NEWS & ARTICLES
Wildland Fire Commission offers 148 recommendations to Congress
By Gary Giacomo The Wildland Fire Mitigation & Management Commission, charged with creating recommendations to address nearly every facet of the federal wildfire system, released its final report to Congress this week. The Commission’s report...
Firehouse Magazine and CSFA collaborate for 2024 CTEX
Endeavor Business Media’s Firehouse magazine and the California State Firefighters’ Association (CSFA) announced a dynamic new collaboration on CSFA Training & Education Expo (CTEX), an educational and networking event for all member and non-member individuals...
How to donate to help Maui Fire victims
CSFA has vetted the following organizations that are accepting donations to help victims of the Maui Fire: The American Red Cross Disaster workers from the American Red Cross are in Maui, "working around the clock to help those affected," the group says. To donate,...
Keep your team hydrated! August 15 is deadline to apply for free canned drinking water
The application period is now open for the Emergency Drinking Water for Wildland Firefighters program, a partnership of Anheuser-Busch and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC). To be eligible, departments must respond to wildfires annually, be over 50 percent...
CalPERS Gives Update After Data Breach
The California Public Employees' Retirement System launched its three-day off-site meeting in Monterey with a long-awaited update on a June data breach that exposed sensitive information. Read more on GovernmentTechnology.com >
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Former State Fire Marshal Ronny Coleman memorial set for Oct. 6 in San Clemente
Memorial services for former State Fire Marshal Ronny Coleman will be held Friday, Oct. 6 at 4 p.m. at Calvary South OC (Orange County) 1311 Calle Batido, San Clemente, CA 92673. Download the official CAL FIRE news release here >> Chief Ronny Coleman Press...
Training: Check out these upcoming classes at Prevent Training – CSFA members enjoy 25% discount
Download the upcoming Prevent Training Solutions classes here: 2023 Upcoming Classes Prevent Training Solutions CSFA Discount Code - Get your CSFA Members Only discount code here! (requires login) ABOUT Prevent Training Solutions Prevent Training Solutions is a new...
Wildland Fire Lessons Learning Center revamps website
By Gary Giacomo The Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center (LLC), founded in 2002 as knowledge resource center for the entire wildland fire community has overhauled its website. The LLC is a national, federally-funded organization with interagency staffing. Its mission...
Ronny J. Coleman, past California State Fire Marshal and CSFA Volunteer Committee Chair passes
Ronny J. Coleman, a revered nationally-recognized fire service leader for half a century, who served as California State Fire Marshal and as the chair of the CSFA Volunteer Committee, passed away Sept. 19 in Sacramento. Chief Coleman had been the Fire Chief of the...
TRAINING & EVENTS
FIRTC 70A – Company Officer 2A
Presented in a hybrid format that includes synchronousZoom sessions and one mandatory face-to face session for each course at Yuba College.Click the link for more information. https://yc.yccd.edu/publicsafety/home-page/fire-technology/
Find out more »FIRTC 70A – Company Officer 2A
Presented in a hybrid format that includes synchronousZoom sessions and one mandatory face-to face session for each course at Yuba College.Click the link for more information. https://yc.yccd.edu/publicsafety/home-page/fire-technology/
Find out more »Company Officer 2D: All-Risk Command Operations
This course provides information on conducting incident size-up, developing and implementing an initial plan of action involving single and multiunit operations for various types of emergency incidents to mitigate the […]
Find out more »
LEADERSHIP VIDEO SERIES
In their own words: Long Beach Battalion chief Karen Rindone’s story.
In their own words: Long Beach Battalion chief Karen Rindone’s story.
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CHIEFS CORNER
October is National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month
By Chief Sam DiGiovanna These are certainly challenging times. Stress and depression with most people is on the rise not just nationally, but globally. We all experience varying degrees of depression. Bringing and sharing awareness is key to controlling it before it...
Your Jaws of Life: Check your mouth
By Chief Sam DiGiovanna Here’s a quick little exercise: Go out to the engine or the truck. Look at the equipment and power tools on them—the Jaws of Life, the hydraulic spreaders, the generators, the chainsaws. Those power tools help us save the lives of others while...
CRACKYL
Do You Have A Hostile Workplace?
We’re all adults here, aren’t we? Or are we? Do you sometimes think your partner behaves like a spoiled child? Might they describe you the same way? Do arguments that start small quickly escalate to shouting matches, crying and stony silences?
THE CALIFORNIA FIRE SERVICE
ON THE COVER: A scene from a recent CSFA-sponsored Fire Control 3 class in Riverside County. CSFA is hosting a variety of training throughout the state, and plans are underway for the Second annual CTEX training event. See more photos on pages 22 and 23. Photo by Brandy Carlos
PENSION UPDATE
Pension Update – September 30, 2023
Here is a weekly round-up of news and opinion on the pension issue. Stay informed on this important issue and pass these on to neighbors and colleagues. CALIFORNIA NEWS San Diego County pension debt increased 10-fold in past 15 years, record show...
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VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER RESOURCES
Rural CA Fire Departments to Receive $6M to Increase Service
The Leggett Valley Volunteer Fire Department in northern Mendocino County has six firefighters to cover 250 square miles of some of the most rugged and remote territory in the state of California.
RESOURCES & LINKS
CALIFORNIA VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER RESOURCES
The commitee for volunteers provides a resource for the membership dealing with specific problems realtive to the volunteer fire service.
FIRE SERVICE GRANTS & FUNDING
Explore resources to identify federal grants and other innovative alternatives that can help provide funds for expenses sush as equipment, apparatus, training and salaries necessary to protest and serve communities.
HEALTH & MEDICINE
Building a strong foundation: The IAFF Wellness Fitness Initiative for Firefighters
From the CSFA Health, Wellness & Benefit Committee As firefighters, our commitment to serving the community is unwavering. We constantly face challenging situations that demand physical and mental resilience. To ensure we can perform our duties effectively and...
Optimizing open enrollment for firefighters: Maximizing your health-related purchases
From the CSFA Health, Wellness & Benefit Committee As a firefighter, you are the first line of defense when disaster strikes, and the risks you take to protect our communities are immeasurable. But while your profession demands peak physical and mental health,...
Navigating high mando workloads for firefighters
From the CSFA Health, Wellness & Benefit Committee Firefighting is an unpredictable profession. Some days are quiet, while others are jam-packed with back-to-back calls. The influx of "Mando" (mandatory) work, with forced overtime and extended hours, is the...
September is Sepsis Awareness Month; resources available for first responders
Sepsis is the body’s overwhelming response to an infection. Almost any infection, whether bacterial, viral, or fungal in origin, can lead to sepsis. Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that requires urgent medical care to prevent tissue damage, organ damage, and...
Making good food choices in the fire house: A No-Nonsense Guide
From the CSFA Health, Wellness & Benefit Committee The Lay of the Land Look, we all know the drill. Long shifts, high-stress calls, and the temptation of quick, unhealthy meals. When you’re pulling a 24-hour shift, the last thing you're thinking about is whether...
Firefighter mental health and social stigma
From the CSFA Health, Wellness & Benefit Committee By Eric Castro The social bias encompassing mental health within the first responder community is a significant issue that profoundly impacts the well-being of individuals who dedicate themselves to serving and...
