Brothers and Sisters,

It is with great sadness that I inform you of the Line of Duty Death of Brother Michael R. Pickering of Chicago, Local 2.

The AFFI Honor Guard has been activated by order of President Chuck Sullivan.

Brother Pickering was 45 years old and passed away October 8, 2021 after contracting COVID-19.

His Services are as follows:

VISITATION: Friday, October 15, 2021 from 1500-2000hrs at Hann Funeral Home- 8230 S. Harlem Ave., Bridgeview, IL 60455. There will be a Firefighter Walk-Through at 1900hrs. Honor Guard members should arrive no later than 1800hrs.

SERVICE: Saturday, October 16th, 2021 at 1000hrs at Hann Funeral Home- 8230 S. Harlem Ave., Bridgeview, IL 60455. Honor Guard members should arrive no later than 0900hrs.

INTERMENT: Saturday, October 16th, 2021 immediately following the services, at Resurrection Cemetery- 7200 Archer Rd., Justice, IL 60458.

Please bring tools and Local flags to use as requested and please make sure you have a plain black mask for all services.

I know, like always, you will all do Whatever it Takes to Honor, Cherish, Remember, and Salute Brother Pickering, his family, and his Local.

Fraternally,

Jay Coburn, Commander
AFFI Honor Guard
(708) 927-6568
[email protected]
affi1935.org/honorguard

Brothers and Sisters,

It is with great sadness that I inform you of the death of Brother Adam VanEvery of LaGrange, Local 2338 and formerly with Blue Island Local 3547. Brother VanEvery passed away 5/19/21. He was 37 years old.

Although this is NOT an activation, Brother VanEvery’s Local and family would like Honor Guard members to participate in his services.

His services are as follows:

VISITATION: Sunday, May 23rd, 1200-1900hrs at Hallowell and James Funeral Home- 1025 W. 55th St., Countryside, IL 60525.

There will be a Firefighter Walk-Through at 1800hrs. Honor Guard members should arrive no later than 1730hrs.

LaGrange is also looking for help with Casket Guard for the duration of the visitation.

All other services will be private.

Any questions should be directed to 5th District Commander Jeff Boetto 815-483-6097

Please do what you can to attend and Honor Brother VanEvery, his family, and the LaGrange and Blue Island locals.

Fraternally,
Jay Coburn

Brothers and Sisters,

 

I’m happy to tell you that we are now able to resume in-person District trainings. COVID cases in Illinois are trending in a positive direction. Mitigation restrictions are being eased. And, many of our members have been vaccinated. All these circumstances contributed to the decision to re-open.

 

We will be following the Pandemic Event Plan created by the AFFI’s COVID Committee as we resume. Please read what is outlined below carefully. We need to follow these procedures to continue our training and do our part to keep our members healthy and working.

 

  1. If you are sick, or have been exposed to someone who is, without appropriate PPE, DO NOT COME TO TRAINING. If you are there, you are certifying that you are symptom free. This self-screening is the first line of defense. Please realize that each venue where we train may have their own screening procedures in place. These procedures MUST be followed in addition to your self-screening prior to coming to drill.
  2. Masks shall be worn at all times during training.
  3. If training is classroom based, the District Commander, or his designee, shall develop a seating chart. Attendees shall remain in the same seat throughout the drill.  If we have a large turn-out for a training and attendees are split into groups, everyone shall remain with the same group throughout the training. The District Commander, or his designee, shall make note of who is in each group. This may be done by creating a list, or by using separate Training Sign-In sheets for each group. These steps will help us with contact tracing if we do have a positive test following a drill.
  4. A new Training Sign-In sheet has been created that contains a spot for attendees to include their phone number. This is strictly to assist with contact tracing if we have a positive test. Your phone number will not be used for any other reason.
  5. If someone tests positive after a training, that member shall notify the State Commander. Likewise, if the host Local learns of a positive test of anyone in the training venue, they shall notify the State Commander. (This includes our members, facility staff, visitors, etc…)
  6. The State Commander shall notify the AFFI office, the affected Deputy State Commander, and District Commander. The member’s name shall NOT be released unless that member consents.
  7. The affected Deputy State Commander and District Commander shall personally notify EVERY member who was in attendance. Using the seating chart, or group list, the Commanders shall indicate the proximity of members to the individual who tested positive.
  8. Exposed members shall follow their individual department’s protocol upon notification of the positive test.

 

I know this seems like a lot. This is what we need to do to be able to train. Our main goals here are to keep our members at work, and to minimize any negative impact to the Guard, our members, and the AFFI.

 

I hope the last year’s events have shown everyone the need to get your required trainings completed as early as possible. At this point, we have a little over eight months left during our training year, as long as we don’t go backward again. You never know where we’ll be in a few weeks. Please get out and get trained!

 

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or any member of the Command Staff.

 

Stay healthy, and let’s hope that we continue to move in a positive direction. Not just here in Illinois, but throughout the country and the world.

 

Fraternally,

Jay Coburn, Commander

AFFI Honor Guard

(708) 927-6568

[email protected]

www.affi-iaff.org/honorguard

Brothers and Sisters,

I know earlier in the week I sent the notice of the passing of Brother Truevillian from Chicago, L2. Brother Truevillian, 55, passed away on December 17th from COVID-19. I know that in that notice, you were all told his services were incomplete and that a memorial service would take place at a later date.

Since that notice, we have received additional information. On the orders of President Sullivan, the AFFI Honor Guard has been activated. I know this is short notice, but I hope you will all do whatever you can to help us honor Brother Truevillian, his family, and his Local.

His services are as follow:

VISITATION: Sunday, December 27th, 2020 at Russo Hillside Chapels- 4500 Roosevelt Rd. Hillside, IL 60162 from 1500-2000hrs. There will be a fire department walk-thru at 1900hrs. Honor Guard members are asked to arrive no later than 1830hrs. Please make sure you have a plain black mask to wear. We ask that you remain outside until the walk-thru, and maintain appropriate social distance.

SERVICE: Monday, December 28th, 2020 at Russo Hillside Chapels- 4500 Roosevelt Rd. Hillside, IL 60162 at 1100hrs. Services will be streamed at: vimeo.com/494181537

INTERMENT: Monday, December 28th, 2020 at Oakridge-Glen Oak Cemetery- 4301 W. Roosevelt Rd. Hillside, IL 60162 immediately following the service.

If you have any questions, please route them thru the Honor Guard Chain of Command. I know that even in these difficult times, and under these circumstances, we will all do “Whatever it Takes” to Honor, Cherish, Remember, and Salute Brother Truevillian, his family, and his Local.

Fraternally,
Jay Coburn, State Commander
Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois Honor Guard
927 S Second St
Springfield, IL  62704
(708) 927-6568
[email protected]
affihonorguard.com

Brothers and Sisters,

With great sadness, I must inform you that Brother Robert Truevillian, Chicago Firefighters Local 2, passed away on December 17, 2020 due to COVID-19. Brother Truevillian, 55, was a 20 year member and Paramedic In Charge assigned to Ambulance 71.

Although this is considered a Line of Duty Death, there is no action required of the AFFI Honor Guard at this time. Due to the global pandemic, arrangements and services are incomplete. According to Chicago Fire Commissioner Richard Ford, CFD will be planning a memorial service in the future and details will be provided then.

Please keep Brother Truevillian, his, family, and Local 2 in your thoughts and prayers as we continue to navigate our way through this unprecedented time.

Fraternally,
Jay Coburn, State Commander
Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois Honor Guard
927 S Second
Springfield, IL  62704
(708) 927-6568
[email protected]
affihonorguard.com

Brothers and Sisters,

I’d like to pass on a couple of decisions that were made at today’s Commander’s Meeting:

First, with great sadness, I have to notify all of you that we have decided to cancel the 2021 Convention and Induction Ceremony. This was not an easy decision, and it’s not one any of us wanted to make. But we believe that at this point in the global COVID pandemic, this is the best decision for everyone involved.

Bartlett has agreed to push back their opportunity to host the event to 2023 and allow Bloomington/Normal to host in 2022. The committee from Bloomington/Normal has already been in contact with the hotel to start working on arrangements to bring back our annual event better than ever.

Second, the Command Staff decided to carryover those who were drawn, or won the opportunity, to represent the Guard in Colorado Springs, to the event in 2021. We will also be drawing an additional ten members, if finances allow, for the upcoming year. Those members will be notified once the drawing is complete.

Last, we have decided that because of the restrictions we all faced on training this year, we will be dropping the required number of trainings from,  “Convention and two trainings, or three trainings”, to, “Convention and ONE training, or TWO trainings”. THIS CHANGE IS FOR THIS YEAR ONLY and should not be considered precedent setting.

Although this requirement is moot as far as attendance at this year’s Convention goes, it does still matter as far as remaining on the Honor Guard roster. In the next few weeks, we will be sending out the information advising you of your training status, and letting you know how to go about paying the $25 fee to remain on the rolls. Please remember that this $25 fee per member is paid every year and is what the Guard operates on throughout the year. Please make sure you pay the fee as directed, by the deadline established, when you get the information.

This year has really shown us how important it is to get our trainings for the year done as early as possible. We have no idea what may come up and keep us from meeting the requirement if we wait till the last minute.

That’s all I can think of right now. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to your District Commander, or any of the Principal Commanders.

Thank you all for your continued participation in this Honor Guard. We could not do what we do without all of you.

Stay healthy.

Fraternally,

Jay Coburn,

Commander AFFI Honor Guard

By orders of AFFI President Chuck Sullivan, the AFFI Honor Guard has been activated for the line of duty death of South Holland Local #4109 Firefighter/Paramedic Dylan Cunningham. Brother Cunningham passed on Wednesday, September 30, 2020 after suffering a medical emergency during a training exercise.  Brother Cunningham was a member of the AFFI Honor Guard, having been inducted in 2019.

Please bring local flags, pikes and axes for use at the services. As previously directed, all Honor Guard members should wear a plain black mask at all times.  Additional precautions for each facility will be discussed prior to the services.

Arrangements for Dylan Cunningham are as follow:

Visitation:  Tuesday October 6 from 1pm – 8pm at Smits Funeral Home located at 2121 Pleasant Springs Lane in Dyer, IN 46311

Firefighter Walk-Thru:  Line up at 6:00pm, walk thru at 7pm

Funeral Service: Wednesday, October 7 at 11:00am at Smits Funeral Home. Honor Guard members should assemble no later than 10:00am.

Procession to South Holland Station 43 then to St. John Catholic Church in Glenwood.

Jay Coburn, State Commander
Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois Honor Guard
927 S Second
Springfield, IL  62704
(708) 927-6568
[email protected]
affihonorguard.com