CSFA President's Message

CSFA 2018 Legislative Day set for April 23rd at the State Capitol

It looks like the worst of the winter flash floods and mudslides that hit the fire-scarred regions of the state are behind us. That is good news. The “March miracle” of rain and snow is something that we, as Californians, definitely needed, but all the rain will increase fuels in the wildland. Brace yourself, because this year could be just as busy as last year, and this means CSFA and the fire service need to make sure our collective voice is heard by lawmakers in Sacramento to help insure that we have the resources needed to save lives and property. As a CSFA member you have an opportunity to come to Sacramento, and be on the front lines representing the state’s fire service.

The Political Action Committee (PAC) of CSFA is hosting a Legislative Day in Sacramento on Monday, April 23. This day of political education and networking will begin at 12:15 pm with an orientation with CSFA Legislative Advocate Afrack Vargas and CSFA PAC trustees, to help ensure that CSFA members are equipped to receive the best political advocacy experience during the day. Beginning at 1:30, members will act as fire service advocates and visit legislators’ offices to deliver CSFA’s legislative message, invite legislators and their staffers to attend the evening’s Legislative Reception, and to advocate on behalf of California’s fire service.

At 5:30, CSFA’s Legislative Reception will get underway at Mayahuel Restaurant (1200 K Street) just a short walk from the Capitol building. The Legislative Reception will allow for networking and photo opportunities with legislators and legislative staff members, while enjoying beverages and Mayahuel’s excellent Mexican cuisine.

Following the Legislative Reception at 7pm, members will unwind at the Coin-Op, (908 K Street) a bar featuring classic arcade games and 16 beers on tap.

If you are interested in participating in Legislative Day, please call the CSFA office at 800-451-2732 to RSVP, we would love to see you there.

CSFA joins DRiSC
As you will read in CSFA Executive Director Gene Gantt’s message on page 9, CSFA has joined with all of the other major statewide fire organization to be part of Disaster Readiness for safer Communities (DRiSC). The ultimate goal of this coalition is to secure a $100 million augmentation to the Governor’s budget to help modernize our Mutual Aid System and reimburse local agencies for pre-positioning of resources during extreme weather alerts. Along with other fire service organizations, CSFA wants to see this funding augmentation used to strengthen the Mutual Aid System and help move it from “reactive” to “proactive” by helping to fund pre-positioning of resources and also making technology updates to enhance situational awareness and rapid deployment.

On a final note, it was good to meet many members at the recent Firehouse World Conference in San Diego, and I hope to meet many more of you at the CSFA Conference in Rancho Mirage in September. Mark your calendar and make plans to attend.

Stay Safe,

Mike Shrout CSFA President