the fire lines - february 2006

2005 was the busiest year in the historyof the New York City Fire Department. Arecord 485,702 calls were responded to bythe Firefighters of this City - an increase of6.4% from 2004. In 1977, the year previ-ously considered the busiest, Firefightersresponded to 459,567 calls.However, 2005 shatteredthat mark by more than26,000.

Almost all categories ofresponse showed anincrease. Both structuraland non-structural fireswere up, as were medicalresponses. Firefighters alsoresponded to more non-fireemergencies such as COincidents and water leaks;while receiving fewerreports of malicious false alarms.

Once again, the membership stepped upto task and handled the increased workload.We have an administration whose mainfocus is productivity in the agencies. Thestaggering number of responses by ourmembership should be enough to convince

them that more, not less, is the way to prop-erly protect the people of New York. Wewill continue to press for the allocation ofneeded resources to our Firefighters in thispost 9-11 world.

While the City scrutinizes numbers andanalyzes data, you put yourselves in dangerand shoulder the immense task of thisincreased workload. They raise issues ofresponse times and medical leave whenFirefighters are constantly running fromone job to the next. Rather than punish ourmembers for results incurred by their dra-conian policies, they should be providingus with the means to do our job properly.This means re-opening companies and pro-viding the best equipment possible to ourmembers.

Increased Fire FatalitiesThe City’s cutbacks in line companies

and Fire Marshals can be attributed to theincrease in civilian fire fatalities in 2005.The closing of engine companies, alongwith the Department’s practice of placingas many as 20 units out-of-service each dayfor training, has its toll. If companies donot remain open around the clock, the City

is not using every resource to protect its cit-izens. Constant training of our members isnecessary to have the highest quality fire-fighting force possible. However, closingcompanies in order to provide this trainingis wrong. There are other options availableto the Department besides stripping com-munities of their fire protection. This hasits repercussions.

2005 saw 102 civilians killed as a resultof fire, an increase of 25% from the previ-ous year. The Department has shamelesslycut the Fire Marshal force causing a strainon the number of fires investigated. TheCity claims that “every suspicious fire getsinvestigated.” This is untrue. In order to bedetermined suspicious, Fire Marshals mustbe available to investigate. The dramaticcuts have slashed the amount of fires beinginvestigated. Thus, lowering the number of

fires determined incen-diary and allowingarsonists to run free.

Arson remains oneof the leading causes offire deaths. It also pro-vides a means for crim-inals to reap insurancepayments by purposelysetting fire to propertyand vehicles. The elim-ination of Marshalsadversely affects theCity’s capability toinvestigate these

schemes and opens the door to those seek-ing to gain monetary rewards for damagingproperty.

A recent tragedy in Brooklyn has high-lighted the importance and necessity of Fire

MARCH/APRIL 2006

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THEUNIFORMED FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION OF GREATER NEW YORKThe Bravest

A YEAR FOR THE RECORD BOOKS

President’s MessageBy STEPHEN J. CASSIDY

(Continued on page 2)

2005 2004 Increase/Decrease % ChangeTotal FirefighterResponses: 485,702 456,689 +29,013 +6.4%Total Fires: 51,395 50,148 +1247 +2.5%Structural Fires: 28,455 27,711 + 744 +2.7%Non-Structural Fires 22,940 22,437 + 503 +2.2%Total Non-Fire/MedicalEmergencies 402,169 369,209 +32,960 +8.9%Non-Fire Emergencies 199,643 180,047 +19,596 +10.8%Medical Emergencies 202,526 189,162 +13,364 +7.1%False Alarms 32,138 37,332 - 5194 13.9%

Fire Lines MARCH/APRIL 2006

Marshals. Marshal Rep Lester Layne haswritten an article which explores this fur-ther for this issue of Fire Lines.

Fire Safety Education InitiativeA way to help decrease the number of

fire-related deaths in the City is increasedfire safety education. The UFA recentlyestablished a partnership with Dr. FrankField to educate the children of New Yorkabout the dangers of fire. Dr. Field, a well-known former science editor at WCBS-TV,has made the education of children on firesafety one of his passions. He came to theUFA offices in February and met with me tosolicit help from the UFA in promoting aDVD/Video he produced titled “Fire Is.”After reviewing the video and seeing itseducational value, we agreed to partnerwith him in this endeavor.

This informative and professional videoteaches about the dangers of fire and itscharacteristics. He joined me at Manhat-tan’s Epiphany School on March 7th toannounce our effort. Manhattan TrusteeDanny Murphy has penned an article fur-ther detailing the joint initiative and its ben-

efits in this issue of Fire Lines.Apparatus Update

I also have an update on the unsafe useof outdated apparatus by the Department.As a result of our public relations campaignto highlight this dangerous practice, theCity Council has taken notice. The councilcalled a special hearing on February 28 inwhich I was to appear and give testimonyregarding the issue. However, the Depart-ment needed more time to prepare their tes-timony and as a result the hearing was post-poned. This is typical of an administrationthat refuses to accept responsibility for theirmistakes. If they think they can postponeand let this issue blow over, they are sadlymistaken.

We will continue to press the Council tohold a public hearing on the City’s faultedprocess of obtaining rigs and placing unsafespares into service. This issue is of para-mount concern for the UFA. If we have togo above the Fire Commissioner to get itresolved, we will.

Fraternally,

President’s Message(Continued from page 1)

w w w . u f a n y c . o r g

UFA Lobby Day SetJune 6th, 2006

By JAMES SLEVINUFA Vice President/

Legislative Chairman

Mark yourc a l e n -dars; the

2006 UFA LobbyDay will takeplace on June 6th.All members mustmake an effort toattend this impor-tant event. With-out your help andsupport, we cannot convince our elected officials to passimportant legislation that affects NewYork’s Firefighters. Last year, more than75 Firefighters joined the UFA ExecutiveBoard in traveling to Albany to meet withState Legislators; including GovernorPataki, Majority Leader Bruno and Speak-er Silver. As a result, The WTC Presump-tive Bill was finally signed into law.

(Continued on next page)

Fire LinesMARCH/APRIL 2006


By DANIEL MURPHYManhattan Trustee

“It’s our obligation.”That was the sentimentof UFA President

Steve Cassidy in announcingthe UFA’s partnership with for-mer WCBS-TV Science EditorDr. Frank Field to educate theCity’s youth on the dangers offire.

The announcement was made at Man-hattan’s Epiphany School on March 7th.Here, Steve and I joined Dr. Field, his

daughter Allison and Firefight-ers from companies throughoutManhattan to show 100 4th and5th grade students the educa-tional video “Fire Is.”

The video was written andproduced by Dr. Field as a wayto accurately portray the dan-gers of fire. The UFA hasagreed to purchase 2000DVD’s and distribute them to

firehouses as a way to help educate thecommunity about the nature, movementand effects of fire. The video alsoexplores proactive solutions to combat thedangers of fire in the home.

“Fire safety begins in the home. Thiseducational tool will help scores of teach-ers, parents and children learn the realdangers of fire and what to do in the caseof an emergency,” said Steve Cassidy.“By increasing public outreach andawareness of this issue, we will ultimatelyhelp decrease the amount of fire relatedinjuries to both civilians and Firefightersalike.”

This year we hope to double that num-ber and send 150 firefighters to our statecapital. The UFA will once again providetransportation to and from Albany. Duringthe day, members will be expected to meetwith their local elected officials. In orderto do so you will need to set up an appoint-ment. Contact information as well as a listof who your representatives are can befound on the UFA website under the sec-tion labeled Political Action atwww.ufanyc.org. Once again, appoint-ments will be made to meet with GovernorPataki, Speaker Silver and Majority LeaderBruno. In addition, a reception will beheld at the conclusion of the day whereUFA members can interact with their elect-ed representatives in a less formal setting.

Company Delegates should compile alist of those members who will be joiningus in Albany. All members will be provid-ed with a full copy of our agenda andimportant information on how to effective-ly lobby. A short list of our current legisla-tive agenda is set forth below:

PENSION PROTECTION BILLEnacts provisions relating to vested

retirement rights; removes requirement thatat time of retirement that member’s term ofoffice or tenure of employment shall nothave terminated or been forfeited.

MTA FARE WAIVERProvides fares free of charge to certain

members of the Fire Department of theCity of New York on passenger transporta-tion facilities.

CUNY TUITION WAIVERRequires regulations to permit tuition

waivers for students in CUNY degree pro-grams who are officers or members of theNew York City Fire Department.

STROKE PRESUMPTION BILLThis bill would expand the current law

that creates a presumption that heart dis-ease was caused on the job to includestroke or hypertension for Firefighters.

CASH FOR TERMINAL LEAVEAllows members of New York City Fire

Department the option of taking a mone-tary payment in lieu of terminal leave at therate applicable on the date of retirement.

REMINDER: DON’T FORGET TOSEND IN YOUR WTC DISABILITYREGISTRATION FORM!

(Continued from previous page)UFA Teams up for Fire Safety

(Continued on page 11)

UFA Lobby Day

President Cassidy addresses students regard-ing the importance of fire safety.

Active E-37



Memorializing Those We LostOur Fallen Bronx

BrothersBy EDWARD BROWN

Bronx Trustee

On a cold, rainy, January day in theBronx, hundreds of firefightersstood at attention outside the quar-

ters of Engine Company 46 / LadderCompany 27 while hundreds moresqueezed into the standing-room-onlyfirehouse to memorialize two of NewYork’s Bravest. It was the one-yearanniversary of the deaths of LieutenantsJohn Bellew, Ladder 27, and CurtisMeyran, Battalion 26. The mourners camefrom across the City and throughout thetri-state area to pay their respects.

Bellew and Meyran were killed in theline of duty on January 23, 2005, a day inwhich Firefighter Richard Sclafani ofLadder 103 also lost his life in a fire inBrooklyn. It was a day the media dubbed“Black Sunday,” due to the largest loss oflife for the New York City Fire Depart-ment since 9-11.

Both Bellew and Meyran died afterthey were forced to jump from a 4th floorwindow at 236 East 178th Street in theTremont section of the Bronx. Theybecame trapped above a fast movingthird-alarm blaze with Firefighters JeffCool, Eugene Stolowski, and Lt. JosephDiBernardo of Rescue 3, along with FFBrendan Cawley of Ladder 27. Theremaining four men suffered criticalinjuries as a result of the fall.

A number of speakers took part in theplaque dedication ceremony inside thefirehouse. However, none took on moresignificance than the families of the bravefirefighters. Lt. Meyran’s 11-year olddaughter Angela offered a poem she wrotetitled “Last Alarm,” about the day herfather was killed. It brought a house full

of firefighters to tears. “And my fatherwent to work one day and he kissed us allgoodbye. Little did we know that nextmorning, we’d all cry,” she read.

Jeanette Meyarn also addressed thecrowd of Firefighters. “To the men thatmake up this Department, I am sure thatyou have an angel watching over yourshoulders,” she said.

Terry Bellew spoke about the memo-ries he had of his brother and shared somestories about John. “I wish I could haveone more cold run with him down HunterMountain, or just one more Irish Coffeewith my brother John.”

A video tribute to John was put togeth-er by his wife Eileen. It featured photo-graphs from throughout his life and cul-minated with a collage of photos featuringhis wife and children. The video was setto some of John’s favorite music and pro-vided a clear insight into the kind of manhe was.

When the plaques were blessed, afterthe speeches and tributes, the drum ofbagpipes played one more song to the fall-en heroes.

Brooklyn RemembersRichie Sclafani

By JOHN KELLYBROOKLYN TRUSTEE

Across town in Brooklyn on Janu-ary 23, 2005, just hours after thelosses took place in the Bronx,

another Firefighter lost his life in the per-formance of duty. Firefighter RichardSclafani of Ladder Company 103 waskilled as he was searching for trappedoccupants in the basement of 577 JeromeAvenue in East New York.

On January 24, 2006 UFA President

Steve Cassidy joined the Sclafani familyand Department officials inside the quar-ters of Engine Company 290 / Ladder103, “The Pride of Sheffield Avenue” tomemorialize Richard.

“I had the honor of working along sideRichie and I can tell you he was a greatFirefighter,” said President Cassidy. “Hebecame a firefighter because he wanted todo more. He requested a transfer fromManhattan to Brooklyn in order to be in abusier Company because he wanted to domore. That is not something you find eachday. He was special and he is missed.”

A heartfelt dedication was also givenby Richard Sclafani’s sister Joanne, whowas joined at the podium by his motherJoan. “Richard, you have made mommyand daddy very proud in life and evenafter your death, we are still honored tohave loved and lucky to have knownyou,” she said.

After the speeches concluded, Presi-dent Cassidy presented Sclafani’s motherand sister with a plaque from the UFA. Itwas inscribed with his badge number andis a testament to his dedication and love ofbeing a Firefighter.

In the words of his sister Joanne, “Wewill never forget.”

President Cassidy presents the Sclafanifamily with UFA Memorial Plaque.


By LESTER LAYNEFire Marshal Representative

In the early morning hours ofFebruary 25, an arsonistdoused the stairwell of 1033

Pacific Street in Brooklyn witha flammable liquid and torchedthe four-story apartment build-ing. The fast-moving fireclaimed the lives of four resi-dents, two of them children.

Just minutes later, a second incendiaryfire was set at 1162 Pacific Street. Thank-fully, the fire was extinguished quicklyand no one was injured.

These two fires are representative of aproblem which is affecting the residents ofNew York City, especially those who livewithin the confines of Brooklyn’s 77th

Precinct. There are tell-tale signs of anarsonist on the loose and the shortage ofFDNY Fire Marshals available to investi-gate these crimes has hindered the City’sability to catch this criminal.

In the past four years the number ofqualified Fire Marshals available to inves-tigate the cause and origin of fires hasbeen cut in half. We are the world’s fore-most experts on establishing the cause of afire and determining whether it is acciden-tal or suspicious in nature. We train lawenforcement personnel from across theworld in our proven techniques and arerecognized as the authority in fire investi-gation.

There is no telling how many deliber-

ately set fires go uninvestigatedon a daily basis. The Depart-ment automatically dispatchesMarshals on third-alarm fires,when a 10-45 signal is given(civilian fire injury), Firefighterdeath, or when a chief special-calls a unit to the scene. Everymajor fire (all-hands and above)should be investigated regardlessof protocol.

While the Department counters inmedia reports that all suspicious fires areinvestigated, they fail to inform the publicof the thousands of serious fire scenes thatfail to be visited by Marshals as a result ofbudget cuts.

In the case of the Pacific Street fires, ifthere had been an adequate number ofMarshals available to thoroughly investi-gate the suspicious activity, a pattern mayhave been established and the criminalcould have been apprehended or deterredfrom his plan. The sad truth is that underthe Department’s current protocols anddue to the reduction in Marshals, if therewas no loss of life at the fire, it may nothave been investigated.

I recently joined some of our electedofficials at Brooklyn Borough Hall in call-ing on the City to provide more resourcesto the Fire Marshals. Brooklyn BoroughPresident Marty Markowitz and CityCouncilwoman Letetia James were amongthose in attendance to highlight the needfor more Marshals.

It is a travesty that the Fire Departmentrelies on news media to provide us withraw footage of fire scenes to help identifypossible perpetrators. Proper equipmentand resources are sorely needed. In addi-tion, the current citywide night tour con-sists of four Fire Marshals in two cars tocover the entire City. How can this be jus-tified? It is a well-known fact that themajority of deadly and serious fires occurat night. When one car of Marshals iscalled to a scene, they are unavailable foradditional calls. What happens when bothcars are working? No one is available andan opportunity is missed.

While the NYPD’s Arson and Explo-sion Squad is seeing its numbers increaseexponentially, the Fire Marshals aredwindling. The Marshals and cops havea close working relationship but theDetectives are not the experts in fireinvestigation, we are. Once we deter-mine the cause and origin, then the inves-tigation can begin and the cops can utilizetheir numbers and resources if the fire isdetermined incendiary.

The New York City Fire Marshals arethe world’s oldest fire investigative body.With a history that dates back to 1854,before the establishment of the FDNY,NYPD Detective Bureau, FBI and SecretService and with more than 200,000 inves-tigations to its credit, it boggles the mindwhy the City would cut resources to one ofits most productive and historic assets.

Brooklyn Arsonist Highlights the Need for Fire Marshals


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By JAMES DAHLUFA Retiree Liaison

This article contains important informationpertinent to all current and future retirees.Please save the following and use as a refer-ence for any future problems.1. Notification of death of a retired Firefighter

Notification of a retired firefighter’s death ismade to the NYC Fire Department by calling718-999-2320 or 718-999-2321. Retirees havea life insurance policy in the amount of $5800with the FDNY Life Insurance Fund. This isthe $9 deduction on your earnings statementlisted as Fire Life.

Members who have retired after January 1,1971 have a death benefit with the SecurityBenefit Fund (SBF) in the following amounts:

Up to age 49 $10,00050 to 69 $5,00070 and over $2,500

A claim for this benefit will be sent to yourbeneficiary when we receive notification ofdeath.

2. Reimbursement for Medicare part “B”If you are receiving a City pension check

and both you and your spouse are enrolled in aCity health plan, you will be reimbursed foryour Medicare part “B” by the City of NewYork. You should send the following informa-tion to Employee Health Benefits. Make acopy of your Medicare card to show that youhave both parts “A” and “B” and include thefollowing information:

Birth dates for yourself and your spouseA. Your retirement dateB. Your pension numberC. Name of your health plan

D. Name of your unionSend this information to:Office of Labor RelationsEmployee Health Benefits Program40 Rector Street – 3rd FloorNew York, NY 10006Attn: Medicare DivisionIf you are in an HMO (Example HIP,

AETNA, etc.) you must inform your healthcarrier that you are going on Medicare due toforms that need to be filled out with your healthprovider.3. Make notification of any change in status

The Security Benefit Fund must beinformed of any changes in your status. Forexample:

A. When you get married, we need a copyof the marriage certificate

B. When you become a new parent we needa copy of the birth certificate

C. If you get divorced we need a copy offirst and last page of the divorce decree

D. When a spouse dies we need a copy ofthe death certificate

E. When you move please update youraddress with the SBF

To change your address with the NYC FireDepartment or to make changes for directdeposit please call pension and payroll at 718-999-2327

4. Changing Health or Dental PlansChanging Health PlansYou can change health plans every other

year during the even numbered years (2004,2006, 2008, etc). The normal time to change isin November or December in order to takeeffect the following January. You may alsochange plans at anytime if you move out ofyour health plan service area. A change can

occur outside the normal change period “Oncein a lifetime.” If this option is used, you canonly change during the allotted change overperiod, or if you move out of your service area.

Changing Dental PlansYou may change dental plans each year

between October 15th and December 15th.Most plan changes take effect on January 1st.

James Dahl is availableMonday, Wednesday, Friday 9AM – 4PM212-683-4723, Ext. 5977Correction: The wallet cards recently

sent to retirees incorrectly list General Pre-scription as the drug carrier. The correctplan is Pharmacare, formerly EHS. Theycan be reached at 1-866-832-0563. Also, thecorrect # for the SBF is 212-683-4723

Please refer to the following as a summaryof Retired Security Benefit Fund Benefits:

Summary of R.F.S.B.FELIGIBILITY: Retired Firefighters andFire Marshals, who retired on or after January1, 1971 (July 9, 1993 for Wipers), and their eli-gible dependents, including duly registereddomestic partners and their dependents.U.F.A. SELF INSUREDHEALTHPLEX: Retiree is reimbursed inaccordance with the RSBF Schedule of Fees adental form must be filled out. $1,500.00 Limi-tation per family member per 12 month peri-od Orthodontic services for dependentsunder 19 years of age only.DENTCARE PROGRAM: A Pre-paid com-prehensive dental program- provides the neces-sary dental care, including orthodontics at nocost to the member, except for elective generalanesthesia, porcelain crown, porcelain w/metalor pontic - $50.00. Orthodontic services fordependents under 19 years. Members mustselect a dentist from the DENTCARE panel ofdentists. Cosmetic dental treatment not covered.AMERICAN DENTAL: Effective January 1,1995, Retirees residing in Florida may electcoverage by the American Dental Plan (ADP),a Preferred Provider Plan with most routine andpreventive care provided at no charge after pay-ment of $5.00 routine office visit fee. A definedschedule of reduced fees applies for other gen-eral dental services. Participating ADP special-ist’s charge 25% below their usual fees.OPTICAL: One eye exam and either one pairsingle vision, bifocal or contact lenses (subjectto providers’ surcharges), for Retirees and eligi-ble dependents EVERY TWO YEARSthrough optical provider panel Effective Janu-ary 1, 1999, maximum of $60.00 ($15-exam,$20-Frame,$25-Lenses, $45-Contact Lenses)reimbursed to Retiree if other than provider (s)is used.DEATH BENEFIT: Only the Retiree is cov-ered for this benefit insured through the AIGLife Companies Payment is made to the desig-nated primary or Contingent beneficiary of aneligible deceased Retiree upon submission of acompleted claim form with certified death cer-tificate.

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Continued on next page




Effective April 1, 1997, coverage based uponage is:

Up to Age 49$10,000.00

Age 50 to 69$ 5,000.00

Age 70 and over$ 2,500.00

HEARING AID: Effective January 1,1999,Retiree is reimbursed up to $600.00 towardshearing aid (s) purchased in a five-year periodupon referral of a physician or audiologist.Send the paid bill, a copy of the prescriptionand a copy of the audiologist report to the R. F.S. B. F. for reimbursement.PRESCRIPTION PLAN : Plan adminis-tered by PharmaCare (formerly Eckerd HealthServices) effective September 1, 2004. Insulin (including oral agents) and diabetesequipment and supplies are covered by All CityHealth Plans (NON-MEDICARE).MEDICARE members are covered underPharmaCare. Up front annual family deductible $125.PARTICIPATING PHARMACY: Once thisdeductible is met you will pay 35% of the costof the drug or a minimum $5 Generic/ $20Brand-name. Retirees can obtain up to a 30-daysupply at a participating pharmacyNON-PARTICIPATING PHARMACY:Retirees using non-participating pharmaciescan obtain up to a 30-day supply and may bereimbursed up to average wholesale price +dispensing fee, minus co-pay. Up-front annualdeductible of $125 must be met first before co-pays apply. Reimbursement claim forms can beobtained by callingPHARMACARE at 1-866-832-0563.

ANNUAL FAMILY DRUG CAP - $5,000.MAINTENANCE DRUGS MAIL ORDER: If you or an eligible familymember regularly takes medication for chroniclong-term conditions such as arthritis, highblood pressure, heart conditions, etc., you mayreceive up to a 90-day supply of maintenancemedication through EHS’ mail service pharma-cy. NOTE: No deductible will be requiredfor prescriptions being filled at mail service.35% of the cost of the drug still applies tomail order. Deductible still applies to retailprescriptions.PICA:Plan administered by NPA. If you have anyquestions contact NPA’s Customer ServiceDepartment at 1-800-467-2006. Sponsor Num-ber 2020.Effective July 1st 2005, Most Injectable andChemotherapy Medications will continue to becovered under PICA (non- medicare) whiletransferring the asthma and psychotropic drugsto the UFA Retired Security Benefit Fund Pre-scription Drug Plan administered by Pharma-Care. INJECTABLE AND CHEMOTHERAPYMEDICATIONSUP to a 30 dav supplv at Retail Pharmacy: $10 Generic$25 Preferred Brand (Formulary)$45 Non-Preferred Brand (Non-Formulary)*UP to a 90 day supply at the Mail OrderPharmacy: $20 Generic$50 Preferred Brand (Formulary)$90 Non-Preferred (Non-Formulary)*Annual Deductible for Injectable andChemotherapy Medications EffectiveJanuary 1st 2006, there will be anannual deductible of $100 per person for

Injectable and Chemotherapy Medications. Thisdeductible is independent of any otherdeductible. *If you choose a non-preferred brand drug thathas a generic equivalent you will pay the differ-ence in cost between the non-preferred branddrug and the generic drug PLUS the non-pre-ferred brand co-payment. (Increase in Co-Pays:Effective July 1st 2005)MEDICARE members are covered underPharmaCare. Up-front deductible co-pays andannual family cap apply.CATARACT LENSES: R. F. S. B. F allows upto $75.00 towards purchase after health planMedicare etc has paid its portion. Send the paidbill and health plans (s) Explanation of Benefits(E O B ) To the R . F. S. B. F office for reim-bursement.SURGICAL ASSISTANCE FUND: R F S B Fpays the yearly dues for its eligible Retirees.DEPENDENT STUDENT 19-23 YEARS OFAGE:Dependent full-time students covered to the endof the calendar year of the unmarried, dependentstudent’s 23rd birthday, or until Graduation,whichever occurs first. STUDENT VERIFI-CATION MUST BE ON FILE EVERYSEMESTER.HANDICAPPED DEPENDENTS: RetireeMUST notify basic health carrier when depend-ents become mentally or physically handi-capped, prior to 19 yrs of age. Dependent mustbe unmarried, living at home and dependentupon retiree for support. Upon receipt of thehealth carrier’s confirmation that the dependentis handicapped, R.F.S.B.F. coverage will be con-tinued while the criteria are met.VESTED RETIREES: Vested Retirees mayenroll in the R F S B F to cover themselves andtheir eligible dependents for the following bene-fits upon payment of the City’s contractual con-tribution (5/31/02 = $1,475) Death Benefit ,Dental, Prescription, Optical, Cataract, HearingAid Benefits Coverage does not include theCity’s Health Plans.In all cases where there is a change of familystatus, member must file an ERB and forward itto:

For Medicare questions call or write:Employee Health Benefits ProgramEmployee Health Benefit Program

40 Rector Street 3rd FloorNew York, NY 10006

(212) 513-0470WIDOWS’ BENEFITSThe Retired Security Benefits Fund providesbenefits for widows and eligible dependents ofretired firefighters, who retired after January 1,1971 (July 9, 1993 for wipers) who becomeswidowed after July 1, 1987, will be entitled tothe same health plan and benefits under theRFSBF for a period of ONE YEAR ONLY.The Trustees of the Fund reserve the right tomodify or discontinue the benefits of the Fundat any time. Notification of changes in the bene-fits or procedures will be sent to your address aslisted on the Fund records.

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By Herb Eysser, UFA Staff

On the evening of January 21, 2006 a five-alarm fireheavily damaged a six-story Manhattan commercialbuilding at 575 Broadway. Seven Firefighters were

injured fighting the Soho blaze and removed to local hospitals. Anumber of firefighters were also treated for injuries at the scene.The damage caused to the building and its upscale business ten-ants was placed in the millions of dollars.

More than 200 firefighters battled the fire as it traveledthrough concealed spaces from the basement to the 5th floor. Thebuilding was equipped with a sprinkler system but it was ineffec-tive because the fire was behind walls and in voids where thewater could not reach.

The Soho area and its surrounding neighborhoods in LowerManhattan have sustained massive cutbacks in fire protectionover the years. It is very difficult to quickly assemble an ade-quate firefighting force should a serious fire break out in LowerManhattan. Heavy traffic conditions make this life-threateningsituation even more critical. Lives are at stake!

Twelve (12) Engine Companies have been closed south of14th Street to the Battery since the end of World War II. They are

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The 2006 edition of theNational Fire Protec-tion Agency (NFPA)

Standard 1971 has recentlybeen promulgated. ThisStandard is significant inmany aspects as it relates to our structuralfirefighting protective ensembles.

The most noticeable change to struc-tural and proximity firefighting garmentsaffecting our membership will be the

addition of a Drag Rescue Device(DRD). This feature is an integralsystem of webbing rope, or othermaterial into the firefighting coatto permit the rescue of an incapac-itated firefighter. The DRD mustbe designed in such a way that aportion of the device is accessiblefrom the coat interior and can beeasily grabbed by other firefighters

without interference by the SCBA. The DRD must permit a firefighter to

be dragged over a specified distance with-out breaking. The materials used in theconstruction are subject to certain break-

ing strength requirements. The DRD isnot permitted to be used in any verticaloperations, such as lowering a firefighterfrom a building.

This new technology will be explainedin further detail by Total Fire Group /Morning Pride at the 2006 Annual Dele-gate Education Seminar. The reps will beable to provide a more comprehensiveoverview on the changes.

With these new additions and stan-dards, it is believed that all new coatsdelivered to the Quartermaster afterAugust 2006 will be inclusive of a DragRescue Device.

By WILLIAM ROMAKASergeant-at-Arms

Health & Safety Officer

What’s New In Personal Protective Equipment

as follows:Engine 17 25 Pitt Street Closed in 1991Engine 27 173 Franklin Street Closed in 1975Engine 13 155 Mercer Street Closed in 1974Engine 31 87 Lafayette Street Closed in 1972Engine 32 49 Beekman Street Closed in 1972Engine 30 278 Spring Street Closed in 1959Engine 12 261 William Street Closed in 1959Engine 72 22 East 12th Street Closed in 1958Engine 11 437 E. Houston Street Closed in 1957Engine 20 243 Lafayette Street Closed in 1946Engine 29 160 Chambers Street Closed in 1946Engine 25 342 East 5th Street Closed in 1946The closing of a fire company has a negative impact on a

neighborhood.It should also be pointed out that in addition to the 5th alarm

fire on January 21, there were three additional major fires southof 14th Street during the month of January. They are listedbelow:January 3, 2006 34 Downing Street 5-story apartment houseJanuary 9, 2006 22 King Street 6-story apartment houseJanuary 16, 2006 412 Broadway 5-story commercial bldg.

In addition, on January 22, 2006 there was a major collapse ofa synagogue at 87 Rivington Street. This drove scores of adultsand children from their homes.

Lower Manhattan is a neighborhood of New York City thatneeds more fire protection, not less. The need is urgent!



By STEPHEN HUMENESKYQueens Trustee

The first ever UFA/UFOAMDA Week recently tookplace, and if the preliminary

numbers are any indication, it was ahuge success. Firehouses fromacross the city participated in thisspecial effort to raise money andhelp support the programs of theMuscular Dystrophy Association (MDA).

The week of January 29 – February 4,2006 was designated MDA Week by theUFA and UFOA. During this time, eachmember was asked to donate $1 at eachfirehouse meal. At the January membershipmeeting, every company delegate wasgiven an informational package andinstructed to send the collection directly tothe MDA once the week had concluded.

“It is extremely important to help raiseawareness and funds for a cause such as thetreatment of Muscular Dystrophy, and anorganization like the MDA,” said UFAPresident Steve Cassidy. “I hope we canmake this week-long event a yearly occur-rence in order to assist the MDA in theirongoing efforts for treatment and care.”

Even though the program was “$1 PerMember, Per Meal,” many companies con-tributed well over the suggested per-mem-ber donation. “We knew we were hitting agoldmine with the hearts of these firefight-ers when we began receiving checks fromthem prior to the beginning of the actualevent. It’s unheard of,” said Amy Sasso,Program Coordinator for the MDA. “Wecan’t drive home enough how grateful we

are for what you accom-plished. The program hasdelivered more than we everexpected.”

The money collected willbenefit a number of MDA pro-grams. The funds, in additionto providing research andequipment, will help pay forthe annual summer camp pro-

gram in Spring Valley, NY which is run bythe MDA. The camp is held on the groundsof Camp Vision, a handicapped-accessiblespace for children. Here, the children whoare battling Muscular Dystrophy get theopportunity to take part in a real summercamp experience, complete with a talentshow and an Olympic-size pool.

The idea for the fundraising event washatched at a meeting hosted by the MDA inMay of 2005. The “MDA Boot Camp,” asit was called, was a forum for the firefight-er locals in New York State to speak abouttheir efforts towards fundraising for theMDA. I joined Jim McGowan of theUFOA to observe the meeting and explorefundraising possibilities for New York CityFirefighters. Most locals participate in “Fillthe Boot” drives, but the logistics of NewYork City would not allow such a programto take place. The UFA and UFOA came upwith the idea of each member donating $1per meal, and with that, the MDA had a newpartner in the Firefighters of New YorkCity.

As of press time, the funds collectedtotaled more than $30,000. However, theMDA was still receiving and tallyingmoney from the week’s event.

UFA Teams Up To Fight Muscular Dystrophy SAVE THE DATE!!FDNY / NYPD Hockey GameThe Annual FDNY / NYPD Hockey Game atNassau Coliseum has been rescheduled forApril 8th. The event will begin promptly at 1PM. Doors open at 1230 PM. For more infoor to purchase tickets, please visit www.FDNYHOCKEY.com

Palm Sunday Mass at the Brooklyn Wall of RemembranceSunday, April 9, 2006 at 1:30 p.m. The Wall of Remembrance is located atKeyspan Park, 1904 Surf Avenue, ConeyIsland, Brooklyn. The event will be held, rainor shine. In case of inclement weather, thelocation will be Our Lady of Solace ShrineR.C. Church, West 17th Street and MermaidAvenue.Celebrating Mass will be Chaplains from theFDNY, NYPD and PAPD.

FDNY Boxing SmokerFriday April 21st at 8 PM the FDNY BoxingBravest will host a smoker at Christ the KingHigh School, 69-02 Metropolitan Avenue, Mid-dle Village, NY. The event will feature 12exciting bouts. Tickets are $20 for GeneralAdmission. Half of all proceeds will be donatedto the Wounded Warrior Project, supporting ourmen and women of the Armed Forces whohave been seriously injured in combat. Formore info log on to www.FDNYBOXING.com

FDNY Night at Keyspan ParkThe 6th annual FDNY Night at Keyspan Parkis slated to take place on Friday August 4th at 7PM as the Brooklyn Cyclones take on the Tri-City Valley Cats. The yearly event proves to bea great time for the families and friends of ourmembers. The Cyclones have agreed to pro-vide Fire Department members with as manytickets as we need. However, in order to accu-rately provide a count for them, ticket ordersneed to be placed in advance. Companiesshould contact Fire Marshal Bob Cashman at718-999-0740 ASAP with their orders to ensureticket availability.

Tunnel to Towers Run – Volunteers NeededThe Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Run willtake place Sunday September 24, 2006.Active and Retired firefighters are needed tocarry picture banners and American flags inmemory of the 343 members of the FDNY whogave their lives on 9/11/01. Firefighters arerequested to attend in Class “A” uniform orretiree jacket.If interested, or to request more informationplease contact:Terri Magnuski [email protected]



Reminder from theSecurity Benefit

Fund (SBF)In order to receive SBF benefits,

parents of children attending collegeneed to provide the SBF with the fol-lowing:

A letter each semester from theregistrar on school letterhead listingthe student’s name and acknowledg-ing he/she is taking 12 or more cred-its.

A copy of a paid tuition bill fromthe college for each semester

These items are necessary for theSBF to provide the proper benefits tothe children of firefighters.

All info should be mailed to:Security Benefit Fund

201 East 23rd Street – 3rd FloorNew York, NY 10001

Or Fax to 212-683-0693

By EDWARD BROWNUFA Sports Chairman

On January 17th the UFA Execu-tive Board joined active andretired firefighters, the leadership

of the New York Police Department andPort Authority Unions, as well as a num-ber of elected and politically appointedofficials at a fundraiser for the 2011World Police and Fire Games which willbe held in New York City. The “2011World Police and Fire Games FirstResponder Memorial Dinner” was held atthe New York Marriott Marquis andproved to be an overwhelming success.

The event celebrated the selection ofNew York City as the host city for the2011 World Police and Fire Games. Thegames are a way for the Police and Fire-fighters of this City to remember the 10-year anniversary of 9/11 as well as give usthe opportunity to say thank you to allwho came to our aid during that tragictime. These worldwide spectator gamesare second only to the Summer Olympicsin size and host a wide array of sportingevents. Teams of Law Enforcement,Emergency Medical Personnel and Fire-fighters, comprising almost 20,000 ath-letes from 70 different countries willdescend on New York in the summer of2011 to compete against one another overa 10-day period.

UFA President Steve Cassidyaddressed the audience at the fundraiser.“We are here tonight to show our supportfor the 2011 World Police and Fire Gamesin New York City. On the 10-yearanniversary of 9-11 we will play host tothose who showed their support for us inour toughest time. These games will sym-bolize the bond between all first respon-ders throughout the world as well as high-light the competitive nature of firefightersand police officers. It will truly be a greatevent,” said Cassidy.

While the games may seem like a longway off, the planning and work that goesinto such a large scale event is tremen-dous. Retired Firefighter Jim Carney ofEngine Company 69 is a founder of 2011World Police and Fire Games Inc., a reg-istered non-profit given the task of organ-izing and raising funds for the games.“One thing I’ve learned in my years of

coordinating these types of events is thepreparation stage is the most important,”said Carney. “We need to put the rightpeople in charge of the different areas, theright decisions need to be made ahead oftime and the right attitude is necessary toimplement these plans.”

The World Police and Fire Gameswere first held in 1985 in San Jose, Cali-fornia. They were created by the Califor-nia Police Athletics Foundation as a wayfor law enforcement officers, customsagents, firefighters and emergency med-ical personnel from across the globe tocompete against one another in a widearray of sporting events.

The games have been held bi-annuallyeach year since 1985 and have taken placein a number of cities throughout theworld, including Stockholm, Barcelona,and Quebec City. The 2007 Games willtake place in Adelaide, Australia. Theyreturn to North America in 2009, wherethey will be held in British Columbia,before heading in New York in 2011.

For more info on the 2011 games,please visit www.2011wpfg.org

Let the Games Begin…in 2011



Dr. Field explained, “Fire Safety Edu-cation for most Americans has been limit-ed to the occasional fire drill in gradeschool and practicing stop, drop and roll.Sadly, many parents have not been taughtfire safety lessons and are unable to passalong to their children the right and wrongpractices in case of a real fire. That iswhy this project is so important.”

“To be the first school selected to ben-efit from this program is an honor and wewill work hard to educate all our studentsand teachers on this important issue,” saidEpiphany School Principal James L.Hayes. “Fire safety doesn’t stop at thefire drill. We will make it a priority to

show this video to all our studentsthroughout the school year.”

Mr. Hayes has also committed toworking with the UFA and Dr. Field todistribute videos to the 50 catholicschools in Manhattan.

Dr. Field came to the UFA offices inFebruary and expressed his concern thatnot enough was being done by the City inthe area of fire prevention. He screenedthe video for members of the UFA Execu-tive Board and upon its completion, anagreement was struck.

Dr. Field has a long history of educat-ing the public on fire safety. As a journal-ist, he produced a number of stories deal-ing with fire prevention. He formerly saton the Board of the FDNY Fire Safety

Education Fund, but quit after he realizedthey were more concerned with fundrais-ing than fire prevention. He is convincedthat the partnership with the UFA is theright way to get things accomplished.

“I sat on the Board with the notion thatwe were going to help eliminate firedeaths and curb the number of fire-relatedinjuries,” said Field. “But what I realizedwas that this organization was more inter-ested in fundraising than public outreach.I’m glad the UFA has stepped up to part-ner with me in this endeavor.”

In the coming months the UFA plans todistribute the video throughout the City asa tool for schools to teach their studentsabout fire safety.

UFA Teams up for Fire Safety(Continued from page 3)

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Delegate Education Seminar Director

What’s in it for you? Thoughonly Delegates attend, eachmember should take the

opportunity to give your Delegate a listof questions you may need answered onmany of the topics that the seminar cov-ers. The 2006 seminar runs from May2-5. The annual Delegate Education Sem-inar is one of the most important educa-tional endeavors for Company Delegatesor their alternates, which is why the UFAConstitution mandates they attend. Pre-sentations are designed by various BoardMembers and experts based on many ofthe most frequent—and important—ques-tions that Delegates and the UFA Execu-tive Board receive regularly each year.The purpose is to improve your CompanyDelegate’s working knowledge and back-

ground on many of theissues that you needanswers to.

Each day, the semi-nar agenda consists ofmorning general ses-sions for all Delegatesand 10 afternoon elec-tive workshops, someof which run concur-

rently and often repeat. Delegates choosethe workshops they believe will strength-en their knowledge where needed andthose that will be of most help to theirmembers.

Some previous issues coveredinclude…

State of the Union & Critical UnionIssues, UFA PR & Media Program, Find-ing info in the Delegate Manual: UFALegislative Issues and Agenda, FirePAC,Political Action by Delegates and the

UFA, FDNY Fire Alarm DispatchingIssues & Radio Questions, WTC MedicalMonitoring, FDNY Pension System,FDNY Safety Command, Your ProtectiveGear Issues, Your Annuity & Compensa-tion Accrual Fund , Health Benefits, UFASecurity Benefits Fund Issues, UFAScholarship Fund, ITHP Waiver, 50%Indicator, Roth IRAs & NYS CollegeSavings Program, NYC Deferred Com-pensation 457 & 401K Plans, UFA Web-site, Disability Pensions, The Delegate’sRole in UFA Business, Filing a Griev-ance—the Process Explained, DelegateAttacks on Bad Dept Policy, Delegates &Investigations of Firehouse Incidents,Firehouse Health & Safety Solutions.

Info booths are also set up by financialplanners, mortgage companies, the majorcity health care providers, various types ofinsurance carriers, custom fire gift makersand more.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY

2006 Delegate Education Seminar

OF GREATER NEW YORK204 EAST 23rd STREET, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10010-9998

Tel (212) 683-4832 • Fax (212) 683-0710www.ufanyc.org

DONALD RULANDTrustee-Staten Island ENG. 157

JOHN KELLYTrustee-Brooklyn ENG. 201Chairman, Board of Trustees

STEPHEN HUMENESKYTrustee-Queens ENG. 301

DANIEL MURPHYTrustee-Manhattan ENG. 74

EDWARD BROWNTrustee-Bronx LAD. 48

STEPHEN J. CASSIDYEditor-In-Chief

MICHAEL LOUGHRANManaging Editor

STEPHEN J. CASSIDYPresident ENG. 236

Uniformed Firefighters Association

JAMES SLEVINVice President LAD. 7

JOSEPH MICCIORecording Secretary ENG. 295

ROBERT STRAUBTreasurer ENG. 45

WILLIAM ROMAKAHealth & Safety Officer ENG. 238Sergeant-at-Arms

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the fire lines - february 2006

Documents

busiest year

number of fires

year previ

new york city

companies donot

force possible

number offires

bythe firefighters