CPF President to Co-Chair State Blue Ribbon Fire Panel
Six years after a 2003 firestorm that destroyed thousands of homes and nearly a million acres across five counties, California renewed its commitment to learning the lessons of that disaster, and those that have come afterward.
In a ceremony at the Capitol, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed an executive order establishing the independent Blue Ribbon Task Force to oversee implementation of recommendations developed in the wake of the 2003 Southern California firestorm. CPF President Lou Paulson was named to co-chair the 14-member panel, along with Sheldon Gilbert, president of the California Fire Chiefs Association.
The original Blue Ribbon Fire Commission was established in the wake of the firestorm, and issued nearly 50 separate recommendations to improve California's fire response. The Task Force grew out of that original Commission, and has been acting as an independent watchdog tracking the Commission's findings.
"A fire service for the 21st Century must be built on the foundation of labor-management cooperation," said President Paulson. "Through this Task Force, the concerns of front line firefighters will be front-and-center as we work to protect vital first responder services in tough budget times."
In addition to President Paulson as co-chair, labor is also represented by Bob Wolf, president of CDF Firefighters Local 2881. They join representatives of local, state and federal fire agencies, as well as the state Department of Homeland Security.