• Past President Reports

Special Orders of Business

• Security Benefits Fund (SBF) Help Table Today
  Members who require help regarding dental, prescription drugs, optical or any other benefits provided via the UFA SBF should visit the SBF table today. SBF personnel are there to help you.
• UFA Parking Placards: Only from Your Delegate!
  Borough Trustees are distributing the 2008 UFA Parking Placards, only to Delegates. Fire Marshal parking placards will be distributed at BFI commands by Fire Marshal Representative Lester Layne. The ONLY way to get a Placard is through your Company Delegate-as the Placard Permit numbers have been accounted for that way. Detailed members must contact their permanent assignment's Company Delegate. Battalion Aides should contact the Company Delegate in your house. Delegates must contact their Borough Trustee if additional placards are needed. Delegates should return their company roster with each member's placard permit # listed to the UFA Recording Secretary's office at 212-683-4359 (or 212-683-0710 if busy), or by mail with the enclosed envelope. If a placard is lost or stolen, insure the member files a complaint report with PD. This is required before being issued a replacement. Any use by unauthorized persons can now be traced back to the original person it was issued to for firehouse and/or law enforcement verification. Please insure you post Special Parking Placard 65-2 #4 (attached) in your FH.
• Special Order of Business: Candidate Nominations Today
  Candidate nominations for UFA General Election will take place during today's meeting. Candidates who have submitted verified signature petitions must be nominated from the floor, accept the nomination and fill out required documents in order to be placed on the election ballot. The Recording Secretary will provide all nominated candidates with the required documents to fill out, in accordance with the UFA Constitution, and a diskette of member mailing addresses upon return of the completed documents. Candidates should see the Recording Secretary prior to the meeting for the document package. The winners take office on May 1, 2008 [Article V, Section 2, and Article VI, Section 3(b)]. See below for balloting dates.

1. UFA Election Ballot Mailing Dates
Ballots will be mailed to each member's residence by American Arbitration Association (AAA) on Thursday, January 24, and must be returned to the AAA by 9am on Friday, February 8. Any member who has not received a ballot by Tuesday, January 29 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 assignment). A ballot will be mailed to your home that same day. Ballots will be counted on Friday, February 8 commencing at 9am. Military members serving active duty may vote via the internet in accordance with the UFA Constitution and the above time requirements. Election results will be announced on that same day, upon ballot count completion. Winners take office effective May 1, 2008.

2. To Update Your Address, Telephone or Email with the UFA
Any member wishing to vote must insure your home address on record at the UFA is current. If it is not current, immediately prepare an 'SBF Change of Address Form' and mail it to the UFA, Attn: SBF, to the address on top of the form. A company roster of all member addresses is enclosed with the Company Parking Placard package today, along with an SBF Change of Address form. Have your members check the roster and immediately mail a completed and signed SBF form to the UFA SBF if their address is not current. Forms can also be obtained from your Delegate, the UFA Website or call the UFA SBF at 212-683-4723.

3. Active Military Members May E-vote
Military members serving active duty any time between 1/24/08 and 2/8/08 (and unable to reside at their NY residence) may vote via the internet in accordance with the UFA Constitution and above time requirements. Any activated military member wishing to e-vote must insure your e-mail address on record at the UFA is current in order to receive an e-ballot. If not, immediately prepare a 'SBF Change of Address Form' noting your email address, sign and mail it to the UFA, Attn: Joe Miccio, Recording Secretary. Forms can be obtained from your Delegate, the UFA website or by calling the UFA SBF at 212-683-4723. Any Delegate with an activated military member assigned to his company is asked to reach out to the family to obtain an email address, if the member is using email while overseas. Provide this info to UFA Recording Secretary Joe Miccio at jmiccio@UFANYC.org. The information will be verified prior to emailing a ballot.

4. Missing UFA Parking Placards: Police Reports
Any parking placard permit numbers that are reported missing will be reported to the police on a Complaint Report. Any unauthorized person caught in possession can be arrested and investigated as to how they obtained the placards. Persons involved with illegally supplying Parking Placards to others WILL be prosecuted by the UFA to the fullest extent of the law. Non-firefighter use of UFA placards in the past has caused legitimate concerns among law enforcement and traffic agents in respecting firefighter vehicle parking privileges near quarters. Non-firefighters with UFA Placards have been arrested for impersonating a firefighter. Security features were added to insure OUR vehicles are afforded every legal courtesy-not anyone else!

5. Deutsche Bank Update
An update will be presented today.

6. AFID Update
Fire Commissioner Scoppetta testified before the City Council on Dec 12, 2007 that response times are down. He did not address response times during the AFID period. We asked the City Council to have the Fire Dept supply them with AFID response times (M-F, 10am - 4PM) for the month of December 2007 for comparison purposes. The City Council has not yet scheduled a follow up hearing on response times. The UFA-UFOA have filed a joint Improper Practice on this topic. www.UFANYC.org

7. Gear Bags for Each Member
Health & Safety Officer/Sergeant-at-Arms Bill Romaka reports that as a result of multiple PESH complaints lodged by the UFA Health & Safety Office against FDNY HQ, each member will be given a bunker gear bag. FDNY Department Order #1 of 2008 announced that it has placed an order for the gear bags, which are expected to arrive in the spring.

8. Citizen Soldier Salary Act - Agreement Reached with City Regarding Salary Payback
After months of negotiations between the UFA, State Senate and Assembly, the Mayor's office, DCAS, FDNY VFW, NYPD American Legion and other affected Unions, we have finally reached an agreement regarding the payback of Military and Fire Department salaries. Numerous issues had to be worked out. The UFA's position has always been that no salary should be required to be paid back. The city would not agree to this but ultimately we negotiated an agreement that the FDNY VFW and other Veteran groups and Unions could agree to. The full details of the agreement will be released when the final draft of the bill is introduced in Albany. This will happen next week. The basic terms of the agreement call for fifteen percent to be deducted from the amount of the salary owed. This should offset the taxes that were paid by the members. In addition there is another deduction for FICA and an early payback incentive which will average around five percent. The payback percentage will go down from 10% to 7.5% and the time frame for payback will be increased from 5 to 10 years. Members will still be able to make a "Claim of Right" for any additional money they are owed for taxes already paid. We expect this legislation to be passed in the next few weeks. We have also requested that a moratorium be placed on any current and future paybacks until the legislation is passed and the new figures are calculated.

9. New Queens Fire Marshal Base Opens
Fire Marshal Representative Lester Layne reports that the Bureau of Fire Investigation opened the new BFI City Wide North Command located in Fort Totten, Building 402, Tel (718) 281-8402, Fax (718) 281-3581. It is staffed by 40 Marshals. This command will operate 24/7 and will be responsible for conducting all BFI investigations in the boroughs of Queens, Bronx and upper Manhattan, from the north side of 110th Street.

10. WTC Notice of Participation Verification
Per DO #96 of 2007, members are now able to confirm receipt and verification of the Notice of Participation in the World Trade Center Rescue, Recovery or Clean-Up Operations form on the Fire Community of the FDNY Intranet. Your Tax Registry Number must be entered and the attached link will provide the status of your form.

11. Delegate Education Seminar Location & Dates
In accordance with the UFA Constitution, Atlantic City was chosen by an overwhelming majority vote of the Delegate body. It will take place once again at Trump Taj Mahal from Tuesday, May 13, 2008 thru Friday, May 16, 2008. The previously scheduled May 8 Union meeting, as noted on the UFA Workchart Calendar, will be rescheduled to take place on the last day of the Seminar, Friday, May 16. Please insure your calendars are adjusted.

12. Apparatus Accident Reference Card for Chauffeurs
Health & Safety Officer/Sergeant-at-Arms Bill Romaka has prepared an Apparatus Accident Reference Card for Chauffeurs to place in their apparatus. The card contains useful information on what procedures should be followed in the event of an apparatus accident. The reverse side of this card contains some radio code signals as a reference. This card is being distributed TODAY inside the parking placard envelope, one for each company. If you do not receive the Apparatus Accident Reference Card please contact the Health & Safety Office at 212-545-6965 or email cearly@ufanyc.org.

13. Fire Marshal Parking Placards
2008 Fire Marshal parking placards, which indicate Police Officer status, will be distributed at BFI commands by Fire Marshal Representative Lester Layne.

14. Uniform Maintenance Non-Taxability Affidavit
It is extremely important that each member file the form with their Officer. Per Dept orders, "failure to properly complete and file an affidavit may result in the issuance of a corrected W-2 form that includes the Uniform Cleaning Allowance as taxable earnings." Affidavits and instructions may also be obtained by accessing the Department's Intranet. Audits will be conducted to ensure that affidavits are being completed and filed. Each unit must maintain all original completed affidavits on file for members assigned to the unit. See your Officer if you have any questions regarding this issue.

15. Health & Safety Office Newsletter
UFA Health & Safety Officer/Sergeant-at-Arms Bill Romaka reminds members that the latest UFA Health & Safety Office Newsletter was posted in November and can be downloaded from the home page of the UFA web site at www.UFANYC.org. It is also available at the Health & Safety Office Table today. It contains info about the $80,000 grant the Health & Safety Office received for providing safety training to our members. Additional articles include info about new firefighting gloves, PSA testing, CD-73s for the Steampipe Explosion and the Deutsche Bank Fire, WTC, PICA & WTC Prescription Drug Cards, MRSA Staph Infection and more.

16. Updating/Confirming Your Personal Info with the Department
In response to the UFA's inquiry, a clarification was added on Department Order No. 79. Per PA/ID 1-85, "form CD-6R shall be submitted for the following: Change of Name, Address, Telephone Number, Marital/Domestic Partnership Status, Update of Education or Special Qualifications, and Change of Military Status. When the information has been entered into the system, the date stamped original copy will be returned to the member and a copy should be filed in the member's personal folder. Personal information cannot be changed without submission of the CD-6R." However, upon receipt of changes from retired members, the Bureau of Uniformed Payroll and Pensions makes the necessary changes but does not acknowledge receipt of the change.

17. UFA Active Dental Plan - Improvements - Additional Coverage
UFA Treasurer Bob Straub reported at the November Union Meeting significant improvements to the active member UFA Family Dental Plan. Members currently enrolled in the UFA's Dentcare Plan will also have the option to rollover to the newly enhanced UFA Family Dental Plan soon. More information will be announced soon for Dentcare members who are considering changing to the new plan. A detailed schedule of dental services and options that are now available to your family at lower cost or for free were distributed at the November Union meeting, and are also included in your Delegate's Manual, which was just updated with this info in November.

18. Safe Apparatus Response Training Session
The UFA Health & Safety Office has arranged for a Safe Apparatus Response Training Session with FDNY Lt. Mike Wilbur, who is nationally recognized in safe response and apparatus accident prevention, on Tuesday, February 26th at 1pm in Brooklyn. The location has not yet been confirmed. More information will follow. Food and refreshments will be provided. A gift certificate for a FREE Body Scan at Inner Imaging will be given away to one participant at the end of the training session. This training is provided through a grant from the NYS/DOL Hazard Abatement Board (Contract #012817). To RSVP for this event, please call 212-545-6965 or email cearly@ufanyc.org. Please RSVP by Friday, February 22nd.

19. 3rd Annual MDA $1 per Member per Meal Program
On Jan 27th-Feb 2nd the UFA will once again be asking members to participate in this fund raising effort to help those afflicted with Muscular Dystrophy. Donations received from this go directly to those in our area, including many of our own member's families. All donations can be sent to the MDA P.O. Box 3178 Grand Central Station New York New York 10163. Representatives from the MDA will be present at today's meeting at a table in the lobby.

Stephen J. Cassidy,
President