IAFF 335
   Serving Battle Creek Since 1891
December 04, 2008
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Police / Fire Chief ?

Posted On: Sep 09, 2008 (20:46:45)
Publish Date: 9/8/2008

Longmont merges police, fire chief positions

LONGMONT — When Fire Chief Steve Trunck retires next month, Police Chief Mike Butler will take over his duties — and keep his own — as the city’s new director of public safety.

Rather than have two chiefs, city manager Gordon Pedrow approached Butler about three weeks ago with the idea of one director heading up both the police and fire departments.

Pedrow and Butler said Friday that the move means less bureaucracy, more efficiency and an opportunity to do things a different — and better — way.

“It was an opportunity to look at how we could continue to provide excellent service a different way,” Pedrow said Friday afternoon.

Trunck, who has been with the city since 1987, announced his retirement in late July. He will continue to be the fire chief until his last day on Oct. 10, Pedrow said.

During the next month, Butler said, he and Trunck will work together — and with employees — to make the transition smooth.

“(Trunck) and I have had offices next to each other for 14 years,” Butler said. “We understand what each other does; we’ve shared our stories. (Trunck) is very eager to work with me over the next month.”

Butler acknowledged that some might question whether he’s qualified to head the city’s fire department. But, he pointed out, he has worked hand-in-hand with fire departments and with fire personnel at every level for the past 30 years.

In the e-mail he sent to police and fire employees Friday afternoon, Butler promised to do whatever it takes to learn about fire services, emergency medical services and emergency preparedness.

“I understand some aspects more than others, but because of the talent in the fire department, I’m sure I’ll have time to learn,” he said Friday.

Butler meets regularly with police employees, he said, and he plans to begin meeting with fire employees after Trunck leaves.

Butler stressed that he and other city officials will include employees in decisions about any possible organizational changes — which could include creating a public safety department.

If that were to happen, Butler promised to maintain the identity of both departments.

“I acknowledge that this is an enormous change, one that you probably did not anticipate,” he wrote in an e-mail sent to all police and fire employees Friday afternoon. “I would ask that all of you please be patient with this transition process and with me.”

Pedrow and Butler still are discussing Butler’s compensation for the new position.

P.S.O ?

Posted On: Aug 29, 2008 (14:20:43)

Who Ya’ Gonna’ Call?

THE OAKLAND (MICHIGAN) COMMUNITY COLLEGE OPERATES A FIRE TRAINING CENTER that is used by many of the Detroit area FD’s to train their firefighters.

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Oakland Community College photo

They were scheduled to begin a 10-week class Tuesday but 17 of the 20 instructors tendered their resignations at the last minute.  The college is now scrambling to find enough replacements so that they can begin the class that has 39 students enrolled.  The problem began when the small city of Harper Woods (pop. 14,200) decided to implement a dubious scheme of cross-training all of its firefighters and police officers to do each other’s jobs with the ultimate goal of using fewer people to carry the same work load.

All of the instructors that walked out are IAFF members and they say they are doing this as a measure of solidarity and support for the Harper Woods FF’s.

The Detroit Free Press reports:

Many of the state-certified instructors are firefighters and members of the International Association of Fire Fighters, the union that represents full-time Harper Woods firefighters. Four city officers are among the 39 students who were to begin training. City officials are trying to form a public safety department to save money and have more cops.

Harper Woods offered the seven most-tenured firefighters the opportunity to remain in their posts. The other six firefighters would have three years to attend the police academy.

The IAFF area representative says that the voters have already rejected the scheme and it also violates the city charter.  The police chief, meanwhile, says that if the college can’t make it go, then he has a secret plan to get the police officers their fire training.

Read the full story HERE.
Oakland Community College Fire Training Center WEBSITE.
Harper Woods FD WEBPAGE.

MSNBC Special Report Probes Fire Fighter Deaths

Posted On: Feb 25, 2007 (18:00:07)
MSNBC Special Report Probes Fire Fighter Deaths
February 8, 2007 -- Read MSNBC’s special report on 15 fire fighter deaths since 1998 that the report says were the result of PASS alarm failures. "It’s a crime that that the Bush administration continues to propose budgets that cut funding for NIOSH year after year," says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger. "We need NIOSH to be able to do more to safeguard fire fighters, not less." Read the two-part report: Flaws found in firefighters’ last line of defense CDC fields the ‘No Go Team.’ The IAFF alerted the fire fighting community to PASS problems in November 2005, immediately after it was notified by NIOSH that testing revealed flaws. The IAFF then worked as part of the NFPA technical committee responsible for the standard to make changes to address performance requirements (and in this case, apparent deficiencies in the devices) for water and heat. The new edition of the standard is now in effect and manufacturers have six months to meet it. Read the November 30, 2005 IAFF Alert on Pass
 
EVERYDAY HEROES

Posted On: Jan 31, 2007 (21:23:26)
Support IAFF Charities at IAFFeverydayheroes.com
December 4, 2006 – The IAFF has created the iaffeverydayheroes.com web site to support several IAFF charitable initiatives, including the IAFF Burn Foundation, IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial, IAFF Disaster Relief Fund and IAFF Fire Fighter Counseling Fund, among others. Proceeds from the sale of merchandise featured on iaffeverydayheroes.com benefit these respective IAFF charities. Direct donations are also accepted online at www.iaffeverydayheroes.com.

IAFF Fire Safety Census

Posted On: Dec 19, 2006 (10:04:52)

Survey Shows Lack of Fire Safety Knowledge Among Americans

October 8, 2006 – A new national study conducted by the IAFF and Liberty Mutual reveals that, for most Americans, home fires rank highest on the list of top disaster concerns, along with terrorist attacks and natural disasters.

The 2006 Fire Safety Census reports that 75 percent of those polled are concerned about fire in the home. The survey further reveals that Americans are dangerously negligent when it comes to taking fire precautions and are largely uninformed about what to do if a fire occurs. Last year, 82 percent of the 3,675 fire-related deaths were caused by home fires.

“All too often, our members see the tragedy that results from home fires that could have been avoided by taking simple fire safety measures,” says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger. “This survey identifies some areas where we can help citizens in our communities improve their chances of preventing fires and surviving them, should they occur.”

The telephone survey of more than 1,000 adults 25 years and older shows that many of those surveyed simply do not know about the safety measures they should be practicing.

Nearly 85 percent of parents polled admitted that they do not frequently discuss fire safety with their children, and seven in 10 parents report that their children are less than fully prepared to escape and survive a fire. Additionally, more than 90 percent of the people surveyed acknowledged that having a smoke alarm, fire extinguisher and fire escape plan are all important, yet many do not practice these bottom-line safety measures.

Full survey results are available at www.befiresmart.com, a new interactive fire safety and prevention web site developed by Liberty Mutual that includes fire safety tips and information, interactive lesson plans and games for parents, children, educators and fire fighters.

 


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