PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE | BRIAN K. RICE

Rising to the CHallenge

JANUARY WAS UNLIKE ANYTHING we’ve ever seen. Thousands of structures in a heavily-populated urban setting were engulfed in a winter-time firestorm that will likely be the most expensive wildfires in history. Our members, both local and from around the state, answered the call to protect life and property, in a firestorm that was nearly impossible to contain because of hurricane force winds in the first days of the fire.

In response to the devastating impacts of the Palisades and Eaton Fires, the California Fire Foundation has been hard at work to deliver disaster relief to the residents who lost everything in the L.A. Fires through the SAVE Card program. Throughout January, the Foundation was on the ground in Altadena and Pasadena distributing SAVE cards, valued at $250 per household, to 7,263 residents. In addition, the Foundation gave financial assistance to members who lost their homes in the fires through our Benevolent Fund. The Foundation is aware of and have assisted 12 firefighters whose homes were destroyed and two others who were displaced because of fire damages.

The Foundation’s effort served as a safety net for the community, but we need to recognize what’s undeniable about the value of California’s firefighters. Lives were SAVED because of your tremendous work. But we know that work comes at a cost – not just on the communities you were protecting, but on the men and women of the fire service who put themselves in harm’s way.

I am very proud to be called your CPF President, and take that responsibility very seriously. Secretary-Treasurer Mike Lopez and I, along with the dedicated team at CPF, have worked diligently in pursuit of our mission-protect and advocate for the rights, wages, benefits, and working conditions of our members given the peril – immediate and long-term – that you face. Much of this is done through CPF-sponsored legislation originating from member-driven resolutions and pursued at the direction of your Executive Board.

Legislation like AB 700 - the California Firefighter Cancer Prevention and Research Program, TAKING A STAND which established funding for community-based participatory research to identify the cause of and reduce the rate of cancer among California firefighters. Our initial ask was for $20 million, and $7 million was allocated to the program. We are aware that over two dozen proposals were submitted for consideration and six grants were awarded. This demonstrates how dedicated and motivated our brothers and sisters are at joining the fight against cancer. We are going back to the legislature to ask again for $25 million and push hard to increase funding.

I want to congratulate our locals who are grant recipients and encourage those who participated to reapply and continue seeking funding opportunities.

These successes are a testament to when firefighters stand together in solidarity and make our voices heard. I look forward to another year of progress on behalf of our members and their families.

January was National Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month. I want us to remember that cancer awareness should be a priority every day of the year. Our commitment to health and safety goes beyond the fire ground, and it’s vital that we stay vigilant in preventing cancer risks. I am doing my part by participating in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Firefighter Stairclimb this March at the Columbia Center in Seattle and I encourage all of you to stay proactive in your health and continue to support initiatives that help combat this ongoing challenge. Together, we can make a difference.