January 28, 2012
IAFF Local Newswire
Join the Newswire!
Updated: Jan. 27 (23:10)
National Experts: "NH cant afford a Defined Contribution Plan"
Professional Fire Fighters of New Hampshire
01.27.12
2012 Hunting Ticket
McKeesport Firefighters
01.27.12
Call Volume for 2011
IAFF Local 939
01.27.12
UPDATE: Regional Technical Rescue - Saftey Stand Down - RESCINDED
IAFF local 1111
01.27.12
B-shift rep voting closed
Pierce County Professional Fire Fighters
01.27.12
Wills for Heroes 2012
IAFF Local 1784
01.27.12
Welcome
 
You are not currently logged in.


Save Johnstown's Firefighters , IAFF Local 463 - Johnstown's Professional Firefighters fighting back.
http://www.savejohnstownsfirefighters.com/


_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A Happy and Safe Holiday Season, from all of us at IAFF Local 463, City of Johnstown Fire Department.  Remember to water your tree, and do not overload electrical receptacles. Please visit our Photo Gallery and check out "In the Community".

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Save Johnstown's Firefighters , IAFF Local 463 - Johnstown's Professional Firefighters fighting back.
http://www.savejohnstownsfirefighters.com/


_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Have a Happy and Fire SAFE Thanksgiving!
Members of Local 463 would like to wish everyone a Happy and Fire Safe Thanksgiving!

"Thanksgiving marks the start of a very busy time for all firefighters," said Acting Fire Administrator Glenn Gaines. "Holiday decorations, heating, and increased indoor cooking all present just some of the causes of residential fires. Your place of residence should be the safest place of all. Protect it with working smoke alarms and know what to do if a fire should occur."

Deep-fried turkey has quickly grown in popularity but safety experts are concerned that backyard chefs may be sacrificing fire safety for good taste. If you absolutely must use a turkey fryer, please use the following tips:

  • Turkey fryers should always be used outdoors a safe distance from buildings and any other flammable materials.
  • Never use turkey fryers in a garage or on a wooden deck.
  • Make sure the fryers are used on a flat surface to reduce accidental tipping.
  • Never leave the fryer unattended. Most units do not have thermostat controls. If you do not watch the fryer carefully, the oil will continue to heat until it catches fire.
  • Never let children or pets near the fryer even if it is not in use. The oil inside the cooking pot can remain dangerously hot hours after use.
  • To avoid oil spillover, do not overfill the fryer.
  • Use well-insulated potholders or oven mitts when touching pot or lid handles. If possible, wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from oil splatter.
  • Make sure the turkey is completely thawed and be careful with marinades. Oil and water do not mix, and water causes oil to spill over causing a fire or even an explosion hazard.
  • The National Turkey Federation (NTF) recommends thawing the turkey in the refrigerator approximately 24 hours for every five pounds in weight.
  • Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher nearby. Never use water to extinguish a grease fire. If the fire is manageable, use your all-purpose fire extinguisher. If the fire increases, immediately call the fire department for help.
http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/media/press/2010releases/112310.shtm
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Johnstown Fire Department's Water Rescue Team gets deployed to Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. September 8, 2011

  
        Rescue team members were sent East to help out with the numerous water rescues that are occurring in the Dauphin County area. Due to heavy rainfall through the state, multiple rescue teams were called in to help. Our crews were set up at Dauphin County Station 33 (Colonial Park).
       To read a good article (by Matt Miles) about the work our crews are doing, please visit the following link.

http://www.1rbn.com/webpages/news/displaynews.aspx?ID=eac38ba7-ea8c-4184-ba68-f3b0e86dc69e

To see many more photos on this topic, please check out our photo gallery or click here.
  
 Special thanks to Matt Miles for all of these great photos. We would also like to thank www.centralpabravest.com, www.chron.com, and www.1rbn.com.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    
Very special thanks to retired Assistant Fire Chief, Art Martynuska, for the many years of service and dedication he has provided I.A.F.F. Local #463 as the union's President.


_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Bedford St. Fire: To see more photos, please go to our photo gallery and click  "On the Fireground". Photos taken courtesy of Aaron Kabler.

                                       
                                      
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Visitors: This year during Thunder in the Valley we had a few visitors at the fire station. In the picture on the left, Amy and her son were visiting family in Johnstown. Amy is a fire Chief in Taipei, Tiawan. It is the capital of and the largest city in Taiwan, with 64 fire stations.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Back at it again:
With summertime here, many people will be enjoying spending time in the cool refreshing water. With water also comes risk. Water emergencies can happen at any time, during any time of the year. Recently, our crews have been more focused on the water rescue side of the job and have been out training.


Edit
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Certification: A big role for Johnstown Firefighters

What is certification? It is the process through which an organization grants recognition to an individual, organization, process, service, or product that meets certain established criteria.

The individuals have to meet eligibility requirements, pass an examination (practical and physical), and pay a fee. There are usually ongoing requirements that need to be met, such as retesting or participating in a minimum number of continuing education activities.

The Johnstown fire department
has a number of instructors who have taught in different parts of the world, and a number of members who carry a variety of certifications that are recognized from the state up to the international level. Many of the certifications have been obtained on the individuals personal time.

Listed below are some of the certifications and the number of staff certified in it. There are 41 firefighters in IAFF Local #463
                                                                                                                                                       
Firefighter 1 37
Firefighter 2 36
First Responder 1
EMT-B 31
EMT-P 8
Basic Vehicle Rescue Technician 37
Haz-Mat Awareness 35
Haz-Mat Operations 30
Haz-Mat Technician 27
Haz-Mat Incident Commander 28
Haz-Mat EMS 1&2 1
Fire Officer 1 22
Fire Officer 2 8
Fire Officer 3 3
Fire Officer 4 3
Fire Service Instructor 1 25
Fire Service Instructor 2 8
Fire Service Instructor 3 2
Incident Safety Officer 17
Vehicle Rescue & Machinery (Core) 27
Confined Space Rescue Technician (Core) 18
Rope Rescue Technician (Core) 24
Trench 1 33
Trench 2 33
Structural Collapse Rescue Technician 5
EVOC 36
Driver Operator Aerial 29
Driver Operator Pumper 30
Fire Inspector 1 28
Fire Inspector 2 10
Fire Investigator 2
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Johnstown firefighters obtain Trench Rescue Levels 1 and 2 certifications.



With a massive sewer project about to take place in the city, rescue crews recently got certified as Trench Rescue Technicians, both at levels 1 and 2. In the picture above, crews are simulating a trench rescue situation with a buried victim. Each year on average, trench related accidents kill 100 people and injure 1000 to 1500 more.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Members of the Johnstown Technical Rescue Team train for ice rescue emergencies.

On Sunday, February 13th 2011,  crews were out training on Hinkston Run Dam for ice rescue emergencies. Crews were not only practicing removing a victim who has fallen through the ice, but also performing self rescues, in case THEY were to accidentally fall through the ice.

Gauging the strength of ice is very difficult. There is no such thing as 100% safe ice.
  • Never walk or drive on cloudy ice
  • Only go on clear, thick ice
  • Spring ice is NEVER safe
  • The thickness of ice is never consistent - it will be flat on top, but not on the bottom
  • Snow on ice acts as an insulator - it makes ice warmer and weaker
  • Ice formed over running water (rivers & streams) is more dangerous than ice formed over standing water (lakes & ponds

What if you fall in?

What should you do? First, try not to panic. This may be easier said than done, unless you have worked out a survival plan in advance. Read through these steps so that you can be prepared.

  1. Don't remove your winter clothing. Heavy clothes won't drag you down, but instead can trap air to provide warmth and flotation. This is especially true with a snowmobile suit.
  2. Turn toward the direction you came. That’s probably the strongest ice.
  3. Place your hands and arms on the unbroken surface. This is where a pair of nails, sharpened screwdrivers or ice picks come in handy in
    providing the extra traction you need to pull yourself up onto the ice.
  4. Kick your feet and dig in your ice picks to work your way back onto the solid ice. If your clothes have trapped a lot of water, you may have to lift yourself partially out of the water on your elbows to let the water drain before starting forward.
  5. Lie flat on the ice once you are out and roll away from the hole to keep your weight spread out. This may help prevent you from breaking through again.
  6. Get to a warm, dry, sheltered area and re-warm yourself immediately. In moderate to severe cases of cold water hypothermia, you must seek medical attention. Cold blood trapped in your extremities can come rushing back to your heart after you begin to re-warm. The shock of the
    chilled blood may cause ventricular fibrilation leading to a heart attack and death! 
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
It's that time of year!

You can help your fire department by shoveling out the hydrants nearest your homes and businesses. This simple act helps firefighters find the hydrants faster and also cuts down on the time that otherwise would be required to clear the hydrant first in the event of a fire. Seconds and minutes count! Below you will find an example of a buried hydrant, and another example of one properly cleared of snow.

            

Please take the time to check out the local news clip about keeping hydrants clear of snow.    http://www.wjactv.com/video/26657004/index.html

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Recently Retired:

We would like to thank our latest retirees; Assistant Chief Chris Selfridge (20 years), Assistant Chief Joe Moehler (26 years), Captain Mike Slezak (22 years), Firefighter Dan Rosko (20 years), Firefighter Greg Ressler (20 years),
Assistant Chief Greg Sprincz (22 years), Firefighter John Vince Kondash (18 years), Captain Mark Piljay (20 years) and Assistant Chief Art Martynuska (20 years) for their years of dedication and service to Local 463. We wish you the best of luck!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Technical Rescue Team Windmill Training:



On November 3, 2010, members of the IAFF Local 463 Johnstown Fire Department's technical rescue team practice rescuing an injured worker from the top of the windmill. With wind energy becoming more popular to this area,  companies are building new and expanding current wind farms. This also creates more chances of a high altitude injury that our technical rescue team must prepared for. Please visit our photo gallery for more pictures (and many more to come soon) of the TRT Windmill Training. Special thanks to Everpower and Nordex for allowing us to do this training.

Below is a link to the media coverage from WJACTV:

http://www.wjactv.com/news/25625491/detail.html
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Check your Batteries!


The IAFF Local 463 would like to remind everyone to PLEASE
check their smoke detector batteries. Smoke detectors save lives, only when they are working. If your detector is 10 or more years old, it should be replaced. If you are a resident of the City of Johnstown looking to add or replace smoke detectors in your residence and are unsure of where or how to install them, please contact us and we will gladly come out and do it for you.
What's New at IAFF 463
Cancer Update

Posted On: Oct 28, 2010 (20:08:39)

Brothers and Sisters:

The Fire Fighter Cancer Presumption Bill (HB 1231) passed the Pennsylvania Senate yesterday by a vote of 45 to 4.  It now goes back to the State House for concurrence.  The bill has been placed on the House calendar for November 8.  If the House concurs then the bill goes to the Governor for his signature.

The road to where we are now has taken 25 years.  This is the closest that we have ever been. 

The work that you all have done has been outstanding and I have never be prouder of any group.

Our adversaries on the legislation have been putting out a lot of disinformation about the bill. 

They are trying to scare local elected officials into speaking out negatively about the legislation.

We have seen things in print that say the legislation covers all cancers, when in reality it is a select list of cancers that affect fire fighters.

We have also seen that the presumptive period is for lifetime. In reality it covers for 300 weeks and then another 300 with a different presumptive level.

Additionally, the opponents to the legislation are telling folks that the presumption in non-rebuttable, when in actuality it is  rebuttable just like any other workers compensation claim.

The PPFFA has worked diligently with both the House of Representatives and the Senate to craft language that addressed all concerns with the bill.

To have these opposing  groups come out against the bill after they had every chance to be at the table is wrong

The compromises contained in the bill addressed all of the concerns, now there are more concerns?   I don’t think so.

The legislation is what it is, it’s in black and white, to try and pull off an eleventh hour coup by fabricating and distorting information goes beyond politics. Now we’re playing with fire fighter’s lives.

If you’re speaking with your local elected officials and they have concerns or questions about the information they may have received I would be more than happy to speak to them directly on the issue.

Our position is not propaganda it’s fact, not the fiction our opponents are peddling. 

What do we need now?

We need you to contact your state representatives today and ask them to vote in favor of concurrence when the bill comes up in the house.

Please get the word out to your membership and have them, their families and friends reach out to their state representatives.

We can see the light at the end of the 25 year tunnel. 

Let’s keep the momentum going that we have generated.

Again, thanks for all of your efforts!

Art
Photos Added

Updated On: Nov 07, 2010 (21:07:00)
Photo Galleries have been updated! Come back soon to see even more up to date photos!
Contact Your Representatives!
 Enter Your Zip code:
 
Organize Today!
Looking for more information on Organizing your workplace?
Click Here


77212 visitors since Jan 01, 2008
Member Login
Username:

Password:


Not registered yet?
Click Here to sign-up.

Forgot Your Login?
Site Search
Site Map
RSS Feeds
Shift Schedule
A Platoon (Daylight)
B Platoon (Daylight)
C Platoon (Daylight)
D Platoon (Daylight)
<<  January 2012  >>
S M T W T F S
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31
Important Links
PPFFA
IAFF
Allentown Local 302
Altoona Local 299
Bellevue Local 4014
Bethlehem Local 735
Chambersburg Local 1813
Chester Local 1400
Dunmore Local 860
Erie Local 293
Greater Hanover Local 2045
Greater York 2377
Greenville Local 1976
Harrisburg Local 428
Lancaster Local 319
Lebanon Local 1952
Luzerne County Local 840
Meadville Local 515
McKeesport Local 10
Philadelphia Local 22
Pittsburgh Local 1
Scranton Local 60
Swissvale Local 1680
Uniontown Local 955
Upper Darby Local 2493
Warren Local 1835
Wilkes-Barre 104
Williamsport Local 736
York Local 627
Gallardy Fund
Anne Arundel County IAFF Local 1563
PPFFA Store
IAFF Web Listings
Google
Weather Report
Visit Unions-America.com!
 Top of Page © Copyright 2012, Johnstown Professional Fire Fighters, All Rights Reserved.
Powered By UnionActive™
Hide the Right Hand Column