I want to acknowledge that Caroline Brakken has resigned as Secretary- Treasurer of the RFFOW effective February 2010. Susan Lang, former Executive Secretary of the Seattle Fire Fighter Family Medical insurance program, is now serving as interim Secretary-Treasurer. Monica Blum is serving as our interim Newsletter editor and is solely responsible for this March 2010 Newsletter. We were very fortunate to have these two well qualified women step in to fill the vacancy created by Caroline’s resignation.

Dick Warbrouck responds to Larsen letter.

It apparently took the death of six law enforcement officers and the wounding of the seventh officer to bring our elected officials to the full realization that the LEOFF 2 benefits are inadequate. The death of one, two or even the four Seattle firefighters who were killed in the Pang warehouse fire was not enough. Thanks to the compassion and concern of Governor Gregoire and the members of the House Ways & Means Committee, some long overdue changes in the line of duty death benefits are now being considered.

Usually in the January Newsletter I am able to report on a pleasant and enjoyable RFFOW Christmas Luncheon but this year it appears that the Grinch stole the luncheon, because it was a disaster. We immediately had problems when we first arrived around 9:30 am. There was no heat in the building and the main bathrooms, men and women's, were out of order due to broken water pipes.

The 2010 Legislative Session will begin in January. This will be a short sixty-day session. With the projected budget shortfall, most of the attention will be directed to finalizing the budget. The Governor could, after the close of the regular session, call for a special session.

I don't think this is likely unless the budget has not been approved. I doubt that there will be any significant pension legislation introduced especially after so many pension bills were introduced in the last session.

Beginning in January 2010, our monthly meetings will be held on the second Wednesday of each month except for June, July and August when no regular meetings are scheduled. I am disappointed that I can't announce, at this time, where the meetings will be held.

Not much happening on the LEOFF 1 front.  This is one of the few RFFOW President's reports that has nothing about the pension.  We are publishing it anyway as Dick does talk about items of interest RFFOW members.

Dick Warbrouck's monthly report to the members of the RFFOW.  Much of this month's information from Dick is organization specific, but he does discuss some LEOFF 1 issues as well.

In this month's RFFOW newsletter, Dick Warbrouck, reviews the impact of HB 1506.  While this bill dealt with 41.18 (fire prior act) survisor benefits rather than LEOFF 1, it is a good illustration of the need for effective organizations that actively address the needs of their members.  Fortunately, on the police side, the benefits had been included in 41.20 (the police prior act) in earlier legislation.  Somehow those improvements were left out of 41.18.  The hard work of Dick Warbrouck and the RFFOW over several sessions of the legislature finally secured the suvivor benefit for prior act fire fighters.

This month Dick Warbrouck's message to the RFFOW membership is focus on their organization and does not have much LEOFF 1 information, but just in case your are following his articles, here it is.