2013 – Page 3 – St. John's Fire Fighters Association

Schaitberger Urges President Obama to Establish Task Force on Wildland Fire Fighting

November 5, 2013December 14, 2013 John Stamp

November 1, 2013 – General President Harold Schaitberger is urging President Obama to take immediate action and appoint a task force on wildland fires. In a letter to the president Schaitberger wrote, “Today’s issues and challenges surrounding wildland fires are analogous to the issues surrounding urban fire problems of the previous generation. To address adequately the wildland issues, the federal government must take a lead role in coordinating and leading the effort.”

Los Angeles City Fire Fighters Critical Part of LAX Shooting Response

November 5, 2013December 14, 2013 John Stamp

November 4, 2013 – More than 100 United Firefighters of Los Angeles City Local 112 members responded to the November 1 shooting at Los Angeles International Airport in Terminal 3 that left one dead and several others wounded. The suspect remains unresponsive at a local hospital after being shot several times by police.

IAFF Mourns Loss of MDA Champion Shaun Probert

November 5, 2013December 14, 2013 John Stamp

November 4, 2013 – The IAFF is saddened to report the death of Shaun Probert, a member of Shaker Heights, OH Local 516 and spokesperson for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). Probert,45, lost his battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s) November 2.

Modern homes burn 8 times faster than 50 years ago

November 2, 2013November 2, 2013 John Stamp

Firefighters say today’s homes, furnished with modern technology and oil-based products, burn faster and present dangers never seen before. “Typically, […]

Vote for the Best Pink T-shirt Design Contest

November 2, 2013December 14, 2013 John Stamp

November 1, 2013 – Throughout October, IAFF members wore pink T-shirts as part of their support for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. More than 100 IAFF affiliates submitted these shirts in the IAFF 2013 Best Pink T-shirt Contest.

Schaitberger to Congress: Protect Fire Fighters in Budget Deal

October 31, 2013December 14, 2013 John Stamp

October 31, 2013 – As Congress begins work to negotiate a budget framework for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2014, President Harold Schaitberger urged members of a Congressional budget conference committee to protect policies benefiting America’s fire fighters in any final deal.

Bankrupt Detroit’s ‘Legacy Costs’ Have Human Faces

October 31, 2013December 14, 2013 John Stamp

October 30, 2013 — If Detroit were a bank, it would have been bailed out years ago. And if Brendan Milewski were a banker, he wouldn’t be contemplating financial ruin. But Detroit isn’t a bank. It’s an arson-plagued city trying to ditch $18 billion in debt in bankruptcy court. And Milewski isn’t a banker, he ‘s a fireman. Or at least he was until Aug. 13, 2010, when a burning building collapsed on top of him. After the accident, Milewski was featured in an independent film, called Burn, about the trials Detroit fire fighters suffer daily.

FIRE Act Grant Application Period Is November 4-December 6

October 30, 2013December 14, 2013 John Stamp

October 29, 2013 – This U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released the Fiscal Year 2013 Assistance to Firefighters grant program (FIRE Act) grant guidance and application kit. The application period for the FY 2013 FIRE Act grant program opens Monday, November 4, 2013, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time and closes Friday, December 6, 2013, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Local 1075 members are Passionately Pink

October 26, 2013October 27, 2013 John Stamp

On Saturday October 26th 2013 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm Local 1075 members participated in a fundraiser organized by our Association that […]

NIOSH Study Reinforces Link Between Fire Fighting and Cancer

October 19, 2013December 14, 2013 John Stamp

October 17, 2013 – A new study conducted by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) on mortality and cancer incidence in career fire fighters shows an elevated risk of several types of cancer – and of all cancers combined – compared to the general U.S. population.

Government Shutdown Ends, New Deadline Looms

October 19, 2013December 14, 2013 John Stamp

October 17, 2013 – Late on October 16, Congress voted to pass a stop-gap measure to end the government shutdown that had plagued the nation for nearly three weeks. The bill, H.R. 2775, also prevented a government default by raising the debt ceiling, provides back pay for furloughed federal workers and includes $636 million for urgent wildland fire suppression activities.

SJRFD Fire Truck Pull For Charity

October 2, 2013December 14, 2013 John Stamp

November 3rd 2013, at 2:00pm, SJRFD will be hosting a fire truck pull for Muscular Dystrophy. This event is open […]

FIRE Act Grant Application Period to Open Soon

October 2, 2013December 14, 2013 John Stamp

October 1, 2013 – The Assistance to Firefighters (FIRE Act) training and equipment grant application period is expected to open this month. More than $288 million is available for fire equipment and training across the nation.

Detroit: Obama Officials Announce Aid Package For Bankrupt City

September 28, 2013December 14, 2013 John Stamp

September 28, 2013 — A bailout still isn’t on the books for Detroit, but top Obama administration officials have announced an aid package that will total at least $300 million.

Teenage Burn Survivors Spend Week in DC for IAFF burn Camp

September 27, 2013December 14, 2013 John Stamp

September 27, 2013 — 44 teenagers from across the country are in the D.C. area this week for a special camp sponsored by the International Association of Fire Fighters. The kids are playing hooky from school, but teaching us a thing or two.

Schaitberger Participates in Meeting With Obama Administration Officials

September 27, 2013December 14, 2013 John Stamp

September 27, 2013 – General President Harold Schaitberger was in Detroit today in a meeting of national, state and community leaders at Wayne State University to discuss bringing some financial relief to the City.

Thousands Gather to Honor Fallen Fire Fighters at Moving Memorial Service

September 21, 2013December 14, 2013 John Stamp

September 21, 2013 – IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger honored the lives of 157 fire fighters and paramedics who died in the line of duty at the 27th Annual Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial service in Colorado Springs September 21.

Missouri Local President Killed in Vehicle Accident

September 20, 2013December 14, 2013 John Stamp

September 20, 2013 – The IAFF is saddened to learn of the untimely death of Rolla, MO Local 3905 President Steve Huffman. Huffman was killed in a car crash sometime on the night of September 18 or the morning of Thursday, September 19 on Interstate 44 near Doolittle, Missouri.

District Area Federal Fire Fighters Demand Adequate Radios

September 20, 2013December 14, 2013 John Stamp

September 20, 2013 – The mass shooting at the Washington Navy Yard on September 16 is bringing attention back to a serious issue with radios used by National Capital Professional Federal Fire Fighters Local F-121 fire fighters and their police counterparts who protect all of the Naval District Washington (NDW) facilities.

Watch the IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial Service Live Online

September 18, 2013December 14, 2013 John Stamp

September 18, 2013 – The 27th Annual IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial service will be broadcast live via streaming video on Saturday, September 21. The ceremony in Colorado Springs, Colorado, officially begins at 1:00 p.m. Mountain Time.