This is a bad bill. It really makes me angry that any organization has such an attitude to write and support something like this.
Who thought they weren’t getting enough of the pie, that they needed to push this bill??
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Wasatch…Just a point of clarification because we are on the exact same page with our opposition to this idiotic legislation. When I was referencing Assistance by Hire (ABH) staffing by volunteers, those people are already on the clock. In and ABH situation, those personnel and apparatus are treated exactly as any other CalFire piece of equipment and are available Statewide for IA, single increment, or ST dispatch. Under the requirements of 1299, are those individuals and equipment no longer going to be available for those kinds of assignments? If so, who is going to be the magical Time Keeper in the sky that says, this person is ok but this person is timed out? And as individuals time out, most likely at different intervals, how does their replacement occur? At what point does an entire S/T get cut loose because too many people timed out?
Those are the questions that remain completely unaddressed in this legislation. Yes, the language in the Bill is pretty cut and dried, however, practicality isn’t always that cut and dried.
I think this is a terrible bill on a lot of levels. But for those that think all is well because the Gov will declare something a disaster area let’s think it through a bit. During IA, how long will it take to jump through all the hoops that will be in place before an emergency can be declared and then, for a combo department, make sure they have contacted all the paid staff if they want to go before the volunteers are allowed to respond. As I have read the bill, the likelihood of that delay during the critical first hours of IA will lead to larger more destructive fires. Just my 2 cents.
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Many time we have been on the receiving end of orders that are, closest Engine, any type. Usually its because they are bumping structures. And yes, many time we are the closest Engines, type 3’s. What does that do? It seems after the Camp fire the state would be doing things to improve response. This Bill would have the opposite effect. Is this a Union (lets look after the dues paying, card carrying members)? What is the real reason for this bill???
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The Emergency declaration would be many, many hours if not days behind the initial orders hit No. Ops.
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I’m not saying this isn’t a “union dues paying member” thing but I haven’t heard anything in that regard from the unions. I’d say it’s more likely some wonderful idea (sarcasm) from one of our amazing (sarcasm) politicians. That like most of their wonderful idea wasn’t thought through or formed with even a basic understanding of what large scale incident management entails.
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captmack: I in no way support this bill, just addressing the text. For others, it looks like the initial reason for this bill was to ensure the wages were passed through an agency to the people who earned it, namely volunteers. It would appear some agencies were found to be paying the staff less than what the agency was being paid for the staff. As for the 20%, it appears this was brought about from an opinion I believe by the federal Department of Labor back in 2008. This bill is supported by both CSFA and the California Fire Chiefs Association. As for the emergency declaration, as soon as region starts getting UTFs for time out issues, I would bet a declaration would be posted within an hour.
FYI, 20% would equal 73 days or about 10 1/2 weeks. That is a lot of time. I’ll bet there are not too many true volunteers getting close to that. Just my opinion, I may be wrong which is not something new. Your mileage my vary.
As I said above… this bill is by Heath Flora ® who was/is a volunteer firefighter in Ripon… Frank Bigelow ® in Madera County & I believe current Madera County Volunteer voted in favor as well. There are 2 sponsers… California State Firefighters Association (CSFA) and the California Fire Chiefs Association. There is no known opposition. Believe me when I say that there is no “union” involvement in this bill. It wasn’t even on our radar… 1st I heard of it was on this forum.
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" Departments that utilize full-time firefighters shall give priority preference to full-time or paid firefighters over volunteer firefighters for mutual aid assignments. *
The Union does not have to say a word in support. All they have to do is sit back and watch it pass. A unions goal is to always increase their membership. The more they do to put volunteers out of business the more small communities will be forced to raise taxes to pay for a service that their neighbors spent their time and money providing. Or suffer without that service.
The top line makes it pretty clear to me. If this were just an attempt to clean up some Federal law or support some poor little Volunteer Firefighters that were getting a bad deal from their Boards, that line would not be included in the Bill.
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Not sure were you came up with 73 days but in my department it would be less than 25 days based on the 20% rule
I think you are probably more correct chief. My calculation was simply based off 20% of 365 days, which was incorrect.
B2, This Bill is a wolf in sheeps clothing. There are already provisions in the CFAA to protect FFs pay. It is part of the GBR for portal to portal. If the FLSA 20% (nominal pay rule) were to be applied here that would come out to somewhere around $11,500 per year. That amount will be reached somewhere in the middle of the FFs second roll of the season. If this amount is reached what does that mean to my Dept. for the rest of the year? Can this FF no longer respond to calls or be compensated the rest of the year for anything he or she does for the Dept.? What now becomes the incentive for the FF to subject themselves to numerous hours of CICCS training and qualifications required to deploy on campain fires? This bill will no doubt hurt small depts, and it is sponsored by CSFA? Interesting.
Just my .02 cents.
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I have been trying to speak with someone at CSFA with no response, also been in contact with folks at Cal Chiefs with no response. Also OES was a little confused when I reached out to them.
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Chief,
Glad to hear you are following up on this. Our OP area is also drafting up a letter with the plan to send it on up the chain. Keep us posted on your progress?
Thanks
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“This does not benefit anyone in our county”
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Here is the way I see it. When a firefighter that is normally a volunteer participates on a mutual aid assignment that falls under the CFAA they become a perdiem paid firefighter making an hourly rate. These earnings are subject to all the relevant payroll with holdings and taxes including Social Security and Medicare and these firefighters receive a W2 from their department at the end of the year. While on these types of assignments they are no longer a “Volunteer”
All personnel that respond to these fires have identical training requirements and in many cases the Non-Career rural personnel have more knowledge and experience with wildland firefighting than a paid municipal firefighter has.
The cry throughout the fire service is that when there is an incident the closest appropriately trained, equipped and available resources shall be sent. To leave nearby strike teams of trained “Non-Career” firefighters on the sidelines to satisfy a preference requirement for “Paid Career” firefighters mobilized from further distances is a complete disservice to the residents of California and ultimately will cost lives and property.
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