VAN DAVIS JR.

Van Davis Jr., was born to Van Davis, Sr. and Mannie Davis on December 17, 1929 in Louisville, Kentucky. He was the eldest of four sons.

He attended Willowbrook High School in Willowbrook, California. At the early age of 17, Van Davis, Jr., enlisted into the United States Navy. On his journey into manhood, he displayed his courage, dedication and excellence as a sailor, devoting four years of service.

Van Davis began his employment with the Los Angeles County Fire Department on August 19, 1953. Van Davis was the first of his race to be employed with the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Although he retired at the rank of Firefighter, at another day and time (under a fair system) he would have easily attained a Chief Officer ranking.

Van had many firsts in his career. He was the first and only Black to hold the position of Director with Local 1014 of the International Association of Firefighters. He was the first member outside the Los Angeles City Fire Department to hold the position of President of the Stentorians.

Van was a major recruiter for Blacks and minorities into the Los Angeles County Fire Department. He was the leading plaintiff in the discrimination lawsuit against the County which was tried before the United States Supreme Court. He was the target of many attacks because of his efforts. All Los Angeles County Firefighters owe a great deal to Van for his courageous fight to diversify the Department.

During his 20 year career in the Fire Service, there were no promotions of Blacks. The first promotion of Blacks came on January 1, 1976. Today, there are over 250 Blacks now employed in the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Unfortunately, Van Davis, Jr., passed away on December 29, 1991. Before his untimely death, Van was able to see the results of his hard work and sacrifices.

Van's son, Aquil Basheer, is currently a member of the Los Angeles City Fire Department, and like his father, he is a devoted fighter for the equality of Blacks in the Fire Service Abroad.

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Meet the Chief: Douglas Barry, Los Angeles Fire Department By Jamie Thompson FireRescue1 News Editor   AP Photo/Nick Ut Douglas Barry speaks during a news conference in December 2006.      There were likely few less desirable jobs in the fire industry than that of Los Angeles Fire Department Chief just over 12 months ago. The LAFD had been subjected to a string of lawsuits alleging sexual and racial harassment, and union relations were seriously strained. The turmoil crested in December 2006 when then-Chief William Bamattre resigned amid a furor over a black firefighter, Tennie Pierce, being served spaghetti mixed with dog food. Fortunately for the LAFD, Bamattre's replacement, Douglas Barry, has helped to steady the ship — even if he was initially reluctant to take on the job. Barry was a 31-year veteran of the LAFD, having served as firefighter, engineer, captain, battalion chief, chief of staff and assistant chief. The chief's position seemed the logical next step, but at the time of Bamattre's resignation in December 2006, Barry had already scheduled his retirement for just several months later. And, in Barry's own words, "I've always preferred to working behind the scenes, not upfront where the fire chief is and very visible." But as Barry began his work as interim chief, seeing firsthand the huge challenges the department faced, the sense of loyalty and pride that goes with more than three decades on service began to have an effect on him. Change needed In addition, his efforts in rallying the beleaguered department seemed to be having an effect. Also — and perhaps most importantly — for the first time in what seemed like years for many in the city, everyone seemed to agree change was needed, from union leaders to local politicians. "Many departments and groups had come to all work together to resolve these issues and I saw the opportunity was there to really get some things done that the fire department had been trying to do for a long time," Barry said. "The environment was perfect for it; people seemed to have confidence in the city." Barry's retirement plans are now on hold. Now that he's begun to initiate reforms and cultural change within the department, he has strong sense of seeing those through. "I worked on getting reforms in place and when it came to deciding whether I would become the full-time chief, we were making progress with things, even though it was slow," he said. "I decided that I wanted to finish that." One of Barry's first actions that won favor with department personnel and unions alike was the decision to meet his members across the city face-to-face. Shortly after being appointed interim chief, he set out a schedule to visit the department's more than 100 work locations, a figure he is still working his way through. He said his aim is to "effectively communicate the expectations of the department and myself as the fire chief." The decision to go for the personal touch, rather than my memos or e-mails, he said, stems from his experiences as a supervisor, where he found the most effective way to communicate to people was "face-to-face." "It has also been the chance to listen to what they thought the department should be doing, and I learned a lot from the members," Barry said. "I'm not only talking to the people but I'm also listening to what they have to say." Upon his appointment, Barry admitted that his biggest task was to put an end to the "frat-house culture," as local media described it, that seemingly allowed hazing and discrimination to spiral out of control. However, he insists the issues within the LAFD are not as bad as they have been painted in some quarters. Reflection on society   Photo Mike Meadows An LAFD firefighter uses a hose line on flames during the Corral Brush Fire near Malibu in November.   The LAFD, or any large department or organization, is a reflection on society, according to Barry. In addition, the well-documented issues have been given more exposure because of the size and stature of the LAFD, he added. "Some of these things have happened at other departments," Barry said. "But because we are a large department and we are in the limelight, a lot of it gets more attention. But similar things do happen in other departments as well; we're all a reflection of society." In his own rise through the ranks, Barry, who is black, said he never experienced any overt racism, before adding, "Maybe I'm just a very fortunate person." Of course, it hasn’t just been internal departmental affairs that have consumed Barry's time and efforts. The SoCal wildfires toward the end of last year posed their own particular challenges to the city, namely staffing. Barry said that the LAFD's main role was providing resources, sending roughly 30 companies to assist other fire departments. "It was a big challenge for us insofar as sending the resources that were needed, but to make sure we had enough resources here in case something happened in the city," he said. As for tests that lie ahead, Barry identifies budgetary issues as the biggest challenge facing not only his own department but those nationwide. It’s the constant headache faced by any chief, he said, of "being asked to do more and more but with less and less money.” "Thirty years ago, it was firefighting with some EMS and little bit of fire prevention," he said. "But now it's so much more than that. Firefighters are being pushed to have so many new skills in different areas and be proficient in all these various fields." Now 12 months in as chief, it has been a steep learning curve for Barry in finding out what makes a good chief.     AP Photo/Nick Ut William Bamattre resigned in December 2006.   For him, there are two things involved in being an effective leader: building the trust of your people and consistency. "You need to be consistent, people need to know where they stand and what to expect from you," he said. "You also need to build trust and provide a vision and the direction the department is going in — but it has to be shared." Barry looks back on the first year with both pride and honesty. "We've had everyone working together, pulling together, and progress is being made," he said. "Perhaps my only disappointment is that the progress hasn't been fast enough in some ways."

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Firefighter alleges bias Female captain complains of harassment at LAFD   Press-Telegram ... Department permits gender discrimination, creates a hostile work environment and allows retaliation against firefighters who speak out. Capt. Alicia Mathis, a 17-year firefighter, said she filed the claim because she's watched women firefighters be ... http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_4408066

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Audit: Culture Of Discrimination, Harassment, Hazing Plagues LAFD

POSTED: 6:53 pm PST January 26, 2006

LOS ANGELES -- A culture of discrimination, harassment and hazing against women and minorities still plagues the Los Angeles Fire Department, despite work to clean up the agency 11 years ago, according to an audit released Thursday.

The audit by City Controller Laura Chick blames a "lack of strong and decisive" leadership by Fire Chief William Bamattre and previous members of the Fire Commission for allowing inappropriate behavior to continue within the department.

"We have a duty to provide in this city a work environment free of harassment, free of prejudice and free of spiteful retaliation," Chick said. "The department must give equal protection to all of its employees."

Chick launched her audit last August after hearing reports of inappropriate behavior from at least two "whistleblowers" inside the fire department.

The audit resulted in 21 recommendations for the department, including calls for developing a written "vision" for the agency, setting a tone of accountability and establishing better communication from Bamattre and the Fire Commission to the department's rank-and-file.

"We can solve these problems," she said. "These are good people in the Fire Department, they just need the right vision, the right guidance, the right rules and fair treatment and we can get rid of discrimination, harassment and hazing."

In a statement issued this afternoon, Bamattre said he has reviewed the audit and generally agrees with its recommendations. He said the department will work to implement the audit's recommendations to complement improvements that have already put in place.

"I am very proud of the public safety service that the LAFD provides, however, I will not be satisfied until the Fire Department excels in all its responsibilities."

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa commended Chick's audit, saying it addresses issues he has discussed with Bamattre over the last six months.

"My concern over these long-standing, unresolved issues is surpassed only by my determination that they be fully addressed by the Fire Commission," Villaraigosa said.

The mayor sent a letter to Fire Commission President Dalila Sotelo today, asking the commission to submit a plan in 90 days that will address Chick's audit and recommendations.

While 13 firefighters were disciplined for inappropriate behavior last June, and nine firefighters remain under investigation, Chick found more instances of harassment and discrimination that largely went unreported.

Among some of Chick's findings:

A dead rat was found in the bedding of a firefighter who had reported alleged misconduct of a colleague.

A fire captain failed to report that a firefighter served dog food to another firefighter.

A male firefighter took improper photos of a female colleague "in various stages of undress" at the fire station.

Chick said she found that part of the hazing and discrimination came from a perception that women and racial minorities are not qualified to work in the department.

More than half of the recruits who failed the academy -- many of whom were women and racial minorities -- were reinstated by upper management for the sake of diversifying the department, Chick said. The failed recruits had a higher rate of failing their probationary period than those who passed their training exercises.

"I care very much about attracting and retaining women, gays and lesbians, African-Americans, Latinos to reflect what our city is all about, and also to attract talented firefighters and paramedics," Chick said."But we have to have minimum standards."

As a result, Chick recommended that the department only hire recruits who have passed performance standards. In addition, Chick said Bamattre should no long be able to overrule an instructor's recommendation to terminate recruits.

Pat McOsker, president of the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City Local 112, said he asked the city to investigate the hiring of failed recruits more than a year ago because it raised concerns of safety among firefighters.

"An appropriate and reasonable standard of performance needs to be enforced," said McOsker, whose union represents the city's 3,600 firefighters. "Our recruits need to be ready to serve the community, not compromising their safety or the safety of others."

The firefighting academy, also known as the "drill tower," offers three months of classroom and physical training to recruits.

"We know that passing unqualified recruits has led to a low morale among firefighters."
- Pat McOsker, president of Local 112

"We know that passing unqualified recruits has led to a low morale among firefighters," McOsker said.

The fire department has grappled for more than 30 years with problems in hiring minorities.

The federal government filed a lawsuit against Los Angeles in 1972, alleging the city discriminated against blacks, Latinos and Asians. The city agreed in 1974 to abide by the terms of a consent decree that set hiring goals for minorities and implemented a race-based application system for the department. A federal judge finally lifted the consent decree in April 2002.

In January 1975, the department's percentage of black, Asian and Latino firefighters totaled 5.06 percent. In 2005, racial minorities made up 47.4 percent of the department's force.

In the meantime, Bamattre was hired as fire chief in April 1996 by then- Mayor Richard Riordan, replacing longtime Chief Donald Manning, who abruptly resigned amid budget cuts within the department and allegations of discrimination.

A videotape, dubbed "female follies," made fun of the physical abilities of women recruits and was circulated throughout the department, prompting allegations of sexual harassment during the mid-1990s.

As a result, the City Council worked with the city's Personnel Department in 1995 to develop ways of addressing discrimination in the department, Chick said.

"The solution has failed... because former fire commissions did not enforce this," said Chick, who was a city councilwoman at the time the city's resolutions were adopted. "This is a loud call to the current fire commission appointed by our mayor to turn back the clock and take the mandates of 1995 very seriously.

"We're not saying we need to go back to the table," she said. "Take what's already been done and make it effective."

Chick also recommended that the Fire Department establish a separate Internal Affairs Division to investigate personnel complaints.

She said current complaints of harassment "lack independence and are undertaken by untrained and inexperienced personnel."

Chick stopped short of calling for Bamattre's resignation, saying that decision is up to the mayor and council.

"I always have been an incredibly optimistic person in my belief of a person's ability to change, so of course he can change, the situation can change," Chick said. "I'm always to hold the person at the top accountable. The buck stops with the boss."
 

Copyright 2006 by NBC4.tv. City News Service contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Brave and Beautiful

On June 11, 2005, the African American Firefighter Museum hosted a reception to honor three outstanding women from the Fire Service community.  Fire Chief Debra Pryor of the Berkeley Fire Department, is the second African American woman to hold the top position in a fire department in the United States.   Battalion Chief Teresa Reed of the San Jose Fire Department is the first woman chief officer in the Santa Clara County Valley area.  And Battalion Chief Lorraine Hutchinson of the San Diego Fire Department, scored as the number one candidate on her promotional list.

The reception featured poetry by Doris Reed and refreshments catered by the Exquisite company.  The three honorees were joined by a host of friends, family members and other African American Firefighting women and paramedics throughout the state of California.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

L-R  Firefighter Sheila Hopper, Compton Fire Dept., Captain Veronie Steele-Small, Los Angeles County Fire Dept., Firefighter Cherish Murdock, San Francisco Fire Dept., Captain Khairul Ali, San Francisco Fire Dept., Battalion Chief Lorraine Hutchinson, San Diego Fire Dept., Fire Chief Debra Pryor, Berkeley Fire Dept., Battalion Chief Teresa Reed, San Jose Fire Dept., Firefighter Lead/Paramedic Michelle Banks, Los Angeles Fire Department, Firefighter Paramedic Lorrie Clethen, San Francisco Fire Dept, Firefighter Reneta Williams, Berkeley Fire Dept. and Firefighter Pamela Thomas, San Diego Fire Dept. 

 

Brent Burton, President of the African American Firefighter Museum, Battalion Chief Lorraine Hutchinson, San Diego Fire Dept., Fire Chief Debra Pryor, Berkeley Fire Dept. and Battalion Chief Teresa Reed, San Jose Fire Dept.

 For further questions, please contact Brent Burton at (323) 296-4690 office or (323) 855-0812 cell.

1.Introduction.

The 17^th Biennial Conference took place over the 6 days of 2^nd to 6^th August 2004. The majority of the delegates came from Fire Departments across the USA. Each separate Department was represented by means of a Regional Branch.

These Branches varied in size of representation from dozens in the case of Los Angles State and City to 1 single person as in the case of Boisie Idaho, represented with massive presence by Brother Ray!

The International flavour of the Convention was provided by a delegate from the Caribbean and us. Although London was not officially recognised as Regional Branch, at the start of the Convention, we were welcomed and assisted to take a full active part in every learning and sharing event within the Convention. Although London was the largest UK, representation, we were bolstered by the attendance of our Brothers and Sisters from the West Midlands, Bedfordshire and the OPDM, in the form of the ever-present Jagtar Singh.

Our UK team represented a truly diverse and reflective cross section of People of Colour, currently within the UK Fire Service. Service experience ranged from  25 years plus to 3 years. The varied workplaces represented the true variety of demands placed upon us and the wealth of different abilities held by our Brothers and Sisters. One of the jewels in our team crown was the attendance of Dawne Marks from London Fire Brigade. Dawne has worked for over 20 years with our Authority. She is currently a key mover and inspirer within our Recruiting Team. Dawne has made monumental steps in our endeavours to achieve our Outreach aspirations with regard to all under represented people in our Authority. As such Dawne was more than ably equipped to present a perspective on the British Fire Service, from outside the bubble of “Uniform and Operations”

Overall, our UK Team was ready and able to add valuable contributions to the forthcoming proceedings and also receive and analyse new ideas and strategies put to us.

 2.The Theme and  Aim Of The Convention. 

The aim of the Convention Organising Committee was clearly sated in the Pre Convention Literature. “To provide you with the skills, knowledge and professional contacts needed to advance your career and our organisation in meeting the challenges of a constantly changing, increasingly complex fire service.”

This  overall theme provided us with a great starting point. The themes presented by our American Brothers and Sisters were familiar to all of us back home. The link between personal career development and the achievement of our Authority’s goals was relevant to us.

Particularly in the current internal industrial conflict, new approaches and attitudes will be required. For us as individuals and as Black Fire fighters we will need to continually review our impact to ensure growth and success for ourselves, our fellow Brothers and Sisters, our Authority’s and our Communities.

From our initial arrival at the Convention, this theme of developing our people to best achieve their full potential whilst challenging unfair and ineffective practices at all levels was championed.

4.Learning and Discussion Events. 

The Convention was sub divided into a number of specific workshops and open tutorials. Each day a number of different subjects would be studied and assessed in numerous sessions.

These sessions were facilitated by members from various Regions. The intention of the sessions was to provide an insight into various topics and then offer an open and respectful forum to us to discuss issues raised.

The subject content of these sessions included: Outreach strategies and policies, Problem Resolution and Team Building, Changing the Balance in the USA and UK Fire Services and Incident Management.

As a group ( Region), we chaired and facilitated the session looking at changing the Balance in the Fire Service.

Jagtar provided a very effective introduction to this by sharing his current endeavours and experience within his workforce study. This informative presentation provided us with a platform to relate our own personal experiences within our respective teams.

In planning our session, we decided that the most interesting and effective method would be to allow all UK delegates equal time and prominence to present their individual experiences.

This style worked extremely effectively in presenting to our American audience, where our Fire service is currently, where we need to be and what we need to do to get there.

Following the completion of the individual presentations, the floor was opened for questions. A very significant point became apparent here. The questions asked by our American Brothers and Sisters were the exact same questions we had formulated ourselves during the course of our careers. This common, shared experience was to emerge as the fundamental foundation in all of the workshops and sessions.

In addition to the workshops, the IABPFF, also arranged a number of social functions. These functions included a grand lunch and a black tie dinner. This was an opportunity for all of the delegates to get together and share a very special experience.

Although these social functions appeared primarily to be fun and relaxed events, it was always evident that that the fundamental themes and objectives of the Convention were being further reinforced on yet another level. At these functions, a number of keynote speakers enthralled and educated us. Not least of who were Dr Michael Dyson, a famous and much respected American Author and Ms Shabazz, the eldest daughter of Dr Betty Shabazz and Malcom X. Although these speakers were not immediately linked with the Fire Service, there observations and comments were greeted with universal empathy and respect from the audience. For us it was fascinating and illuminating to hear first hand some of the struggles encountered by our Brothers and Sisters. Although the place names mentioned were alien to us from the UK, the feelings and emotions were very familiar.

One of these social events involved a visit to the Black Fire-fighters Museum in L.A For me this was unquestionably one of the most humbling and inspiring experiences I have been privileged to savour.

The museum in itself was an inspiring concept. A celebration and testament of the contribution made by LA. s Black Firefights throughout history. This was no dull collection of photos and memorabilia, instead it was a vibrant living testament, brought to life by a man named “The Rookie”. The Rookie is historically known as the 1^st Black Fire fighter in L.A. By his own accounts, this is not accurate. This minor fact was not that crucial. What was amazing was the mans life story and his path in the Fire Department. Although weathered by age now, it was still strikingly obvious to us all, the intelligence and smartness of wit of this special human being. The Rookies career in the Fire Department was marked with total alienation and discrimination. His story shocked and saddened a lot of us. The physical and mental assaults levelled on this man, through out his career were truly outrageous.

Like all the UK people present, I did not leave this presentation with a feeling of loss, revenge or hopelessness. Instead I was overwhelmed with a sense hope and optimism. Here was a man who endured a career of obstacles and ignorance. Rather than give in, he became stronger and more determined and served as a focal point to fellow Brothers and Sisters. The         Rookie demonstrated to us that no matter how over whelming or contrived a situation is, the individual can and should make a difference.

I was enriched with a great deal of wisdom, that afternoon at the museum, in the Rookies presence. He told us a number of life principles that had served him well throughout his struggles. Not least of all being “ The Glass is always half full.” “ Sometimes the worst the thing that happens to you can be the best thing that happens to you, if you do not let it beat you” The Rookie did not speak in vague generalisations. He showed me real strategies to achieve real results.

Like every one else in the room that afternoon, I had to tear myself away from the Rookie. We could have sat there for a very long time, listening to him and being enriched.

The major high profile event of the Convention was a march by all the delegates and a Church service. This march was routed along a main road called Crenshaw Bolevard. This area of LA is predominately a Black business and residential district. We marched with our American Brothers and Sisters in our best uniforms. The feeling of pride and shared history, as we marched was only suppassed by the respect and admiration shown to us by members of the public. As group we represented the people in the community. I felt that we were serving the community and fighting for it. Often at home we use the “ community”, with out really identifying what or who it is we are talking about. On this march we were marching proudly through a real, disadvantaged Black Community. Our pride and professionalism was an inspiration to us and the Black people in the street. We were physically affirming that we could face the challenges put in our way and overcome. Our celebration was their celebration.

 5.Conclusions.

From my perspective this Convention was a success on every level. On a professional and development criteria, it succeeded for me. I met a lot of people who opened my eyes to new strategies and approaches. A lot of these people, I will keep in contact with to help me find the best answers to the questions and challenges, I will encounter in the future.

I was awakened to the value and need to engage our Community at every opportunity. I now have a greater understanding of what is to be part of and serve our respective Communities. Linked closely with this I have a far greater value of the need to show empathy to other disadvantaged individuals and help them to realise and achieve their true potential. A number of the session and sharing experiences with other Brothers and Sisters, confirmed with me that we all share a common lineage. We have needed the support and sacrifice made pathfinders in our teams, before us, equally we have a responsibility to support and guide those who come after us.

On a personal level, the Convention was both enjoyable and enriching. To be in the presence of such a large number of professional and successful Brothers and Sisters was truly an inspiration. For me it removed me from the sometimes ever-present mood of ignorance and defeatism. I shared an experience with a group of very professional and achieving Black People. They reaffirmed to me that with the right support, training, guidance and opportunity we could all develop and move forward.

I would have no hesitation in recommending this Convention to any minority member of our Authority. I would recommend that non uniformed members of our team should seriously consider involvement. Although the Association is primarily for Fire fighters, the obstacles and challenges faced by our  non-uniform  Brother and Sister team members are the same  as ours.

I would like to thank every one who made this experience possible for me. I promise that in way of repayment, I will now strive to attain and maintain the great principles we viewed over the week and be a catalyst for change and improvement, in what ever team I am connected to.

 6.The Way Forward.

I believe that it is greatly in the Authority’s interest to maintain and foster links with this Association. We stand the potential of learning new approaches and strategies for our existing challenges. We also have valuable experience and expertise that we could share with our American colleagues. With strong, regular links, we could together evolve tactics to deal with  future challenges to our People.

During the Convention, I was introduced to the BCOC. The Black Chief Officers Co. This a confederation of Black Officers of Crew Manager and above level. It is a support network that helps to achieve the professional career development of the individual Black officer and the advancement of all Black officers.

I believe that we could gain a great deal from involvement with this initiative. We could view and adapt proven successful strategies to help our Brothers and Sisters and our Authority achieve their full potential.  One example of these strategies is the existing Mentoring system, utalised by Black American officers. This provides an opportunity for junior or aspiring officers to receive support and guidance from other, often more experienced and advanced officers. These networks are of value to the development of both involved parties.

DATE: August 2, 2004

TO: IABPFF Convention Delegates
SUBJECT: President's Report

Since our installment as an Executive Board on September 30, 2002, we have increase the Executive Board meeting schedule frequency by utilizing a conference call 

meeting format.

The by-products of this meeting format were:

· The decision to relocate the IABPFF Office.
· The decision to appointed an Executive Director.
· The decision to start an online Newsletter.
· The decision to purchase three Walk of Honor Bricks. 

The items reviewed by this meeting format were:

· Black Congress on Health, Law and Economics (BCHLE)
· Constitution, Convention (2002 & 2004), College Fund, Database 
· David Floyd Youth Camp, Dues (2003), EDI (Memoranda of Understanding)
· Election Process (2002 & 2004), Executive Council (2003)
· Foundation (AllState & 501 C3), FEMA Special Fire Prevention Grant (2001)
· Hardcopy Newsletter, Information Technology Committee, Legal Defense Fund
· Medal of Valor, Marketing Strategy, Membership Service,
· Operating Budget (2003), Overview Committees, Recommitment 21
· Regional Rebate, Revitalize, Refocus, Recommit, Taxes (2002)
· Training (Educational Opportunities), Xerox Free Color Printer Offer

The programs presented to the Executive Board during this format were:

· Edventure Partners (Marketing & Recruitment Research Internship)
· Employment Justice Research Center (Survey Metro Fire Departments)
· Every Mother's Son (Documentary film - 911)    
· Internet Service Provider (Fund Raiser), KIQ Tours (Cruise Fund Raiser)
· The Life of A Firefighter before 9/11 and a Day After                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
· Solution For At Risk Youth (501 C3 non-profit)
· Universoul Circus Offer

The Executive Board Meeting at the National Fire Academy discussion points:

· Affiliation with Black/Minority Entities, Annual Report
· Black Women In Fire Service, Communications, Convention, EDI (MOU) 
· Educational Opportunities, Executive Council, Foundation, ITC
· Legal Defense Fund, Lifetime Membership (Awarded to IABPFF Presidents)
· Office Operations, Organizational Opportunities via the NFA
· Overview Committees, Newsletter, Political Action Committee
· Role of the Executive Director, Travel Expenses

Travel Agenda:

· Dallas Chapter Awards Dinner, Detroit Chapter Retirement Party, Detroit Chapter Awards Dinner, West Palm Beach Golf/Awards Dinner, Los Angles/site visit, Baltimore 50th Anniversary Dinner, Cincinnati MLK Youth Scholarship Dinner 
· North Central Fall Regional Meeting (Omaha), South East Fall Regional (Memphis), South West Regional Meeting (Nevada) North Central Spring Regional (Cleveland), North East Fall Meeting (Boston), South West Spring (Oakland), North Central Spring (Milwaukee), South East Spring (Birmingham),
North East (Philadelphia)
· Landover Office, St. Louis Office
· Board Meeting (Emmitsburg) and Executive Council (St. Petersburg)
· Black Chief Officers Annual Meeting (Atlanta & Jackson)
· Diversity Workshop (Norfolk)
· USFA Stakeholder Meeting (Emmitsburg)
· Line of Duty Death Funeral (Cincinnati, Philadelphia, and Lexington)
· CFSI Legislative Weekend (DC)
· IAFC Diversity Meeting (Fairfax)

Regional Dues Rebate:

· $39,738.75 in 2003
· $40,755.00 in 2004

Request From:

· England (requesting attendance at their Oct. affair) Chief Gerald Simon and Assistant Curtis Maffet were the representatives to this event.
· Ghana (requesting scholarship assistance to IABPFF meeting)
· Barbados Fire Services delegates attending the USFA (Itinerary by Lloyd Ayers: Philadelphia, Camden, Newark, St. Louis, Chester (PA), Atlanta, and Baltimore/DC)
· Caribbean Region for AEDs and training proposals

Presidential Appointments:

· David Floyd Young Camp (Chair)
· Election Committee (Chair)
· Newsletter (Chair)
· Parliamentarian
· Political Action Committee (Chair)

External Relationship Interaction Building

· Congressional Black Caucus
· Congressional Black Caucus Foundation
· Bush Campaign and Kerry Campaign
· Black Congress on Health, Law, and Economic (BCHLE)
· Black Professional Nurses Association 
· Universoul Circus
· USFA Stakeholder Meeting
· National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Line-of-Duty Death Summit
· Congressional Fire Service Institute (CFSI)
· International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) 
· FEMA/Hager Sharp "Fire Safety Campaign for Infant and Toddlers" (under 5)
· IFSTA (Fire Chief & Company Officers) revision input
· Assistance to Firefighters Grant Peer Review (April - May 2004)
· My Community Mortgage (Community Solutions 100 for Firefighters)
· Parry " Ebony Satin" Brown model search and book launch/reception for "Fannin The Flames" (Random House)
· Lillian Benson "All Our Sons" documentary honoring the memory of African American Firefighters lost on September 11th (Lightwave Pictures)
· College of Business & Professional Studies Grand Canyon University (Online degree) 
· Kristene Smith Public Relations 

Assistance Received From:

· BCOC (2003 Executive Council and England Request)
· Lloyd Ayers (Barbados delegates visiting USFA)

Upcoming Events

1. Conference
· NCR (Chicago/10-21 to 10-23)
· SER (West Palm Beach/11-11 to 11-14)
· SCR (Los Angeles/08-03 to 08/04)

Membership Affiliation

· National Association of Parliamentarians (NAP)
· Ohio Association of Parliamentarians
· Akron Chapter NAACP 

Committing To The Commitment

· People tend to associate commitment with emotions
1. If they feel the right way, then they can follow through on their commitments.
2. But true commitment doesn't work that way. Commitment is not an emotion; it's a character quality that enables us to reach our goals.
3. Emotions go up and down all the time, but commitment must remain rock solid.
4. A solid team must have team players that are committed to the team (IABPFF).

In 2002, according to the Bureau of Labor National Force Statistics:

· The total for fighting and fire prevention personnel was 262,000, of which, 4.1 % were Women, 9.5 % were Black, and 9 % were of Hispanic origin.
· The total for firefighting was 248,000 personnel of which 3.4 % were Women, 9.6 % were Black, and 9.4 percent were of Hispanic origin.

In 2003, according to the Bureau of Labor National Force Statistic:

· The total number of fire fighters were 258,000, of which 248,000 were men and 9,000 were women.
· 3.6 % were Women, 8.2% were Black, 6.2% Hispanic origin, and 0.4 were Asian.

In the first quarter of 2004, according to the Bureau of Labor National Force Statistic:

· The total numbers of fire fighters were 283,000, of which 271,000 were men and 12,000 were women.
· 4.2% were Women, 8.4% were Black, 9.3% were Hispanic origin, and 0.5% was Asian.

The IABPFF is committed to the goal of increasing our numbers throughout the Fire Service and making a positive impact in our community and society as a whole. 
"Nobody gets to live life backward. Look ahead, that's where the future lies."

FIND A NEED AND FILL IT!

Fires a Major Threat for Black Children

The Tavis Smiley Show audio
Aug. 10, 2004

A recent U.S. government study suggests fires are the number one cause of accidental deaths for black children in the United States. Hear NPR's Tavis Smiley and 

Johnny Brewington, president of the International Association of Black Professional Firefighters.

News From Across America

Noose flames racial tensions in St. Louis Fire Department

ST. LOUIS - Few brotherhoods are as strong as the one among firefighters, who depend on one another just to stay alive. But powerful racial tensions have divided the 

St. Louis Fire Department and spilled over recently to City Hall. In October, the city’s white mayor, Francis Slay, demoted black... Click for the full article


Nooses Found At Downtown Fire Station
POSTED: 10:43 am EST February 17, 2006

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The fire station at Duval and Jefferson streets downtown became the scene of a hate-crime investigation Friday morning when two black firefighters arrived at work to find nooses on their gear. 
Firefighter Rufus Smith found a noose on his suit when he reported to work at 7 a.m. Smith immediately reported it to his superiors. 
Smith said finding the noose made him angry and scared. 
"We're afraid -- my life is on the line," Smith said. "I give my life to the citizens of Jacksonville any day, any second, all day for 17 years." 
Roderick Laws, the only other black firefighter on this shift at the station, also found a noose draped on his gear. 
"You never know when something is going to happen, and that's the point," Laws said. "You just want to make sure you work in a safe working environment, that's what I like to come for. I have kids to provide for and I've got to put food on the table, like everyone else." 
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Hate Crimes Unit responded to station, along with evidence technicians, city officials and representatives of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. 
Mayor John Peyton issued a statement expressing his anger and disappointment at this "morally reprehensible" act. 
"I also want to express my personal sympathy and concern to the fine firefighters who were victimized in this way," Peyton wrote. "This type of behavior does not represent our city or our fire department and it will not be tolerated." 

Peyton said the city's Human Rights Commission and General Counsel's office would also investigate the incident. 
Both Smith and Laws told Channel 4's Melanie Lawson this is not the first time they've felt threatened and mistreated on the job, and feel that racial problems stretch deep into the fire department. 
In 2002, Smith filed a lawsuit with a U.S. district court claiming black firefighters have a tougher time getting promoted than whites. Within the past year, Laws filed a complaint of unsafe working conditions with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. 
The head of the firefighters union and the current chief of Jacksonville Fire-Rescue declined to comment on the incident, but former Fire Chief Ray Alfred, now in private business, said he was shocked by it. 
Alfred admitted that race was a issue while he was fire chief -- from 1995 to 2003 -- but said that what's important now is how the city reacts to it. 
"I think we need to find those individuals ... and prosecute them to the letter of the law," Alfred said. 
Prosecutors told Channel 4 that while the act itself was likely a misdemeanor crime, if it was considered a hate crime, by Florida statute, the person would receive an additional five-year sentence. 
"We have received several complaints from employees of the fire department," said Isaiah Rumlin, president of the local chapter of the NAACP. "That's one reason why we have started a dialog with the fire department and with the mayor's office." 
Laws' stepfather, J.B. Williams, waited with others outside the fire station Friday morning for information about what happened. 
"Sure, I'd like to see change," said Laws' stepfather, J.B. Williams. "I'd like to see where a person can come in to a job, do their job, go home and go to bed, or whatever, without being harassed." 
Smith and Laws were placed on administrative leave while the incident is investigated. 

Copyright 2006 by News4Jax.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed

Pressure on FDNY Over Minority Hiring

Is the FDNY Discriminating?
New Call for More Minority Firefighters

By Eyewitness News' Joe Torres 
(New York -WABC, March 7, 2005) — There are new questions about minority hiring at the FDNY. The U.S. Justice Department is 

already investigating why only three percent of firefighters are African American. Now some members of the city council are now 

pushing for an ordinance that would pressure the fire department to increase the number of minority firefighters. 

maryland news 

Efforts to boost diversity pay off Changes in recruitment, testing and publicity have moved city Fire Department a long way since its all-white class of 2004 
By Rona Marech
sun reporter

Originally published February 10, 2006
At the Baltimore City Fire Department, they call it "the anomaly."

In 2004, the department hired an all-white class of recruits for its training academy, sparking outrage and demands for change in an outdated hiring model. 

Two years, two tests and two recruitment drives later, fire officials have turned around a public relations disaster.

Today, the department's academy will 

graduate two classes in which minorities make up 61.9 percent and 47.4 percent. Since 2004, 60.4 percent of the students passing through the academy 

have been minorities. 

"Everyone knew the old system was broken and needed to be fixed. ... When the roof caved in, we fixed it," said Baltimore Fire 

Chief William J. Goodwin Jr. "People of all races just need the opportunity. All we did was open the gates."

Under the new hiring plan - forged with help from City Hall, the NAACP, the Urban League and a black firefighters' association, the Vulcan Blazers - 

fire administrators took over management of hiring from the city and poured resources into recruitment. 

Instead of simply posting a flier to announce a testing date or relying on word of mouth, firefighters talked up the department at high schools, colleges, 

churches, community centers, festivals and career fairs around Baltimore. They ran advertisements on television and radio stations and put banners on 

city buildings. 

In addition, an outside company revamped the admissions test, adding personality questions and eliminating questions that favored people 

with firefighting experience. The department offered study guides to applicants and set up coaching classes and a career opportunity hot line. 

It also increased the frequency of testing in response to complaints. In the past, testing took place an average of once every four years. By comparison, 

the department offered a test in June 2004 and another last month. Of the 1,395 candidates who took this year's test, 734 were black, 597 were white, 26 

were members of other races and 38 were of unknown ethnicity, according to the department.

Rankings process 
Candidates who pass the test are ranked according to their scores and are invited, in order of rank, to take the next step, which involves interviews, 

physical-agility tests, medical examinations, criminal background checks and drug testing. City residents and veterans are given preference, but race is 

not a factor in academy admissions.  

The new classes are more diverse than the department as a whole. The department, which was integrated in the 1950s, is 32.9 percent black and 33.4 

percent minority. Baltimore is about 65 percent black. 

One of the side benefits, fire officials said, is that their new recruitment efforts have drawn more women to the profession. The two most recent classes 

are 19.1 and 21.1 percent female, while women make up 8 percent of the department. 

"For lack of a better word, it's talent management," said Arnold L. Scher, the human resources director who was hired after the all-white class was admitted. 

"The numbers came in and all we had to do was go down the list. ... We got a smart, talented group of individuals of all ethnicities and genders."

Lloyd Carter, then the president of the Vulcan Blazers, helped revamp the hiring process. 

"It was a major problem. It was embarrassing. But people rolled their sleeves up and got to work," he said. "There's a lot to be proud of in terms of the action 

taken to reach out to the African-American community. ... It's an even playing field and that's all you can ask for."

Higher quality 
Some people were concerned that in an effort to diversify the force, the department's standards would drop, but the quality of candidates rose, Carter said.

City Councilman Bernard C. "Jack" Young, who expressed alarm when the all-white class came to light, said he is pleased with the progress.

"I think that's a great improvement over past hiring practices," he said. "Am I satisfied? No. But I think they're doing a better job and will continue to do better."

Fatima Hawkins is the sort of person the department had in mind when they launched their outreach campaign. A 27-year-old black woman from Baltimore, Hawkins 

heard about the recruitment drive on the radio station 92-Q. She was an addictions counselor who had always wanted to be a medic. She filled out an application, 

took a class with the Vulcan Blazers to brush up on her math and went to the convention center for took the test.

She is set to graduate from the academy today while her 4-year-old twins watch. Her children constantly tell people, "'My mom works for the fire department,'" 

Hawkins said. "They're very proud."

rona.marech@baltsun.com 

Amen Ltd. will hold seminars on the subject matter of California Divorce laws, asset protection and the psychological effects.  Visit the website at:  amenltd.com  for additional information.   I'm sure participants will find the seminars to be rewarding.  Dates and time can be found on the website.

Roland 

The Reality of Divorce

What happens to 2.2 million Americans each year? This is a statistic that many Americans hope they never become a part of, something that doesn't seem to stop happening, "divorce". Although it may be of little comfort if you are currently facing divorce, you are not alone. The divorce rate in the United States is highest in the world with fifty percent of marriages ending in divorce. Over sixty percent of all second marriages end in divorce.

The numbers might seem unbelievable but what is more amazing is how most couples are not prepared to enter these murky waters. Divorce is one of the most stressful life events a person can experience. This is true regardless of whether you are the person who sought the divorce (the leaver) or the person who was unprepared for divorce (the left). The spouse who is the leaver often experiences a heightened sense of remorse and the guilt while the left spouse may be unprepared for the marriage to end. The more sudden and unexpected the announcement, the more stressful the initial emotional reaction.

Most often the decision to divorce is typically made with ambivalence, uncertainty and confusion. It is without a doubt a very difficult step to take for most people. You might want to call this experience to say the least, an "identity changing experience." For example, your personal identity will change in that you are no longer a husband or wife or married person. If these identities were important to you then there will be a sense of loss. Divorcing people need to understand the overall psychological, financial and legal impacts of their decisions at a time in their lives when good judgment may be impaired.

Often because judgment is impaired we need professional help to get us through making the tough decisions. An equal divorce settlement is not necessarily an equitable settlement, especially when the result is a negative long term cash flow or reduction in net worth. Some people will stay married because as the saying goes "it is cheaper to keep her/him." In those cases where one or both spouses think that staying together is not an option then they need to have some knowledge of the costs associated with ending the relationship. We have all heard of the divorces that cost little to nothing; however a litigated divorce can cost each party between $5,000 to $100,000. The focus becomes on assigning blame and fault and skirmishing for the most powerful position (freezing bank accounts, changing locks, dividing up the assets or not).

It is also impossible for the ordinary person to know, let alone understand divorce laws and the court process. All of this intense stress can be overwhelming to say the least. On the average, it takes family members approximately four to eight years to recover from the emotional and financial expense of a bitter divorce. In the case of a bitter divorce there is no possible resolution of the emotional issues, only decreased trust and increased resentment. Knowledge is power and gaining as much information as possible about the effects of divorce is the key. The purpose of this article was not to encourage divorce but to make people aware of how it changes us. You can truly say that it is an "identity changing experience."

The good news is that there is information that you can get all in one place about the subject of divorce. Amen, Ltd. a local company in Southern California has put together a seminar to specifically address this subject.

For Information Contact:

Brent Burton, President
Stentorians of Los Angeles County

posted: December 19, 2002