MAINLINEDecember 2009 - San Francisco Firefighters Local 798

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
Letter From the President
December 2009
John Hanley, President
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Firefighters Local 798 wishes all
active and retired members and their
families a Merry Christmas.
With the present unemployment
rate (California’s estimate is 15%);
you can be assured that our Toy
Program, which gives toys to the most
needy, is very busy. We are seeing
many first-time recipients and we’re
ensuring that all who apply for toys
get them. Thank you, active and
retired members, for your continued
participation in this worthwhile
endeavor.
Mid-year cuts are upon us. Your
Executive Board is preparing
documents in defense of our
NFPA (Neighborhood Firehouse
Protection Act). Again, with high
unemployment, we are the first
resource for the medical needs,
emergency and non-emergency, of
thousands of San Franciscans, as well
as the continued arson problem with
people burning their houses who can’t
afford to make their loan payments.
As the Chief of Department said at
our rally in June (which we have
on film) “…we can’t cut any more
resources”. The Union could not
agree more.
We must be careful to not get caught
in a vice, or let bureaucrats start
the age old game of city employee
vs. city employee over cuts. We
are the first line of defense for
medical responses for 25% of San
Franciscans. That message is sent
loud and clear to those at City Hall
or Fire Department headquarters to
anyone planning to cut our response
to emergencies. Explain this to the
currently unemployed with no health
insurance. Any City bureaucrat who
makes a decision to cut companies
is sacrificing emergency healthcare
and would be the Scrooge of all
Christmases, past and present.
The Bocce Ball Tournament was
a great success. Congratulations
to Station 7 on their victorious
championship. Some now consider
Station 7’s Sports Program the
equivalent of the USC Football
Program (prior to this year). The
question is who is the Pete Carroll?
Your Union has insured that every
firefighter may, at their request, get an
H1N1 flu shot. Please ensure that you
have enough masks and equipment
that we don’t bring this flu home to
our families.
4 www.SFFDLocaL798.org
The recent Post Street fire (Tiffany
Building) brought about a large
amount of smoke inhalation
injuries. Your Union started an
investigation, spearheaded by
Director Danny Gracia, advocating
that the Department obtain smoke
samples which will be analyzed by
a private laboratory, determining the
complexity of all the elements of that
smoke.
NIOSH will be starting their study
in the Spring on SFFD’s continuing
cancer epidemic. Much of this work
was done by the Union’s Cancer
Prevention Foundation by Tom
O’Connor and retired member, Tony
Stefani.
While our City’s finances and the
State’s are in crisis mode, beware
of the firehouse rumor mill. True
and accurate information will be
dispensed at Union meetings. This
year, brothers and sisters, we must
be on guard regarding the City and
County budget process.
From your Executive Board, have a
Merry Christmas and a Happy New
Year.
God Bless.