November 16, 2017 Fifty-Fifth Edition


NO ONE LEFT BEHIND


Back in 2012, President Mike Lopez made a commitment to raise money for Firefighters with cancer after a member in his former District was diagnosed, treated, and then defeated the disease. From that, CAL FIRE Local 2881 and its Benevolent Foundation created a funding mechanism we call, NO ONE LEFT BEHIND. Its mission, to support Firefighters and their family members who are diagnosed with cancer and help bring awareness, prevention, and emphasize the importance of early detection and cancer screenings for Firefighters.
 
When we started NOLB, the goal was to raise funds throughout the year by hosting many events through our Chapters and Districts of Local 2881 up and down California. This would also allow us to address the importance of preventative measures to keep cancer out of the workplace and awareness of those cancer toxic environments that Firefighters are exposed to every day.
 
These last two years we have lost several firefighters to cancer. Two firefighters have been lost to cancer in my own District 4 and in the San Benito- Monterey Unit. Then, just this month we put 11 names on the IAFF Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Colorado Springs, all of which lost their lives to cancer. The problem is real. This mission is needed. That is why I am challenging all CAL FIRE Local 2881 Chapters and Districts to PLEASE coordinate an event in your area. It can be anything from a 5/10k Run, Golf Tournament, Gun Club Dinner, Wine/ Food tasting event, motorcycle rally, restaurant fundraiser, etc. I know it takes time and effort, but maybe you have a family member or friend that would like to plan something in your community.
 
Just like the safety of our communities we protect could not exist without the courage and strength of our firefighters, No One Left Behind events cannot be a success without our members support to help us grow. If you would like to host a NOLB event in your area, please contact me. I will help you with anything and everything you need to get a fundraiser together to benefit Firefighters with cancer and our own CAL FIRE Firefighters Benevolent Foundation.
 
For more information, please contact me at mmorlan@l2881.org and visit our website at www.nolb-L2881.org.


NOLB Golf Tournament

NOLB 5/10k Run
ATTENTION!!
  
    Did you respond to the recent Santa Rosa /Sonoma/Napa fire?
   
If you answered yes,  you might be eligible to participate in a study of firefighters who assisted with fighting the fires in Santa Rosa and Sonoma.

Please here for more information.
  
IN THE NEWS
Michael Bilbrey
CAL FIRE Local 2881 has endorsed Michael Bilbrey for CalPERS Board in the past and is pleased to support him again in the run off for this at-large seat.  We're joined by many other labor groups, including CPF, CAHP, PORAC, SEIU, AFSCME, California Labor Federation AFL-CIO, CSEA and many others.
 
The CalPERS Board consists of 13 members who are elected, appointed, or hold office ex officio for four-year terms. Their decisions impact all active and retired members.

Ballots for the runoff election of Position B will be mailed on November 10, with voting concluding on December 11. 

Click Here for more Runoff Election information & updates. 
 
December 11th  is the final day to cast your vote for CalPERS 2017 Member-at-Large Runoff Election. 


FREE event for all firefighters!

Inaugural Health and Wellness Symposium and Gala

FCSN has been a leader in the battle against occupational cancer for more than a decade. We're marking FCSN's 12th anniversary with some of our partners in the fight. The Health and Wellness Symposium will focus on cancer prevention best practices, behavioral wellness, personal protective equipment research, and navigating through the workers' comp system. See the  full agenda.

Click here for more information.

AS "ONLY THE BRAVE" FIREFIGHTER DRAMA HITS THEATERS, SCIENCE WORKS ON LIFE-SAVING SHELTERS
SF CHRONICLE, 11/8/2017
 
As Hollywood rolls out a blockbuster drama about the 19 firefighters killed after crawling inside their protective emergency shelters during a raging 2013 wildfire, the federal government is wrapping up a real-life bid to improve the nation's standard-issue fire shelter - by going space-age.

Much of the redesign is being done by a group of NASA engineers, and their work couldn't come at a more opportune time, with the deadly Wine Country fires just the latest in an escalating trend of wildland blazes tearing up the West.   READ MORE

BAY AREA CREWS IN WINE COUNTRY FIRES TO BE TESTED FOR TOXIC CHEMICALS
SF CHRONICLE, 11/12/2017
 
University of California researcher Rachel Morello-Frosch will begin taking blood and urine samples this week from 175 San Francisco, Santa Clara County and North Bay firefighters as part of a study into what types of toxic chemicals the first responders were exposed to while battling the recent Wine Country fires.

"The first responding units were there for six to 10 days straight," says Tony Stefani, head of the union-backed San Francisco Firefighters Cancer Prevention Foundation, which is putting up $100,000 to help fund the study.
"This was not your typical wildland fire," Stefani said.
The fires burned more than 8,000 homes, businesses and other structures.  READ MORE 


IAFF DISASTER RELIEF  




UPCOMING EVENTS

PORAC CONFERENCE
NOVEMBER 16 - 19

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING 
DECEMBER 4 - 5

NEW OFFICER TRAINING
JANUARY 9 - 11

52ND CAL FIRE LOCAL 2881 CONVENTION
JANUARY 17 -21

FINANCE DIRECTOR TRAINING
FEBRUARY 8 - 9

REPRESENTATION TRAINING
FEBRUARY 20 - 22

REPRESENTATION TRAINING
MARCH 19 - 23

For the full event calendar:

CDF FIREFIGHTERS
BENEVOLENT FOUNDATION
 
We provide funds for immediate life sustaining assistance to firefighters and their families who have suffered debilitating injury or loss of life.

Fore more information or to donate, visit our website.


CAL FIRE LOCAL 2881
NO ONE LEFT BEHIND
 
Proceeds support the Firefighter Cancer Support Network.
 
For more information visit, our website



Click here to check out this message from
President Mike Lopez.
For more information follow, 

KNOW YOU RIGHTS

Knowing your rights can save your job.  Download The Firefighters Procedural Bill of Rights courtesy of the California Professional Firefighters (CPF).



CAL FIRE Local 2881  likes to stay connected with our membership.  We want to make sure every member has an updated mailing address.

Below is a list of both Active and Retired members that have bad addresses.  If your name is on the list or you have recently moved,  please contact Danielle at (916) 277-9885 or  dkelsch@L2881.org to update your address.







FOR MORE UPDATES, EVENTS & NEWS VISIT OUR WEBSITE: