In this monthly podcast, we will cover news and discuss topics that are important to CAL FIRE Local 2881 members and their families. Hosted by President Tim Edwards and Communications Officer DeeDee Garcia.
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We'd like to welcome nine new Chapter Directors. Thank you for stepping up for your members.
HUU – Ivan Driggs
SHU – Darren Stewart
AEU – Justin Rhames
TCU – Mario Torres
FKU – Tom Bolyard
TUU – Angelo Prandini
CZU – Jordan Motta
BDU – Andrew Arthen
Inyo Mono – Benny Aguilar
We want to acknowledge the returning Chapter Directors for continuing their commitment to the membership and thank the outgoing Chapter Directors for their hard work and dedication to the membership.
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National honors for fire chief Marshall Turbeville’s mission to protect Sonoma County from wildfires |
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Chris Smith, Press Democrat
Several premier U.S. firefighting organizations will honor one of Sonoma County’s most revered fire chiefs for his quest to make residents safer, better prepared and more self-reliant in the face of increasingly common firestorms.
Marshall Turbeville, chief of the Geyserville-based Northern Sonoma County Fire District and also a Cal Fire battalion chief, will be one of just three American fire-service leaders to receive the 2021 National Wildfire Mitigation Award.
Bestowed by the National Fire Protection Association, the National Organization of State Foresters, the International Association of Fire Chiefs and the USDA Forest Service, the honor recognizes distinguished achievement in reducing the threat of death and destruction from wildfire.
The award citation observes that Turbeville’s leadership has been key to innovative fire prevention and preparation initiatives that include educating and mobilizing residents, removing vast amounts of flammable vegetation, refining evacuation and pre-attack planning and aiding in the creation of C.O.P.E., Citizens Organized to Prepare for Emergencies, a grassroots organization to help communities prepare, respond and recover from emergencies.
A statement from the award sponsors declares succinctly, “Marshall Turbeville personifies the consummate firefighting professional.”
The 46-year-old Geyserville native and son of the town’s late fire chief, Dean Turbeville, said he’s most proud of “helping people to reduce their risk.”
Read the full story here.
Way to go Chief Turbeville!
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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 on Thursday, March 4, 2021, at 12:00 p.m. (EST) will discuss the basics of grief and provide attendees with a greater understanding of the grieving process, applicable to loss experienced by fire service members and civilians alike.
Speaker: Molly Jones, LSW and Joanne Steen, MS, NCC
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Molly Jones, LSW, and Ari Brooks, LCSW will provide an overview of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy on Thursday, March 18, 2021, at 12:00 p.m. (EST). This webinar will address why this modality is useful when treating fire service members experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related symptoms.
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This webinar on Thursday, March 25, 2021, at 12:00 p.m. (EST) helps clinicians and other community partners develop cultural competency in the fire service to provide effective behavioral health treatment to fire fighters, paramedics and emergency dispatchers.
Speakers: Molly Jones, LSW
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Get to Know Your DVP
We asked your new, 4th District VP Toni Davis, to introduce herself to the membership
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I began as an Officer with our great Union in February of 2016 as Tulare’s Finance Director. It was not long after that the Chapter was in need of a Chapter Director, and by acclamation, it was the next position I held for five years.
I stay involved and will continue to do so for our members. There is something to say for standing up for what is right. We are taught that if something doesn’t look right to speak up, make hazards known; it’s embedded into our brains. This is something that I will always do. I am not afraid to speak up, I want to do what is right, and I will continue to do so. I was told years ago if you want to do something to protect your fellow brothers and sisters’ future within CAL FIRE, get involved with the Union.
Over the past few years as a TUUs Chapter Director, I have assisted families of our members who have passed away. These members were given honorable funerals and celebrations of life because of our Union. Our amazing L2881 Honor Guard members participate in over 100 funerals a year. It brings tears and a feeling of such pride to their loved ones. These moments with their loved ones are moments as a union officer that I will never forget.
We all start somewhere with CAL FIRE; I wish that when I was a new Firefighter, I would have been more involved in the Union. I could have helped much earlier in my career. Here is some advice: read your MOU. I had no idea what the Union did for me until I was educated via our MOU, chapter meetings, and speaking with other union officers. Ask about union training and meetings in your Chapter. Find out who your union officers are, find one and let them mentor you. Sit at the table, break bread and talk union, speak up, do what is right.
I always want to do what is best for our members, so speak up and get involved so that, as union officers, we know and hear your concerns. I don’t like to talk about myself much, but most who know me know that I care, and I will always hear you out. If you need help or someone to point you in the right direction, please don’t hesitate to call.
I am here for you as a Friend, Sister, and fellow CAL FIRE Local 2881 Officer.
Yours truly,
Toni Davis
4th District VP
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IAFF Podcast
The Memphis Fire Fighter Strike of 1978
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In 1978, fire fighters in Memphis were one of several groups of fire fighters across the country to go on strike in protest of the way they were being treated by their cities. IAFF 14th District Vice President Danny Todd and Memphis Fire Fighters Local 1784 President Thomas Malone tell the story of the conditions leading up to the strike, the obstacles they faced on the job and how fire fighters in Memphis reached their boiling points and walked off the job twice in the summer of 1978.
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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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CAL FIRE ESS 24hr Helpline: (916) 445-4337
EAP 24hr Helpline: (866) 327-4762
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Firefighters must have strong hearts, both literally and figuratively to carry out their daily duties. 2019 statistics show that 36 out of 62 line of duty deaths were stress and over-exertion-related illnesses. 32 of these were cardiac events. Therefore, about 52-58% of all firefighter line of duty deaths are from cardiac events.
Research shows during and just after firefighting activities is one of the riskier times for cardiac issues in firefighters. More than 30% of cardiac fatalities occur during this time. (Smith et al., 2016)
The dangers of firefighting are well known, but what about the actions we can take to mitigate these risks? Part of the reason firefighters are at a higher risk for cardiac events after firefighting is the heat stress that is inflicted on firefighters from both their external and internal environments. The external environment can be thought of as the operational demand. Radiant heat, loud noises, high pressure, and often emotional rescue situations, or facing the unknown, creates a cluster of stressful conditions to battle.
This cluster accumulates as stress on the body and mind, but firefighters have an incredible pool of resources, equipment, training, experience, and support that helps them mitigate these external stressors. One of those resources is Personal Protective Equipment. PPE on a structure fire is turnouts or bunker gear, (Nomex on a wild land fire) and it protects our bodies from radiant heat as we work. It encapsulates us, creating an internal stressful environment next to the skin. Human beings rely heavily on sweat to cool ourselves, but when wearing multiple layers of PPE the skin is saturated—our sweat cannot evaporate to cool us efficiently.
Our body compensates with cardiac drift. As we work hard in the heat, our heart rate drifts upward until we reach maximum heart rate.
So how can we make sure that we have strong hearts, ready for action, AND protect ourselves from these risks? Get to know your rhythm and train your heart.
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.
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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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Have you registered for a myCalPERS account yet?
Having a myCalPERS account allows access to a vast amount of information and is a real time-saver for many things you may one day have to do. It contains copies of W-2’s, warrants, and your health information. Each video will explain all the benefits depending on your status:
As a reminder, all members can access their health information year-round, by logging in to myCalPERS, or learn more by visiting the CalPERS “Using myCalPERS” page.
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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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Want to change it up for St. Patrick's Day? |
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Shepherd's Pie Potato Bowls
Don't be fooled. These aren't ordinary twice-baked potatoes: beneath the golden mashed potato top is a rich beef and vegetable filling. And unlike your casserole dish, the potato bowls are also edible.
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 Winter 2020 Fire Front 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
EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING
MARCH 16-18
REP CLASS 2
MARCH 21-26
ADV. LEADERSHIP/PAC
APRIL 18-21
MEMBERSHIP SUPPORT 101
MAY 16-19
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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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