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C ROSSTECH, G ORE, a nd d esigns a re t rademarks o f W .L. G ore & A ssociates, I nc. Fall 2017 Fire Fighter Quarterly vol. 100 no.4 22 i 12 26 Cover Features Departments 22 Fully Involved 12 Congratulations to Media Awards n 5 From the General President Working the frontlines of Contest Winners the California wildfires Recognizing affiliates for their best work n 7 From the General in communicating with their members Secretary-Treasurer ON THE COVER PHOTO CREDIT: and the public Steven Whitby n 9 Letters 18 When Tragedy Strikes, IAFF Members Respond n 10 Noteworthy News Stories of bravery and selflessness emerge amid horrific mass shooting n 24 Local Scene 20 Hurricane Irma Tests Members’ Resolve n 26 Across the IAFF Overcoming challenges to assist members n 36 On the Road in storm’s path n 37 Retirees n 42 Never Forget n 43 Last Alarm Download the IAFF Frontline App The IAFF app is available for Apple, Android Connect with and Blackberry devices. Download the the IAFF latest update today using this QR Code. Visit Fire Fighter Quarterly online at www.iaff.org/mag 3 QUARTERLY Harold A. Schaitberger General President Harold A. Schaitberger , editor Edward A. Kelly General Secretary-Treasurer Jeff Zack , Supervising editor Jane Blume , Director of Communications, Managing editor IAFF EXECUTIVE BOARD 11th District Sandy McGhee Mark Treglio , Staff Writer Kristin Craine , Staff Writer Tim Burn , Staff Writer 1st District 1283 S. Detroit Avenue Kristin Hazlett , Graphic Designer Michelle Yuen , Assistant Graphic Designer James Slevin Tulsa, OK 74120 Mesha Williams , Staff Writer Meghan BouHabib, editorial Assistant 167 Rockaway Avenue (918) 855-8228 (Cell) Garden City, NY 11530 Cindy Pinkney , Administrative Assistant (917) 757-6388 (Cell) 12th District Craig Renfro , Advertising Director • (972) 416-9782 • [email protected] (347) 903-1529 (Office) Walter J. Dix (347) 343-5720 (Fax) 2650 W State Road 84 Periodical postage paid at Washington, DC and 1750 New York Avenue, N.W. Suite 104 additional mailing offices. Washington, D.C. 20006-5395 2nd District Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33312-4882 Postmasters send changes of Mark Woolbright Published quarterly (954) 444-8111 (Cell) address to: 115 McMennamy Road Subscription price $18 per year. (954) 349-0331 (Home) IAFF St. Peters, MO 63376 Fire Fighter Quarterly (Print) 1750 New York Avenue, N.W. (314) 393-9755 (Cell) 13th District (ISSN 2333-3669) Washington, D.C. 20006-5395 (636) 397-1572 (Office) Fred LeBlanc Fire Fighter Quarterly (Online) (636) 397-3809 (Fax) 317 Avenue Road (ISSN 2333-3685) Kingston, Ontario K7M 1C8 Official publication of and 3rd District (613) 328-2195 (Cell) © Copyright 2017 by the Jay Colbert INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION 20 Henry Ave. 14th District OF FIRE FIGHTERS ® Printed in USA Somerville, MA 02144-2604 Danny Todd Publications Mail Agreement No. 40065725 Canada Post: Return undeliverables to (617) 307-8076 (Cell) 5150 Stage Rd. Suite 103 P.O. Box 2601, 6915 Dixie Rd, Mississauga, ON L4T 0A9. Memphis, TN 38128 4th District (901) 377-6549 (Home) Andrew K. Pantelis INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE STAFF AUXILIARY TO THE IAFF 16701 Melford Blvd. 15th District Terra McKenzie Suite 124 David Burry Jim Lee Chief of Staff President Bowie, MD 20715 16 Indian Pond Place Mathew Golsteyn Chief of Operations (217) 424-5687 (301) 674-3448 (Cell) CBS, NL A1X6P8 [email protected] (709) 744-2709 (Home) Doug Steele Legal Counsel www.aiaff.com 5th District (709) 689-7574 (Cell) Patrick J. Morrison Assistant to the General Thomas Thornberg President for Occupational Health, Safety and IAFF CHAPLAIN 23594 Ulysses St. NE 16th District Medicine Father Thomas Mulcrone East Bethel, MN 55005 James B. Johnson (612) 290-8015 (Cell) 3195 Dayton-Xenia Road Jeff Zack Assistant to the General President IAFF Headquarters Office (612) 222-5706 (Office) Suite 900-303 for Media, Communications and Information 1750 New York Ave. NW Beavercreek, OH 45434-6390 Systems Washington DC 20006 6th District (202) 360-1318 (Cell) Scott Marks Assistant to the General President (202) 737-8484 (Office) Michael Hurley for Canadian Operations (202) 737-8418 (Fax) 8023 19th Avenue TRUSTEES Lori Moore-Merrell Assistant to the General IAFF Canadian Office Burnaby, BC Canada V3N1G2 Mark S. Ouellette President for Member Services, Technical 350 Sparks St. Suite 403 (604) 219-4966 (Cell) 556 Aeolian Drive Assistance and Information Resources Ottawa Ontario, Canada K1R7S8 New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168 7th District (613) 567-8988 (Office) (386) 314-5837 (Cell) James Ridley Assistant to the General Ricky Walsh (613) 567-8986 (Fax) P.O. Box 5604 President for Education, Training and Human Alex Forrest Relations West Richland, WA 99353 303-83 Garry Street (509) 999-3090 (Cell) Winnipeg,MB R3C-419 Canada Dave Lang Assistant to the General President IAFF FINANCIAL CORPORATION (204) 783-1733 (Office) for Governmental and Public Policy Carrie Tucker 8th District Chief Operating Officer Mark Sanders (204) 791-4980 (Cell) Warren May Assistant to the 10527 Winding Way (204) 255-0383 (Home) General Secretary-Treasurer for Finance and E-18 MEDIA Harrison, OH 45030-2043 (204) 253-0496 (Station) Membership Marty Sonnenberg (513) 260-2381 (Cell) (204) 772-2531 (Fax) Elizabeth Harman Assistant to Executive Producer Anthony Mejia the General President for Grants 9th District Administration and HazMat/WMD Training Ray R. Rahne 2859 Albury Avenue 3444 S. Newland Ct. Long Beach, CA 90815 (562) 989-3667 (Office) Lakewood, CO 80277 EMERITI OFFICERS Gerald O. Holland (303) 619-2462 (Cell) (562) 212-2055 (Cell) Michael J. Crouse (303) 988-0177 (Home) President Emeritus Ernest A. “Buddy” Mass Alfred K. Whitehead GENERAL COUNSEL Terry A. Ritchie 10th District Thomas Woodley Secretary-Treasurer Emeritus Dominick F. Barbera Kevin Gallagher Frank Lima Woodley & McGillivary Frank A. Palumbo 1571 Beverly Boulevard Thomas H. Miller Bruce Carpenter Los Angeles, CA 90026-5704 James A. Fennell (213) 507-6317 (Cell) Vice President Emeritus William V. Taylor (213) 485-2091 ext. 1 (Office) Russell P. Cerami Lorne West James L. Hill James T. Ferguson Elliott Hastings Trustee Emeritus Dominick C. DiPaulo William McGrane Robert E. Palmer Dennis Lloyd Charles L. Buss 4 FIRE FIGHTER QUARTERLY FALL 2017 Why Should We Be Organized? In 1918, our IAFF’s founders came together to unite fire fighters for better want to pay any union dues or fees to help wages, improved safety and to ensure that our members were provided the cover the cost for the collective bargaining tools and safeguards they needed to provide the best service to the expenses that got him that contract or the communities they took an oath to protect. benefits it provides. Now, as we get ready to celebrate our 100th anniversary in 2018, it’s If the Supreme Court eliminates fair share, important to reflect on the progress we’ve seen over the last century. this becomes a clear case of freeloading or It was this union that blazed the trail and pioneered the work that has led freeriding, which 100 years ago was called to improvements in wages, working conditions, safety and health, dead weight. pensions and many other benefits and protections that make our is same question was brought before profession the incredible career it is today. the Court in 2016 in Friedrichs v. California Harold A. Schaitberger A century ago, at a time when fire fighters worked seven days a week, Teachers Association . at case ended in a had little benefits and safety meant putting a wet towel over their faces 4-4 deadlock, as the death of Justice before running into the flames, leaders of the IAFF became the voice of fire Antonin Scalia kept the current laws in place. However, his replacement — fighters, the protector of the protectors. Justice Neil Gorsuch — appointed by President Trump, is expected to tip Back then, when our union represented only a fraction of the professional the scales towards overturning the Court’s four-decades-old ruling. is fire fighters across the United States and Canada, it was very tough work. would, in essence, create national right-to-work for all public employees Over the years, as we’ve accomplished more and more on behalf of our across the nation. members, more and more fire fighters have joined our movement.