update from the museum!
Don't forget to sign up for their newsletter too!
|
|
|
|
|
|
For more updates, events, and news visit our website:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
