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INTERNATIONAL Tennessee Fire Fighters Rebuild — Page 16 contents MAY/JUNE 2010 JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE FIGHTERS / VOL 93. NO. 3. P. 12 Bigger Crews, Better Public Safety FEATURES ON THE COVER: Bigger Crews, Better Public Safety New study shows crew size matters .................................. 12 Tennessee Fire Fighters Rebuild Flooding devastates Southeast communities ...................... 16 ISO Ratings Classifications help fire departments keep resources .......... 18 General President’s Message Justice for Fallen Texas Fire Fighters SAFER Process Proves Political Action Pays Off ............ 3 Lawsuit filed against truck maker ........................................ 20 General Secretary-Treasurer’s Message IAFF 50th Convention on Horizon .................................... 5 Letters to the Editor .................................................... 6 Local Scene .................................................................. 8 Always On the Frontline .......................................... 21 Fully Involved .............................................................. 26 Across the IAFF .......................................................... 29 On the Road ................................................................ 34 Retirees P. 32 Gulf Oil spill clean up .......................................................................... 35 In Memoriam/Last Alarm .......................................... 38 Canadian Legislative P. 16 Conference On The Cover New study shows effects of crew size on fire fighting operations. —page 12 May/June 2010 2 From the General President SAFER Process Proves Political Action Pays Off hat had been a trickle of Staffing for The distribution of these crucial SAFER grants Adequate Fire and Emergency Response and the restoration of so many of your jobs W(SAFER) funding finally is turning into a illustrates that our new strategy is working. It also steady stream. illustrates the importance of our political action The fifth and sixth rounds of funding released efforts. May 21 and May 28 by the U.S. Department of We’re seeing what happens when we get involved Homeland Security (DHS) have brought another in elections and have a president in the White wave of grants to departments that have had to lay House who doesn’t treat labor like an enemy. off fire fighters because the recession continues to We’re seeing what happens when a friendly wreak havoc on the budgets of the municipalities administration is in charge and appoints our allies Harold A. that employ you. to agencies that matter to us. We could ask for no Schaitberger The Federal Emergency Management Agency better person in charge at the U.S. Department of (FEMA) released $27.2 million in the eight days Homeland Security than Secretary Janet from May 21 to May 28, and $108 million in the Napolitano. two months since March 31. Under Secretary Napolitano’s leadership, DHS But I know many of you who have been burned accepted our recommendations for amending the From California by this recession are still waiting for help. I can say SAFER rules in order to direct grant funds to fire confidently that much more help is on the way very departments so they can rehire fire fighters who to Maine, soon. Because of our efforts on your behalf, FEMA have been laid off and restore positions that are not has prioritized the grants appropriately, and this being filled as a result of the current financial crisis. departments in crucial funding is getting to departments that have The secretary also helped us by delaying the 2009 29 states have had layoffs. application process to ensure that the $210 million By our estimate, the grants have restored an that Congress appropriated for SAFER for Fiscal received a grant estimated 1,000 jobs for the men and women on the Year 2009 would be available under the new through the frontlines so far. From California to Maine, guidelines. departments in 29 states have received a grant And when the SAFER process failed us in the first SAFER program. through the SAFER program. round of funding — because grants weren’t being Not every department that needs funding has directed to departments with layoffs — we were received a SAFER grant, and the sad truth is that able to get an audience with FEMA. We raised this economy has pushed demand far beyond the awareness about bureaucratic problems and supply of funds. successfully made our case for significant changes in But we have made a significant difference, and the awards process. much more help is on the way. The grants FEMA is We would not have succeeded without the distributing now are fulfilling the $210 million presence of friends, and I can’t emphasize it enough available to us in Fiscal Year 2009. Another $420 — we are benefiting from our political action. million has been appropriated for Fiscal Year 2010 Political action is allowing us to weather this and will be available under the new guidelines we economic storm. It is extending a lifeline to fire negotiated. The grants available to us in Fiscal Year departments hard hit by the recession. 2010 will restore another 3,400 jobs. It has taken our members from the If we hadn’t inserted ourselves so forcefully into unemployment line to the frontlines. the process, it’s safe to say that things would look I’d hate to think where we would be without these very different today. I am confident we have SAFER grants. prevented unnecessary spending on new hires and And I’d hate to think where we’d be without an ensured that these crucial grants are used to restore aggressive political action plan. jobs and preserve public safety. Funding new positions may be acceptable during an economic boom, but in this desperate economic climate it was important for us to embrace a new strategy. 50th Convention Update Make sure you check out our convention web site for updates: www.iaffconvention2010.com As we get closer to August, we will have important updates on the web site that will be useful to you as you plan for the 50th IAFF Convention in San Diego. International Fire Fighter 3 INTERNATIONAL Harold A. Schaitberger General President Harold A. Schaitberger, Thomas H. Miller Editor Jane Blume, General Secretary-Treasurer Managing Editor IAFF EXECUTIVE BOARD 10th District Kristin Craine, James T. Ferguson Staff Writer 1st District Bill Glanz, 3029 Buchanan Street Staff Writer Kevin Gallagher Tim Burn, San Francisco, CA 94123-4201 Staff Writer 2004 E. 29th Street (415) 760-8063 (Cell) Kristin Davis, Graphic Artist Brooklyn, NY 11229 (415) 474-4121 (Fax) Katie Shelton, 11th District (718) 934-4933 (Office) Administrative Assistant Sandy McGhee Craig Renfro, (917) 767-9639 (Cell) Advertising Director • (972) 416-9782 • [email protected] (718) 332-0001 (Fax) 1283 S. Detroit Avenue Periodical postage paid at Postmasters send changes 2nd District Tulsa, OK 74120 Washington, DC of address to Mark Woolbright (918) 599-8176 (Office) Published bi-monthly. IAFF (918) 855-8228 (Cell) 115 McMennamy Road Subscription price $18 per year. 1750 New York Avenue NW (918) 599-9176 (Fax) St. Peters, MO 63376 International Fire Fighter Washington, D.C. 20006 12th District (314) 393-9755 (Cell) (ISSN 0020-6733) Larry Osborne (636) 397-1572 (Office) Official publication of and © Copyright (636) 397-3809 (Fax) 8743 Ricardo Lane 2010 by the 3rd District INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF Printed in USA Jacksonville, FL 32216-3536 ® A. Michael Mullane (904) 641-5407 (Home) FIRE FIGHTERS (904) 219-8656 (Cell) Publications Mail Agreement No. 1492438 Return undeliverable Canadian 50 North Bayfield Road 13th District addresses to: P.O. Box 122 Niagara Falls, Ontario L2E658 North Quincy, MA 02171 Bruce Carpenter Email: [email protected] (617) 328-7202 (Home) INTERNATIONAL STAFF (617) 288-2100 (Office) 12 Lockview Crescent Peter L. Gorman Don Copley 4th District St. Catharines, ON L2M 2T3 Chief of Staff Assistant to the Baldwin Robertson William V. Taylor (905) 687-2455 (Cell) Legal Counsel General Secretary-Treasurer for 14th District Rich Duffy Budget and Finance 206 Inlet Drive Assistant to the Ken Long Danny Todd Assistant to the Pasadena, MD 21122 General President for Occupational 3740 Northcliffe Drive Health Safety and Medicine General Secretary-Treasurer for (410) 317-5546 (Office) Jeff Zack Human Resources and General Memphis, TN 38128 Assistant to the General (443) 324-2529 (Cell) Administration (410) 317-5548 (Fax) (901) 377-6549 (Home) President for Information and Joan Dubiel 5th District 15th District Technology Scott Marks Auxiliary President to the IAFF Joseph M. Conway Jr. James A. Fennell Assistant to the General President for Canadian 8826 Black Horse Rd 821 Williamson Street 181 Ellerdale Street Operations Baytown TX 77523 Lori Moore-Merrell Madison, WI 53703-3547 St. John East, NB E2J 2L8 (281) 573-3285 Assistant to www.aiaff.org (608) 257-2030 (Office) (506) 693-9710 (Home) the General President for Member Thomas Mulcrone 6th District (506) 658-2955 (Office/Station) Services, Technical Assistance and 16th District IAFF Chaplain Lorne West Information Resources IAFF Headquarters Office James B. Johnson Patrick J. Morrison Assistant to Box 581 Stn. Ft. Langley 1750 New York Ave. NW 3195 Dayton-Xenia Road the General President for Education Langley, BC Canada V1M2R9 Training and Human Relations Washington DC 20006 Suite 900-303 Kevin O’Connor (202) 737-8484 (Office) (604) 574-5785 (Office) Assistant to the (604) 868-8730 (Cell) Beavercreek, OH 45434-6390 (202) 737-8418 (Fax) (202) 360-1318 (Cell) General President