Union & Health Issues:

• Battalion Delegate Meeting re: Next Contract / Major Issues
• Fire-Police-Teachers Joint Rally for Fair Wages on June 8th
• 9-11 Commission Hearings
• Haz-Mat & Incident Command
• Update your Address
• Bronx Trustee Run-off Ballot Mailing
• Fire Marshal Election Ballot Mailing
• Raid Notice
• Correct 65-2 Number

Events, Help, Fundraisers & Benefits:

Educational Opportunity
The Firefighter Thomas J Foley Memorial Scholarship Fund
The 4th Annual FDNY Night at the Brooklyn Cyclones Stadium
Emerald Society Sunset Cruise Around Manhattan Island
The Fire Bell Club of New York

Battalion Delegate Meeting re: Next Contract / Major Issues
A Battalion Delegate (BD) meeting will take place on Thursday, June 3rd, 10am, at the UFA office in the 4th floor meeting room to discuss the contract, the upcoming joint rally and other major issues affecting the membership. BDs should survey their Delegates and members prior to attending. If the BD cannot attend for some extremely important reason, insure that the next most knowledgeable / reliable Delegate from your battalion attends. There will be no meeting excusal time granted.

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Fire-Police-Teachers Joint Rally for Fair Wages on June 8th
A joint rally for fair wages with NY's Bravest, Brightest & Finest will take place at City Hall from 4:30pm to 6pm on Tuesday, June 8th. This is a mandatory call to action for all available FFs, PO's and Teachers as we fight the City, which is attempting to push a wage 'pattern' on all of us that does not in any way reflect the work we do and dangers we face while protecting the public and mentoring its children. Delegates: we once again count on your leadership abilities to turn out every available member of your company!!! Holdovers will be necessary. Check your fax machines and emails as it gets closer to June 8th. Details will follow...

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9-11 Commission Hearings
The UFA's position: unfortunately the 9-11 Commission has become more of a political monster than an investigatory vehicle for truth, which was its original purpose. The NY Post Reported on May 13: Uniformed Firefighters Association President Steve Cassidy wrote a letter to commission Chairman Thomas Kean yesterday asking that he be allowed to testify on behalf of his 8,500 members. "As your commission's goal is to investigate what happened that day and prevent this from happening in the future, clearly, our testimony will be vital," Cassidy wrote. Newsday reported on May 20: "The head of the City's Uniformed Firefighters Association, Stephen Cassidy, said the decision not to have public testimony was 'a clear failure' on the part of the commission. Cassidy said the commission should have delved deeper into operational problems, such as the firefighters' use of old hand-held radios."

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Haz-Mat & Incident Command
The City is required to have a formal Incident Command System in place by October to qualify for Homeland Security funding. The new Mayoral directive re Incident Command, which was released on the Friday before the 9-11 Commission testimony, has been widely criticized by the media, the experts and UFA president Steve Cassidy as being vague and ambiguous as to who is responsible for what. We have special concerns with NYPD being listed as the lead agency as it pertains to hazardous materials incidents.

NY Times reported: Some observers still say that the new protocol for hazardous materials remains flawed. "I don't know if you can divorce assessment from life safety," said Glenn Corbett, an assistant professor of fire science at John Jay College, who added that it was important for the rescuers committing resources inside an affected area to do all assessments. Councilman Peter F. Vallone Jr., the head of the Public Safety Committee, criticized the plan, saying that while he and his staff have been dealing with the issue for a year, they could not understand the mayor's press release. "It says anything anyone wants it to say - it raises more questions than it answers," he said. He plans to hold a hearing on the issue in June.

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Update your Address
If you wish to vote in any UFA election or referendum, you must insure your home address of record at the UFA is accurate. If not, prepare an 'SBF Change of Address Form' and mail to the UFA, Attn: SBF. Forms can be obtained by downloading by clicking HERE, from your Delegate, or call the UFA SBF at 212-683-4723.

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Bronx Trustee Run-off Ballot Mailing
As was previously announced, a run-off election is taking place for Bronx Trustee between Matthew O'Brien E-79 and Edward Brown L-48. The American Arbitration Association (AAA) mailed vote ballots on Thursday, May 20 to all active Bronx Members. Ballots must be returned to the AAA by 9am on Friday, June 4. Any Bronx Member who has not received a ballot by Monday, May 24 is directed to call AAA directly at (800) 529-5218, M-F 9am to 5pm, and give their correct residence address (and actual assigned unit - not their detail location). A ballot will mail to you that same day. Ballots will be counted on Friday, June 4 commencing at 9am. The winner will be announced that day, and will take office effective immediately.

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Fire Marshal Election Ballot Mailing
The following members were nominated for the UFA position of Fire Marshal Representative: Lester Layne, BFI, Anthony Baldino, BFI, William Steinbuch III, BFI, John E. Knox, Retired BFI. The American Arbitration Association (AAA) will mail vote ballots on Thursday, May 27 to all active Fire Marshals. Ballots must be returned to the AAA by 9am on Friday, June 11. Any Marshal who has not received a ballot by Tuesday, June 1 is directed to call AAA directly at (800) 529-5218, M-F 9am to 5pm, and give their correct residence address (and actual assigned unit - not their detail location). A ballot will mail to you that same day. Ballots will be counted on Friday, June 11 commencing at 9am. The winner will be announced that day, and will take office effective August 1.

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Raid Notice
The Quarters of Engine 59 - Ladder 30 were raided this week with negative results.

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Correct 65-2 Number
Your company may have received a 65-2 Fax regarding a Raid Notice that was numbered 29. The correct number is 28. Please note the correction on your house copy for proper sequence purposes.