ONE HUNDRED TENTH EDITION |
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CAL FIRE Cares Enough to Wear Pink |
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On behalf of the men and women of CAL FIRE and CAL FIRE Local 2881, FCSN was presented with a donation of $67,617.
Since 2008 the employees of CAL FIRE and Distinctive Recognition (aka California Firefighter Store) have teamed up for the “Cares Enough to Wear Pink” campaign. During this campaign, firefighters, resource management professionals, and support staff exchange their normal uniforms and office attire for a specially designed t-shirt that shows support for the fight against cancer. Several years ago, the program was expanded from one week to the entire month of October, creating a huge increase in participation.
Each year, proceeds go to official cancer-related organizations. This year, the leadership of CAL FIRE and CAL FIRE Local 2881, made the decision to create the largest impact possible by donating all the proceeds to one organization, Firefighter Cancer Support Network.
CAL FIRE shares with us that they are grateful for our continued support to firefighters through their personal battles with cancer. The important work that we do is supported by their donation so that we may continue to guide our brave men and women through their difficult challenges that cancer presents them with.
Donations this impactful don’t happen every day. When we do receive a donation with this level of support, we can’t help but be beyond grateful for those who continue to support us and our mission.
CAL FIRE and CAL FIRE Local 2881, we appreciate your heartfelt sentiments and support. On behalf of the brave men and women that we serve, we thank you!
Great job everyone!
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In this episode, CAL FIRE Local 2881 Chief Legal Counsel and Chief Negotiator Gary Messing, talks with President Tim Edwards about the recently filed CalOSHA complaint and what L2881 is doing about the staffing issues. They also touch on the bargaining process and how it works.
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-LEGO IDEAS-
SIKORSKY S-70I FIREHAWK CAL FIRE EDITION
VOTE TODAY TO HELP MAKE IT A REALITY!
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From the Lego Ideas page
"Hey everybody,
I would like to introduce my new project on Lego Ideas. For those who don't know this helicopter I would like to present it. The S-70I Firehawk is a specialized fire-fighting helicopter platform developed by Sikorsky and based on the company's S70/UH-60 "Black Hawk" twin-engine transport airframe.
The latest version is based on the S-70A and S-70C firehawks.
Thanks to its big capacity tank it is capable to transport 1000 gallons of water in order to fight major fires. The hold can also carry up to two medical litters and a limited number of medevac staff.
For all these reasons the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection chose to add this aircraft to their helicopter fleet.
I wanted to create a set to honor the bravery and devotion of the firefighters in California.
The set contains 2 pilots, 2 firefighters and the S-70I Firehawk helicopter.
The helicopter has a hatch system which can be opened and closed by a locking contact.
The firehawk is equipped with sliding doors as well, and the set includes also a decor piece of forest.
Number of pieces: 3000.
I hope you like my project, I count on your votes ;)"
Vote here and help share the link.
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The IAFF Center of Excellence is hosting an online education series with topics for first responders, health care providers, clinicians, and the community at large. Please see below for our upcoming events and feel free to share with your colleagues, friends, and clients.
Upcoming Webinars
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This training is an introductory course on anxiety and will highlight the specific forms of anxiety, such as generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and social anxiety. We will start by defining anxiety, discuss the various forms of the issue and identify common symptoms associated with anxiety-related disorders.
This training will also discuss the ways the fire service and chronic, cumulative exposure to trauma impacts a member and anxiety. Effective treatment modalities for anxiety disorders will also be explored. Attendance to this webinar will prepare members to better understand what anxiety is, increase insight into the physical and emotional manifestations of anxiety and prepare attendees to better recognize anxiety in themselves and their peers.
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This webinar will provide fire service personnel and loved ones a fresh perspective on today’s opioid epidemic, which has quietly raged on throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. While Fire and EMS personnel regularly witness the devastating community impact of opioid use disorder, some members struggle in silence with their own addiction.
The webinar will explore opioid addiction as a disease, best practices in opioid addiction treatment, and unique treatment considerations for fire service personnel coping with this problem.
IAFF Behavioral Health Specialist Lauren Kosc will be joined by Lieutenant Chris Coggin of Boston Fire Department IAFF local 718. Chris will share his personal journey of addiction and recovery, as well as his role in responding to opioid addiction on Boston’s front lines.
About the presenter: Lauren Kosc, MA, LCPC is a Behavioral Health Specialist at the International Association of Fire Fighters.
The IAFF COE is in the process of becoming a CE provider through the National Board for Certified Counselors and National Association of Social Workers. Updates will be made as available.
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The purpose of this training is to help clinicians and other community partners develop cultural competency in the fire service as to be best equipped to provide effective behavioral health services to fire fighters, paramedics and emergency dispatchers.
This event will include information about day-to-day life at the fire house and the potential impact of aspects of the job on well-being, such as exposure to trauma, shift schedules and mental health stigmas. This presentation will provide insight in to the most common behavioral health issues experienced by fire service members, substance abuse trends among this unique population and treatment techniques that have proved successful at the International Association of Fire Fighters Center of Excellence.
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In the early 1900’s in the coal fields of southern West Virginia, miners faced desperate circumstances. Below ground they withstood some of the worst working conditions in America. Above ground they dealt with brutal mine guards and a mine guard system that controlled the politics and economy of the region. Very few people know of the struggle that took place in these mountains, in this place, and the rights that miners fought for between 1900 and 1921.
Mark and Doug sit down with Lou Martin, Secretary of the Board for the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum, and Dave Coker, IAFF Strategic Organizer and Greensboro NC Local 947 president, to tell the story of what these miners went through, how it correlates to today's labor movement and a special fundraiser Dave is hosting to get the word out about this not so well known time in American history.
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Have you recently moved? Make sure your physical/mailing address is updated with us so you always receive the Fire Front magazine and other important docs.
Update your address here:
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Gossip at the firehouse: How to enable ‘good gossip’ and shut down negativity
By Linda Willing
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People like to talk about other people. It’s human nature. And most firefighters really like to talk about other people.
It goes with the territory. You’re in close quarters with a small group of coworkers. Sometimes these are people you have come to know all too well. There is always some downtime in the station. These circumstances lend themselves to gossip.
Gossip has a negative connotation, but its actual definition is “talking about someone who is not present.” Talking about people isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It indicates interest in others. It can even be a way of creating community.
Gossip is inherently interesting, and information is power. And let’s face it, we’re all helpless to it. A study published in 2019 in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science found that people spend an average of 52 minutes per day engaged in gossip.
But the potentially negative aspects of gossip are significant and must be controlled, especially in a closed community like the fire department. Speculative, juicy information about someone else is almost always more interesting than commonly held knowledge or positive news. Repeating more negative or sensational information about someone always commands more attention.
Social media has added a dangerous layer to gossip, too. Social media has diminished accountability. Before social media, if you shared a rumor with someone, that person knew where that rumor had immediately come from – you. There was the ability to directly question or disagree with the source of the information. Now people can anonymously share comments on social media with little or no personal accountability. This lack of accountability can lead to more extreme views and having groups gang up on individuals in ways that would not happen in person.
So, how can individuals promote good gossip and discourage the more negative aspects of this social tradition? Everyone can and should take a leadership role.
3 QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF
The first step is to require accountability for the stories that you hear. Before repeating or encouraging any third-party information about others, ask yourself three questions:
- Is it true?
- Is it fair?
- Is it kind?
True: The truth aspect requires sources. Whether the talk is about a coworker, a city official or even a national figure, there are ways to verify hearsay stories. The verification should be done through neutral and reliable sources, not just those that are likely to agree with the original assertion. Asking, “What is your source for that?” can have a real braking effect on otherwise unfounded speculation.
Fair: Considering the fairness of gossip is something anyone can do but is especially important for those in leadership positions. For example, consider the discussion of an absent coworker’s recent embarrassing mistake on an emergency call. As the conversation ramps up, those participating might have the tendency to become more extreme and explicit in their opinions about what happened. This is a time when the company officer can step up and point out that the individual being maligned is hardly the first on the department to ever make a mistake. This might turn the conversation toward a discussion of other famous screw-ups in department history, a conversation that is likely to be much more inclusive and possibly even instructive if managed well.
In some cases, it might be necessary to take more direct action. Change the subject. Assign a group activity or project that requires physical effort. Simply say, “All right. That’s enough of that. Let’s move on.”
Kind: Finally, it is worth asking: Is it kind? Firefighters may shrug off kindness as a consideration, seeing it as a sign of weakness or political correctness. Being the occasional object of criticism or derision is just part of being a firefighter.
But firefighters are kind when it really matters. Consider how we rally around a coworker with a sick child or one who lost a home in a recent flood.
It never works to scold people to change their behavior. But reminding people of the difficulties that everyone is facing, especially during these challenging times, can go a long way toward changing the tone of a conversation from one that is nasty or critical to one that is more empathetic. Providing this kind of context for any type of gossip can be very effective.
DO YOUR PART
In the meantime, everyone can do their part to promote positive or supportive stories about others. Someone finished their degree. Someone else just returned from the fire academy – what did they think of it? Who is likely to apply for the open fire inspector position? Someone may be going through a difficult divorce – does that person need support from coworkers?
It is impossible and unnecessary to try to eliminate gossip from the fire department environment. However, it can be controlled and managed in such a way that it does no harm and may even do some good. Demanding accountability for negative gossip and promoting the sharing of positive and supportive information also goes a long way toward increasing trust among any crew, and credibility for the leader of that crew.
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CAL FIRE ESS 24hr Helpline: (916) 445-4337
EAP 24hr Helpline: (866) 327-4762
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April is National Stress Awareness month and resiliency may be of utmost importance. This past fire season was unprecedented, and another fire season is right around the corner. The Wellness Unit is dedicating April to combatting stress. Every human being will experience heightened levels of stress (looking closely at you first responders!) at some point in their lives, and the long-term residual effects can be detrimental to your health.
Follow along this month as we cover how to prepare mentally and physically for fire season, personal resiliency, breathwork, and tactics for identifying and relieving stress in a healthy manner.
Follow @calfirewellness on Instagram for more!
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Did you meet Kerith last summer? |
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Every year, thousands of fires occur in California and the results have been catastrophic. Marin County has a wide range of first responders including firefighters/paramedics, dispatchers, search and rescue and law enforcement who answer the call to help and protect. Marin County alone has over 400 firefighters working 365 days a year. Being on the frontlines can be physically and mentally challenging, and these everyday heroes often feel under-supported, overwhelmed, and under-appreciated.
First Responder Therapy Dogs leads the way in addressing behavioral health needs by providing emotional support to first responders. Research shows that therapy dog services positively impact this population's behavioral health issues.
The use of therapy dogs has demonstrated the following outcomes:
- Reduce stress and anxiety
- Lower blood pressure and slower breathing
- Improve overall mood elevation and mental state
- Increase productivity due to better mood and mental state
“We are tasked with things that push us to our limits,” John Aitchison, a firefighter in Marin County shared. “And having something like a dog brings some type of normalcy back into our lives. Having that comfort is absolutely therapeutic.”
For more info or to support the foundation visit their website.
Currently, Kerith is visiting CAL FIRE stations in the North Bay and North Coast areas. If you are interested in a visit from Kerith reach out to Heidi Carman at (415) 699-1774 or FirstResponderTherapyDogs@gmail.com
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HUU Chapter Director Ivan Driggs with Kerith |
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Arcata FD Engineer Gibbs and FC Evenson with Kerith |
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CAL FIRE Benevolent Foundation featured on an episode of
Dear Chiefs Podcast
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No BS talk radio about being married to and supporting first responders. Tune in on Wednesdays for a peek into our fire family lives and get unabashed advise on how to prevent forest fires in your marriage to your first responder!⠀
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CAL FIRE Benevolent Foundation CFO Stephen Hartman shares his insight on how families can best prepare for the worst-case scenario that the loss of a loved one in a line of duty death.
Stephen also shares the role Cal Fire Benevolent Foundation takes in the fire service, how it got started, and where it is today.
Stephen Hartman worked for CAL FIRE for 25 years before retiring as a Battalion Chief. He has been involved in CAL FIRE Local 2881 for over 28 years. Being a firefighter himself, he understands they give it all, and sometimes people don't realize what they sacrifice to protect all of us. Stephen says "firefighters are notoriously independent and rarely ask for help, so it's essential to take care of our own in any way we can."
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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:
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Did you just recently retire??
Make sure to sign up to be a CAL FIRE Local 2881 Retired Member and stay in the know!
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Click the newsletter below to read full the document written by Ray |
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With Personal Exposure Reporting from California Professional Firefighters, firefighters can document exposures to toxins that can produce job-related illness.
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Make your Easter extra yummy! |
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Easter Dinner Made Simple
Easter dinner for four comes together easily in a little over an hour when you cook it on a pair of sheet trays. With tender asparagus, sweet glazed carrots, a decadent potato gratin, roasted ham, and even homemade biscuits, there's plenty to eat with little fuss.
Check out the recipe here.
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Four Cheese Scalloped Potatoes |
These rich, creamy and cheesy potatoes are a crowd-favorite side dish.
Check out the recipe here
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Do you have an amazing fire service photo from 2020 that has not been published on social media? Want to submit it to the IAFF Media Awards contest?
Reach out to Communications Officer DeeDee Garcia to find out how!
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Is your physical/mailing address updated with us?
Did you get the Spring 2021 Fire Front magazine mailed to your home recently? 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
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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
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Share your photos & videos with us.
What does your CAL FIRE look like? Help show the #AllRisk CAL FIRE. Send us a DM on social media or reach out to DeeDee, your Communications Officer at (916) 202-0553
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UPCOMING EVENTS
ADV. LEADERSHIP/PAC
APRIL 18-21
MEMBERSHIP SUPPORT 101
MAY 16-19
EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING
JULY 20-23
IAFF FALLEN FIRE FIGHTERS MEMORIAL
SEPTEMBER 16-19
EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING
SEPTEMBER 21-23
CA FALLEN FIREFIGHTERS MEMORIAL
OCTOBER 20-23
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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.
Follow us on Instagram!
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CAL FIRE MUSEUM
Look in the winter edition of the Fire Front magazine for an update from the museum.
Don't forget to sign up for their newsletter too!
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For more updates, events, and news visit our website:
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