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Dry winter threatens to increase fire danger
Napa Valley Register
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Through the end of February, CalFire had more than 400 reports of wildfires burning more than 600 acres, spokesman Daniel Berlant said. Over that same period last year, it had about 125 fires burning 150 acres, he said. Coupled with the fact that the state is also experiencing one of its driest winters on record, Berlant said the trend is toward more wildfires in the state this year.
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Santa Ana disbands fire department in bid to rescue budget
Los Angeles Times
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The Santa Ana firehouse is dotted with reminders of the department's proud 128-year history. On March 5, however, the Santa Ana Fire Department reached a final milestone. Officials gathered for a ceremony to mark the City Council's decision to disband the department and have the Orange County Fire Authority handle fires and medical calls for Orange County's second-largest city.
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Pension measure headed to San Jose ballot
San Jose Mercury News
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After years of cutting budgets and months of postponing a tough vote, the San Jose City Council put a measure on the June ballot that would trim city worker pensions whose ballooning costs have devoured funding for city services. It promises to make the city a focal point in the national push for pension reform, heading into what is certain to be an expensive and bitter campaign.
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$2,239.32 raised for CSFA Scholarship Fund through 'Selfless Service' painting
CSFA
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 Through an online Ebay auction, an onsite auction at Firehouse World and sales through the Thomas Kinkade of Napa Valley Gallery, $2,239.32 has been raised for the CSFA Scholarship Fund.
California artist Thomas Kinkade's fire-service themed work "Selfless Service" has certainly connected with firefighters and collectors, and a portion of the sales of the image through the Thomas Kinkade Signature Gallery of Napa Valley benefit the CSFA Scholarship Fund.
"Selfless Service" is available in three sizes and the standard image size is limited to just 911 copies — a true limited edition that honors the service and sacrifice of the September 11 First Responders. The Thomas Kinkade of Napa Valley Gallery continues to offer CSFA members a discount on the "Selfless Service" framed print. For details on the discount, members must call the gallery at 707-258-8200. Ten percent of all sales from CSFA purchases will be donated to the CSFA Scholarship Fund.
Norm Waters, who warned domestic eco-terrorists, passes
CSFA
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Smoldering Thoughts
by Gary Giacomo
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If you live long enough you see changes that you can categorize as 'trends;' sometimes those trends mark the end of eras. Such was the case on Feb. 26 when former Democratic Assemblyman Norm Waters, died at the age of 86 at his Amador County home. Before ascending to the state Assembly in 1976, Waters was a County Supervisor in Amador County, and as a young reporter for the Amador Ledger, I watched Waters work the retail side of politics better than anyone. He knew the people who had sent him to Sacramento, could just as easily throw him out in the next election. Most of his district was only a 60-to-90 minute drive from the capitol, and Waters was often a fixture at pancake breakfasts, parades and county fairs throughout his sprawling district.
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Angeles National Forest seeks supervisory forestry technician
CSFA
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The Santa Clara Mojave Rivers Ranger District of the Angeles National Forest is conducting an outreach to fill a vacant Supervisory Forestry Technician — Assistant District Fire Management Officer position. This notification is being circulated to inform prospective applicants of this employment opportunity. Please apply no later than March 23.
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Fire Officer and Fire Tech classes
CSFA
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Fire Officer and Fire Tech classes are available online. Registration closes soon!
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Long Beach fire officials will re-establish lateral fire department academy
Contra Costa Times
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Recent pension concessions have led the way for a lateral fire department academy, the first since 2008, officials announced recently. The academy will seek to fill 24 budgeted vacancies and reduce forced call-backs and expensive overtime for the Long Beach Fire Department. Because the academy will train lateral recruits, or those who have already been put through the paces of a fire academy with another agency, it will take only eight weeks — about half the time to complete as a full academy.
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Forest Service Chief: Aerial firefighting fleet insufficient
The Press-Enterprise
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U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell told Congress that his agency's diminished and aging fleet of firefighting air tankers is insufficient to combat the nation's increasingly severe blazes. Air tankers are a central component of the Forest Service's firefighting operations, particularly in Inland Southern California, where communities are surrounded by rugged terrain and are accessible by only a few roads. But the number of air tankers at the agency's disposal has fallen from 43 to 11 in the last 12 years.
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Congressmember Capps pulls in grant funds for firefighters
Examiner
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Central Coast Congressmember Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, recently announced a $49,000 grant for City of San Luis Obispo firefighters. Under Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters Grant program, the award is specifically for state-of-the-art thermal imaging equipment. Infrared technology imaging cameras see in the dark and through smoke. Associated equipment can allow emergency commanders to see what first responders see. When minutes can mean the difference between life and death, these cameras have saved the lives of firefighters and citizens alike.
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Possible bone marrow match for firefighter
San Diego Union-Tribune
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A hospitalized San Diego firefighter suffering from leukemia got a dose of good cheer when his colleagues presented him with a pin for his 20 years of service. They also got to celebrate with Arsenio "RC" Ortanez the good news that a possible bone marrow match has been found for him. The 46-year-old firefighter was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia in 2007. He had been told finding a donor soon was crucial.
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Murrieta fire chief proposes charging emergency fees
The Press-Enterprise
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Murrieta Fire Chief Matt Shobert is proposing the city begin charging residents for emergency medical care. Under the plan, Murrieta would charge $350 every time its firefighter paramedics respond to a medical emergency. Residents could avoid the fee by opting to pay a $48 annual "subscription" charge. Shobert said the Fire Department had cut overtime, administrative jobs and other expenses over the past two years. Without new revenue, the department faces having to close stations, cut firefighters or introduce other money-saving measures.
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No raises for San Luis Obispo firefighters in new contract
The Tribune
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The San Luis Obispo City Council has narrowly ratified a four-year contract with the city's firefighters union that foregoes raises, calls for employees to pay more toward their pensions and reduces retirement benefits for new hires. The two-tier plan changes the pension formula for new hires so that they would have to work five years longer to obtain the same retirement benefits that current employees receive.
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LA fire crew rescues woman from burning apartment
The Associated Press via San Francisco Chronicle
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Los Angeles firefighters rescued a 19-year-old woman trapped inside her burning second-floor apartment in the San Fernando Valley. Fire spokesman Erik Scott says the woman called 911 before dawn on March 3 and said she opened the bedroom door to find her living room engulfed in flames, blocking her exit. Dispatchers ordered her to hunker down in the bathroom with wet towels around the door.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
| Date |
Event |
More Information |
| March 12-16 |
California Fire & Police Winter Olympics, Mammoth Lakes |
www.firepolicewintercolympics.com |
| March 12-16 |
Fire Investigation 1A, Diamond Springs FD (El Dorado County) |
Contact Joe Konefal at jkonefal@pacbell.net or call 530-647-6059 |
| March 17-18 |
CSFA Rural Fire Leadership Retention and Recruitment Workshop, Sacramento |
Visit www.csfa.net or call Kate at 855-VOL-FIRE |
| April 2-6 |
California Fire Mechanics Academy, McClellan Business Park, Sacramento |
www.cafiremech.com |
| April 16-21 |
Fire Department Instructor’s Conference, Indianapolis |
www.fdic.com |
| April 21 |
7th Annual Daly City (San Mateo County) Firefighters Poker Tournament to benefit the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation |
Visit www.dalycityfirefighters.com or contact mpetersen@dalycity.org |
| April 21-22 |
CSFA Rural Fire Leadership Retention and Recruitment Workshop, Redding |
Visit www.csfa.net or call Kate at 855-VOL-FIRE |
| April 23-27 |
CSFA Fire Management 1, American Canyon |
Call 707-246-4957 |
| May 18-25 |
Firefighters Alaska Cruise |
For more information call 800-795-1008 or visit seacruises.com/csfa |
| May 19-20 |
CSFA Rural Fire Leadership Retention and Recruitment Workshop, Graeagle |
Visit www.csfa.net or call Kate at 855-VOL-FIRE |
| May 21-24 |
CFED West, Palm Springs |
www.cfedwest.com |
| May 19-20 |
CSFA Rural Fire Leadership Retention and Recruitment Workshop, Graeagle |
Visit www.csfa.net or call Kate at 855-VOL-FIRE |
| May 28-June 1 |
CSFM Fire Training Instructor 1A, American Canyon |
Call 707-246-4957 |
| June 4-8 |
Investigation 1A: Fire Origin and Cause Determination, San Carlos |
Call 650-508-9008 |
| June 23 |
Annual Mt. Baldy FD Steak Fry and Raffle, Mt. Baldy Village (San Bernardino County) |
www.mtbaldyfire.com |
| July 15-20 |
California Firefighters Summer Olympics, Palo Alto |
firefighterolympics.org |
| Sept. 4-7 |
Haz Mat Continuing Challenge, Sacramento |
hazmat.org |
| Oct. 23-25 |
Fire Shows, Reno, NV |
fireshowsreno.com |
To have your event listed here, send details to ggiacomo@csfa.net
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