California Professional Firefighters

California’s new Emergency Management Agency (Cal-EMA) has joined with labor and management to reject efforts to impose an inadequate physical ability test on both incoming and incumbent firefighters. In a joint statement, Cal-EMA, CPF and CalChiefs conclude that the National Wildfire Coordinating Group’s “Pack Test” can’t and shouldn’t be used as a “fit for duty” test.  

As California approaches another dreaded fire season, tax-weary legislative leaders have put a hold on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's contentious plan to impose a surcharge on property insurance bills that could raise $278 million a year for more crews, engines and helicopters.

 The arsonist responsible for touching off a massive 2006 blaze that killed five firefighters has been convicted of murder. Raymond Oyler, a 38-year-old former auto mechanic, was found guilty of five counts of first-degree murder, one for each of the five US Forest Service firefighters who died in the 2006 Esperanza Fire in eastern Riverside County. The five firefighters died defending a home that had been overrun by the fast-moving blaze. Oyler was also convicted of 20 counts of arson, meaning he could face the death penalty.

The California fire service -- management and labor -- have come together to reaffirm the core principles of fire and emergency response in the state's wildland-urban interface. FIRESCOPE and the California Blue Ribbon Task Force have issued a joint statement repudiating the Australian so-called "stay and defend" model. If you're in California, the advice is clear: Prepare, Leave Early, Follow Evacuation Orders.

CalPERS is getting a new chief investment officer, but don't expect any immediate wholesale changes in how the big pension fund invests its money. Joseph Dear, the newly appointed chief investment officer at CalPERS, says this isn't the time to panic. (SacBee registration may be required.)

The man who spearheaded the 2005 attacks on public employee pensions is at it again. Former Assemblyman Keith Richman says he's going to use the Internet to gather signatures for a proposal that would increase the retirement age and cap pensions at a level nearly 1/3 lower than current law.

A few Southern California fire chiefs are responding to budget and weather concerns by trying to rethink long-standing public safety policies on ordering mass evacuations in a wildfire. The so-called "Stay and Defend" policy is drawing fire from labor and management.

Before 2003, most of California's worst-case disaster scenarios revolved around earthquakes. But over the last five years, our state has increasingly become associated with another kind of disaster - catastrophic wildland fires. 

California Professional Firefighters and its affiliates proved once again that the issues that matter to first responders are issues that resonate with the state's voters. In a year with a record election turnout, CPF-endorsed candidates have won or are leading in all but three of the 91 Assembly and Senate contests in which we made a recommendation -- a whopping 97% success rate! Firefighters also helped lead the defeat of a ballot measure that could have diverted millions away from state fire protection programs. 

Firefighters, family members and dignitaries from throughout California came together Saturday, October 18, 2008 in remembrance of those who paid the ultimate price to protect the lives and property of Californians.