LODD: Berkeley Apparatus Operator Loses Battle with Job-Related Cancer

Berkeley Apparatus Operator Jay Walter 1953-2008

Berkeley Firefighters Local #1227 is saddened to announce the loss of one of their brother firefighters in the line of duty. Apparatus Operator Jay Randall Walter lost his battle with job-related cancer April 6th.

A 15-year veteran of the Berkeley Fire Department, Brother Walter was 54 at the time of his death.

Born in Southern California in 1953, Brother Walter served two tours of duty in Vietnam before returning to attend paramedic school in 1977.

He was hired as a paid firefighter in Morgan Hill before joining the Berkeley Fire Department in 1993. During his tenure, he served as as the Berekely Police Department SWAT Team's paramedic, and was also part of Berkeley's USAR team.

Brother Walter was known for his sense of humor and also as a lover of dogs -- he trained his search and rescue dogs. He is survived by his wife, Gerri, daughter Roslyn and granddaughter Madison.

MEMORIAL SERVICES

Memorial services for Brother Walter have been scheduled for Saturday, April 12th, 2008, with a viewing set for the previous evening.

VIEWING-- The viewing will be held Friday, April 11th from 4:00pm - 8:00pm at 17720 Monterey Highway, Morgan Hill

MEMORIAL SERVICE-- A Memorial Service honoring Brother Walter will be held Saturday, April 12th, 2008. The service will commence at 11:00am at St. Joseph The Worker Church, 1640 Addison Street, Berkeley . Attire for the Memorial Service is Class A. The service will last approx. 90 - 120 minutes. CLICK HERE FOR DIRECTIONS.

PROCESSION-- A procession of uniformed Berkeley and Livermore/Pleasanton personnel will step off from Fire Station #5, 2680 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley at 10:00am. (CLICK HERE FOR DIRECTIONS) Uniformed brothers and sisters and non-uniformed friends and family are invited to attend and line in formation along designated areas of the procession route. All those wishing to attend should arrive IFO 1640 Addison, Berkeley between 9:00am - 9:30am and check in with the Staging Mgr. to receive formation instructions (Contact "Berkeley Staging" on Fire White 1 if you have a radio). Please approach the staging area from the Southwest, and you will be directed. Also, BFD requests that you fill out an agency RSVP form.

APPARATUS: Departments are requested to send personnel in staff/city transport vehicles (if possible) to alleviate parking issues. Fire apparatus will not be used in the walking procession,  parking will be available on California between Allston and Addison for any department or city vehicles.

PARKING-- Parking is limited in the area, non-uniformed guests are encouraged to carpool and/or arrive early to find spots. Downtown Berkeley BART is also 0.7 miles away at 2160 Shattuck Avenue.

RECEPTION -- The Berkeley Fire Fighters Association, Local 1227 is hosting a reception following the services at Brennan's (720 University Avenue, Berkeley) immediately following the service. There is usually ample parking in this area.

LODGING -- Local 1227 have negotiated discount hotel rooms for anyone who needs accommodations following the reception at the Double Tree Hotel located in the Berkeley Marina. Call their reservation line (510) 548-7920 and mention you are with the "Jay Walter Memorial Service". The rate you should receive is $99/night.

Please check back to this page for the latest. You can also check the Berkeley Firefighters web site -- www.bffa1227.org.

TO LEAVE A TRIBUTE

A tribute page for Brother Walter has been established here at www.caringbridge.com

Emotional Tribute Honors the Memory of Fallen LA Firefighter Brent Lovrein

Thousands paused  Friday in Los Angeles to pay respect to a fallen hero -- Los Angeles City Firefighter Brent Lovrein. A member of  UFLAC Local 112, Lovrein died March 26th in an explosion. A walking procession through downtown Los Angeles brought a sea of blue from the fire service and a line of ordinary citizens paying their respects.

Known to his brother and sister firefighters as "Lovey" for his positive demeanor, Lovrein was honored with a candlight vigil Thursday night, followed by an emotional tribute Friday at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown Los Angeles.

Preceding the ceremony, thousands of firefighters and emergency responders marched in solemn procession through the streets of downtown L.A. to the cathedral. The streets were lined with ordinary folks who had come out to pay their respects.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW MEDIA CLIPS AND NEWS REPORTS FROM KNBC-TV, LOS ANGELES

CLICK HERE FOR A PHOTO GALLERY, COURTESY OF THE LOS ANGELES TIMES
 

IN MEMORIAM -- BRENT LOVREIN (1972-2008)

Brent Allen Lovrien was born in Norwalk, California on December 13, 1972, the youngest son of Glenn and Patricia Lovrien. Brent graduated from California High School in Whittier and attended Cypress College before he graduated from the Rio Hondo Fire Academy in 1991.

Brent began his fire service career as an auxiliary firefighter with the Downey Fire Department and soon became a federal firefighter, stationed at the naval base in Long Beach in 1995.

On September 28, 1997, Brent completed the LAFD Lateral Fire Academy and fulfilled a personal dream of becoming a Los Angeles Firefighter. Brent served the citizens of Los Angeles in all areas of the LAFD during his 10-year career. He received praise for his work as a firefighter including a letter of appreciation from the LAFD Administration for his selfless actions towards a civilian. He also received specialized training in Hazardous Materials and Urban Search and Rescue during his tenure.

Brother Lovrien’s supervisors stated that Brent had a strong work ethic, always taking pride in himself and his duties. He was a dedicated, loyal employee who put the needs of others before his own. Brent was the type of man that always volunteered for the extra detail, or additional assignments.

Brother Lovrein will be remembered for his optimistic attitude, his love of the fire service and his appreciation and pride of being a Los Angeles firefighter. He is survived by his Mother Patricia Lovrien, his father Glenn Lovrien, stepmother Sherri Lovrien, grandfather Glenn E. Lovrien,  a retired Downey firefighter, his brother Shenan Lovrien and his firefighter brethren at Fire Station 95 “A” Platoon.

MEMORIAL GIFTS

Donations in memory of Brother Lovrien can be made to the L.A. Firemen's Relief Association's Widows, Orphans and Disabled Firefighters Fund.

Hayashi’s Vision Care Bill for Retired Local Government Employees Passes the First Assembly Committee

Assemblymember Mary Hayashi’s vision care bill, AB 1997, passed the Assembly Committee on Public Employees, Retirement and Social Security.  The bill will allow over 1,500 local government entities that contract with CalPERS to offer vision care to their retirees, including firefighters, police officers, educators, and librarians. 

Vision care is an important, yet under-appreciated, preventive health care service.  The National Institutes of Health estimates that over 11 million Americans have an uncorrected visual impairment. The Eye Digest reports that 1 in 28 Americans aged 40 or older are suffering from low vision or blindness, creating a national need for education, regular screenings and access to vision care programs.   Retired employees must meet qualification standards that will be established by this bill, and pay a premium that will be determined by CalPERS for coverage.

Local 1974 members Patrick Thomson, Aaron Lacey, Matt Thau, Troy Ravera, Joe Testa, and Jorge DellaSanta assist MDA at their annual Outback Golf Tournament. 

 Every year, John Madden teams up with Outback Steakhouse in hosting this annual fundraiser which once again proves to be another successful day.   

The IAFF's top legislative priority, the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act of 2007 -- which guarantees collective bargaining rights for every fire fighter in the nation -- has overwhelmingly passed the U.S. House of Representatives.

The bill, HR 980, won the support of a majority of the Repiblicans and Democrats in Congress, passing by a margin of 314-97.

IAFF GENERAL PRESIDENT ISSUES STATEMENT ON CHARLESTON MEMORIAL SERVICE

IAFF ASSISTING FAMILIES AND LOCAL, BUT IS BEING BARRED FROM ASSISTING WITH MEMORIAL

Front line firefighters from throughout the nation will be in Charleston, South Carolina tomorrow to honor the nine fallen brothers who perished in this week's disastrous furniture warehouse fire.

Many have inquired about a schedule that appears to be designed to block their participation and, perhaps, to politicize the service. In response, General President Harold Schaitberger has sent the following message to IAFF leadership:

Dear IAFF Leadership:
 
We are already hearing from our Leadership as well as many of our disappointed Brothers and Sisters from across the continent that the memorial service for the nine Charleston fire fighters, who died in the line of duty Monday evening, doesn't seem to be very organized and up to the IAFF’s normal standards for funerals and memorials.
 
The reason for this is simple.  The IAFF is not in charge of this service.  Let me be very clear and frank about the situation in Charleston.  This is an openly anti-union city that is hostile towards the IAFF.  The Chief and Mayor are not, as an understatement, labor friendly and believe they can do everything themselves.  The Chief refused all assistance from the IAFC, and even refused assistance of the state USAR team.
 
The Chief and the Mayor have resisted any of our planning ideas and have refused all IAFF offers of assistance.  They appointed the president of the state volunteers association, Jim Bowie, to run the entire memorial program.  Bowie does not like the IAFF, our state association or its president Mike Parrotta, because Mike has fought to improve standards in the state.  In fact, Bowie has been lobbying for lower (more volunteer friendly) standards.  Bowie led the charge against the 2 in 2 out standard helping to establish the 2-in-1-out rule that prevails in South Carolina (the only state in the nation that doesn't follow OSHA standards of 2-in-2-out), and Bowie lobbied to make sure many buildings in the state were not required to be retrofitted for sprinklers.
 
Bowie is also the leader of the South Carolina first responders for Giuliani campaign and has attempted to make this memorial a platform for Rudy.  We are fighting to keep this from becoming another political platform.
 
Regardless, we have our 12th District Vice President Larry Osborne, Mike Parrotta, and senior staff Jeff Zack, Rich Duffy and Pat Morrison on the ground and weighing in where they can.  They are spending their time assisting Local 61 and our fallen families, but they are running into a brick wall on all decisions related to the memorial.  Because of the situation, we also have limited access to the VIP area.  Only principal officers, district vice presidents, and the South Carolina state leadership will have official access.
 
Bowie is making ALL of the decisions regarding this memorial.  He has only allowed us to attend meetings where they are simply announcing the decisions that have been made.  And he has summarily rejected any and all advice we have provided at every turn -- including that trying to do this memorial on Friday is way too soon.
 
We were informed that the FDNY Pipe and Drums had been invited by the Charleston Fire Department to play in the ceremony and that no other pipe bands would be allowed to play.  If we had been involved, we would have coordinated the participation of other pipe bands.  We were not party to or involved in this decision.
 
I ask the IAFF state and provincial presidents, in the states or provincials where there are pipe and drum corps or honor guards, to please contact these organizations to let them know that the IAFF had no control over the planning of this event.
 
This memo is meant to be very direct.  I don't want us to pull any punches with our leadership or members on this unfortunate situation.  When you hear a complaint from an affiliate, member, honor guard, pipe or drummer about this memorial, make sure to inform them that the IAFF has not been permitted to plan or to make any of the decisions regarding this event.
 

Fraternally,
Harold A. Schaitberger
General President
International Association of Fire Fighters
1750 New York Ave. N.W.
Washington D.C. 20006
202-824-1501

Vallejo Firefighters need your help.

Last week, 15 firefighters were handed lay-off notices from City Hall administration. 

We have an opportunity to help these union members by showing up to a public hearing on June 5^th to register our opposition to ill conceived cuts to the fire department.

As you may know, the firefighters of Local 1186 have offered to sacrifice their pay raises and benefits, but requested the city keep staffing and service levels the same for the citizens of Vallejo.

Instead of working with the firefighters on this possible agreement, City Hall told them NO, and new proposals will lay off these 15 firefighters, and cut 9 more cops from the police department as well.

Independent analysis agrees with the firefighters that any further cuts to an already understaffed department could jeopardize public safety.  Even the International City Managers Association says we need MORE firefighters per company, not less. 

Our frontline firefighters will continue to offer to sacrifice the pay raises that they were promised as well as postpone increases in their benefits to save the city much needed revenue.  But they refuse to support cutting staffing and services to our community. 

PLEASE JOIN US

Public Hearing on the Budget and Fire Cuts

Tuesday, June 5 2007:  3:00 p.m.

Vallejo City Council Chambers: 555 Santa Clara St.

RSVP to the Vallejo Firefighters at 707-648-1186.

Outside the hearing, firefighters will give you an “I support my firefighters and police” sticker to wear.  Your attendance is vital to show the wide base of support that the firefighters have in this current dispute.

An injury to one is an injury to all.  Please join us in fighting these unnecessary cuts.

In Solidarity,

Vallejo Firefighters