BALTIMORE COUNTY
PROFESSIONAL FIRE FIGHTERS ASSOCIATION

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* 09/26/2008 *

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* 09/17/2008 *

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* 09/18/2008 *

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09/23/2008

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* 07/21/2008 *

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"United,
We  Bargain;
Divided,
We Beg"

Members' Bulletin Board

MDA TEE SHIRTS FOR SALE
Jarrett Dixon Memorial Softball Tee Shirts, just $15 each.  Contact  Wayne Simmons at 5-C.

HEROES DAY at Six Flags
On Sunday, September 21, all Emergency Service workers, their friends, and their families can get into Six Flags for 65% off the regular price of admission.  Just $17.50 plus tax.  Tickets are on sale now at sixflags.com; pick a park (MD), enter HEROES as your promo code, click Go, and choose your quantity of tickets.  Six Flags America is not open to the general public on this day, and is reserved for “Heroes Day” ticket holders, invited Guests, and season pass-holders only. We hope you enjoy the short lines!  For more info, contact Erica at 301-867-0275. 

PERKSCARD
The Local is working with Perks Cards to provide our membership benefits and discounts on local merchants and events.  Right now, before we even get the cards to send out to the field, you are eligible to get FREE Lower or Upper Reserved Seat Tickets to the Bowie Baysox! Show your Fire Department or Local 1311 ID (until you receive your PerksCard) at the Bowie Baysox Ticket Office and receive one (1) FREE Lower or Upper Reserved Seat Ticket with the purchase of one (1) Full Price (same value) ticket.
 Offer valid on 2008 Bowie Baysox Home Games played at the Prince George's Stadium in Bowie, MD. Offer is only valid on the following days: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday.  Please click here for flier.

COTTON THROW
We still have ONE of the BCoFD Throws (sorry, w/o IAFF logo) in stock, just $35 - another great gift idea!  ... click here

FY09 MOU
The recently ratified Contract between Local 1311 and the  Baltimore County Government has been signed, is printed and in the field.  Here is a copy for your perusal.

TINNITUS?
Ringing in your ears?  Well, not exactly ... click here to read the entire article on what could be a disabling brain disorder.

UNION-MADE IAFF Clothing & Accessories
Visit this site for more details:  http://www.iaffaffiliatestore.com/email/iaffaffiliatestore.html.

Elliott's Sportswear Online!
Elliott's Sportswear, 8327 Harford Road, is now available on the web.  Of particular interest, they have fire custom, fire stock, and workwear sections to suit all of your needs.  They also offer a large variety of leisure, sports, outerwear, athletic, and corporate attire.  You can also call them at 410-663-3966 or 877-882-9988.  Be sure to check out their new clearance items -- they're smokin' hot!   

Hall Rental Contract and Hall Alarm Form
PLEASE NOTE THAT, PER NEW RULES, THE CONTRACT & DEPOSIT MUST BE RECEIVED BY LOCAL 1311 AT LEAST TWO (2) WEEKS PRIOR TO your EVENT!  You MUST include your 4-digit pass-code (of your own choosing), and MUST include the HOURS of the event.  You can click on the words above for the appropriate paperwork.  Call ahead for available dates, but PLEASE be sure to get us the contract a FULL two weeks ahead.  Thank you.

UNION DUES ... TAX SEASON!
Members, your union dues are usually not the same throughout any given year.  The difference is very little, but for the record, the basic union dues for 2007 were $453.72.

FUND RAISING EFFORTS
Members, please be aware of the fund raising efforts organized by the Local which include having an authorized third party make phone calls soliciting financial support, as well as their publication of a semi-annual magazine ... click here

BENEFICIARY FORM - for the Union's Survivor's Fund. 
This link NOW takes you to a Word doc with TWO half-page forms.  Send one to the Union and keep the second copy in your personal files.  If you have
any question whatsoever about who may or may not be currently designated as your beneficiary with the Union, don't wait to call the office to check -- just complete, sign, and send in a form today.
  (For the Retirees'  Form, which must be notarized, click here.)

FF BASKET
Longaberger Customized FF Basket - a great gift idea (delivery after the holidays) ... click here

POCKET CALENDARS
WE HAVE EXTRAS FOR SALE -- at our cost of $1.00 per booklet (same price as decals).  Send payments to the Union Office, and we'll fill your order.

NEW, IMPROVED MOUs
You can review the MOU and the Pay Scales in .pdf by clicking on the following links:

BOWMAN'S APPRECIATES YOU!
"
Hello there! To show our appreciation for the job that you do, the Bowman Restaurant is having a Fire Fighter's Night every Tuesday evening, featuring a $1 off of regularly priced drinks, plus other great specials. 9306 Harford Road in the Carney/Parkville area. Please check out the attached calendar for other specials and again, we thank you for everything that you do for our community. Sincerely,  Bowman Staff"

SHIFT CALENDARS
The Shift Calendars for 2009 and 2010 and 2011 are now also available in MS Word, in addition to 2008(Thanks, Giz!) 
*The 2008 little pocket-books are in process as well, as requested by the membership ... we are waiting for delivery from Bromwell Press.  -ELG

DRIVE SMARTLY
With global warming and a tight economy, not to mention the need to just clear the air, we all need to be more proactive in how we help take care of the environment.  One way is to maximize your car's gas mileage.  Visit this site for more information.

SEARCH BETTER!
Use GoodSearch when you look up stuff on the Internet, and help benefit the Metro FF's Burn Center Fund ... read more

DONATE WISELY
Now more than ever we have to make our dollars stretch.  Be sure to check out the groups you financially support.  An easy way to do that is via Charity Navigator, an excellent web site which helps you carefully choose which organizations you want to help.  Click here

HISTORY OF THE MALTESE CROSS
For your reading pleasure; click here.

CLARIFICATION FOR RECLASSIFICATIONS
The "SALANN" in OLTA is your Salary Anniversary Date which is when you get your reclassification per the new MOU.

CELL PHONE DISCOUNTS & CONTACTS
Nextel:  Call the Government Accounts Customer Service at 1-800-390-7545.
Verizon
:  Call Joshua Cho at 410-952-0099 or email directly.

NATIONAL MARROW DONOR REGISTRY
In support of Michael Iwashko the 19 year old son of Marta Iwashko (Balt. Police Crime Lab) and George Iwashko (Balt. City Public Schools) who has Leukemia.  Please click here for the flier (.pdf) to post at the stations, and for more information.

LETTERS TO THE SS EDITOR
Please click here for a Letter to the Editor on THE BROTHERHOOD, submitted by “Brother Bones” John E. Schreiber Sr., Fire Specialist 5-D.

BALTIMORE COUNTY SEARCH DOGS FEATURED ON FOX 45
"Members of a local K-9 team were on site to search debris of the Pentagon after the 9/11 attacks."  Visit the link above and see Boomer and Zeus in action (oh, and FADO Mike Rehfeld!).  Click on "Cover Story" and select "A Hero With Paws"

In Memory of those we lost on 9/11 ... Always Remember, Never Forget ... visit the IAFF Web Site for more.

"OPT OUT" OF UNWANTED CONSUMER OFFERS - *Updated 08/16/2007
1-888-5OPTOUT is still a legitimate number to OPT OUT from Credit Bureaus sharing your contact info; here are some online and postal options as well.

LOCAL 1311 GETS NEW EMAIL ADDRESS 08/01/2007
Members, please make a note of Local 1311's new email address (click here ... imbedded to avoid spammers), effective immediately.

LICK HERE TO VIEW OTHER DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE AT THE CREDIT UNION

2007-2008 MOU & Pay Scales
Now you can access the July 1 and December 1 2007 Pay-scales on our Member Services page (scroll down to Memorandum of Understanding).
The actual MOU is NOT yet available, but the CHANGES ratified in April are posted there.

Kid's FIRE TRUCK QUILT Set
Great gift idea for the little firefighter at heart! 100% cotton handmade Fire Truck quilt & sham set.  Cozy and soft, it features a great mix of sky blue, red, white and yellow and is appliqued with fire engines and Dalmatians at the wheel.  For more details or to place an order, please Click Here or 
Email UsCall Mike Ruppert 6-B or  443-623-3725.

ATTENTION BIKERS
Be sure to visit our EVENTS and MOTORCYCLE GROUP pages for upcoming rides!

SCHOLARSHIP
The America's 9/11 Foundation, Inc has scholarships available for family members of Fire, Police and EMS workers. For info and applications, visit their website www.americas911foundation.org. This is an essay application and the deadline for this year's applications is April 16, 2007.   Thanks to Tab Badders for providing this information!  Click here for other Scholarship Information.

Fire Fighters Worth Remembering
We received an email at the Union Office regarding a project to publish a book about "200 fire fighters worth remaining."  Obviously, here in Baltimore County, we are blessed with an abundance of incredible characters, brave heroes, and wonderful lifelong memories.  We have NOT "checked out" this information, but it looks legitimate enough to present it to you here to be followed up on at YOUR own discretion.  Click here for more information. 

Purchase U.S. Patriot Bonds -- "the All American Investment"
Following the tradition of WWI Liberty bonds and WWII War Bonds, the U.S. Department of the Treasury unveiled the new Series EE Patriot Bond on December 11, 2001 -- the 3-month anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks.   The funds raised by the bonds will contribute to the federal government's overall effort to fight the war on global terrorism.  Click here for more information.

*CF Tags for Cars AND Bikes
For your convenience (and ours!), ALL CF union logo tags are now handled through the Union Office.  Please contact Elizabeth directly for an application, which can then be taken to any MVA office (or tags can be picked up in Glen Burnie).

Memorandum of Understanding
The 2007-2008
MOU by and between Baltimore County and Local 1311 can be found here in .pdf format.  It can also be found on the County's web site.  From the main page click on the County Executive's link (top left corner w/picture), then click on Labor Commissioner (left menu bar, under "In This Section"), and the next page has all the MOUs listed (in .pdf format).  If your link  has old info, you simply need to update/refresh your link!  (Thanks, George!)

The IAFF Wins Passage of the HELPS Retirees Bill
The IAFF has won an unprecedented congressional victory in the successful passage of its HELPs retiree health care proposal and the elimination of early withdraw penalties from Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP) accounts. Click here to link to the IAFF's web site for more information.

JUST FOR FUN
Test your U.S. Geography skills at this site or this one ... and World Geography at this site!

TO THOSE MEMBERS WHO HAVE LOGGED INTO THE IAFF WEBSITE ...
Please take the time to go on the IAFF website under the Members Only section, and UPDATE your personal information to reflect YOUR OWN PERSONAL EMAIL address!  (Otherwise stuff comes to the Union Office for you, without your identifying information!)  Thank you very much!

BUYING A HOUSE?  REFINANCING? WORK WITH THE IAFF!
In addition to several local companies (Advance Realty, Atlantic Federal, and  Baltimore American Mortgage), the IAFF Financial Corporation is working with Nationwide Advantage Mortgage
SM Company to offer you the fastest, easiest way to get a new loan or refinance a current mortgage.  Through Nationwide Advantage Mortgage, IAFF members can access low-rate, low-cost mortgage solutions that offer several benefits that other mortgage companies can’t offer.  Visit the IAFF web site for more  info.

"OPT OUT" OF UNWANTED CONSUMER OFFERS - *Amended 05/22/2006
1-888-5OPTOUT is a legitimate number set up with the cooperation of the Associated Credit Bureaus to establish a single point of contact for consumers to call to request that all four major U.S. credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, Trans Union, and Novus/Innovis) remove their information from the marketing lists and pre-approved credit offer lists sold to third parties. The automated system will ask you to enter your phone number, Social Security number, and other personal information, because it needs that information to locate your record. If you are uncomfortable supplying this information to an automated system, you will have to call each of the four major credit bureaus individually and speak to real people at each one of them, a cumbersome and time-consuming process.

Also visit www.optoutprescreen.com to do the same stuff. I chose NOT to type in my social security number, and it accepted it anyway.  You will then have to print up the letter and mail it in ... but it's worth it to get off all those lists!!!!

MAIL PREFERENCE SERVICE
To receive less commercial advertising mail, you can register for the DMA's Mail Preference Service (MPS) by visiting the DMA website and filling out their registration form.  It costs $5 to register online (why???), but it's FREE (!) to mail in your request.  Either way, fill out the registration form online, hit enter, and you'll get a printable form, complete with a tracking number, to sign and send in.  Save a tree!  And save postage by sending in a bunch of requests (entire shift?!  your household!) at one time. 

MONEY SAVING TIPS FROM BGE HOME
1. Home lighting can consume up to 10 percent of home electricity costs. Energy Star® labeled lighting products use about 75 percent less electricity than incandescent lighting products and last about 10 times longer. These compact fluorescent lamps or CFLs are an easy and low cost way of making your home's lighting more energy efficient.  Compact Flourescent Lights (CFLs) emit the same amount of light as standard bulbs but have a lower wattage rating because they use less energy.  CF/standard Wattage usage comparisons ... CFL listed first, then standard bulbs:  14/40, 20/60, 25/75, 32/100, 50/150.

2. Ceiling fans are a great way to save money year-round. Not only can they keep you cooler in the summer but they also circulate warm air in the winter. They can help reduce your heating and cooling costs. An Energy Star labeled ceiling fan is about 40 percent more efficient than a regular fan.

3. Energy Star labeled outdoor lights used with CFLs cost less than $8 in electricity annually. They provide nighttime visibility and safety and are available with motion sensors for even greater energy savings.

4. Water heating is typically the third largest energy expense in your home. Heating your water typically accounts for about 14% of your utility bill. Energy Star labeled water heaters use less energy to heat your home's water. Adding an insulating wrap can also reduce your energy costs.

FIRE DEPARTMENT FORMS
Members of the Captains' Council made a list showing where to send forms and how the email subject lines are to be formatted. It is now in the BCNet Fire Library, under "Fire Department Forms," to assist any interested employees.  Here is a link to it: 
http://bcnet/agencies/fire/fire_library/fire_forms.html .  Updates can be sent to the Fire Help Desk.

BE AWARE OF JURY DUTY SCAM
Most of us take those summons for jury duty seriously, but enough people skip out on their civic duty, that a new and ominous kind of scam has surfaced. Fall for it and your identity could be stolen, reports CBS.

In this con, someone calls pretending to be a court official who threateningly says a warrant has been issued for your arrest because you didn't show up for jury duty. The caller claims to be a jury coordinator. If you protest that you never received a summons for jury duty, the scammer asks you for your Social Security number and date of birth so he or she can verify the information and cancel the arrest warrant. Sometimes they even ask for credit card numbers. Give out any of this information and bingo! Your identity just got stolen.

The scam has been reported so far in 11 states, including Oklahoma, Illinois, and Colorado.  This (scam) is particularly insidious because they use intimidation over the phone to try to bully people into giving information by pretending they're with the court system.

The FBI and the federal court system have issued nationwide alerts on their web sites, warning consumers about the fraud.

Check it out here:

CELL PHONES -- INTERESTING NOTES from Al Brown
You can put your cell phone on the National Do Not Call List (and prevent costly unwanted telemarketing calls) by calling 888-382-1222.  Cell phone companies often charge $1 or more for directory information.  Save money and still get your information by calling 800-FREE-411 (800-373-3411).  You will only be charged for the minutes used per your own cell phone deal.

CHIROPRACTIC CARE
Looking for relief for that bad back?  Want to ease that neck pain?  Tired of walking slumped over?  You may need chiropractic care ... and you are in luck!  Dr. Nicholas Dezes provides special programs and services for our members.  Don't just live with that pain and discomfort - get rid of it and take care of yourself for once!  Click here for more details!

MOTORCYCLE CLUB
Looking for members interested in joining our Motorcycle Club, open to ALL members, regardless of what type of bike!
Call Jhett Lewis at 1-C or email him.

VICTIMS ASSISTANCE
Any member interested in participating in our community-service program, the Victims Assistance Committee (VAC), please contact LARRY BRISTER at the Union Office immediately.

BENEFICIARY FORMS
Visit our Survivor's Information page for links to Beneficiary/Survivors Forms for both the Baltimore County Fire Department (return to Retirees office at HQ) and the Baltimore County Professional Fire Fighters.

SMOKE DETECTORS
Please be sure to have citizens complete WAIVERS when they get smoke detectors (either from the stations or at their homes).  Stations should send waivers back to the Union Office in groups of 6-8 or more.  Once received at the Union Office, replacement smoke detectors are sent back out to the field.

 


This page last updated:  09/17/2008

 

E-mail the Local
Michael K. Day Sr., President BCPFFA
52 Scott Adam Road, Cockeysville, MD  21030-3282
410-683-1311  ~  410-666-0156 (fax)