The Washington State Council of Firefighters is involved in an intensive and well-coordinated lobbying effort to pass some very important legislation. As retired firefighters we should do whatever we can to assist in this effort. It is sometimes difficult for us to assist as an organization. A sincere effort by other groups to help can be seen as interference if a problem occurs down the road. Of course we are always willing to help if asked but we are reluctant to do anything without the knowledge and authority of the State Council. Quite often when attempting to pass legislation, votes are counted, committee members and chair persons have pledged to assist and timing is an important factor. Committee hearings are necessary but sometimes not too important as the votes are counted and additional testimony may give the opponents a chance to talk in opposition or develop additional concern.

As individual retired firefighters we should however feel free to do whatever we can to assist the State Council in their effort. If you have a relationship with a legislator you should most certainly contact he or she and voice your support of the various bills being considered.

If you do not have a relationship with your district legislators, as a resident of the district you can contact your elected representative by letter, e-mail, phone, or by leaving a message on the Hot Line 1-800-562-6000. When leaving a Hot Line message for your legislator you should know your legislative district number or the name or names of the legislators for whom the message is intended for. You will only talk to a staff phone operator. You will not be questioned about the bill or bills that you are calling in support of. If you need your legislative district number, the names of your district representatives, addresses, phone numbers or e-mail addresses, you can call the Legislative Information Center at 1-360-786-7573 to get such information.

We would like you to send a message to your district representatives in support of the following bills.

The first number is the House Bill and the second number is a companion bill which is the very same as the House Bill but is introduced in the Senate.

The WSCFF are in support of the following bills:

HB 1444 and SB 5353 are LEOFF II bills that would allow a surviving spouse of a LEOFF II member who is killed in the line of duty to remarry and continue to receive the L & I Workers Compensation Surviving Spouse Benefit.

HB 1445 and SB 5354 would add presumption language to qualify for line of duty disability retirement for firefighters when they experience a stroke that occurs within 72 hours of exposure to smoke, fumes, or toxic substances; or within 24 hours of a strenuous physical exertion due to firefighting activities. This would also make heart attacks and strokes presumptive for police officers if they die as a direct and proximate result of either when they occur within 24 hours of nonroutine, stressful activity.

HB 1445 has been amended to rename the bill "The Brian Walsh Act" to honor fallen police officer Brian Walsh from the Federal Way Police Department. Walsh died while in his police cruiser, in the line of duty last year while controlling the perimeter of a police investigation scene. After his death the Department of Labor and Industries determined his death was not a line of duty death under the provisions of RCW 51.32. Under the federal Public Safety Benefit Act (PSOB), Walsh's death was found to be line of duty by the federal department of justice indicating that his spouse will receive the Federal Line of Duty Death Benefit.

The WSCFF is opposing HB 1377.

This bill would make a significant change to the Interest Arbitration Law RCW 41.56 by changing the qualifications of an arbitrator serving as the chair for cases under interest arbitration; requires the consideration of the employer's ability to pay for compensation, and how they determine comparable employers.

This bill is of particular interest to all active firefighters and to all Prior Act and dual members (LEOFF I and Prior Act) member retirees as their retirement benefit is based on the current salary of the position held at the time of retirement.

Mayor Danya Redd of Camden, NJ cut the police force nearly in half to balance a $26 million dollar budget deficit. After losing millions in state aid and unable to gain concessions on a union contract, the city laid off 167 police officers and 66 firefighters. Other cities in New Jersey including Newark and Atlantic City have laid off police officers to close budget gaps.

Now Mayor Redd, the city's first mayor since emerging from state control, is in a stalemate with police and fire unions which have rejected contract concessions which have been requested by the city and that are absolutely necessary to balance the budget. The mayor previously requested a 26% increase in property taxes that the city council failed to approve.

If all this is accurate, maybe they should call to task the elected officials who continuously want to underfund pension plans and sometime even want to use pension fund monies to fund social programs and capital improvements.

If what we read about the labor strife in Wisconsin is anywhere near the truth, there should be an agreed stipulation to the facts so everyone is on the same page. Then remove the union busting proposals from the table and discuss or negotiate a solution agreeable to both sides. As a former union president and negotiator I would, if necessary, rather see a small concession by all rather than a large layoff of members which would increase the risk to our existing members, reduce public safety to our citizens and cause major distress for the families of our laid off members.

We have been discussing a possible merger of the Seattle Firefighters Travel Club with the RFFOW or creating a travel club within the RFFOW. The SFD Travel Club is suffering from a declining membership as many of the original members are older and not able to participate in planned activities resulting in less participation and reduced activities. If there is a decision to merge the two groups, we could have the Travel Club as a standing committee in the RFFOW. We could recruit new members and continue the current ten dollars per year dues structure allowing the Travel Club committee to elect its own president or chairperson and treasurer. The other option would be to open the Travel Club to all members of the RFFOW within our current dues structure as a standing committee. The result would be a greater number of people to draw from with more events and activities planned. The RFFOW could then sponsor campouts, bus tours, cruises and other activities. I think you would find it interesting to join other retired firefighters from across the state when participating in one of these sponsored activities.

I have appointed a committee to investigate this idea and if necessary draft a proposal for the Seattle Firefighters Travel Club. In continuation of our efforts to create an option within DRS to: 

1. Allow retirees to rollover existing IRAS, ROTH IRAS and 401K accounts or to establish new accounts to be invested by the State Investment Board (SIB) and administered by the State Department of Retirement Systems.
2. Allow retirees to withhold a portion of their retirement check as a payroll deduction for deposit into the designated account.

Two other retiree organizations have now expressed an interest in this proposal.

I have written Marcie Frost, Deputy Director of DRS to place this issue on the agenda of the February meeting of the Pension Advisory Committee to allow me to address this issue.

I regret that I will not be able to attend the March membership meeting. Vice President Jim Fossos will chair the meeting.