AFFI Member Attends IAFF Burn Camp In Washington DC
AFFI & Highland Park Local 822 member Joe Schrage accompanied camper Matthew Hill to the 2011 IAFF Burn Foundation Burn Camp, held in Washington DC. Matthew and Joe were given the opportunity to represent Illinois' burn camp - "Camp I Am Me".
The campers and counselors represented 43 camps from across the US and Canada. Like "Camp I Am Me", the campers arrive in Washington DC for a great week of bonding, team building and peer support. The camp is a wekk long event with multiple activites and an opportunity to tour our nation's capital.
As mentioned in past articles the AFFI Executive Board established the Annual Participation Award as an incentive program in hopes of increasing participation in on going survey requests we put out and maintain on the web site throughout the year. The winner is drawn from all surveys we have received over the previous year and receives $500 towards registration costs at all AFFI sponsored events.
This years winning survey was an EMS survey filled out on 12/12/11 by Secretary Kevin Brown of Frankfort Firefighters Local 4338.
For more information on how to enter. Check out the AFFI policy manual under "Annual Participation Award".
All Surveys are under the Forms and Surveys tab at the top of the page, enter today for 2012.
Over 250 residents of Moline showed up at Tuesday's City Council Meeting to voice their opposition to the City's plan to shut down two ambulances and lay off twelve firefighter/paramedics. Speaker after speaker told stories about lives saved and emergency assistance received from the members of Local 581 and the Moline Fire Department.
AFFI President Pat Devaney, AFFI Board members and Brothers and Sisters from across Illinois have joined Local 581 members in support since this battle began and will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder together until it is won.
Both chambers of the General Assembly adjourned to the call of the chair last night. SB 512 was not called for a vote on the House floor. Thanks to you, a majority of lawmakers heard our voice once again and realized the bill's devastating impact on the hard working public employees of Illinois. But we cannot stop there...
If we have learned anything throughout this entire process, it is that political advocacy works. The battle is far from over and as we head into the Holiday Season you may be approached by a member of the AFFI Political Education Committee to assist with a local political event or to walk for legislators who support our issues. Please, if you or one of your members have time to volunteer - take this opportunity to show that we support those who support us!
On February 27th, many of our legislators will join AFFI Members in Springfield for the AFFI Statewide Fire Ops Event in order to get a "first hand" look at what we do when the bell goes off.
Beginning the very next day and throughout the remainder of the week each of us will have the opportunity to inform our legislators about the importance of protecting the rights and benefits for those who made a promise when they put on the firefighters uniform - a promise that we keep each and every day. Let's make the 2012 AFFI Fran Gambro Legislative Seminar our largest and most successful yet.
We look forward to working together with all of you in the days and weeks to come.
AFFI President Pat Devaney discusses Manning, Rockford and Bargaining in Good Faith in a Guest Column in today's Rockford Register Star. Click for Article.
The AFFI is engaged in a comprehensive media and public relations campaign designed to protect our member's rights and benefits. An important component of the effort is to remind citizens across our state of who we are and the work we do to protect our communities. We ran this Ad in Wednesday's Springfield Journal Register in conjunction with our 2011 Fran Gambro Legislative Conference. Local affiliate presidents may request a copy of the Ad and any other materials by contacting the AFFI office.
![[*]](http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/sm-plus.gif "Bookmark and Share")
