one union - one family

Palm Beach County - Riviera Beach - North Palm Beach - Palm Beach Gardens
Palm Beach - Lake Worth - Delray Beach - Tequesta
ONE UNION - ONE FAMILY
In This Issue
table of contents
Contract Negotiations ....................2
Executive VP report ......................3
Legislative VP report ....................4
Treasurers report ..........................5
Articles of interest ........................7
Riding responsibly ........................8
Suicide ..........................................9
FAQ ................................................12
Hungary for adventure ................13
Don’t sign on the dotted line........14
General Membership
Meeting Dates
Joe at a loss of words,
indeed a rare moment.
Photo by DE Joe Escauge
Story on page 28
Aug 04, 2008 "C" Shift
Sept 02, 2008 "A" Shift
Oct 02, 2008 “B” Shift
Visit us online
WWW.IAFF2928.COM
July, Aug, Sept, 2008
Volume 19/Issue 3
PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHOTHERAPY NETWORK
1825 Forest Hill Blvd., #103, West Palm Beach, FL 33406 • 561-967-3266 • 561-968-1505 • FAX 561-968-1565
Nancy K. Persenaire, MSW, LCSW
Ellen B. Flaum, MSW, LC
Diplomate in Clinical Social Work, EAP Coordinator
Diplomate in Clinical Work, EPA Assistant Coordinator
PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Comprehensive Psychotherapy Network is your Employee Assistance Program. That
means it is for ALL EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES. We are a group of
psychotherapists throughout Palm Beach County and Northern Broward. There is NO
Co-payment with qualified insurance plans. All our services are CONFIDENTIAL. Please
feel free to contact us about any questions, concerns or to set up an appointment.
The following is a list of problem areas which can be addressed by members of our network in
individual, couples, marital, family and group therapy:
Chemical Dependency and Alcoholism, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (Compassion Fatigue), Stress Management, Crisis Intervention,
Depression, Adolescent Issues, Women’s/Men’s Issues, Geriatric Issues, Eating Disorder, Compulsive Disorders, i.e. gambling and
spending, Codependency and Adult Children of Alcoholics, Incest and Sexual Abuse, Sexual Addiction, Sexual Dysfunction, Gender
Identity, Spouse Abuse, Parent/Child Issues, Adoption Issues, Grief/Loss Issues, Divorce Counseling, Pre-Marital Issues, Anxiety
Issues and Agoraphobia, Self-Esteem, Relationship Issues, Gay and Lesbian Issues, Health Issues
Principal Officers
Mike Mayo................................................................President
Chuck Lupo ..........................................1st Exec. Vice President
Joel Brier ............................................2nd Exec. Vice President
Armand Nault ................................1st Legislative Vice President
Matt Willhite ................................2nd Legislative Vice President
Mike Bergeron............................................Secretary/Treasurer
Executive Board
Brent Henderson ..........................................................DVP 1
Kevin Shaw ..................................................................DVP 2
Craig Gerlach ..............................................................DVP 3
Scott Berger..................................................................DVP 4
Justin Schainuck ............................................................DVP 5
Ed Morejon........................................................DVP 6 (PBG)
Jim Ebenhack ................................................DVP 7 (Glades)
Bruce Britt ..................................DVP 8 (Airport/TraumaHawk)
Dave Fulmer....................................................DVP 9 (SLOPS)
Jason Weeks ............................................DVP 10 (Palm Beach)
Maria Gonzalez....................................DVP 11 (Riviera Beach)
Anthony Giarrusso ..............................................DVP 12 (NPB)
Guy Roper ....................................................DVP 13 (Floating)
Mike Lehan ......................................................DVP 14 (Shop)
Drew Hacker ............................................DVP 15 (Lake Worth)
Rich Lounsbury ......................................DVP 16 (District Chiefs)
David Sauls......................................................DVP 17 (BOSS)
Jim St. Pierre ..........................................DVP 18 (Batt. Chiefs)
Mike McCleary......................................DVP 19 (Delray Beach)
Ray Giblin ..................................................DVP 20 (Tequesta)
Scott Jurasz ............................................DVP 21 (Alarm Office)
Board of Trustees
Rick Rhodes ............................................................Trustee #1
Peter McGrane ........................................................Trustee #2
Traci Moore ............................................................Trustee #3
Union Office Staff
Rick Rhodes ......................................Member Services Director
Traci Moore ....................................Special Events Coordinator
Tim Lewis................................................Special Events (Trucks)
Jill Bard ................................................Union Office Manager
Employee Benefits Fund Staff
John Flaherty ............................................Benefits Coordinator
Tamara Fitzpatrick ..............................Asst. Benefits Coordinator
Backdraft Editorial Board
Armand Nault, Rick Rhodes, Mike Sedgwick
Scott Jurasz, Jack Norris
The Professional Firefighters / Paramedics of Palm Beach County, Inc.
Local 2928
2328 South Congress Ave., Suite 2 C
West Palm Beach, Florida 33406
The Backdraft is an official publication of the Professional Firefighters and Paramedics of Palm Beach County, Inc., Local 2928. It is intended as a forum for members
in good standing with Local 2928, International Association of Firefighters.
Opinions, viewpoints, articles and photographs are actively solicited from the membership. Materials submitted do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Executive
Board or the Newsletter Staff and represent the view of the writer solely. Articles submitted are the sole responsibility of the author. Advertisements in the Backdraft should not
be considered an endorsement by Local 2928 or it’s executive board.
The Editorial Board shall retain the right to omit and edit articles on behalf of the Union.
Anonymous material will not be considered. Materials and suggestions are welcomed and should be submitted in writing to the Union office or to any member of the
Executive Board or Newsletter Staff.
Contract Negotiations
By Mike Sedgwick, Staff Writer
Here it is summertime once again. The kids are out of school, the vacation calendar is full,
and even though we live in beautiful South Florida we still appreciate summer as a time
of fun and relaxation, well at least for most of us. While the rest of us are enjoying
the summer, your Union officials and a handful of dedicated Brothers and Sisters are
hard at work negotiating your Collective Bargaining Agreements. This year every city
department we represent, 7 of them all total, and the County are negotiating some
change to their CBA. It is rare that every single contract is open at the same time. For
this reason, it is a tremendous amount of work for those left to handle negotiations and
it is a scheduling nightmare to find dates for all the different attorneys, City officials,
management teams, etc. Now I realize most of you don’t have a real good idea as to
what goes into negotiating a contract, and for good reason, most of you have never
been involved in the process. I have and believe me it is a tremendously time and
labor intensive process. First there is a combing of the current CBA line by line, article
by article in order to find areas that need to be addressed, simple language changes
that need to be corrected, and the identifying of areas that didn’t address all situations
that occurred during the current contract cycle. Then there is the process of putting
together comparisons from all the other contracts in the South Florida area to see where
Mike
we are in pay, vacations and all of our other benefits compared to other like sized
departments or departments in the same geographical area. While all this is going on
the team needs to reach out to the respective memberships and see what it is that they want in
the next contract. This is done by surveys or meetings depending on the size of the membership.
Then the process of writing the language begins, the teams look at the proposed language and
it is rewritten; then the attorneys look at the language and it is rewritten again; then one final
look through with a fine tooth comb and it is ready to give to the respective management team
in exchange for their proposal. And while everybody is looking at everyone’s proposals,
attempts are made at scheduling meetings that work for everyone’s schedule. Then the actual
negotiations begin. Now, have you ever been bored to tears? You would be if you ever
attended an actual negotiation session. Arguments can go on for hours over a simple sentence,
one side thinks the sentence means this and the other side thinks it means that, it’s enough to
drive you crazy; patience truly is a virtue when you are part of the negotiation process. Many
times this type of arguing can go on for hours, not only in an actual negotiations session, but in
the prep sessions in getting our proposal ready. Then if both sides are lucky enough to come
to an agreement, which is usually the case although many times it can take a lot longer than
expected, sometimes even years, the process of explaining the package to the membership
begins.
For those of you who are new to your respective departments I just wanted to give you a brief
insight to how your contracts come to be, and the amount of time and energy it takes to deliver
a successful Collective Bargaining Agreement. Certainly, if nothing else, take a moment to thank
the individuals from your department for their dedication and time commitment they are putting
forth on your behalf.
The following is a brief synopsis of where we stand in the overall negotiations process with
each of the departments. The information was obtained from different members of each of the
negotiations teams and is as up to the minute as possible. Changes accomplished after the 15th
Continued on page 17
Page 2
Sedgwick
1st Executive VP Reports
1st Legislative VP Reports
1st Executive Vice-President Report
By: Chuck Lupo
By: Armand Nault
1st Legislative V.P.
Members from Local 2928 attended the 64th Annual Convention of Florida Professional Firefighters (FPF), June 9 –
13, 2008, in Tampa, Florida. The FPF is a State Association chartered by the International Association of Fire
Fighters, which was formed January 11, 1944, by six (6) IAFF locals and has grown steadily ever since. The FPF is
currently comprised of 140 local affiliates and councils, with a membership of 22,500 Firefighters and Emergency
Medical Services Personnel, working in 175 departments within the various state, county, municipal, and special
district governments of Florida. The FPF represents only full-time, paid Professional Firefighters
and Emergency Medical Services Personnel.
Imagine you are called in as a Fire Department consultant and asked to design a Department
in an existing county in Florida. The only constraint on design is that it has to work and
operate in today’s tax and economic climate. You are not expected to run it- just design it.
No personal stake or long term commitment on your part, just design and leave. What would
you include in its design? What elements would you include as mandatory aspects of your
designed FD? How would you pay for it? How would you keep the tax payer and elected
officials (your real bosses) content?
As described by the FPF website, “The major and primary service provided by the FPF is to be
a governmental relations advocate, and conduct a year-round legislative and lobbying program
in Florida’s State Capitol. This activity is supported by an aggressive statewide political action
agenda. Throughout the years, the FPF has come to be recognized as one of the most effective
and respected voices in our state capitol. Most, if not all, of the benefits and protections
presently enjoyed by Firefighters and Emergency Services Personnel under state law or rule
have been acquired as a direct result of, or have been influenced by, our legislative efforts.”
The FPF holds an annual convention in June of each year to develop a legislative action agenda
for the coming year. This year members from Local 2928 attended with the goal of advancing
our “Sur-tax for Fire-Rescue Services” bill (SB891) into the next state legislative session. On June
10, 2008, Chief Ron Beesley and LVP Armand Nault provided an update on the status of SB
1st Executive
891 to the FPF Ad-hoc committee on Sur-taxes for Fire-Rescue Services. The committee was
Vice President
charged with establishing a resolution to come before the general membership later in the
Chuck Lupo
convention. The committee failed to understand the magnitude of the bill as written and voted to
table a position until the FPF leadership could meet with the legislative leadership in Tallahassee
in July. As a result of the committee’s actions or lack there of, SB 891 as written, will most likely face difficultly in the
near future. There was limited debate on SB891 both in committee and on the floor at the general membership
meeting of the FPF, resulting with a lack of consensus.
The FPF formulates its political action agenda in the form of resolutions from the membership each year. As part of
the process a Resolution committee is formed from members through the state. This year I was selected as a member
of the resolution committee, which is responsible for reviewing all resolution presented prior to and at the convention.
This year there were 14 resolutions filed prior to the opening of the convention, none of which dealt with tax reform,
the committee rejected two and amended four resolutions. There were a number of late filed resolutions that were
presented to the general membership and five were sent to the committee for review. This year a total of 19 resolutions
were adopted by the FPF membership, the detailed resolutions will be posted on our website at a later date for all
members to review.
The convention overall was educational for the members that attended, but lacked clear direction and leadership from
the FPF. The most important issue we face today “Tax Reform” was addressed on a limited basis and most of the
Locals left without clear direction. The Sur-Tax ad-hoc committees’ inability to reach consensus and clear direction has
left us with the possibility of falling behind several more years. There is no doubt that the process will be started over
and the progress that has been gained to this point will be lost. We as a local will be faced with decisions in the
coming months to years as to our involvement with the FPF. We can not afford to be placed in a position that we
have limited or no input on our future. We are facing difficult times and need to have the ability to overcome them
as we see fit.
Page 3
My guess is you would probably look at things like a common communications
system; interoperability of all equipment; standard SOG’s to operate by;
minimum staffing levels; a strong union and political relations, good labor
relations, an educated and prepared staff, facilities and equipment that are safe,
comfortable and taken care of. Your design would probably also include a
dedicated revenue source that would provide adequate funding, one that was
flexible enough to make it through tough economic times and one that lasted the
test of time- through hurricanes and wild fires.
How about things like system status management, closest unit response, regional
deployment of specialty items like Haz-Mat, aerial operations, or a trauma
system? Would emergency operations for the county be under one roof? How
important would it be to you to have direct contact and communication
capabilities with each municipal police department and the sheriff’s office? I’m
sure you would have a pretty good idea of what should be included and how it
should work. Unfortunately, in the past we have designed fire departments for the
short term and have not really had to think or worry about the long term.
1st Legislative VP
Armand Nault
As part of our plan for diversifying our revenue stream for our Department and our legislative
effort in Tallahassee, we have been going around the state in an effort to educate and inform
firefighter’s and in some cases Fire Department officials about our tax swap plan. There are
a number of skeptics, as was expected, but when all is said and done there is a lot of
common ground, and there are some areas where we just disagree. These areas where we
disagree are very troubling and need to be worked on. Areas that need some long term
thought.
The reality today is this, in Miami Dade County there are county firefighters fighting with the
city firefighters as a result of a contract offer from a nearby city Department that would have
caused the closing of a county fire station. In Orange County, city firefighters and the county
firefighters are going at it all the time fearing a consolidation of services into the county
system, and there have been many arguments on annexation and how they should be
handled. In Tampa, there are similar fights on annexation with Hillsbourough County. And of
course right here in good old Palm Beach County, annexation into West Boca and west of
West Palm Beach is a concern and has caused firefighters form different agencies pitted
Continued on page 22
Page 4
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THE LOCAL’S BUDGET
By: Secretary/ Treasurer
Michael Bergeron
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We are not immune from the economic fallout of tax reform and the down turn in the economy. Last
fiscal year was the first time, over the last 13 years that I have been preparing the annual budget
for the Local, where expenses exceeded revenues, and we passed a budget that had to be
balanced with reserves.
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alternative funding for essential services. These services surely will be adversely affected by the
state’s hurried and misguided attempt to placate the vocal minority of non voters and non
homesteaded property owners.
Each year the process of preparing the Local’s budget for the following fiscal year begins in May,
even though information is gathered through out the year. Input from the district vice presidents,
principal officers, office staff and a host of other sources is received and compiled.
On the income side, the past eight months of revenue collected is reviewed; assumptions are made
for continuation of each source; adjustments made for anticipated changes, such as increases or
decreases in wages, hiring and bargaining unit members, etc. Approximately 90% of our income
comes directly from dues. The remaining budgeted income comes from transfers, reimbursements,
advertising and miscellaneous sources. As recommended by our accountant and auditor, we do
not budget for investment income, the reason is two fold. First, our annual investment return from
the majority of our reserves which is in our building fund is invested in the market. The returns, as
with any equity investment fluctuates with the market and is not guaranteed. Secondly, a large
portion of our annual investment returns are considered unrealized, meaning the value of the fund
or equity increases or decreases on paper. Those changes along with any dividends and interest
are used to calculate the total annual rate of return. Those unrealized gains would only be
available to spend or become liquid if the fund or the stock was sold.
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On the expense side, the process is similar but more involved, as we have about a 3:1 ratio
of expense to income categories. Each principal officer usually submits a detailed request
of expenses and any capital expenditures for the upcoming year related to the division of
the Local he represents and handles. DVPs also submit requests for increase in expenses for
their areas. Among the sixty or so expense lines, we have three lines used for educational,
legislative and convention expenses. These lines include travel, per diem, hotel, airfare and
registration expenses to name a few for any and all trips, including the Florida Professional
Firefighters and the IAFF. These are two organizations we pay approximately four hundred
thousand ($ 400,000.00) dollars per year to in dues, and account for one of the largest
expense area of our budget. With that kind of money being spent we want as much
participation in all of their activities as possible and send a number of people to their
functions to represent our interests. As with last year, we anticipate for the 2008/2009
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Articles of Interest
County Special Events
By: Traci Moore
There have been some changes to the special events policy and procedures so if you are
interested in working them PLEASE take the time to read over them. The website is now
equipped with the hour meter and so far it is working properly. The meter is set up
differently this time in order to let more people have the opportunity to sign up. Instead of
monitoring hours on a monthly basis you will now only be allowed to sign up for 25 hours
at a time on the special events page. For instance, if there are events posted on the board
for Aug., Sept. and Oct., you can only get 25 total hours. The other big change is the sign
in sheet and travel time hour. Tim will be replacing all the old sheets with the new at our
locations but if you print it off the website make sure it is the latest copy. When you are
Traci Moore
filling out the sign in sheet please be specific about the time you go on the air and off the air
at the event. If you pick up a truck at station 25 you will get an extra hour pay for travel and putting the unit back
into full service (i.e., fueling and stocking). This is the catch... for example, if you pick up a truck for a polo match
and you get to field and go on the air at 1300 hours, then go off the air at 1530 hours, the vendor will be
charged the 2.5 hours for equipment and truck but you will get 3.5 hours (with the extra hour) for your pay. There
is still the 3 hour minimum for an event so you will always get at least 3 hours of pay but this way the vendor only
pays for the time the equipment is actually on the field. If you have any questions about this procedure feel free to
call me.
Lastly, I want to let you all know that we have been talking to the new owner of Stadium Jumping about their
current AMR coverage and he is very interested in having us back out there. We hope to have everything back in
place by the new season. As with everything else there is always growing pains so thank you for your patience.
Be sure you can work an event before you sign up because even if you swap with someone you are still
responsible for that event. If they don't show you will be AWOL.
Mental Illness, Toxic Exposure, Smallpox Complications for
“First Responders”
On June 8, 2007, Governor Charlie Crist signed into law Chapter 2007-87, Laws of Florida (2007), which
created a new section of the Florida Statutes, 112.1815. The law is entitled “Firefighters, paramedics, emergency
medical technicians, and law enforcement officers; special provisions for employment-related accidents and
injuries.” The law was created to cover public employers with employees defined in the new section.
The law provides a definition of a “first responder,” which includes firefighters defined under Section 633.30,
Florida Statutes, emergency medical technicians and paramedics as defined in Section 401.23, and volunteer
firefighters, emergency medical technicians and paramedics.
Section two (2) of 112.1815 discusses how benefits are determined with regard to employment-related accidents
and injuries of first responders. Exposure to a toxic substance must be proven by a preponderance of the evidence
as to both the exposure and the level of the exposure in relation to causing an illness. Also included are
complications arising from a smallpox vaccination performed “in the course and scope of employment.” Part
(2)(a)3 discusses the inclusion of mental or nervous injuries under the workers’ compensation statutes. First, a
mental or nervous injury involving a first responder must be proven by clear and convincing evidence, which is a
higher standard than preponderance of the evidence. If there is no physical injury accompanying the mental or
nervous injury, then certain medical expenses are covered by Section 440.13, Florida Statutes.
Thus, while mental illness or disease in the line of duty is included as a presumption for workers’ compensation, the
injury must be clearly proven in order to qualify under the workers’ compensation statutes (Chapter 440). If you
feel that such an injury has occurred on the job, you should consult a workers’ compensation attorney.
Riding Responsibly
By Douglas B. Watson
[email protected]
When I was asked to contribute another article to the Back Draft, I said
sure, no problem - I’d be happy to. Then I thought to myself…other than pumping
and driving, what else can I write about? My last article was about driving
safety….I surely can’t write another; or could I? Well, as the “Driver Guru” I am
going to continue to harp on what I feel are the essentials of responder safety.
Brothers and Sisters, chances are if you are reading this, then we are in
the same business of riding on fire apparatus and working in traffic (a rescue truck
is a fire apparatus too). By now if you haven’t heard about the hazards associated
Captain Doug
with the aforementioned, then you should really consider a career change because
Watson
your life expectancy is not going to be very long.
PBCFR Training &
About 5 years ago, national awareness began in the fire service addressing
Safety
how we could reduce the top two leading causes of Firefighter deaths; heart related
problems and riding in fire apparatus respectively. Focusing on the number 2 killer, in an
average year about 22 Firefighters get into a fire apparatus and go home in a body bag.
That meant 22 times last year, a Brother or Sister was assigned to clean out the locker of
another that was not coming home. Could you handle that task?
Despite the efforts of many in our industry to try and reduce this number, we continue
to claim about the same number year after year. We have signed seat belt pledges, attended
safety seminars, read the SOGs and Policies, heard the spiel from the Chief, attended EVOC
classes, etc., but the numbers haven’t changed. With this heightened awareness, I ask myself
why? Just Google or YouTube “fire engine crashes” and you will see what I mean…..many
Drivers still just don’t get it!
When we were hired as Firefighters we accepted the fact that there is some risk
associated with the type of work we do. Therefore; when a Firefighter perishes in a fire, it’s
almost “accepted” as “well that’s part of the job”. But when a Firefighter dies in an apparatus
crash, as a result of seat belt neglect or through imprudent driving, the outcome is seen
differently. If you are involved in an apparatus accident, depending on the severity, you may
find yourself spending your days off in courtrooms and in depositions, talking to lawyers, not
to mention that you may be charged with a crime.
Close to home here in Palm Beach County, I feel we have some of the most talented
and dedicated professionals in the business that are dedicated not only to the Department but
to the community they serve. I remember once learning about the “Pareto Principle” (AKA
the 20/80 rule). Applying this to the topic at hand…it means about 80% of us have an
overall “let’s keep it safe” attitude and are doing a good job complying while riding in fire
apparatus and working near traffic. As an example, throughout my daily activity both on
and off duty, I instinctively look at various fire apparatus traveling the roads throughout South
Florida and have noticed the 20/80 rule applies to seat belt use. I recently found myself
stopped at a red light somewhere outside of Palm Beach County with a BRT (big red truck)
next to me. The Driver Operator was not wearing a seatbelt. As much as I wanted to say
something, because I was off-duty, I felt it wasn’t my place to say anything. In retrospect, I
feel I should have. If you and I were on a hoseline getting ready to enter a building that was
on fire, wouldn’t we “police” each other to make sure our PPE was squared away before we
entered? Why don’t we all do that when we respond? We should start.
Continued on page 25
Page 8
Suicide
Suicide: It is said to be a permanent solution to a temporary problem.
But is the problem temporary? NO
Military Combat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)…
Firefighters Are Not Immune To PTSDDifferent But Often Similar
Article by: Elyse Weintraub Brown
I decided to write this article to share my family’s story so that others will not suffer the same tragedy as our
family did on June 15, 2007. It was both, the worst and longest day of my entire life.
My husband, Ed Brown, was an apparatus mechanic at Support Services. He’s worked on many of the
Engines and Rescues that Palm Beach County Fire Rescue has in its fleet. On the surface Ed was funny and
got along great with his colleagues at the Shop. He took tremendous pride in his work. Who knew that deep
inside he suffered great pain and agony keeping secrets from everyone- even me. One of the many things
that I have learned since his death is that people who have served in the military, as he did, have secrets.
They are trained and programmed to acquire only the very basic of information to carry out their mission.
The security of this information is a life and death matter. When soldiers return to civilian life they maintain
their secrecy refusing to share details about their experiences and/or how it has really affected them as a
person. Sometimes they don’t even realize nor understand that it has changed them. I was told that when
Ed returned from serving in the Army in 1994 that he was different. He was only 19 years old and in a war
called Desert Storm: Operation Desert Shield. I met him in 1998. The only experience that Ed shared with
me about his tour was this: Have you ever seen the movie Courage Under Fire? That’s the movie with Denzel
Washington where the tanks were in formation. They accidentally shot one of their own tanks because they
thought that an enemy tank had breached their circle and communication problems prevented them from
verifying that fact. Well, that was Ed’s unit. Those were his friends that got killed and his friends that did the
killing. He was there when it happened in real life. This is the only detail that I know about his tour. It’s
enough information though for anyone to realize that he had dark memories and has experienced things that
most people only see in the movies and video games. The fact is that our soldiers are dying on a daily basis.
Those that haven’t died and come back home, come back wounded physically (which is visible) and even
worse mentally (which is not visible other than behavioral). I am here to shed some light on the behavioral
component of a soldier’s mental disability.
Many veterans commit suicide because they can’t live with their secrets and gloomy memories and the things
that they have seen and done. They can’t bear the fact that their comrades are still dying-unnecessarily. The
Post printed a brief article on August 16th 2007 about the current suicide rates among Army soldiers and how
last year it reached its peak in 26 years and “more than a quarter did so while serving in Iraq and
Afghanistan…”. It also goes on to say “…there were 99 confirmed suicides among active duty soldiers during
2006, up from 88 the previous year and the highest since the 102 suicides in 1991 at the time of the Persian
Gulf War.” This number is way too many; and to think this report only represents one branch of the military.
Another real fact is that these men and women, when they come home to their families-they can’t function
normally. (The same goes for firefighters after intense emergency calls.) In other words, it is impossible for
them to lead a truly happy life. They are anxious, stressed out at home, depressed, angry, have hair trigger
Continued on page 27
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«First» «Last»
Frequently Asked Questions
Palm Beach County Firefighters Employee Benefits Fund
Frequently Asked Questions
«Address» «Address», «Address» «Address»
Tel: «Phone» Fax: «Phone» «Email»
1. Question: Who is my medical and dental insurance company?
Answer: APA Partners, Inc. is the administrator of the PBCFF Employee Benefits Fund PPO
Medical Plan and the PPO Dental Plan.
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
What a year it’s been so far for our economy and our real estate and mortgage markets. For many
of us, the challenges we’ve been facing as a community and as individuals in these areas have
been unprecedented.
So many hard working Americans have found difficulty in keeping their mortgage payments on
time, only to learn that they were unable to refinance their loan for any one of a number of
reasons. Many of us in South Florida have watched the equity in our homes dwindle, sometimes
to the extent that we owe more on our mortgage than our property is currently worth. Others of
us are learning that it’s not necessarily as easy as it was to qualify for certain purchase-money
mortgage programs as it has been and that many programs and lenders have been eliminated.
Nationally, foreclosure filings surged 65% this past April and bank seizures in April doubled,
compared with just one year earlier. The demand for our services continues to increase and we’re
doing everything we can to help each other through this temporary, albeit, complex situation.
The good news is that we have anticipated your needs and responded by expanding our product
and service base. We are offering more government insured loans and have formed a partnership
with a firm that specializes in renegotiating the terms of your mortgage note if you have fallen
behind.
Our commitment to our community is as strong as ever and we are proud to serve our family
members. Our services are professional and confidential. You have a safe place to go for all of
your real estate financing needs and we thank you for your continued trust and the opportunity to
work with you.
Stay safe and well.
Fraternally yours,
Pete Billera & Jim Hernandez
ADKO Mortgage Network – One Huntington Quad, Suite 1S07A, Melville, NY 11747 – (888) 450-FIRE
Licensed Mortgage Brokerage Business – State of FL
www.FirefighterMortgages.com
PPO plans have an in network and an out of network benefit. Please consult your Summary
Plan Description booklet for in network and out of network benefit levels covered services and
deductibles.
2. Question: How do I contact APA Partners?
Answer: You may call the customer service number listed on the front of your ID card, 800833-3650 or 518-786-2870 and a customer service representative will be able to assist you.
3. Question: Who are my Medical network, Dental network, Vision network and
Prescription drug vendor?
Answer: First Health is your medical network, DenteMax is your dental network, Vision Care
is your vision network and SaveRX is your pharmacy network.
4. Question: How do I find an in network medical provider (doctor) and an in network
dental provider (dentist).
Answer:
Medical: You can access the First Health electronic directory 24x7 365 days a year simply
by visiting the First Health website www.myfirsthealth.com. You can also call First Health toll
free at 1-888-685-777 from anywhere in the US anytime day or night.
When you search for an in network provider in the electronic directory you can also:
•
•
•
•
Learn about physicians’ specialties
Find out where physicians have hospital admitting privileges
View the services available at a particular facility
Print out driving directions to any provider office location
Question: How do I nominate my medical doctor if he/she is not in the First Health
Network.
Answer: It’s easy to nominate your doctor. Write your name on the enclosed Provider
Nomination Form and give it to your doctor to submit directly to First Health. You can also
find the form on the First Health website www.myfirsthealth.com
Dental: You can access the DenteMax electronic directory 24x7 365 days a year simply by
visiting the DenteMax website www.dentemax.com. You can also call DenteMax at
800-752-1547.
Vision: Your vision benefit is through Vision Care, they can be contacted at 800-865-3676
or www.visioncare.com.
Pharmacy: Your prescription drug vendor is Save-RX, they can be contacted at
800-228-3108 or www.savrx.com.
Continued on page 29
Page 12
Hungary for Adventure?
Don’t Sign the Dotted Line!
Don’t Sign the Dotted Line!
By: Maria S. Melius, Esq.
Mierzwa & Associates, P.A.
Labor Day Trip to Szarvas, Hungary
August 29-September 8, 2008
Put down your palm pilots and trade in your laptops for levels and hammers. We’re off to Hungary where we’ll
spend our national holiday helping those in need while combating substandard housing. Join up with us now for this 11 day
trip to one of the most desirable destinations for Habitat Global Villagers.
About Hungary
Located in Central Europe's Carpathian Basin, the area of Hungary has been a link in the chain connecting East
and West for thousands of years. The capital of Hungary is Budapest, often described as the “Little Paris of Central Europe.”
The city is situated on the river Danube (Duna) and has over 1.8 million inhabitants, a fifth of the country's population.
Szarvas is located about 180 km southeast of Budapest. Szarvas has 18,000 inhabitants including a significant
Slovak minority. The town has a thousand year old history and offers many cultural and leisure attractions.
HFH Szarvas builds multi-family housing to provide shelter to more families and to reduce the construction costs.
These homes are built with simple, energy-efficient, light-frame construction and rely on volunteer friendly technologies to
lower the labor costs. Depending on the construction, our team will work on a variety of tasks. No construction experience
is required for GV participants.
Itinerary
Friday, August 29 – Travel to Budapest, Hungary
Saturday, August 30 – Arrive in Budapest Hungary; welcome dinner.
Sunday, August 31 – Travel to Szarvas, Hungary; orientation and welcome dinner with local affiliate.
Monday, September 1 – Workday; cultural exchange.
Tuesday, September 2 – Workday
Wednesday, September 3 – Workday; half-day work, afternoon team activity/sightseeing.
Thursday, September 4-5 – Workdays
Saturday, September 6 – Workday; farewell dinner in Szarvas.
Sunday, September 7 – Travel to Budapest and sightseeing.
Monday, September 8 – Depart for home or stay for independent R & R.
Accommodations
Team members should expect to stay in a modest hotel with shared rooms and baths. Meals will be taken at the hotel or in
local restaurants.
Cost
The cost for this trip is $1,425, plus round-trip airfare. This price includes lodging, food, ground transportation, travel
medical insurance, orientation materials and a donation to HFH Szarvas. Participants will need to arrange and pay for
transportation from their point of departure to Budapest, Hungary. This should be done in consultation with the team leaders.
Team Leaders
Jack Norris is a seasoned Habitat veteran with years of experience working both at home and around the world fulfilling
Habitat’s mission. At home, Jack is an Emmy Award-winning television producer who also serves as a board member and
construction volunteer for the local Habitat affiliate in Palm Beach County (HFHPBC). On the road he’s better known as El
Tigre, a nickname he picked up on one of his many trips to the Dominican Republic while building homes for the most needy
of that Caribbean island nation. This will be Jack’s fifth trip to the European continent and third trip with his co-leader Charlie
Buracker.
Charlie Buracker is a 45-year-old masonry contractor from Virginia. This will be his fourth GV build (Costa Rica, Dominican
Republic) and his first time leading a team for GV. He has also led build teams for other non-profits. He is looking forward
to co-leading this trip with Jack, while exploring a new culture and meeting and working with some great people.
All too often, the services of an attorney are sought regarding a
contract when it is too late. Many contracts contain small print that is
quickly glanced over at the time a contract is signed. Unfortunately, the
small print is what poses a problem and is the reason why most clients later
“want out” of their contractual obligations but are unable to do so without
significant cost, frustration, and time.
To avoid such a dilemma, have an attorney review a contract before you sign on the dotted
line! You should always have an attorney review all real estate contracts and agreements for sale or
purchase of goods or services. For example, when a real estate contract is prepared by an
individual seller, the contract usually lacks information as to which party will be paying the cost of a
title examination and which party will be responsible for the costs of recording or title insurance.
These are key pieces of information which could potentially delay lender approval, or worse,
postpone a closing.
Disputes between consumers and businesses often arise out of a situation involving an unclear
agreement and the language used in the contract. When the small print of a contract contains legal
terminology, it should be translated for you by a lawyer prior to signing the document. For example,
if a document were written in the Spanish language, but you only spoke and read the English
language, you would not agree to the document unless you first had it translated to English. The
same goes for a contract with legalese or legal terminology.
When an attorney reviews a contract for a client, the attorney reviews the language to confirm
it is fair and reasonable, explains to the client what the other party is proposing or limiting you from
doing, and informs the client as to what his or her obligations will be if he or she does sign the
contract. Sometimes, an attorney can negotiate on a client’s behalf to obtain a more reasonable
and fair agreement between the parties.
The key to making sure you are entering a fair agreement is to take the time to review all of the
contract language. If you are in a situation where you feel pressured by a sales person and he or
she is trying to push you into signing, you should hesitate from doing so until an attorney has
reviewed the agreement. If you do sign a sales contract or real estate agreement and later regret
your decision, Florida law protects consumers with a three day right of rescission. This means you
may get out of the sales or real estate contract as long as you properly notify the other party within
seventy-two (72) hours of signing. However, this rule does not apply to all agreements, thus, it is
imperative to take the time to review all contracts with an attorney prior to signing on the dotted line.
If you would like to make an appointment to have a contract reviewed or discuss any other
legal matter, please contact Maria S. Melius, Esquire, the general practice attorney for Mierzwa &
Associates, P.A., at (561) 966-1200.
If you are a member of the Firefighters’ Legal Services Plan, contract review is a covered matter
for you and your spouse. Our office is also available to provide legal services at our regular hourly
rate for those who may not wish or may not be eligible to join the Legal Services Plan.
If you would like more information regarding this trip, Jack and Charlie can be reached at [email protected] or
[email protected].
Page 13
Maria Melius
Page 14
2008 Local 2928 Family Picnic
Contract Negotiations continued
of June are not included. One more vital disclaimer needs to be made and that is, nothing
that you hear about the negotiations of your particular contract is etched in stone until it is
brought
to you for ratification. Everything is subject to change until that moment. I don’t care if
you’re married to the lead negotiator, nothing is concrete until it is brought for a ratification
vote, period, end of story.
With that being said, let me tell you what I have heard from various horses’ mouths and
what I would consider to be the latest up to the minute status as of June 15th.
The County: Proposals have been exchanged and two sessions with management were
held to go over the exchanged proposals so that each side could get an understanding of
each other’s proposals. The first real negotiations session where they would begin to
negotiate specific articles was to be held on June 16th. The first things to be dealt with
will be the simple stuff that both sides can agree on; that would be simple language change
cleanups that both sides have identified needing correction. This is done so that a feeling
of progress can be had, which gets the momentum of accomplishment going, and also gets
both sides into the mode of agreeing verses disagreeing. So what did we propose you
might be wondering? Well naturally we are looking for wage increases in the form of
across the board increases or cost of living adjustments (COLA’s). We also proposed
changes to the promotional process and some of the titles for certain positions; additional
health insurance contributions; more sick and vacation time and changes to the way we
sell or bank that time; additional compensation for Operational Captains, Rescue Lt’s and
probably a few other positions in the bargaining unit. Those are the major changes that
were proposed. And, there were a quite a few other changes proposed that affect certain
groups and for the best information on those changes contact your DVP as they are way
too numerous to put in this article. I should remind you that while lots of things might get
proposed, only a few get agreed to, it is just the nature of the process. The County’s
proposal is aimed at streamlining cost so that they can weather the tax initiatives, while at
the same time being able to afford any financial items they might give us in this contract.
My understanding is that they have made some proposals on vacation time and Kelly days,
not necessarily reducing them but changing the method in which we get to use them.
Personally I wouldn’t be too concerned, the team will protect us from anything too drastic.
Finally, it is too early in the negotiations process with the County to get a real good read
on how the contract is going to play out. Someone, somehow will keep you informed as
the process moves along.
Palm Beach Gardens: The City has been all over the board on its wage offers. First
they offered 0% in the first year of the CBA with reopeners for the other two years of the
contract. A reopener allows both sides to come back to the table during the contract term
to negotiate only the item or article that has a reopener clause. In this particular case both
sides could come back to the table to negotiate wages for the 2nd and 3rd year of the
contract. The City then came back with an offer of a 3% across the board wage increase
in each of the 3 years of the contract or a 9% total wage increase for the life of the
contract. Unfortunately, in exchange for the wage increases, the City wants to remove the
staffing article from the contract, and this could be a huge loss for the membership. I
should point out that most contracts do not have staffing articles which dictates how many
people on a truck and how many trucks in a station. Most of the bargaining units have to
Contract Negotiations continued
rely on the usage of political pressure to keep staffing levels adequate and in some cases
that doesn’t even work, so giving up a staffing article like the one PBG’s has is a huge
concession and one not to be considered lightly. The City maintains that they have no plans
to reduce staffing, but who knows how the winds will blow in the future. In addition, the
City has proposed limiting time off and taking away the ability to link shift exchanges with
vacation leaves. They want to carry any disincentive occurrences for unscheduled leave
over 4 into the next year’s cycle which of course would allow them to discipline sooner for
the few that fall into occurrence disincentives. The City is also proposing to remove all
educational incentives and limiting only three employees the ability to go to paramedic
school per year, eliminating the City’s degree program and all training classes. Another
negotiations session is scheduled for the 21st of June and in the meantime the team has been
hard at work educating and getting the City Council members behind the department.
Councilman Levy participated in an extrication event recently and got a real firsthand look
at what we do and why we deserve to be treated appropriately. I understand he was quite
impressed. If you get the chance and are called upon to help in the process of educating
the Council and/or the citizens it is absolutely necessary that you help out and get involved.
Your negotiations team has got a very tough wall to climb.
Tequesta: I hear we are nearing the end of a very long road in getting the Tequesta
members to their very first Collective Bargaining Agreement. From the sound of it, the team,
Ray and Pete, have done a tremendous job. Getting a first contract is one of the most
difficult things for a Union to accomplish because management does not like to lose control
of all the things they enjoyed controlling. A quick review of what they accomplished: first
off while all the rest of us are struggling with wage increases the team was able to nail down
wage increases of 2.3% the first year, retro back to October 1st 2007; then 2% in each of
the next two years of a 3 year agreement. Now that doesn’t sound like a lot, but in this time
of economic uncertainty any raise is a good raise. They kept the step plan in effect and
were able to get the proper slotting for a number of employees that got shortchanged in the
original slotting of the step plan. They changed medic pay from a flat amount to a
percentage of salary, 12%. They successfully outlined the promotional process and
anchored down the educational requirements for advancement through the positional steps,
i.e, FF I, FF II & FF III, and put in language that these requirements could only be changed
through mutual agreement of both the Union and management. They also were able to
increase sick time carryover from 1200 hours to 1600 hours, and additionally they were
able to secure just about every other benefit enjoyed by the membership prior to unionizing
in this first contract. They have one last article, grievance and discipline, to finalize and then
they should be ready to bring the finished contract to the membership for ratification. Again,
congratulations to Ray and Pete for a job well done. I personally witnessed them putting in
hundreds of hours working on this contract going back as far as last summer, a tremendous
sacrifice on their part and on the part of their families.
Delray Beach: Well, as most of the Delray membership knows, we are at impasse on the
contract which expired last October. At this stage of the game the mediation hearing has
been held and the briefs of the hearing have been filed by both sides and the mediator has
30 days from that date (June 22nd) to render a ruling. Once the ruling has been received
both sides will have a chance to review and then to accept or decline the ruling. If both
Continued on page 18
Page 17
Continued on page 19
Page 18
Contract Negotiations continued
sides accept the ruling then it would go to the membership for ratification and then to the City
Council for ratification. If our side rejects the ruling or the membership fails to ratify the CBA then
the City has the option to impose a CBA for a 1 year time frame. If the Union agrees with the
ruling but the City rejects the ruling then the City can offer a proposal or take the option of imposing
a CBA for 1 year. In any of the cases where the City imposes a CBA for the 1 year we would in
essence be right back at the negotiations table because the imposed year would be from October
1, 2007 to September 31, 2008, and we would be looking to negotiate a CBA that starts on
October 1, 2008. The impasse covers the articles on wages, vacation, grievance procedure,
overtime, sick leave and dismissal & discipline. All of the other articles that were opened were
resolved and are not included in the impasse process. For more information on those articles,
contact your DVP, Mike McCleary.
Lake Worth: We are at the stage of the negotiations process where contract proposals have
been exchanged by both sides and we are in trying to set up dates for actual negotiations sessions.
The Union only opened the wages article, while management opened numerous articles but stated
that they did so only to correct typo’s and for the purpose of language clean-up. Currently in the
City there is also an issue with staffing that is going on, but unlike PBG’s and like most other
bargaining units, staffing is not part of the contract and therefore is dealt with outside of contract
negotiations.
Palm Beach: The tentative agreement which appears to be in the final stages will be a 1 year
extension of the current CBA with wage increases in the 6% to 11% range approximately
depending on position, time on, etc. Additionally, some changes that were being worked on
through normal labor relations meetings will be included in the ratification vote when the proposal
is ready to be brought forth to the membership. The additional changes include bargaining unit
inclusion of Station Commanders and Assistant Fire Marshall’s; exchange of time on an hour for
hour basis; non-punitive physical abilities testing; annual leave submittal changes to as little as 12
hours in advance of requested leave and in blocks as minimal as 12 hours; and an annual overtime
bank change limit. Good job by Joel and the committee in the face of the current economic climate.
North Palm Beach: The Village is actually in the middle of their contract and is dealing with a
Pension Article reopener. The Village Fire and Police Departments share the same pension plan
and currently have the same benefits. With that being said, the original intent during this reopener
was to join forces with the PBA and get improvements to the pension plan as a whole, but it has
been very difficult in dealing with the PBA and we are looking to head into negotiations on behalf
of the firefighters only. I hate to say this, but NPB has one of the worst pension plans of not only
all the departments 2928 represents, but probably of all the departments in South Florida. Their
pension currently tops out at 60% maximum and has a 30 years of service or age 62 to be eligible
for immediate benefits. Their multiplier is 2.5% per year of service so that after about 24 years if
you’re not age 62 you are not getting any more pension benefit. On top of that, they actually
contribute to this pension plan. I wonder if that stops once you hit your maximum 60% benefit?
Anyway they have had one meeting with the Village so far which lasted only about 10 min without
any progress being made. They are waiting for an actuarial report in order to show the Village
how much the changes they are seeking would cost. The changes include a 25 years of service
or age 52 out, increasing the 60% maximum pension benefit and possibly a DROP plan. Currently
they are trying to schedule more meetings with the Village and they are looking to move ahead
without the PBA at this time.
Riviera Beach: The Riviera Beach CBA is in its second year and was scheduled for a reopener
of wages and 2 additional articles by each side. The Union opened the Pension Article and the
Contract Negotiations continued
Paramedic and EMT incentive pay article. Management declined to open any article and, for that matter, did not make
a proposal on the wages article. The Union did a survey and determined that the Riviera Beach pay scale was 2nd to
the lowest of all departments surveyed and the lowest paid of all the departments in the County . Thus, an 18% across
the board pay raise would be necessary in order to bring them up to the middle of the pack, which is somewhere near
the Delray Beach or Boynton Beach pay scales. In the pension article the committee is looking at instituting a 5 year
DROP plan or an increase to the multiplier. In either case an actuarial study will need to be done and they are in the
process of getting that accomplished. For the incentive pay article the committee is looking to change flat pay for the
paramedic and EMT designations to a percentage of base pay system. At this time the committee is working on the
specific language changes and in getting supporting information for their arguments with the City. A CAFR report on
the City’s finances is also being requested in order to find the money necessary for the requested changes. In the
meantime, dates are being requested from the City for the actual negotiation sessions.
Well there you have it in a nutshell, so to speak. This is by no means a complete or unchanging source of information
and you should always look to your respective DVPs, or attend the General Membership Meetings for up to the minute
information. And, as I’ve stated earlier, nothing is etched in stone until it is brought to you for a ratification vote.
Stay Safe and Stay Informed.
The Loss of A Matriarch
By Scott Jurasz
As I sat in the back of the church listening to Chief Brice, friends and family of Nancy talk about how she affected
so many people’s lives; it was dispatcher Trish Hughes who said the one word that best described Nancy:
“MATRIARCH”. The definition of a matriarch is “a woman who rules a family, clan or tribe” I don’t think there could
be a better way to describe such a wonderful and respected woman.
Those who knew Nancy best knew her to be a kindhearted, caring, and fair person who would put the needs and
troubles of others before her own. Those that did not know her personally knew her to be someone that was highly
esteemed here at PBCFR; someone who helped make the dispatch center what it is today. Everyone thought Nancy
would be here with us all the time, even after she would retire from the department. She was considered to be a lifelong
friend and, to some, a mother figure in their own lives.
It was a few years back that Nancy was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was devastating news to all of us and
to Nancy’s family. However, we all knew she had the strength and spirit to fight and beat her illness and return to us
when she was better. Nancy did fight, she fought hard, and she fought fearlessly and eventually would beat the breast
cancer. But soon Nancy would find that the fight wasn’t over as cancer had spread to other areas
of her body. Some people would give up and decide not to keep fighting and not deal with the
treatments and being weak and sick all the time, but not Nancy. I learned the day of her memorial
that one of the reasons Nancy kept fighting was she felt if her having to go through what she did
kept one child from ever having to deal with that burden in their life, it made it all worth going
through all the treatments again.
Nancy was, and still is, an inspiration to many. Since she has passed we still think of her,
still talk about her, and we do miss her. We miss her laugh, we miss her support, we miss her
advice and her guidance but more so, we miss our friend, our matriarch.
Rest in peace Nancy, you will not be forgotten!
Scott Jurasz
Continued on page 20
Page 19
Page 20
1st Legislative VP Reports Continued
IT’S THAT TIME AGAIN!!!
DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE IT INTO THE
LOCAL #2928
2009 FIRE FIGHTER CALENDAR
The 2009 Calendar Committee is going to blow the 2008 calendar out of the water!
Better Photo’s
Better Layout
Better Marketing Events
Don’t miss out on your chance to be a part of the
against one another.
As Fire Departments are forced to contract due to budget shortfalls, every Department will
be looking for new revenue sources and ways to save money. Cities may look to expand
their tax base by annexation. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always equate to more firefighters
in a city, just more tax revenue. This is troubling for us in many respects. The obvious
problem is an annexation of county area equates to a drop in revenue to the county, albeit
with a rise in a city’s taxable value. Good for a city, not so good for a county.
What is the right thing for unions in these scenarios? Who’s right, the city getting new
areas or the county for not wanting to lose area and the revenues generated by that area?
It is not as simple as it depends on what side you’re on, City or County. A viable answer
should include, for both sides, protection of all firefighter benefits of the affected
firefighters. Up to and including the hiring of those displaced firefighters. And shouldn’t
there be some compensation or consideration for the facility costs and equipment? It does
cost money for the planning and re-locations of stations. This is a big problem without a
clear answer and one that can’t be ignored. Some long term solutions are needed.
Getting back to the design work of your fire department – add regional Fire Departments
that operate regardless of political or municipal boundary. Imagine a Fire Department that
has the ability to diversify its revenue sources and not be solely dependent on one stream
of revenue. One that operated simply- where when an alarm came in, it was answered
without hesitation or concern. If we had that, wouldn’t all the before mentioned problems
tend to lessen? We will keep working toward that goal.
Hottest 2009 Fire Fighter Calendar in the Nation!
We Salute our Recent Retirees
April 2008 – June 2008
Photo Shoots Will Take Place at Several Locations Between
July 15th and August 10th
You Must Register to Attend & You Must Attend at Least One of the Photo Shoots
Call or e-mail your interest now…………
Then hit the gym and get ready to rock!
Only 13 will be Chosen!
Send inquires to Mike Sedgwick at [email protected]
Or call 561-305-7237…..DO IT NOW!
Page 22
FM Toby Bivins
PBG 6
10 Years
FF Wayne Kimberly
Batt. 1
23 Years
FM Craig Whitney
Batt. 4
26 Years
Inspector Oscar Wiltse
BOSS 17
22 Years
Capt. Terry Petruzzi
PBG 6
18 Years
DO Ron Jarriel
Batt. 2
31 Years
FM Marvin Joyner
Batt. 2
27 Years
Lt. Joe Bartlett
Batt. 5
27 Years
DO Alan Sulewski
Batt. 5
30 Years
FF Vince Merriweather
Batt. 2
17 Years
Capt. Dave Muise
LW 15
23 Years
Treasurer’s Report
budget, expenses for tax reform will continue to be sizable and these lines for
educational, legislative and convention expenses as well as others may be sharply
decreased in order to balance the budget.
DRX9000C
Once all this information is compiled, it is put into its first draft. It’s then reviewed
with the president where cuts are made, items removed or added, requests denied,
reasons given for increases or decreases are explained and a second draft is
generated. Typically, in the past, at this point the budget will be balanced and then
brought forth to be reviewed by the trustees. During the trustee’s review, further
changes may be made. Also presented at each review is a detailed description of
each income and expense line with the changes noted from the previous fiscal year.
After review and approval by the trustees, a final budget will be presented to the
membership at a general meeting, usually in September for adoption, rejection or
change. Once it is adopted, it will become effective on October 1st the beginning
of our fiscal year.
Lastly, there is a budget within a budget, Good & Welfare has its own budget and
was created approximately 15 years ago for the purpose of funding the annual
picnic, Christmas party, retirees gifts and calendars, etc. The Membership Director
will submit his requests each year just as is done with the Local’s budget. The review
is the same, and once the budget is adopted, it will be used by the Membership
Director for operating his division.
This is a brief description of the budgeting process to better provide you with an
overview of the steps required in creating our budget. If you have any questions,
please feel free to contact me at any time.
End Chronic Back
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Page 23
Dr. Leslie Pachter, DC.
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Riding Responsibly continued
Firefighter Fitness
Firefighter Fitness
By: Brooke Stahl
Here are the basics that all Firefighters need to follow, ALWAYS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Backing Up: Always use a backer when available. If you lose sight of your backer,
stop the apparatus immediately until you can see them. If you are the backer, pay
attention to where you are sending the apparatus…the driver is relying on you for
accurate directions. Position yourself out of the “path of travel” of the apparatus; in
case you trip or fall, the apparatus won’t back over you. As the Driver, ensure you
can hear the backer’s commands so when they yell at you to stop you’ll hear them.
Exhaust: When you get a call, don’t start the engine until everyone is seated with their
seat belts fastened. Diesel exhaust contains benzene derivatives KNOWN to cause
cancer. Why would anyone want to breathe or fill your station with this stuff?
Seat Belts: If the apparatus is moving, EVERYONE must be seat belted….ALWAYS!
Do not remove your seatbelt to don/doff bunker gear while the apparatus is in motion.
If you get a call while you are on the road and you need to get dressed, then pull off
the road and do it where it is safe to do so. Sure, response times are important, that’s
our business, but so is safety. I don’t think there is a “white shirt” out there that would
challenge your decision to act safe.
Drive Responsibly: If you get to the apparatus in a timely fashion you will be less
inclined to speed to make up for lost time. Drive your apparatus as if a crew from “60
Minutes” were riding in the cab with you. Stop signs and red lights mean come to a
FULL STOP, look, look more, and then CRAWL. SLOW DOWN, there is no reason to
speed! In my 27 year career driving at busy firehouses, I can remember only a couple
of calls where 60 seconds made a big difference. I like keeping the “risk vs. benefit”
concept in mind when responding.
Officers: Speak up if you are uncomfortable with your driver doing something that
makes you pucker. Outcomes of trials involving fire apparatus have found not only
the Driver at fault, but also the Officer partially at fault. Following a recent fatality
accident in the mid-Atlantic region, both the Driver AND the Officer of the apparatus
were suspended by their Department.
Amateur Drivers: You can easily spot the amateur driver….they are the ones who think
they own the road. For example, forcing people off the road, sporadic maneuvers,
tailgating while leaning on the air horns….you’ve seen them and maybe have even
rode with them. When the tones go off the amateur driver goes into a mode of getting
to the scene by any means possible without due regard for others. If you are one of
these cowboys, learn to discipline yourself. Leave your road rage and gestures at
home. If someone doesn’t get out of your way, jams the brakes in front of you or cuts
you off, chill out. Think about the traffic and security cameras practically on every
corner, not to mention camera phones, etc. What an embarrassment it would be to
your profession and Department if your actions were seen on YouTube or other media,
aside from the fact if you injured or killed someone.
Wouldn’t it be great to change the 20/80 rule to the 100/100 rule? That’s 100% of the
people operating safely 100% of the time. Regardless of your rank, that should be your
goal. Let us do our share by not contributing to the second leading cause of Firefighter
fatalities.
Page 25
The Wellness staff would like to acknowledge the following individuals for scoring in the
“excellent” category on their annual physical fitness evaluation Congratulations!
March 1st, 2008 – March 31st, 2008
Ray Luisi, John Noll, John Hagopian, John Lupoli, Russell Frank, Rob Cohen, Ken
Unsworth, Donnie Brown, Ken Keane, Adrian Castro, Todd Lichty, Javatis Midget, Jason
Myers, Doug Clark, Ernie Olmstead, Joe Nelson, Chris Uzzo,
Nick Fuenzalida,
Alan Sulewski, Ray Cameron, Ryan DeVore, Jeff Boyd, Ted Tavolacci, Robert Arbacheski,
Geroge Demario, Rick Driskell, Liz Martino, Bruce Hill, James Hackney, Tim Dellinger,
Jason Gonzalez, David Gadberry, Malik Harris, Terry Bogle, Kristen Derringer, Art
Lebron, Chris Hagopian, Paul Ojeda
, Mike Constable, Tom Volpe, Tony
Hernandez, Vince Cannuscio, Cory Mello, Robert Schmidt, Steve Angel, Kit Hibbs, Mike
Walker, Stephen Hernandez, Doug Hansen, Jason Cohen , John Fischer, Doug
McGlynn, Ryan Sheppard, Todd Fote, Vince Vaden, Joe Palandro, Eric Isham, Tony
Acosta, Gary Narcowich,
G Drake, Pat Daymon, Gary Roginski, Cecilia Eaton, Tim
Phelps, Tim Cozad, Ed Harvey, Al Pulvirenti
April 1st, 2008 – April 30th, 2008
Joey Cooper, Jim Johnson, Wayne Johns, David Adams, Jacob Fair, Bruce Arce’, Ricardo
deJesus, John Nickels, Luke Albert, Amy Lehmann, Yadian Mederos, Phil Shriver, Hector
Gonzalez, Rich Vassalotti, Greg Cohen, Janice Weisman , Damian Orejas , Tricia
Kamalu, Herman Brice, Mike Sweeny, Ray Perez, Ed Kranski, Bob Perreault, Mike Hino,
Mike Burke, Tom Reifsnyder, Melanie Kow, Jackson Garcia, Geraldine Jaramillo, Dave
Iman, Amy Tuminsky, Dave Lynch, Bob Eastberg, James Morrison , Bret Haines, Mike
Bacelo, Tom Shore, Miguel Navarte, Kyle Ventry, Brad Haines Wayne Miller, Brett
McGee, Aaron Piering, Carl Caradonna, Tom Wells, Chris Permenter, Ken Tamboe, Bob
Kropa, Evelyn Aguilar, Rick Montesino, Tim Stewart, Bryan Prather, Tony Falzarano
May 1st, 2008 – May 31st, 2008
Donnie Thomas , Randolph Starling, Pete Meyer, Colin Johnston, Dave Draper, Randy
Hunton, Raymond Myers, Gunder Kirkberg, Jeff Maxson, John Esposito, Mike Frattarudo,
Rick Jorge, Jorge Garcia, Bob Bensch, Craig Dube, Glen Miller, Josh Nelson, Scott
Calvis, Mike Osuna, Cameron Bucek
, Michael Klein, Karen Derogatis, John Cruise,
Tom Reyes, James Schaffner, Victor VanEman, Jorge Cardoso, Dave Corcoran, Tucker
Hindman, Jason Ruffing, Jeff Collins, Mike Mackey, Jim Servidio, Mike Perry, Jason
Alexander, Doug Smith, Jean Hachet, Darrell Evans, Chris Hoch, Diuuah Amireh, Pete
Agate, Keith Reed, Billy Bookmyer, Pete Murphy, Ricky Grau, Robert Mortimer, Andrew
Wilkes, Adam Eaton, Lee Forshner
Page 26
Suicide Continued
reactions to just about everything around them and when they get sad…they get
REALLY sad. When they get angry…they get REALLY angry and even unusually
physical with loved ones and confrontational with all others. Sometimes they just sit
there completely tuned out from the rest of the world. Furthermore, the triggers that
remind firefighters and soldiers of their experiences appear unexpectedly and can
change their mood in a flash-negatively. For soldiers, watching the news and
listening to radio reports of the current war situation, and firefighters responding to
911 calls can just cause them to become more introverted. Even the simplest of
everyday family matters seems complicated and exaggerated creating stress in
marriages and home life. Loud noises and visuals of death, injuries, and destruction
triggers negative behavior. As their condition deteriorates they gradually withdraw
from personal hobbies and activities with friends and family.
Friends, spouses, and other family members take it personally because they can’t
handle the conflict and stress at home so they take drastic measures like filing for
divorce or ignoring the individual thinking the problem will go away. Make no
mistake about it; it doesn’t just go away. I threatened divorce and after returning
home within 30 minutes of phone communication, I found Ed hanging from a self
made noose by our gym equipment in the garage. I think what makes his suicide
even harder for me to accept is the fact that he wasn’t suspended very high and all
he had to do- if he wanted to- was stand up.
I wish someone had told me that it could happen- again. He attempted suicide in
early 2003 shortly after the 2nd Gulf war started and I found out, after his death,
that he had made another attempt before that when he finished his tour with the
Army sometime after 1994. Each attempt became worse and more desperate until
his 3rd and final attempt. As his Mom tells the story (which I was never told about
until he died), his first attempt was when he held a gun to his head and called his
Mom on the phone to tell her he was ending his life. For his second attempt in
2003, shortly after the 2nd Gulf War started, he overdosed on pills when I was
home in another room. The third attempt speaks for itself- even with a way out of
the situation- he chose not to take it.
After his (second) attempt in 2003 he was hospitalized and was assigned to a
therapist who diagnosed him with combat related PTSD; which was her specialty.
After making some great progress we were relieved to have a diagnosis to his illness
and expected a long-term therapeutic relationship with this psychologist. Then she
accepted a job offer in another State a couple of months later and dumped Ed’s file
onto the desk of another therapist who knew nothing about his disorder. Meanwhile,
when Ed went to get processed at the VA hospital for mental health care, they denied
him classifying him as a Priority 8G that meant he didn’t qualify for help from the
VA. You can see a pattern of one disappointment after another. It was tough just to
get Ed to pursue any help and to really accept the fact that he needed it. Any
attempt at getting professional help would turn out to be temporary because he
Suicide Continued
would go for a few sessions and then stop with one excuse or another. This is where the
tough love of friends and family members comes into play. All I can say is- DON’T GIVE
UP ON THEM and DON’T LET THEM GIVE UP! They need you to stand by them while
they get treated for this illness on a continuous basis. It is indeed an illness. Military
PTSD, and even fire/EMS related PTSD, is disguised deeply by behavioral changes and
abnormalities that can make the common person believe- WOW! He or she has issues!
They are not issues-these people have an illness. Please seek help! If medication is
prescribed, monitor their progress very closely and communicate with all of the health
care providers involved in your family network. Become educated on the medication and
be cautious because some prescriptions will actually worsen their condition and they can
become even more at risk of suicide as was the situation with Ed.
My hope is that anyone reading this whether you are a firefighter, military veteran,
enlisted soldier, reservist, or friend or relative of one- be aware of these characteristics.
It is a real problem and professional help is a necessity to live in society. Seek help from
someone who specializes in fire/EMS or military/combat related PTSD. This condition
doesn’t ever go away. In fact, it gets progressively worse if untreated. It can mean the
difference between life and death.
My family will never be the same. My parents loved Ed as if he was their own son. Ed
was actually closer to my parents than his own. My 5 y/o son, Hunter, has accepted
that his Daddy is never coming back but he does refer to him almost daily with a story
or memory. My 3 y/o daughter, Amber Shea, refuses to accept that her Daddy is not
coming back and gets very angry with me when I try to tell her otherwise. I am left alone
as a single parent now and worst of all doubting everything that I did and did not do on
June 15th 2007 and our 9 years together-feeling very guilty about his death. Thinking
if I only knew…
Check out http://www.ptsdsupport.net/emt.html for more information on firefighter and
military Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Now that you know…please do something about it. I hope that my family’s story can
save other precious lives and families from extreme despair. Our soldiers sacrifice
everything for us…let’s not give up on them.
Cover Story
On June 22nd friends, family and colleagues gathered to roast and share fond moments
with Lt. Joe Bartlett who after 27 yrs of dedicated service is retiring on July 21, 2008.
Joe has brought great distinction to himself, the department and the fire service as a
member of the USAR FL Task Force team #2 through his expertise in crane operations
and rigging.
Through the years Joe has made quite a name for himself as a valued instructor both at
home and throughout the United States. Those who know him and have worked with
him will surely miss him.
Continued on page 28
Page 27
Page 28
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Frequently Asked Questions Continued
6. Question: What are my copays.
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9. Question: How do I change or order an additional ID card.
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