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Brother Scott Ross hung his turnout coat up for the last time today at LAO. Joined by so many, including two Fire Chiefs - Marrone and Osby, and his family, Brother Brennon Ross of Fire Station 57 and Sister Sara Ross, a 911 Dispatcher, he hung his coat on the famed wall in the apparatus floor at TSS LAO. Scott has put in more than 33 years of service and came from Inglewood Fire and quickly found his way and was called as a PEER Support Team Lead. Ross was one of the original Critical Incident Stress Management team members when the curriculum was just being invented and neither popular nor officially recognized.
Our members, their families, and brothers and sisters around the nation have benefitted immensely from Scott’s dedication and perseverance to help others in their darkest times. He has responded as part of the IAFF Team to mass shootings, burn-overs, building collapses, multiple firefighter fatalities, suicides, and more, representing LA County Fire Department and Local 1014. Leading partners from FDNY, Chicago, Phoenix, San Diego, Cal Fire, San Fransisco, Orange County, LA City Fire, Redding, Sacramento, and virtually every Department and Union in the Nation, he has conducted debriefings, diffusing, and followup PEER and Clinician work to save lives.
Scott has worked with President Gillotte and Dr. Steve Froehlich to write and get into law every piece of PEER Support Law governing training, standards, PTSI Presumption, and funding for our teams that now are found in almost every fire department in the US and Canada. We have the strongest, largest and most robust PEER Support Team in the nation with integrated Chaplain Services with Vince Roldan and Steve Blackburn at the helm. Under Scott and his team, we have also put into place PEER Support Team members from our retirees, non-sworn, and Lifeguard Division members and we take care of everyone. We have seen tragedy more than most departments with Granite Mountain, Route 91, Sierra Incident, and more, and Scott Ross and our PEER Support Teams have been taking care of us every step of the way.
We also now have resiliency training and proactive PEER work for our new members and we are taking steps to get ahead of behavioral health issues we face throughout our career. Scott also pushed us into the new age of PEER Support Dogs with Brother Jake Wendell, and our program is now the envy of the nation and Canada.
We wish Brother Scott Ross and his family all the good tidings retirement can offer, and we thank him for his work on behalf of our members, members nationally, and our families. |
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AFF Instructor Development Conference
President Gillotte joined IAFF Leaders from around the nation and Canada for the Annual IAFF Instructor Development Conference. Serving on the National EMS Committee, President Gillotte, and District appointees worked to set policies relating to fire-based EMS from coast to coast and into Canada. Paramedic and EMT and response policies from NEMSAQ, EMSA, US Fire Administration, National Registry, and accreditation agencies, along with federal and state law, are the theaters for the work to ensure our Fire Based EMS systems are healthy and funded with many threats from the private sectors and Law Enforcement and Hospital jurisdictions chasing our work.
In addition, President Gillotte was joined by Brother Scott Ross, who is a subject matter expert for the Behavioral Health Committee, Brother Derek Urwin, who is our research scientist serving the Cancer Prevention Committee, and Brother Mike Ritchie and retired Chief and Brother Derek Alkonis, on the Fire Ground Survival and Fit For Life Committees. The work was accomplished at the Carpenters Union National Training Facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, and our thanks to the great Carpenters Union, with over 500,000 members, for hosting our delegation from the US and Canada.
Special thanks also to Brother Alex Hamilton of the Oxnard Fire Department and Kerry Romela of Phoenix Fire and Firestrong for their help on the Behavioral Health Committee and with issues in our own department through the years.
Training and education combined with networking and solidarity in pushing policy and law affecting our membership is how we stay safe and have the best equipment and practices for our members to do their jobs. |
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It is with a sad heart that the Los Angeles County Firefighter’s Benefit & Welfare is asking for support for the family of Firefighter James O Taylor. James was taken from us on Wednesday, November 13th at the age of 56. James was the sole support for his family. We ask that you look into your hearts and give support to this Firefighter’s family.
If you find yourself struggling, please reach out to one of our trained Peer Support Team Members. Please click the Peer Support Team Roster, which includes your colleagues in the LACoFD who will maintain your confidentiality and provide you with support during difficult times.
The Local 1014 / LACoFD Behavioral Health and Peer Support Programs are here for our members and families, and we are ready to assist with free services that are 100% confidential and supported by both specialized Mental Health Professionals and highly-trained Peer Support Team Members (many of whom have been through the same issues that you may be experiencing right now). YOU ARE NOT ALONE. |
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Negotiations
This week, again, Local 1014 met with the Department for contract negotiations. We are still actively and aggressively negotiating for items for the betterment of our membership.
Next week, due to Thanksgiving, we will not be meeting. In the second week of December, we will reconvene our negotiations with the Department. In the meantime, we are breaking down everything thing from the budget over the last five years to the Department's projected budget for the next 3-5 years. We are also reviewing thoroughly the answers to the requests for information we have gotten back. These responses have led us down other paths to ensure we leave no stone unturned. It is critical that we do our due diligence and work through each item methodically so we can ensure we fight to get a fair contract that meets the needs of all our members.
Local 1014 continues the fight at the bargaining table and at the State level for Plan C parity. We will keep you up to date as negotiations evolve. Fighting for you is also fighting for your families. We are all family in this together.
Captains Recruitment/Emergency Hiring
Local 1014 and training services have been receiving many calls about the emergency hiring process for Captain. Local 1014 and training services will host a webinar in early December to explain how we got here, this emergency process, expectations, and answered questions. The platform will be similar for those who attended the Plan C Retirement Planning Webinar.
Please check your Friday messages in the coming weeks for registration and the process for pre-submitting questions. |
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We have posted the video link of this webinar as well as a copy of the PowerPoint presentation to the Local 1014 website. Please log in to the "Member Home" to view.
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The holiday season is a time for celebration, but it can also bring financial stress!
The International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) through the IAFF Wealth Management Initiative (WMI) is hosting an engaging workshop that will equip you with practical tips and strategies for mindful spending during the holidays. We’ll cover:
• Creating a realistic holiday budget
• Smart shopping tips to save money
• How to prioritize gifts and experiences
• Strategies for avoiding impulse purchases
The IAFF Wealth Management Initiative (WMI) was launched in 2022 by the IAFF-FC to provide IAFF members and retirees access to financial strategies for every stage of their careers.
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By now everyone should have received your 1014 Election Ballot. If you have not, please contact the Union office immediately at 800-334-6285.
Remember:
- Ballots must be postmarked by U.S. Postal Service and received at the Post Office Box by 10:00 a.m. on Monday, November 25, 2024, in order to be counted!
- No hand-carried ballots will be accepted at the Union Hall or at the Post Office.
Ballots will be counted on Monday, November 25th by California Elections Company (CEC) and results will be posted to the web and sent to stations and sites.
Thank you in advance for your vote and your voice. As always, stay safe and take care of each other.
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In Solidarity,
President Dave Gillotte and the Local 1014 Executive Board |
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