California Professional Firefighters

Want to stay connected with the stories that matter to you? Then you need to connect to CPF Firevision, CPF's twice-monthly online video update on the issues and stories that affect your life on the job and the safety and security of you and your family. 

Late last year, CPF led a united fire service in support of a measure designed to put more money directly into first responder services. When the bill failed we said we'd be back, and we are. As part of his 2010-2011 budget, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has re-introduces the CPF-backed Emergency Response Initiative.

Two Modesto firefighters remain hospitalized with substantial burns after being injured fighting a New Year's house fire. Engineers Jim Adams and Jason “JD” Clevenger fell through the roof of a well-involved central Modesto. A fund has been established to aid the families and a blood drive is planned for next week. 

Years of neglect, complicated by undocumented modifications, are believed to have played a role in the disastrous Modesto fire which left two firefighters injured ... one of them with burns over nearly half of his body. 

On January 13, 2010, California Professional Firefighters will debut CPF Firevision, a twice-monthly Web video update on the issues and stories that affect the lives of front line firefighters, available through YouTube, iTunes and at www.cpffirevision.org. CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO

After extensive interviews with dozens of contenders in both parties, CPF has identified a bipartisan list of candidates it believes would be the strongest firefighter choices for statewide office in this June’s Primary Election.

California’s firefighters and other hard-working public employees have a new voice for retirement security on the CalPERS Board of Administration. In a close runoff election, CalPERS investment officer J.J. Jelincic won the election for the CalPERS Board seat being vacated by retiring Charles Valdes. 

The story of property loss to major fires in the United States begins and ends in California. In its annual report on Large Loss Fires in the United States, NFPA says that California wildland fires caused a collective property loss of nearly $950 million in 2008. That means 40 cents of every dollar of major fire loss in the US in 2008 occurred in the California wildlands. 

When Vincent J. Bollon became a New York firefighter and IAFF member, Ike was in the White House, Elvis was in the army and Barack Obama hadn't been born. Today, General President Harold Schaitberger announced that Bollon was retiring from his post as IAFF General Secretary-Treasurer, effective January 15. Bollon served more than two decades as IAFF's chief financial officer, and nearly 35 years as an active IAFF leader.

On the front lines, firefighters and police are trained to work as a team. This past weekend, however, Ventura County’s firefighters and law enforcement officers were mixing it up … for a good cause … in their first-ever “Battle of the Badges” boxing match.