CPF Fire Wire Podcast

A January court decision in San Diego marks a major milestone in the fight to protect pensions. CPF President Brian Rice talks with San Diego City Firefighters Pres. Jesse Conner about the importance of the ruling in the fight for retirement security.

Continuing with Season 2 of CPF Fire Wire, President Brian Rice once again sits down with Gov. Gavin Newsom to discuss the pandemic response, wildfires and forest management and recovering from a year like no other.

The first ray of hope in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic has come with the release of two vaccines for emergency use. The remarkable and highly effective vaccines are being distributed beginning this month, with frontline health care workers – including firefighter-paramedics and firefighter-EMTs – are on the priority list to receive it.

Anaheim Fire Captains David Baker and Joe Aldecoa experienced the real risks of COVID-19 the hard way.

The outbreak of SARS-Cov 2 (COVID-19) has once again placed firefighters on the front lines of a disaster. But unlike a wildfire or a normal EMS call, the pandemic has created unique stresses on firefighters and, more importantly, their families.

When the coronavirus COVID-19 hit the shores of the U.S, one of its first landing spots was San Jose. It’s now clear that the members of San Jose Firefighters Local 230 were being exposed to COVID-19 on calls for weeks without knowing, and they were the first to feel its effects.

The outbreak of coronavirus COVID-19 has become a major public health issue worldwide. Fire and EMS personnel are on the front lines of the epidemic, and exposures of our personnel have already had an impact.

On this edition of CPF Fire Wire, CPF President Brian Rice talks with two firefighters who have faced death from illnesses caused by their jobs.   Contra Costa Fire Captain Michael Lacy and Alameda Co. Firefighter Alex Mengell talk with President Rice about their life-and-death experiences dealing with job-related illness, their challenges getting treatment and recognition and how CPF’s Personal Exposure Reporting can be as important in protecting firefighters and their families. 

In this episode, CPF President, Brian K. Rice is joined by Stockton Firefighters Local 456 President, Mario Gardea and Tracy City Firefighters Local 3355 President, Paul O’Neal to discuss their EMS dispatch and ALS services battle in San Joaquin County.

Brian and Governor Newsom discuss the Governor’s first year in office and his commitment to firefighters across the state. As his first act in office, Governor Newsom invested over $400 million in wildfire response and preparedness. He created the California Rises benefit concert and raised millions in relief funds for the survivors of wildfires. Most signficantly, he recognized the need to address firefighter behavioral health and kept his campaign promise by signing AB 1116, confidential peer support, and SB 542, PTSI presumption. 

The careers of all California firefighters have been impacted by the Cal-JAC, from apprenticeship to journeylevel training and safety improvements. The Cal-JAC is a partnership between labor and management with a mission to bring diversity to the fire service, standardize firefighter training, innovate recruitment processes, provide resources to locals and departments, and much more. Brian and Yvonne talk about the positive impact of the Cal-JAC on the fire service and the work ahead. 

This was a historic legislative session for California firefighters. Listen in as CPF President Brian K. Rice shares testimony from members across the state that helped CPF-sponsored bills become law.