Oklahoma State Fire Fighter News

Oklahoma State Fire Fighter News

Third Annual Fallen and Living Firefighters Memorial Poker Run

April 3, 2008 - The third annual fallen and living firefighters memorial poker run will be held on May 10, 2008. Starting at the museum, 2716 N.E. 50th. The first stop is the Kickapoo Casino, second is the Thunderbird Casino, third stop is the Riverwind Casino, fourth stop is the Remington Park Casino, and the last stop will be the Thunder Road House Café.

All modes of transportation are welcome so come out and support the memorial. Registration begins at 9:00 a.m., last bike out at .noon and last bike in by 5:00 p.m.

For more info, contact Jack Ellington, 405-590-4121 or nfd610@hotmail.com. Register online after April 10th at www.osfa.info or print and mail an entry form and make checks payable to: OSFM 2716 NE 50th St, Oklahoma City, OK, 73111. Proceeds to benefit the Memorial. (Flyer...)

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Drumright Firefighter in Need of Help

April 3, 2008 - Drumright Firefighter Brad Baugh has been diagnosed with brain stem cancer.  Brad is 20 years old and has been with our department since 2005.  This past week, he has been at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas exploring his options.  The doctors tell him it is treatable but faces a long recovery and expenses. 

With Brads permission, we will host a benefit Saturday, May 3rd from 5pm to midnight.  We will have live bands, food, t-shirts with his badge number printed on them and a gun to raffle off to offset the hotel, food and travel expenses.  A fund will be established at the Spirit Bank in Drurmight for donations.  We are still working out the details and plan to meet again on the 15th.  If you have any ideas or would like to help, please come to the meeting. 

Brad and his family has expressed their appreciate and would request your prayers and support during his time of need.  If you have any questions, please contact me at 918-688-7867.

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Update: HB1523
(by Chalk Norton)

February 7, 2008 - We met at the Capitol today at the request of Rep. Scott Martin. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss HB 1523 (attached) and determine if there were any areas of compromise. On our side, was Steve Hickman, Gary Copeland, Marty Stupka, Lindsay and myself. Carolyn and Misty represented the OML along with human resource people from Lawton, Midwest City and Broken Arrow. (HB1523_HFLR.pdf)

Our position was simple -- tell us what the problem is and explain how adding more members will fix it. Their response was that the current board is impartial and sometimes a member is absent and two members have to make the decisions.

There were two changes that were discussed at length, 1) amend the statute to make all three Governor's appointments impartial and 2) amend the statutes to make one Governor's appointment impartial, one a member of a public employee union and one member a city management person.

We recessed and came to the conclusion that our question - what is the problem and how will adding more members fix it - was not answered. We see no evidence to justify change and no need to compromise just for the sake of compromise. 

Rep. Martin said he will consider his options and let us know if he decides to run the bill.

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City, Union Allege Unfair Practices
(The Muskogee Phoenix)

December 18, 2008 - Unfair labor practice allegations have been leveled against both sides of an ongoing dispute between the city and the local firefighters union. A Jan. 11 teleconference has been scheduled to determine when the allegations will be heard. The scheduling conference also will be used to define the issues to be resolved.

Representatives from both camps doubt the claims will delay the Feb. 5 election, when voters will be asked to decide the terms of the parties’ collective bargaining agreement. “This (the unfair labor practice claims) has nothing to do with the election,” said Les Weston, the city’s personnel director. “They (firefighters) might try to raise it as an issue before the election, but I doubt any of these allegations would ever be decided before then.”

International Association of Fire Fighters Local 57 President Bryan Fuller announced the union’s intent to file its grievance Nov. 13, after Mayor Wren Stratton denied the union’s request to publicly present a settlement offer during the City Council meeting.

In separate complaints filed Nov. 29, IAFF Local 57 alleges the city committed an unfair labor practices on two separate occasions.

The first complaint alleges the union’s written request to be placed on the City Council agenda was denied “because information on a settlement had not been received.” Stratton said Fuller’s request was denied upon the recommendation of Steve Andrews, the lawyer who is representing the city’s interest during the collective bargaining process. Stratton and other city officials have said any proposed settlement offers must be presented to the parties’ designated bargaining agents.

The second complaint alleges Weston made damaging comments to third parties regarding vandalism that had occurred at his home.

The city’s complaint, filed last week with the Public Employees Relations Board, alleges Local 57 “has engaged in a course of conduct designed to avoid dealing with the chosen representative of the city of the purpose of bargaining and ... has refused and neglected to bargain in good faith ...”

Fuller has said IAFF Local 57 members believe the union’s position has not been fairly and accurately presented to city councilors who have discussed previous settlement offers during executive sessions. Fuller said the Public Employees Relations Board has ruled in favor of other unions that have attempted to discuss collective bargaining issues with city councils.

Andrews, according to an interoffice memorandum from Weston to the City Council and others, believes the union was “fully allowed to speak” during the Nov. 13 council meeting. The memorandum also states the union has a right to speak about issues that pertain “to the general public interest but ... have no free speech rights with regard to advancing the firefighters’ special interests in a public meeting.”

The city and IAFF Local 57 have been trying to hammer out a contract for about two years. The parties appeared close to reaching a settlement in November, agreeing on such things as wages, benefits and incentive pay.

The sticking point then, according to Fuller, was a dispute about how grievances should be handled. Fuller said union members want the option of presenting contractual disputes to a federal arbitrator. Weston said such disputes presently are heard by the city’s Civil Service Commission.

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9/11 Traveling Exhibition in Oklahoma City

October 28, 2007 - The National September 11th Memorial and Museum is launching a grassroots tour to remember and honor innocent lives lost on September 11th and preserve the memory of the event for future generations. The exhibition is planned to be in Oklahoma City on November 17-18, 2007 at the Oklahoma City National Memorial parking lot.

To involve as many Americans as possible, the Foundation has created a traveling exhibition that tells the story of  September 11th from the point of view of responders, survivors, volunteers and average people who came together on that terrible day and in the agonizing days that followed.     

The traveling exhibition offers Americans (many of whom may never have the chance to visit Ground Zero) the opportunity to come together again to pay tribute to those who lost their lives on September 11th as well as to support the heroic first responders whose selfless acts saved thousands.     

It is also an invitation to all Americans to examine the events of 9/11, hear the stories of first responders and survivors, and contribute something to help ensure a lasting and powerful National Memorial is built to keep the memory of the event alive for generations to come. People will also have the chance to pay their respects by signing a steel beam that will be used in the construction of the national September 11th  Memorial. (News Alert...) (Flyer...)

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Contract Negotiations Stall Between Muskogee, OK, Firefighters
(The Muskogee Phoenix)

September 20,2007 - Negotiations to resolve a labor dispute between the city of Muskogee and its firefighters have stalled, officials said Wednesday. Voters will decide the outcome if no agreement is reached.

Representatives with the firefighters union said the city has ignored the union’s response to the city’s proposal presented this past week as part of an effort to find common ground. City officials said the terms of the firefighters’ counteroffer creates a divide that appears too great to bridge.

This week’s developments virtually ensure the need for a special election, which would give voters the opportunity to settle a dispute that has been simmering nearly two years.

A ruling issued about a month ago by a federal arbitration panel awarded the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 57 an 8 percent salary increase among other benefits. City councilors — favoring a 3 percent pay hike more in line with the increase accepted this year by other city employees — rejected the arbitration ruling, opting instead to let voters decide the issue.

Before an election can be scheduled, however, the language that will be presented on the ballot must be approved. That issue is expected to be decided by federal arbitrators during the coming weeks IAFF Local 57 President Bryan Fuller said the union’s proposal closely mirrored the terms granted by the Aug. 17 arbitration ruling. City of Muskogee Personnel Director Les Weston, who described the city’s interim proposal as a new approach toward resolving the dispute, acknowledged receipt of the union’s counteroffer. The terms of that counteroffer, Weston said, “were unacceptable.” “We’re still so far apart there doesn’t appear to be any room for agreement,” Weston said. “We’re going to have to take this issue to an election, but who knows when that will be.”

Sandy McGhee, IAFF vice president of District 11, said there are two or three points of contention with the ballot language proposed by the union and city officials. The differences, he said, will be ironed out by the federal arbitration panel that heard the case in August. “We have worked back and forth trying to reconcile the language,” McGhee said. “But we couldn’t come to an agreement on a couple of issues.”

An arbitrator, McGhee said, generally has seven days to rule on the proposed ballot language once receipt of the proposals is acknowledged. Muskogee officials, he said, offered to waive the seven-day rule and requested a hearing, which McGhee said he believes is unnecessary. McGhee said union representatives are hopeful a ruling regarding the ballot language will be made prior to the Oct. 11 deadline, which would allow the election to be scheduled for Dec. 11.

“We were intent to have the election in November,” McGhee said. “We’re not wanting to stretch this out any longer than necessary.” Ellen Thames, assistant secretary for the Muskogee County Election Board, said if the ballot language is presented to the election board by Oct. 11, voters could go to the polls as early as Dec. 11. Election dates beyond Dec. 11 would be Jan. 8 and Feb. 5, the date for the 2008 presidential primary election. Thames estimates the election would cost taxpayers an estimated $11,000 to $12,000.

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OSFA Fallen and Living Firefighters Memorial Golf Tournament

September 12, 2007 - The 11th annual OSFA Fallen and Living Firefighters Memorial Golf Tournament will be held Thursday, September 20, 2007 at Choctaw Creek Golf Course in Choctaw. Come out and support your Memorial. (Registration form...) Please note: The 8 a.m. flight has been cancelled.

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NIOSH Releases Destry Horton LODD Investigation
(www.firehouse.com)

August 20, 2007 - Federal officials have released two line-of-duty investigation reports. One involved the death of a volunteer firefighter in Oklahoma who was burned in a wildfire, while the other victim fell through a floor while battling a house fire in Wisconsin.

On March 1, 2006 Destry Horton, 32, a volunteer with Acme Volunteer Fire Department, and another firefighter were severely burned while engaged in a wildfire. Horton, who also was a career firefighter in Chickasha, died 27 days later of his injuries. NIOSH sent investigators to Oklahoma in May to start a probe, and interviewed a number of people. (Read the report based on that investigation )

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