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Officer’s Report

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Welcome to Cincinnati and the IAFF 2014 Convention. Since ourlast meeting in Philadelphia in 2012, I have remained steadfast inmy commitment to assist, protect and defend our affiliates andour members across the United States and Canada every day, inevery way possible, to protect their lives and livelihoods. With the support and guidance of our General

Secretary-Treasurer Tom Miller, each of our 16 district vicepresidents, state and local leadership and International staff, thisunion has built and delivered many outstanding and importantprograms, services and conferences to help our leadershiprepresent and serve our 300,000 members and work on theirbehalf to improve wages and benefits, ensure secure retirements,set safety standards and protect their families and rights as unionmembers.These are difficult and trying times for our

members, our profession and for this union. Evenas the economy has slowly recovered, many of ouraffiliates are still facing layoffs, cuts to staffinglevels, wages, benefits and retirement plans, as wellas company and station closures and brownouts.Threats have also emerged in Canada — ourCanadian brothers and sisters are increasinglyexperiencing attacks on their jobs, pensions andother rights and benefits. As the leaders of this great union, the work you dohas never been harder. It’s the job of thisInternational to be fully prepared to do all it can toprovide the best tools, services and supportpossible to all of our state, provincial and localleadership who represent and fight for ourmembers across two great countries. But to fight back, it takes resources at every level of this union.

Recognizing that these fights are not likely to stop any time soon,over the last two years we have significantly enhanced our abilityto support affiliates against this backdrop of threats and attacks byproviding the information and tools you need to do your jobsmore safely, win in political campaigns, sway public opinion andvotes, and be the voice of professional fire fighters and paramedicsacross North America. E-18 Media, our full-service, in-house video, radio and

broadcast production company and studio is one of our powerfulnew tools that virtually revolutionizes the resources and serviceswe can provide to our affiliates. Wholly-owned by the IAFFFinancial Corporation (IAFF-FC), E-18 offers multi-media toolsto help locals fight for the rights, protections and benefits ourmembers have earned and deserve, build support from the media,the public and elected leaders and promote the value thatprofessional fire fighters and paramedics bring to thecommunities they serve. Since our last Convention, our legislative and political efforts

have stayed focused on the attacks being slung at our members atall levels. In state after state, and province after province, ourleadership and our members have stood up, pushed back and

fought, proving once again that this IAFF is a political forceknown for its philosophy to support its political allies, regardlessof political affiliation or party. Our trademark gold-and-blackbrand remains a sought-after and respected endorsement ofpolitical candidates in federal, state, provincial and local elections.We’ve have always found a way to make the political and

legislative process work for us, regardless of which political partyis in control. But the relentless attacks that started following the2010 mid-term elections have changed the political landscape.The new crop of lawmakers has made it difficult to stick to ourbipartisan approach to politics. But we have kept our resolve. Even in the current era of

congressional gridlock, our Government and Political AffairsDivision, led by Assistant to the General President Kevin

O’Connor, has been able to deflect attacks at thefederal level on pensions, mandatory Social Securityand taxation of benefits, while also succeeding inre-authorizing the Staffing for Adequate Fire andEmergency Response (SAFER) and Assistance toFirefighters (FIRE Act) grant programs andimproving Public Safety Officer Benefit (PSOB)benefits, among other victories. And, in the pasttwo years in Canada, we made several key advancesdespite a majority Conservative government intenton attacking unions.When I look at the success of the SAFER program,

there is no other federal program in whichCongress provides no-strings-attached federaldollars to fund the salaries of public safetyemployees. It was the work of this union that puthundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars into

our communities to keep our members on the frontlines andpreserve public safety services in countless communities. Throughout the recession — and even as the economy recovers

— SAFER has been a lifeline for affiliates in jurisdictions that haveapplied for and received SAFER funding. Since the lastConvention, affiliates and their fire departments have receivedmore than $675 million to keep our members on the job. And,since 2008, in excess of $2 billion in SAFER money has savedmore than 15,000 fire fighting jobs and brought our memberswho received pink slips during the recession back to work so theycan continue protecting their neighbors and this country. And, wewere successful in making permanent the waivers that allowSAFER funds to be used to rehire fire fighters who have been laidoff as communities continue to struggle financially.While we always want to be on the offensive, in the last 18

months, our efforts have been largely focused on protectingexisting programs and fending off proposals that could havedisastrous effects on our members and this union. Our biggestfrustration has been in our efforts to reform the Affordable CareAct (ACA). Provisions in the law — including the so-called“Cadillac Tax” — that reduce health care benefits that ouraffiliates have negotiated, pose significant problems for our

REPORT OF THE GENERAL PRESIDENTHarold A. Schaitberger

52nd Convention, International Association of Fire Fighters

Harold A.Schaitberger

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members. Efforts to reform portions of the ACA will be a definingissue for our union in the coming months, even years. We have also spent more and more resources playing defense

with the 113th Congress, which has attempted to impose pension“reforms” that would replace defined benefit pension plans withannuities sold by insurance companies and encourage localities tocontract out EMS to the private sector. Federal employees —including fire fighters — have also come under harsh attack withrepeated efforts to increase pension contributions, instigatefurloughs and threaten staffing cuts. In the United States, organized labor became a focal point for

the 2012 presidential campaign. This union played aggressively tore-elect President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Bidenbased on their records of support for professional fire fighters andour issues.In addition to the presidential campaign, we invested in targeted

gubernatorial, state and local races, helping our affiliates win bigand further strengthening our political brand. We fundedIndependent Expenditure (IE) campaigns in key House andSenate races that included television, radio, direct mail andgrassroots efforts for our allies on both sides of the aisle. Investingin IEs was a bold but successful step, helping elect our friends andpromote the IAFF political brand at the same time.Our success was truly remarkable — we had an 87 percent

winning percentage in gubernatorial, U.S. Senate and U.S. Houseraces, and succeeded in winning many state legislative contests aswell. We worked hard to defend 21 seats in the Senate, whichpundits had predicted would go to the GOP. But in the end, weproduced a net gain of two seats to hold onto a DemocraticSenate majority for the 113th CongressWe again weighed in heavily in 2013 in state and local races, in

hopes of dampening efforts to cut public safety budgets anddiminishing the attacks on fire fighter rights and benefits. Ourefforts nationwide sent a clear message to voters to invest inpublic safety, and our success was upheld at the ballot box. In scores of other races in legislatures and city councils, I am

especially proud of the many IAFF members or family memberswho ran for office. I have always said no one can better representfire fighters than one of our own. Many of these candidates are past graduates of our Political

Training Academy. Since its inception, we have trained more than900 IAFF members or family members. In 2013, we conducted our inaugural Collective Bargaining

Referendum Academy in Memphis, Tennessee. While advancing anational collective bargaining bill remains our top legislativepriority, the current political environment makes it almostimpossible. In the meantime, the referendum process is the bestpath for affiliates to achieve collective bargaining at the local level.While 2014 is a mid-term election year, there is still much at

stake for our union. At the federal level, 36 Senate seats are up —21 Democrats and 14 Republicans. Of the 21 Democratic seats, 10are considered in play, and the IAFF and FIREPAC will be engagedin many of these races. In addition, 36 states will holdgubernatorial elections, with Republicans defending 22 seats.Our political principles are simple, but steadfast. We support

those who support us. Sticking together and having each other’sbacks is part of this great profession we call “the job.” And stickingto it is what will ensure that we ultimately prevail in Novemberand in the fights we face across North America. Our political and legislative operation in Canada — directed by

Assistant to the General President for Canadian Operations ScottMarks — continues to work to advance the legislative issuesaffecting our Canadian members. Our Canadian affiliates haveembraced the same IAFF political action philosophy ofsupporting candidates who support issues important to firefighters, and our members across Canada are increasingly engagedin advancing those issues.We celebrated a major legislative victory when the Public Health

Agency of Canada pledged to revise the Canadian PandemicInfluenza Plan to give fire fighters priority access to vaccines andanti-virals in the event of an influenza pandemic. We were alsoable to secure funding extensions through March 2016 for ourCanadian Haz-Mat and CBRNE Training Initiative, a partnershipwith the government of Canada that provides a recognized levelof Haz-Mat and CBRNE response training to first respondersacross Canada free to municipalities, thanks to federalgovernment funding. This is a significant legislative victory and agreat credit to this union as we uphold our position as a leadingadvocate for public and fire fighter safety. Our goal is to secureadditional long-term funding for the program, which has trainednearly 2,000 first responders across Canada since its inception in2007. In late 2012, we called for the Canadian Government to establish

a national Public Safety Officer Compensation (PSOC) benefit inthe amount of $300,000 to give fire fighters priority access tovaccines and antivirals in the event of an influenza pandemic andto amend the National Building Code of Canada to include firefighter safety as a core objective. An important advance occurredin November when Private Member’s Motion M-388, whichcalled on the government to act on these three issues, was adoptedin the House of Commons. M-388 was introduced in the Houseof Commons by Saskatchewan Liberal MP Ralph Goodale shortlyafter speaking at the IAFF’s 19th Canadian Legislative Conference.While private member’s motions are non-binding, the fact that amajority of MPs representing a majority of Canadians voted infavour of M-388 sent the federal government a clear message thatit should act on our legislative issues. And our affiliates in Canada have spent considerable time and

resources over the last two years asserting their opposition to BillC-377, legislation disguised as a proposal that would requireunions to comply with burdensome financial reporting andintended to keep unions mired in red tape and undermine ourmembers’ ability to be politically active. Our union was amongthe most active in a Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) campaignagainst Bill C-377. Bill C-377 was adopted in the House ofCommons in December, but in June 2013, the Canadian Senateunexpectedly stripped down the legislation. It was reverted backto the House of Commons in its original form, and then kickedback to the Senate but remains stalled with no indication of itmoving forward anytime soon. One of the main goals of our Canadian Operations is to ensure

that the vast range of IAFF services is available to our 22,083members, and that those services are tailored where necessary inrecognition of Canada’s unique labour, legislative and legalsystems.The IAFF Canadian Political Training Academy is a prime

example of this function. Based on the IAFF’s highly successfulU.S. Political Training Academy, the Canadian Political TrainingAcademy delivers advanced political action skills to CanadianIAFF members who aspire to run for elected office or help run

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election campaigns of other candidates. The Canadian PoliticalTraining Academy includes elements of a campaign, election laws,interactive political action scenarios and live media training, andfeatures top political experts who come from all sides of Canada’spolitical spectrum. The inaugural Canadian Political TrainingAcademy was held in May 2011 in Ottawa, with successive eventsin November 2012 and November 2013Since our last Convention, our Canadian Office began the

development of several comprehensive initiatives, including astrategy to maintain and enhance the current level ofparticipation in EMS by Canada’s professional fire fighters. Ourrole in providing emergency medical response in Canada is underattack in several provinces with an aim to reduce the number ofmedical calls fire fighters respond to or to prevent them frompracticing those skills in the field.With the exception of a few communities in Alberta and

Manitoba, EMS is a vast, untapped resource in Canada, andefforts to improve patient care are being ignored or even blocked.Further, the debate about fire fighters’ role in EMS is beset withmisleading information by rival service providers who fear thatfire fighters are out to take away paramedic jobs rather than worktogether in a system that puts the patient first.But our union is not going to sit on the sidelines as the attacks

unfold, because fire fighters have an important role to play in thedelivery of EMS in Canada. Our goal is to ensure that EMS willcontinue to be a major focus for the IAFF in Canada.For years, our members have been fending off an avalanche of

attacks from all sides. As these fights rage on, our Canadian Officeis also developing resources to help affiliates “change theconversation” in the media, with our members, at theneighborhood barbecue or anytime the record needs to be setstraight with positive messaging about our value to ourcommunities. This project was initiated because too often, toomany local politicians and media focus on the cost of the fireservice, not the value of it and don’t see fire protection as aninvestment. Being prepared with effective messaging and talkingpoints can help generate support for the issues under attack.More on these and other initiatives are detailed in the report on

our Canadian operations.Despite advances in many safety and health areas, fire fighting

remains one of the most dangerous occupations in NorthAmerica. Our members continue to be killed, injured and exposedto infectious and occupational diseases on the job, in addition tosuffering psychological stress. Our mission is to make thisdangerous profession as safe as possible, and I am happy to reportthat our Occupational Health, Safety and Medicine Division,under the direction of Assistant to the General President PatMorrison, has made tremendous strides to protect our memberson the frontlines.I don’t have to tell any of you about the tragedies we have had on

the job since the last Convention. We experienced multipleline-of-duty deaths at a more frequent pace than any other2014Indianapolis, Houston and Byran, Texas, Toledo, Boston andthe extraordinary loss of 19 members in the Yarnell Hills Fire inPrescott, Arizona. Unfortunately, our profession’s history is filled with those who

have made the ultimate sacrifice. It is the reality of a calling that can be very tough, and it’s been a

tough couple of years. But we have been at the immediate call ofevery affiliate at the most difficult time for any fire department.

We also review National Institute of Occupational Safety andHealth (NIOSH) investigations and coordinate the federalbenefits provided through the Public Safety Officer Benefit(PSOB).Many of these deaths and injuries are preventable, and we

continue to enhance existing programs and develop new ones tomake this dangerous profession as safe as possible.One of our most successful initiatives is our Fire Ground

Survival (FGS) training program, which prepares our membersfor MAYDAY prevention and operations. The program teachesfire fighters to perform potentially life-saving actions if theybecome lost, disoriented, injured, low on air or trapped, and isdesigned to provide consistent standards and operating protocolsthroughout the fire service. Funding for the FGS training programis in part from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)through the Assistance to Firefighters (FIRE Act) program, andthe curriculum is developed from lessons learned from fire fighterfatality investigations conducted by the NIOSH, among othersubject matter experts. The next phase of FGS implementation is to make this program

available to all affiliates, regardless of size and location. Thetraining is only as good as our ability to deliver it — so to trulyexpand it, we are deploying two FGS mobile training apparatus asa beta test, and are developing a plan for additional deployments.The mobile training apparatus include all of the props needed todeliver the training to members so that lack of a training facility isno longer an obstacle. Over the last two years, we have continued to pass and protect

legislation at the local, state and provincial level. The IAFF wasinstrumental in getting Congress to pass the initial PSOBprogram, and has been the principal author of every amendmentaffecting IAFF members’ coverage and the benefit amounts. Whenthe delay in payments of those benefits continued to occur as aresult of the unnecessary and troublesome intervention by theDepartment of Justice’s (DoJ) Office of General Counsel (OGC),we were at the forefront in advocating a thorough review andcreating a process to reform the program by taking the OGC outof the process. The PSOB program will now be entirely managedwithin the Bureau of Justice Programs, removing the Office of theGeneral Counsel from the process. This change will ensure thatbenefits are paid quickly and efficiently to the survivors of thosekilled protecting their communities.I am also pleased with our efforts to obtain or maintain

presumptive laws addressing heart disease, lung disease, cancerand infectious diseases. This has included direct testimony beforestate and provincial legislators. We also maintain an onlineresource of presumptive legislation in the United States andCanada. The issue of presumptive legislation has also advanced in several

Canadian provinces, including a promise in Ontario to add sixcancers to the list of those deemed occupational in Canada’sbiggest province. In addition, British Columbia was successful inrestoring presumptive heart legislation that was stripped awaymore than a decade ago by another government. Newfoundland isthe only province where Canadian IAFF members don’t havepresumptive legislation.Every bit as important as physical health are behavioral health

issues, but they are often overlooked or disregarded in the fireservice. Our focus on suicide in the fire service as a behavioralhealth issue includes development of web-based behavioral health

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training, referral and educational resources that address suicideprevention and intervention. We have secured federal grantdollars for this effort and expect this online tool to be available tothe membership later this summer. It has been a longstanding goal to prevent occupational cancer,

and we have implemented programs that address this issue forour affiliates and their fire departments. There is significantscientific evidence that shows fire fighters have higher incidents ofcancer compared to other occupational illnesses. These studiesclearly indicate that such cancers are related to the job of firefighting. In fact, NIOSH in its most recent report reinforced thisgrim fact and supported the link between the exposures to toxins— including carcinogenic flame retardants — and that firefighters face an increased risk of occupational cancers. Concernsare not only related to combustion, but in everyday contact. Thisis the largest health related issue facing this profession. Last year, the IAFF partnered with the producers of the HBO

documentary, “Toxic Hot Seat,” to help educate affiliates aboutefforts to remove disease-causing flame retardants fromupholstered furniture and other products and encourage them totake action at the state and local level to ban the use of toxicchemicals and make it a requirement that manufacturers of theseproducts use alternative safety measures in lieu of flameretardants. As part of the partnership, many IAFF affiliates haveheld screenings of the documentary, and it will also be shown atthis Convention. Much of the movement towards toxic-free firesafety and the removal of toxic flame retardants has been achievedby passing legislation and changing regulations and standards atthe local, state and provincial level. Affiliates in several states,including Maine, Washington, Vermont and Oregon, have alreadypassed state laws banning dangerous flame retardants. The IAFF supports affiliates’ efforts to ban and regulate harmful

flame retardants and to advocate for non-toxic alternativemethods to address flammability that do not involve flameretardant carcinogens. We are also fully committed to protectingthe health and safety of our members and, in conjunction withthe Cancer Support Network, have developed an online awarenessand prevention resource on all occupational diseases. Our Fallen Fighter Memorial in Colorado Springs is now more

than 28 years old. These hallowed grounds are where thousandsgather every September to celebrate and honor the lives of ourbrothers and sisters who have died in the line of duty during thepast year. At this Convention, we are putting forth a resolution forreconstructing the entire Memorial site in order to ensure theintegrity of the site for future generations of fire fighters and theirfamilies. Since the granite walls were erected in 1989 and in 2002, more

than 2,800 names of fallen members have been etched. Currently,the Memorial includes the names of the fallen since 1976. We haveresearched every member killed in the line of duty from 1918 to1975, and those names will be added to the new Memorial. Theplan also calls for additional space to accommodate the families ofthe fallen during the annual Fallen Fire Fighter Memorialobservance. If approved, the rebuild will begin following the 2014observance and finished in time for the 2015 service.As technology has become fundamental in advancing our

communications operation, our Communications and MediaDepartment — led by Assistant to the General President forMedia, Communications and Information Technology Jeff Zack— has worked to make sure we use our resources to more

effectively communicate with and assist our affiliates, as well asprovide our leadership with a bigger toolbox for their owncommunications operations, including public relations, politicalcampaigns, community outreach and other efforts. The fact is, technology has changed the way people want to

receive news and information, and if we want to reach ourmembers, we need to meet them where they are — and that is onthe go, immediately and often. In 2012, delegates passedResolution 2 allowing us to reduce the frequency of our flagshippublication, the International Fire Fighter magazine. In the twoyears since the last Convention, we have scaled back to publishfour editions each year, giving our magazine a new look and a newname: Fire Fighter Quarterly. As the primary means ofcommunicating with our nearly 300,000 members, our editorialstandards remain the same — to report on every major issue,initiative and project in our magazine and provide more in-depthcoverage and analysis in our articles.With the cost savings from printing and postage, we took a close

look at our communications and media operation, and madesome big changes, investing in new technologies so that we candeliver information to you more quickly and in a variety offormats and platforms. I am most excited about the release of ournew IAFF Frontline App during our Convention here inCincinnati. It gives affiliate leaders and members access to toolsand information from the IAFF in real time anywhere, anytimeusing their smartphones and tablets. In addition, affiliates can useour new app to customize content specifically for their memberswith local news, events and information. In conjunction with theapp launch, we have also redesigned the IAFF web site to offer amore dynamic, mobile-friendly experience so members can easilynavigate the site and find content.With today’s digital world offering so many means and mediums

for our communication efforts, social media has proven to be oneof the most effective ways to connect with our members aboutcurrent news and events, as well as the media, other fire serviceand labor organizations and the public. We first entered the social media world in 2010, just before our

Convention in San Diego. Since that time, our Facebook page hasgrown exponentially, with more than 102,000 “Likes” — andliterally rising daily. In addition, more than 22,000 people andorganizations follow us on Twitter. With these and other emergingsocial media, we can also distribute news and information beyondour membership to reach the media, elected officials, the publicand other allies and supporters. Just recently, we experienced the power of social media to spread

our message across a much wider audience using a newapplication called Thunderclap, a tool that serves as a messageamplifier, giving affiliates and members the ability to donate theirown private social media networks as a pass-through when theIAFF has important information to share. In May, the IAFFproduced a 30-second Memorial Day public serviceannouncement (PSA) honoring those who have made theultimate sacrifice for our country, then asked members to helpspread the message so that others could share the PSA. ThisThunderclap instantly reached 326,000 people and was sharedmore widely beyond that. In addition, we helped more than 80affiliates customize the PSA to broadcast on their social mediafeeds, web sites and local television stations. The FOX Newschannel also ran the PSA nationally May 15-26.The PSA is also among the resources we offer to help affiliates

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develop community outreach campaigns that help boost ourmembers’ public image and build relationships with electedleaders, the media and local businesses. Similarly, we havedeveloped a series of soft news stories that show the value firefighters bring to their community and also promote public safety— such as fireworks safety, Halloween safety and tornado safety— that are packaged as ready-to-plug-in toolkits complete withpress releases, info graphics, suggested tweets and video.Over the last several years, hundreds of our affiliates across the

United States and Canada have participated in events in Octoberin support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and to raise moneyfor national and local charities dedicated to finding a cure forcancer. Delegates at our 2010 Convention in San Diego passed aresolution to support these efforts. And, for the third consecutiveyear, we collaborated with Susan G. Komen for the Cure to offer a“Passionately Pink for the Cure” program for affiliates that chooseto support the Komen organization. Money raised by our affiliatesthat participate is split equally to benefit Komen and our IAFFCharitable Foundation. We also worked with then CanadianBreast Cancer Foundation (CBCF) to coordinate breast cancerawareness and fundraising efforts in Canada. Another community outreach opportunity available to our

affiliates is Firefighters for Operation Warm, a programspecifically branded for the IAFF and its affiliates to bring warmcoats to needy children. Support for the program was establishedat our Convention in Philadelphia through a resolution thatcommitted to delivering coats that are made in the United Statesor Canada by union workers. For the initial launch in 2012, coatswere produced using American-made materials. I am pleased toannounce that American Apparel, whose workers are representedby SEIU Local 4405, will be manufacturing the coats goingforward. These kinds of programs and resources are important for

promoting affiliates’ external communications efforts as theycontinue to fight back against ongoing and politically motivatedattacks. In the last two years, the requests for affiliate assistancehave been steady, and the Communications and MediaDepartment’s work has helped win a number of tough battles. A powerful media campaign was key to our success in Central

Coventry, Rhode Island, where our local was engaged in a nearlyone-year battle against an aggressive citizen task force intent onliquidating the fire department and privatizing EMS. Local 3372waged a campaign to convince the Rhode Island GeneralAssembly to pass legislation to prevent the liquidation and insteadput the fire district under state oversight. Using a multi-facetedmedia campaign that included direct mail, print and online ads,social media and a web site dedicated to the issue. Local 3372 wasable to change the narrative and, in the end, the General Assemblypassed the bill, which was signed by the governor, saving the firedistrict and protecting our members’ jobs. Other successful efforts include a campaign to restore an illegal

pay cut for Memphis, TN Local 7184 members and other publicemployees, a public education campaign in Allen Park, Michiganasking citizens to vote yes on a millage to prevent draconian cutsto public safety (the measure passed by a 70-30 margin) and acampaign that ended a six-month fight to preserve the jobs of 19Omaha, NE Local 385 members after the mayor threateneddangerous cuts to fire department resources. The full weight of our resources has also been brought to bear to

help our affiliates in Canada fight back against an increasing

number of attacks on staffing, wages, pensions, the arbitrationsystem, unions and the middle class by anti-union lawmakers atall levels of government, as well as attacks by the media.Our Canadian Office helped Owen Sound Local 531 and

Midland Local 1581 fight back against local community groupsthat are mindlessly calling on their municipal councils to cutfrontline fire department capabilities without any credibleanalysis of the impact on public safety or insurance premiums.We also helped numerous locals throughout Canada fight backagainst cuts to frontline fire protection or other threats.At the provincial level, we assisted the Saskatchewan Professional

Fire Fighters Association in its fight against Bill 85, a regressivepiece of legislation that upends decades of labour peace in theprovince with radical changes to labour laws, including strippingaway access to binding arbitration from the province’s foursmallest locals, which are already among the lowest paid inCanada. In Alberta, affiliates are working to limit the damage of avicious attack on public sector pensions by the province’sProgressive Conservative government, despite the fact thepensions plans are in good financial shape. In British Columbia,the arbitration system is also under attack and in New Brunswick,pension reform has affected several affiliates.These are just a few examples of the dozens of campaigns we

have assisted with over the last two years. Others are detailed inthe Media and Communications and Canadian Operationsreports.The assistance we provide to our affiliates would not be possible

without our Technical Assistance and Information ResourcesDivision, under the leadership of Assistant to the GeneralPresident Lori Moore-Merrell. This Division exists specifically toprotect our members’ wages and benefits and address many otherissues related to labor and fire and EMS operations, includingstaffing and deployment. It is also through the work of thisDivision that we developed a web-based GIS tool that allowsaffiliates to conduct their own basic GIS deployment evaluations. A major project for this Division was the National Institute of

Standards and Technology’s (NIST) landmark study on the effectsof crew size in high-rise building fires — part of a multiphase firefighter safety and deployment study funded by an Assistance toFirefighters (FIRE Act) grant to develop best practices for firedepartments. Results of the study were released in 2013. In 2010,we released the results of a similar study specific to residentialstructure fires. We developed an online tool kit, making the studyresources available to our affiliates to use to educate electedofficials and decision-makers in an effort to help them understandthe connection between cutting public safety budgets andendangering public and fire fighter lives. The study is animportant resource; as an independent government study, it isscientific proof that the size of fire fighting crews and responsetimes has a significant effect on the ability to save lives andproperty. The study report was also presented to the NFPA 1710Technical Committee, and language from the study has beenadded to the standard, with release of the revision expected in2015. The Multiphase Study Team is also developing a NationalFire Operations Reporting System to ensure that fire chiefs andlabor leaders have the data to justify system changes or assess theimpact of proposed cuts.As active shooter events become all too common, the need for

fire and police organizations to work together to ensureappropriate and effective response to these volatile and dangerous

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scenarios is critical, as is the need for standard operatingprocedures and training to ensure that all fire and lawenforcement personnel are prepared to respond to these incidents.Delegates at this Convention will be discussing this issue as part ofthe debate regarding Resolution 11 — IAFF Members Respondingto Active Shooter Events.Another important initiative for the Technical Assistance and

Information Resources Division is our Major Incident Awarenessand Tracking Tool. Working with the National Weather Serviceand ESRI, we have developed a resource that provides nearreal-time information of large weather-related incidentsthroughout the United States and Canada. Our WebGIS interfaceallows affiliate leaders to see where incidents are occurring alongwith the potential threat to IAFF members, as well as contactinformation for any disaster relief needs. Our Grants and HazMat/WMD Training Division, led by

Assistant to the General President Elizabeth Harman, has helpedhundreds of affiliates prepare applications for federal grants thatfund fire service programs, training, equipment and safety andprevention programs, including SAFER and FIRE Act grants,answering questions and facilitating communication between thelocal, fire department and city throughout the process. Ouraffiliates have received more than $675 million in grants in the lasttwo years. Our HazMat/WMD training programs are also fundedwith federal grant dollars. We have received more than $75million in federal funds, which has allowed us to developcurricula and training for more than 150,000 emergency responsepersonnel. In response to last year’s deadly chemical plant explosion in

West, Texas, we have been working closely with the Department ofHomeland Security (DHS), the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA), the Department of Labor (DOL), the Department ofJustice (DoJ), Department of Agriculture (USDA) andDepartment of Transportation (DOT) to identify ways to improveoperations coordination with state and local partners. In addition,we are working with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials SafetyAdministration (PHMSA) to enhance the safe transportation ofbulk Bakken Crude Oil and other flammable liquids. Another tremendous resource available to help our affiliates as

they face new challenges and threats is our Education and HumanRelations Division. Led by Assistant to the General PresidentJames Ridley, this Division provides numerous programs —including online learning, classroom study and conferences — togive affiliate leaders the skills and knowledge to run their unionsand serve their members and advance their skills or advance theircareer. Our annual Affiliate Leadership Training Summit (ALTS)

remains our number-one education program, offeringpre-conference events, workshops and networking opportunities.In addition, the Partnership Education Program (PEP) allows usto provide affiliate leaders training at state and provincialconventions to help enhance their leadership skills.In the last two years, we have started to offer regional PEP

seminars designed to provide affiliate leaders an opportunity tolearn about district and region-specific issues and network withleaders from neighboring locals. In 2012, we piloted two regionalPEP events in the 8th and 12th Districts, and in 2013 we held twoadditional events in the 8th and 11th Districts. Additionally, weprovided five customized trainings for several local and stateaffiliates.

In January of this year, we held our 25th Ernest A. “Buddy” MassHuman Relations Conference in conjunction with ALTS. It was aproductive Conference that embraced the theme, StrengthThrough Diversity. Our keynote address was delivered by LeeSaunders, president of the American Federation of State, Countyand Municipal Employees (AFSCME). In recognition of the 25thanniversary of the Civil Rights Committee (now the ElectedHuman Relations Committee), all attendees receivedcommemorative coins.Since the last Convention, we have entered a post-secondary

education partnership with Kaplan University to offer allmembers in the United States and Canada special tuition ratesand other time- and money-saving benefits. In addition, KaplanUniversity allows extensive life-experience to count towardsdegree credits.Across the United States and Canada, our Fire Ops 101 program

has been a valuable tool designed to give elected leaders anopportunity to experience a day in the life of a fire fighter andeducate them about the inherent dangers of the job, the physicalstrength required and the importance of adequate staffing, properequipment and ongoing training. It is one of the most effectiveways to expose decision makers and media to the hard work ourmembers do to protect their communities. Our online Fire Opsresource is a tool for helping affiliates plan and implement theirown Fire Ops event. It is a proven tool for convincing lawmakersto invest in public safety. Local elected leaders and media inCincinnati are participating in a Fire Ops event here at ourConvention. Our legal operation — under the supervision of IAFF General

Counsel Tom Woodley — over the last two years has worked torespond to the increasing demand for legal assistance andpreparation. Our in-house Legal Department, under theDirection of Legal Counsel Baldwin Robertson of Woodley &McGillivary — has provided support and assistance to ourInternational officers and affiliates using our Legal Guardian,Frontline and EDF programs. Legal assistance in Canada ishandled by IAFF Legal Counsel Sean McManus. During thetwo-year period since the last Convention, our General Counsel’sOffice has handled a number of court cases and other mattersprotecting the interests of the International and safeguarding therights of our affiliate leaders and members. In addition to establishing favorable court precedents and

obtaining relief for adversely affected members, the IAFF has alsobeen able to recover substantial court-awarded litigation fees andexpenses against employers who have violated the law. Our Legal Guardian Policy provides financial support and direct

legal representation for cases in which union leaders and activistshave been subjected to retaliation for engaging in union-relatedactivities or speaking out on matters of public concern affectingunion members, and for cases expected to have aprecedent-setting impact on other IAFF affiliates and members. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the International

can award a $10,000 grant to pay for initial litigation expendituresin pursuing a court action to enforce the overtime rights of itsmembers. When these cases are favorably concluded through acourt decision or a settlement, the $10,000 is reimbursed to theInternational. Our Frontline Policy provides legal assistance to members and

their families when a member has been killed or seriously injuredin the line of duty as a result of defective products or the

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negligence of a third-party. Our union has prevailed in many of these cases. A complete

summary of all our successes is in the General Counsel’s report.This year marks the 12th year of operations for the IAFF

Financial Corporation (IAFF-FC). Not only has the IAFF-FC builta strong lineup of financial services and programs, it has createdseveral exciting new initiatives in the past two years and identifiedsome critical areas of growth and innovation. The first is toprovide IAFF members in the United States with aworker-friendly solution to banking services. Rather than bankingwith some of the same institutions that contributed to thefinancial meltdown of 2008, the IAFF-FC now provides bankingservices through Amalgamated Bank, a majority union-ownedbank that is responsive to the needs of the everyday workingperson. The financial success of the IAFF-FC has generated enough

resources to fund E-18 Media, which — as I mentioned at thebeginning of this report — is a first class video production studioin the lower lobby of the IAFF headquarters building. The IAFF-FC, under the direction of its Chief Operating Officer

Carrie Tucker, has returned a revenue stream of more than $2.66million to the IAFF through contracted services provided by theIAFF and sponsorships of IAFF events. In Fiscal Year 2014 alone,an additional $931,000 will bring the total revenue to $3.6million. Over the last two years, our Charitable Foundation, which serves

as a 501 ( c ) (3) umbrella organization for all of all charitableFunds, has continued to support our members in many ways. In2012, Nationwide Retirement Solutions committed to supportingthe Foundation with a pledge of $100,000 per year for five years.And, in October 2013, Liberty Mutual launched a campaignoffering free rate quotes. For every quote, Liberty Mutual donates$10 to the Foundation. Liberty Mutual is repeating this effort in2014. The Charitable Foundation has also partnered with Armida

Winery to offer IAFF Wines and an IAFF Wine Club. TheCharitable Foundation receives 18 percent of proceeds from thesale of the IAFF-branded wines. As mentioned earlier, since 2011,we have partnered Susan G. Komen for the Cure during BreastCancer Awareness Month, with the money raised split equallybetween Komen and the Foundation. The late Jay Johnson, a member of San Mateo, CA Local 2400,

bestowed the majority (nearly $600,000) of his estate to our W.H.“Howie” McClennan Fund. The IAFF Executive Board hassubmitted a resolution at this Convention to recognize JayJohnson and his bequeath to the Fund, which provides fundingfor post-secondary education for the children of fire fighters andemergency medical personnel who are killed in the line of duty. The IAFF Charitable Foundation Burn Fund, which provides

support for members who suffer burn injuries and their familymembers, has developed a guideline for locals to implementwithin their departments. Working in conjunction with thePhoenix Society for Burn Survivors, as also developed theSurvivors Offering Assistance to Recovery (SOAR) programspecifically for fire fighters and their families. This peer supportgroup links a trained fire fighter burn survivor with the firefighter and the family to assist in the recovery process.

More on each of the Foundation’s five funds is in the CharitableFoundation report.A remarkable milestone is the 60th anniversary of the IAFF’s

ongoing commitment to “Fill-the-Boot” for the MuscularDystrophy Association (MDA). MDA has completely redesignedits Fill-the-Boot campaign materials for our affiliates using a “60Year Strong” message along with imagery of child and fire fighter.Last year, an estimated 1,700 affiliates held more than 2,000 eventsin support of MDA, raising $26,155,663 — an increase of$700,000 (3 percent) over 2012. In May of last year, San Antonio, TX Local 624 member Roger

Lopez was designated as the new IAFF-MDA Coordinator. He willbe assisting our members in their fundraising activities.For the first time, in 2013, the Show of Strength Telethon was

broadcast on ABC television stations across the country as atwo-hour primetime show featuring many IAFF affiliates and thework they do year-round to support MDA. An estimated 1,700affiliates held more than 2,000 events in support of MDA in 2013,raising $26,155,663 — an increase of $700,000 (3 percent) over2012.Sadly, in 2013, we also mourned the passing of one of Shaun

Probert, a member of Shaker Heights, OH Local 516, to ALS (LouGehrig’s disease), who spoke about his fight against the disease atour 2012 Convention. Our Canadian members continue to support Muscular

Dystrophy Canada (MDC). In the past two years, theextraordinary efforts by our brothers and sisters to the northraised almost $2.8 million that will have an enormous impact onthe 50,000 Canadian men, women and children affected bymuscular dystrophy. I am especially proud of the dozens ofCanadian affiliates that hold rooftop campouts to raise money forMDC. Our partnership with Muscular Dystrophy Canada has alsospanned 60 years. Our Canadian members raised a record$1,425,000 for MDC in the last year through rooftop campouts,boot drives and other fundraising initiatives. I want to recognize our Convention sponsors for their generous

support in ensuring a successful and memorable week here inCincinnati. Please say thank you to these important partners withthe IAFF when in the Exhibit Hall. I thank you for the honor of leading this great International and

for the opportunity to continue to serve the 300,000 memberswho dedicate their lives to keeping our communities throughoutNorth America safe and who work tirelessly on the frontlinesrisking their lives to save those of others.I am so proud of our incredible affiliate leadership whose work

has shown just how strong this union is when we’re workingtogether for a better future. This week, we will be making criticaldecisions at every level of our union to make sure our memberscontinue working, stay safe, keep the right to collectively bargain,enjoy a secure retirement and have a voice. This is our week tomake a difference for our union. Each of the IAFF Division reports provide a more detailed

accounting of the products and services this International hasbrought to our members and the successes we have achieved overthe last two years. n

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Time seems to pass so quickly. When I reflect on the two yearssince my last Convention report, I am reminded of just how muchhas been accomplished. My partner and our General President, Harold Schaitberger,

works ceaselessly as the voice of this IAFF and as an incredibleleader to the entire organization. His vision lays the groundworkfor everything we do in order to continually enhance theprograms and services provided to our affiliates. I would like toextend my thanks and appreciation for all that he does on behalfof our membership each and every day.The work of the IAFF’s 16 Vice Presidents cannot be overstated.

These positions have expanded over the years from a part-timepolicy position to full-service-field operatives charged withproviding direct service to our affiliates, including serving as aninitial point of contact relating to advice, counsel, education andaccess to IAFF resources. They are critical fordetermining the goals and priorities of the IAFF, aswell as being organizers for our union. Under theirstewardship, this IAFF has continued to grow everyyear. They have my ongoing appreciation for theirefforts.Since our 2012 Convention, my ongoing mission

has been to continue to modernize the variousoperations under the purview of the GeneralSecretary-Treasurer’s Office by looking for areaswhere we could be more effective and efficient,reduce costs and improve services to our members.Many of those new initiatives are outlined under

the Finance and Membership Department report,as well as the Human Resources and Mail Centerreports. Additionally, there has been a concertedeffort to communicate with affiliate leadership on items ofimportance to their local and state affiliates via email blasts. Within the last year, a “Starter Kit” for new secretary-treasurers

has been implemented. This kit is electronically sent to these newofficers weekly, and contains important information related to thevarious reporting duties of a secretary-treasurer, as well as pointsof contacts in my office for various issues.

FINANCE

The IAFF’s annual budget is now almost $60 million. This hasbeen accomplished through our success in obtaining additionalgrant funds and maintaining IAFF membership levels. Overseeingan annual budget of that size carries with it a variety of financialresponsibilities, most importantly, ensuring that each and everyper capita dollar is recorded accurately and dispersed withinapproved and authorized purposes.To this end, we have implemented specific practices and policies

to ensure that the highest degree of fiscal integrity andtransparency is maintained by the organization. We maintain a“start of the art” accounting system and ever evolving internalcontrols. We continually strive to fine tune these policies andsystems to improve on our efficiencies.

One significant practice toward this goal is the annual audit ofthe organization’s financial records. Each year, the Internationalengages an independent accounting firm to perform anexamination of our accounting records and systems. The auditconsists of reviewing evidence supporting the amounts anddisclosures in our financial records, as well as evaluating ourinternal controls and overall financial statement presentation. Areview of all federal awards granted is also performed. As a resultof these examinations, the auditing firm provides a report, thepurpose of which is to describe the scope and results of theirtesting. This report is presented annually at the February boardmeeting and reviewed by the IAFF Executive Board and Trustees.The complete report includes financial statements and relatednotes, encompassing all of the IAFF’s operations, including grantprograms and all related charitable entities. We are extremely

pleased and proud to report that we continue toreceive an unqualified opinion with no auditfindings. The current and prior year’s annual auditreports are available on the Convention web site.The transition to our current firm (Renner & Co.,

CPAs) continues to provide benefits. The team ofCPAs from Renner & Co. is knowledgeable,professional and thorough. They conduct the audittimely and efficiently, and provide valuableadditional assistance when requested. Renner & Co.also performs the audit of the IAFF’s 401(k) andemployee pension plans.Secondly, we have expanded the use of our

automated system for processing expense reportsfor IAFF associates and certain consultants toinclude additional individuals providing support to

the IAFF and its members. This system provides a web-basedentry and approval interface, along with auto generated emailnotifications for all individuals. One enhancement to the systemthat we’ve implemented is a travel module. This module providesthe ability for individuals to book airline tickets, reserve hotelrooms and rental cars, etc., with the itinerary being automaticallyattached to a pending expense report for submission, eliminatingthe need for additional data entry. The electronic paymentoptions in the system continue to provide speedy processing andpayment.Staying with the theme of electronic processing, we have begun

to use prepaid debit cards in place of paper checks for certaindisbursements. This practice has been implemented duringdisaster relief operations to provide funds to our affectedmembers. Members can submit an application for reliefassistance, and once approved, a prepaid card is immediatelyprovided. The prepaid cards provide our members withimmediate access to funds at a critical time. We are also using thispayment method for certain disbursements at this Convention.Each year, the preparation of the organization’s annual budget is

a major undertaking. We regularly monitor actual results againstthe approved budget, and conduct detailed reviews quarterly witheach of the department heads. This provides us with the ability to

REPORT OF THE GENERAL SECRETARY-TREASURERThomas H. Miller

52nd Convention, International Association of Fire Fighters

Thomas H. Miller

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identify and discuss trends and quickly take corrective action, ifneeded. In an effort to provide increased transparency andadditional functionality, we have implemented a web-based“cloud” financial reporting and budgeting system. Budgettemplates are created that automatically provide budget preparersand approvers with prior year budget and actual figures. Thisinformation is extremely useful in creating the budget for theupcoming fiscal year. Budget figures are entered into the systemand automatically consolidated into an overall organizationbudget. This system has enabled us to prepare the IAFF’s annualbudget in a matter of weeks rather than months.We have also been able to design a number of financial reports

within this system, complete with drill-down functionality to theoriginal transaction detail. This provides all budget holders anddecision makers with real time access to up-to-date financialresults at the click of a mouse button. In essence, we are able toprovide the information needed to the individuals who need it,when they need it. We continue to enhance the system, addingadditional reports and functionality.Another major undertaking is the effort to become paperless in

our organization. We have implemented a documentmanagement system in the Finance, Membership and HumanResource departments. We can now access documentselectronically in a matter of seconds on any computer, without theneed to search through numerous paper files. In addition toincreased and improved access to information, the systeminterfaces with a number of our other finance systems, providingone central repository for historical documents. Our goal is to rollthe system out organization wide over the coming year.

MEMBERSHIP

In any labor organization, it is vital to maintain current andaccurate records on both individual members and affiliate bodies.The staff in the IAFF Membership Department works diligently tomaintain computer records for more than 350,000 individuals(including former members) and more than 3,300 affiliates, andare always happy to help with any questions or concerns fromlocal officers.Customized features have been added to our software to allow

the creation of new reports and further automation of importantstatistical and affiliate information. We continually addinformation and functions online to improve communicationsbetween the Membership Department and local officers. Forexample, local officers can now download rosters, view per capitastatements and grant new executive board members access toonline information.The General Secretary-Treasurer’s office and Membership

Department have worked together to develop an onlinecredentialing and registration system for the IAFF’s Convention.The system eliminates the need for multiple colored copies of theold paper credential form and replaces it with an efficient onlineprocess. Affiliate officers log onto the IAFF web site to access thesystem and credential individuals. Once submitted by theoriginating officer, the other approving affiliate officer isautomatically notified via email of the pending delegate andalternate delegate submissions, as well as proxy and alternateproxy submissions (if applicable). Once approved by both affiliateofficers, an email is sent to the delegate or alternate delegateinforming them of their selection. They are then able to register

online for the event. Only your IAFF membership card is neededonce you arrive at the Convention site.Implementing a requirement of the IAFF Constitution and

By-laws, the Membership Department ensures that each affiliate iscovered by a surety bond with base coverage of $5,000, thepremium for which is paid by IAFF.In addition, it is through the work of the Membership

Department that new locals are issued charters, affiliates obtaintheir seals, and regular membership cards are distributed. Newmembership cards were designed and issued to all members earlyin 2013.Security and confidentiality of the information in the

membership database is of paramount importance. Our memberscan rest assured that strict policies are in place to protect theirindividual data, and that we do not sell or transfer membershiplists to unrelated vendors.Each year, the Finance and Membership Department budgets

monies for manager and staff development. There is a wealth ofcourses and training opportunities available to ensure ourdepartments are fully equipped to perform at a high level.We continually explore every opportunity to enhance the

functioning of the Finance and Membership Department,whether it be through technology or improved processes. Ourgoal is to continue to provide both the IAFF and its members thehighest level of support possible.

MAIL CENTER

We are continuing to improve our services to our membershipwhile reducing costs by using new technologies in the mail center. In May 2013, a new, state-of-the-art copier was leased that gives

us the capability to print in-house, with union workers, a numberof publications that would otherwise go to an outside vendor.There have been numerous benefits to the organization. We orderless back-up stock, which keeps costs and storage needs lower,materials more readily kept up-to-date and we provide expeditedservice to our customers.

HUMAN RESOURCES

The IAFF Human Resources Department, under the leadershipof the General Secretary-Treasurer, serves the needs of the unionby building and sustaining partnerships with the other criticalmanagers and departments of the IAFF. The Human ResourcesDepartment is committed to advancing the needs of the union,serves as an advocate to ensure that policies are relevant, and keystaff is aware of concerns and issues facing the union and itspersonnel. The Human Resources Department implements,administers and monitors operating systems that affect employeerelations and personnel services.An integral part of the internal management team, the Human

Resources Department serves as a strategic and cooperativepartner, sharing responsibility between employees andmanagement. The Human Resources Department focuses on thedevelopment of programs that enhance employee growth,provides education and develops innovative solutions on staff andmanagement issues.The IAFF Human Resources Department objectives are

established to enhance manager and employee growth. Thesystems outlined are designed to help the union and its most

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important asset, its human capital, to succeed and contribute tothe success of the union. The programs and systems have beenestablished and instituted to coordinate recruiting efforts, provideorientation to new staff, oversee the hiring process, develop andimplement performance and appraisal systems and develop careerplanning, succession and employee development programs. TheHuman Resources Department oversees, monitors, andadministers the comprehensive employee benefits programs,which include health insurance, life insurance and retirementprograms. The department also develops, monitors and ensurescompliance and adherence to IAFF Human Resources policies andprocedures, and the IAFF/OPEIU, Local 2 collective bargainingagreement, as well as ensures compliance with federal and Districtof Columbia laws and regulations. These systems and functions empower the Human Resources

Department to help managers in the establishment of employeeownership in the union and in the establishment of theorganizational culture and climate. Human Resources ensuresthat the staff has the competency and commitment to serve ourmembership effectively by ensuring employee developmentopportunities are made available and that problem solving andregular ongoing communications about the union, its programsand operations take place. Since the last Convention, the Human Resources Department

has worked to accomplish the Department’s objectives while atthe same time working to foster a productive work environmentin which employees are pleased to perform. Since the last Convention, the Human Resources Department

has continued working with Keating Advisors (a human resourcesconsulting firm), Office and Professional Employees InternationalUnion and Local 2 to update employee job descriptions anddevelop performance evaluation procedures for IAFF employees. Over the course of the project, representatives from Keating

conducted a complete analysis of every position at the IAFF,during which they identified the responsibilities and minimumqualifications for each employment position. The analysis wasbased on information Keating received directly from employees,who completed detailed job survey questionnaires describingseveral components of their job. From those survey results,Keating created draft job descriptions prior to schedulingmeetings with each IAFF manager to discuss the draftdescriptions for each manager’s employees. Managers wereprovided the opportunity to suggest edits to the drafts, andduring those meetings each job description was finalized. Keatingrepresentatives met with the Principal Officers and senior staff toreview the final job descriptions and present their plan to deliverthe job descriptions to individual employees. Keating also created position responsibility criteria which

establish objective standards for measuring responsibilitiesassociated with particular grade levels in the IAFF pay scale. Byusing the new criteria, we can objectively measure where aposition should properly be graded (e.g., Grade 2, Grade 4, etc.)based on the responsibilities associated with a particular position.The same criteria can also be used for an employee’s careerdevelopment. For example, an employee in a particular gradeposition can identify areas where he or she can improve, train,earn certifications or expand their responsibilities with the goal ofultimately being promoted to a higher grade level. Theimportance of the new criteria is that it provides bothmanagement and the union with objective standards on which to

base grade classification decisions and career developmentstrategies for employees. New job descriptions were delivered to employees in April. Every

manager met with his or her employees individually to discuss thejob description, review responsibilities of the position, andidentify the expectations for the position moving forward. Human Resources will continue working with OPEIU, Local 2

and Keating Advisors to develop evaluation and promotionalcriteria. Since the last Convention, the IAFF has continued our

partnership with COPE to provide services for our EmployeeAssistance Program (EAP) for IAFF staff. The EAP was developedthrough a labor-management initiative between the IAFF andOffice and Professional Employees International Union, Local 2.Employees have access to a range of services, includingcounseling, referrals, mediation and a vast array of other services.The services are available to all IAFF employees and their familymembers. Through the first two years of the program, COPE hasproven to be a very good partner, and the EAP has become avaluable benefit to employees. Since the last Convention, the Human Resources Department

organized two Health & Wellness Fairs for our employees. Theevents were sponsored by United HealthCare and held inpartnership with Office and Professional Employees InternationalUnion, Local 2 and the Ironworkers International. The fairsfocused on several health-related areas such as a blood pressurechecks, screenings for cholesterol, high density lipoprotein andglucose testing, measuring Body Mass Index (BMI) and BodyComposition levels, information on healthy eating habits from alicensed nutritionist, vision screening and seated massage. Theonsite United HealthCare Wellness Team provided informationregarding United HealthCare products and services. The Human Resources Department organized two annual flu

shot clinics with Passport Health to provide flu shots and H1N1vaccines to participating employees. Human Resources arrangedfor United Healthcare to cover 100 percent of the clinic cost as anin-network event for employees covered under the plan, so therewas no cost to either the IAFF or to our employees. In October2013, Human Resources organized a third flu shot clinic for IAFFemployees who were unable to attend the first clinic that year dueto scheduling conflicts. CVS Pharmacy supplied the vaccine andstaff to administer the vaccines onsite at IAFF Headquarters.United Healthcare covered 100 percent of the cost of the clinic. The Human Resources Department worked with the trustees of

the IAFF employees’ 401(k) plan, General President Schaitbergerand General Secretary-Treasurer Miller to approve an amendmentto the 401(k) plan to allow employees of E-18 Media, LLC toparticipate in the plan. That amendment was effective October 1,2013. The trustees directed the Human Resources Department tofinalize the amended plan documents.Since the last Convention, Human Resources worked with

representatives from Morgan Stanley, Nationwide and AmericanPension Advisors to complete the transition of the IAFFEmployees 401(k) plan from Merrill Lynch/Ascensus toNationwide, and the IAFF Deferred Compensation 457(b) planfrom Merrill Lynch/FACTS to Nationwide. The trustees of boththe 401(k) and 457(b) plans decided to transition to Nationwidebecause the Nationwide investment platform provides a morediverse group of investment options at a lower cost to the IAFFand participants. Nationwide also provides a more user-friendly

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web site for plan participants, which allows participants tomonitor and change their Nationwide investment choicesconveniently at any time from any device with Internet access. The Human Resources Department has worked with the IAFF’s

insurance broker, Schoenfeld Insurance Associates, Inc., tomaintain our commercial liability coverage, which includes theFiduciary Liability Policy covering the IAFF’s retirement plans, theDirectors & Officers Liability Coverage, commercial liabilitycoverage, workers compensation and commercial automobilecoverage. The department worked with our broker to rewrite ourgeneral liability coverage to eliminate the need for most specialevent coverage by including regularly occurring IAFF eventsunder our standing liability coverage. Prior to these rewrites,events required us to purchase additional riders to ourcommercial coverage specifically for those events. Now, thoseevents are covered under the commercial policy. In 2013, we added a Media Liability policy to our insurance

portfolio. The media policy protects the IAFF against claimsarising from media content in all publications and productionsproduced or disseminated by the IAFF, including content on allweb sites owned or operated by the IAFF. The policy providesliability coverage up to $1,000,000 for defense costs and damages. Since the last Convention, the Human Resources Department

completed several compliance tasks required by federal law. Thoseincluded:

n Filed the annual EEO-1 Report, which is mandated by federallaw and regulations and requires company employment data tobe categorized by race/ethnicity, gender and job categories.

n Filed the annual VETS-100A report, which is required by theVietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974.The IAFF is required to file this report annually because wereceive federal grant money.

n Distributed Annual Funding Notices for the IAFF StaffRepresentatives’ Pension Plan and IAFF Employees’ PensionPlan to pensioners and participants with a vested retirementbenefit under either plan. Federal law requires administratorsof defined benefit pension plans to distribute these notices. ThePension Protection Act of 2006 requires defined benefit pensionplans to meet certain funding requirements in order tocontinue providing certain forms of benefit to participants. Thepurpose of the notice is to provide participants withinformation showing whether their pension plan is incompliance with those funding requirements.

n Distributed Summary Annual Report Notices for the IAFF StaffRepresentatives’ Pension Plan and IAFF Employees’ PensionPlan to pensioners and participants with a vested retirementbenefit under either plan. Federal law requires pension planadministrators to have an independent, qualified public

accountant audit a plan’s financial statements annually, unlesscertain conditions are met for the audit requirement to bewaived. When an audit is waived, a plan administrator isrequired to distribute a Summary Annual Report Notice toparticipants in the plan. Both the Staff and Employee Plans metthe audit waiver conditions for the plan year beginning July 1,2011, and Human Resources distributed a notice for each plan.Only the Staff Plan met the audit waiver conditions for the planyear beginning July 1, 2012, and the Human ResourcesDepartment distributed a Summary Annual Report Notice toparticipants. The Employee Plan did not qualify for the auditwaiver because it had more than 120 participants in the plan asof July 1, 2012. The Employee Plan was audited by anindependent public accountant for the plan year beginning July1, 2012.

n Prepared Forms 8955-SSA for each of the three main employeeretirement plans: the IAFF Employees’ 401(k) Plan, the IAFFStaff Representatives’ Pension Plan, and IAFF Employees’Pension Plan. Plan administrators are required under ERISAand the Internal Revenue Code to file a Form 8955-SSAannually. The form is used to report any employee who leavesthe IAFF with a deferred vested benefit during the plan year thereport covers.

In addition to personnel-related responsibilities, the HumanResources Department is also responsible for the generaladministration of the IAFF and headquarters facility located inthe United Unions building. Since the last Convention, theDepartment conducted an inventory on the Automated ExternalDefibrillators (AED) that are stationed throughout the UnitedUnions building. The inventory included checking each unit toconfirm that it is operational, and replacing any components thatwere defective or near their expiration date. The Human Resources Department is also assigned the task of

ensuring there is an adequate number of people in the buildingwho are properly trained to administer first aid if necessary. InApril 2013, the Human Resources Department organizedCPR/AED training and certification classes open to all employeeswithin the United Unions building. The classes were conducted byrepresentatives of the Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Academy overtwo days. Thirty-two individuals received full certification whichis valid for two years. The Human Resources Department willorganize a similar training session in the spring of 2015 when thecurrent certifications are scheduled to expire. As you can see, across the Office of the General

Secretary-Treasurer we have been busy with not only day-to-dayoperations but identifying and implementing initiatives andinnovations that better serve all IAFF members. We never forgetthat we are working for you — the almost 300,000 members ofthe IAFF that are paying the freight — and we constantly strive tobe responsible stewards of your money and this great union. n

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International Association of Fire Fighters1750 New York Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20006

www.iaff.org