News / Upcoming Events
Flaws with Cumberland County EMS System revealed
Dec 16, 2008
For years, the firefighters in Fayetteville and in Cumberland County have known that it often took too long to get an ambulance to the scene of an emergency. We've known that, becasue we're there first, treating the sick & injured. It's not uncommon for us to wait 20-30 minutes for a medic unit, sometimes as long as an hour. Finally, someone else has realized this as well. Recently, The Fayetteville Observer has run a series of articles spotlighting the problems faced by the public and emergency responders alike. Below, click the links to read the stories on the Fayetteville Observer Website.
Waiting in Pain: an Ambulance Investigation - Solution depends on finding money
Waiting in Pain: an Ambulance Investigation - Poorly marked homes hard to find
Waiting in Pain: an Ambulance Investigation - Dispatch changes aim to cut waits
Waiting in Pain: an Ambulance Investigation - Paramedic quits 'rat race'
Fill-The-Boot
Legislation Successful
Aug 01, 2006
For the third time in 12 weeks, the PFFPNC was successful in passing legislation to benefit IAFF Locals in North Carolina. The latest legislation paves the way for IAFF Locals to conduct fill-the-boot drives on state highway and road right-of-ways inside municipalities. The boot drives help raise funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. On July 26, 2006, HB 1413 (with the PFFPNC amendment) was ratified by the North Carolina General Assembly.
Current state law, G.S. 20-175, forbids fill-the-boot activities on state right-of-ways even when they are inside the boundaries of a local government. In years past, IAFF Locals conducted fill-the-boot drives across the state on highway and road right-of-ways. The State always turned a blind eye to this type of activity.
In recent years, many cities and towns pointed to G.S. 20-175 as a liability and restricted fire fighters and paramedics from collecting money for MDA. Subsequently, the total amount of money raised dwindled. The PFFPNC asked that an amendment to overturn this General Statute be added to existing legislation.
All efforts to pass the legislation were an uphill climb from the start. Senate and House rules prohibited this type of new legislation from being considered during the short Session. Senator Martin L. Nesbitt, Jr. (D-Buncombe) introduced an enabling resolution to allow SB 2050 (The Bruce Stevens Solicitation Act) to be considered. The bill was named in honor of Bruce Stevens, a retired Charlotte fire fighter who has ALS. Both the resolution and SB 2050 were held by the Senate Rules Committee due to rule restrictions.
Senator Daniel G. Clodfelter (D-Mecklenburg) agreed to have the SB 2050 language attached to an existing bill which was eligible for consideration. The amendment language will give local governments authorization to issue a permit to an IAFF Local for fill-the-boot activities as long as the organization meets certain requirements, one of which is showing advance proof of a minimum of $2 million of liability insurance. The Insurance must provide coverage for claims against any local member participating in the boot drive and agree to hold the local government harmless. This insurance will be made available by MDA to all locals at no cost.
The legislation will
become effective December 1, 2006. IAFF Locals across the nation collected
over $22 million last year for research, therapy and vital equipment for
victims of neuromuscular diseases. The majority of money collected was through
fill-the-boot campaigns. This new law change will help locals in North Carolina
meet future challenges, especially the one between the IAFF’s 11th
and 12th Districts to collect the highest totals.
House Passes Collective Bargaining Bill
July 17, 2007
The U.S. House of Representatives has overwhelmingly passed HR 980, the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act of 2007, which guarantees collective bargaining rights for every fire fighter in the nation. The measure received widespread, bipartisan support, prompting leaders from both parties to consider the bill under an expedited procedure usually reserved for non-controversial legislation. HR 980, which cleared the House by a margin of 314-97, is the IAFF’s single most important legislative initiative.
IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger joined House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee George Miller (D-CA) – the bill’s principal sponsor – Representative Dale Kildee (D-MI), Fraternal Order of Police National President Chuck Canterbury and scores of rank-and-file fire fighters on the steps of the U.S. Capitol to celebrate this historic occasion.
“For more than 50 years, the IAFF has battled to guarantee every professional fire fighter the right to collectively bargain,” says Schaitberger. “This is truly an historic moment for our union. Today’s vote also demonstrates that we have many friends on both sides of the aisle who support our right to workplace democracy.”
“We promised to pass public safety collective bargaining, and I’m proud that our leadership team has fulfilled that pledge to America’s first responders,” adds Speaker of the House Pelosi.
Thanks to the IAFF’s aggressive grassroots efforts, HR 980 garnered 280 cosponsors, including 70 Republicans. Only 12 of the more than 2,900 bills introduced in this Congress have attained a congressional majority – 218 members – as cosponsors. “Clearly, our grassroots operation succeeded in elevating this issue and generating support across all parties in the House,” Schaitberger notes.
Passage of this legislation in the House has been a long time in the making, but is only the first step. The IAFF will now focus its efforts in the Senate and, ultimately, on lobbying the president to sign the bill into law when it reaches his desk.
HR 980 assures four basic
rights: the right to organize and form a union and be recognized as the
exclusive representative for employees within a specific fire department;
the right to bargain with respective public employers over wages and other
terms and conditions of employment; the right to have a neutral third party
assist in mediating any disputed issues; and the right to reduce negotiated
agreements into binding, legally enforceable contracts.
