COVID-19 Guidance and Update

March 22, 2020

Bulletin 15-20

 

COVID-19 Guidance and Update

 

The announcements made by our state and local elected leaders over the past 72 hours about the COVID-19 global pandemic have prompted us to remind all United Firefighters of Los Angeles City (UFLAC) members and their families about important details and guidance related to UFLAC operations and safety measures.

Earlier this week, UFLAC President Freddy Escobar joined Fire Chief Terrazas and Assistant Chief Jaime Moore as they presented an update to the public regarding the LAFD’s response to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus). They explained how each station would be provided an adequate supply of sanitation kits, masks, and wipes. The full video can be found HERE.

UFLAC has also been included in daily briefing meetings at the Department Operations Center (DOC) in order to remain informed and voice any questions or concerns coming from the field.

 

 

UFLAC MONTHLY GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING & OFFICE OPERATIONS

In response to the Mayor’s Office directive to City Departments and related agencies, UFLAC is taking additional precautions to curtail the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and adhere to proposed limits to public gatherings in City facilities.

For this reason, UFLAC has cancelled the General Membership Meeting scheduled for March 25, 2020 and suspended public access to our offices from external visitors at this time.

Please know that we remain available via telephone and email during our normal business hours, 7:00am to 4:00pm, excluding holidays.

TOLL-FREE: (800) 252-8352

PHONE: (213) 895-4006

FAX: (213) 250-5678  (DO NOT send any medical personal health information/PHI)

 

COVID-19 TESTING

As announced by the DOC, the Department will provide COVID-19 testing for all LAFD members who exhibit signs and symptoms of COVID-19 illness. Members will be initially placed off duty SK while awaiting their test results. 

The testing will be conducted by appointment for members who on or off duty display any of the following symptoms:

  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Flu-like symptoms
  • Upper Respiratory Infection (URI) symptoms

Please Click HERE for instructions on how to get tested for COVID-19.

 

COVID-19 STATION AND APPARATUS SANITIZING PROCEDURES 

Chief Terrazas has recently issued procedures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at all of our Fire Stations. You can find the comprehensive list of measures in the March 19th DOC Bulletin for First Responder Risk Management Guidance, as well as in this video from the LAFD.

 

STATION VISITORS

Your health and safety are of the utmost importance to UFLAC and it is for this reason that we are reminding members to not have or allow any outside visitors in the Fire Stations during this time. This also includes family members so that we can maintain a safe working environment for those on duty and also to protect our loved ones from potential exposure.

 

 

PROMOTIONAL LISTS, EXAMS, & DRIVER/MATE BONUS

The postponement of the upcoming AO exam will be addressed in a notice and followed by information for personnel. Members will be provided advanced notice when a new test date has been established. Promotions from other established lists are being discussed regarding the Mayor’s directive and the health and safety exemption is expected to be honored to not impact any current lists.

The Department and Personnel will be sending out information on the cancellation of classes required to obtain the Driver/Mate bonus. As a reminder, per the MOU, the Department needs to provide the classes as needed for the bonuses; so due to the situation, UFLAC has already been in discussion with the Department regarding this.

 

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

This is a unique situation as daily life has changed dramatically for most people. And the uncertainty can cause a great deal of anxiety and stress for not only ourselves, but also our families at home. Click HERE for some Coping Tips & Strategies to help you and your family get through this challenging time. You can also visit the UFLAC PEER SUPPORT and Firestrong webpages for additional resources. IAFF has just released a document Helping Your Family Cope With COVID-19, which has lots of great information on how to support your spouse and talk to your kids about COVID-19.

As we keep you apprised of the most current information that is available, please know that the health and safety of our members is our top priority. We are in daily communication with Chief Terrazas and other city leaders to ensure that we have the resources and support that is necessary to ensure a safe working environment. We are committed to providing you the latest information on this epidemic and will be sure to keep you updated on the latest from the Department as well as local, regional and national resources.

If you have questions regarding COVID-19, Chief Terrazas has instructed members to contact the LAFD Emergency Medical Services Bureau at (213) 978-3885. You can also direct your questions to UFLAC’s Health & Safety Committee by sending an email to: [email protected].

 

Thank you for everything that you do every single day for the people of Los Angeles and for your brothers and sisters in the LAFD.

 

Stay Safe,

UFLAC Health & Safety Committee

UFLAC Executive Board

 

REMINDER – SUMMER 2023 UFLAC FIRE FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS

SUMMER 2023 UFLAC FIRE FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS
APPLICATION DEADLINE – JUNE 1, 2023

 

The United Firefighters of Los Angeles City Fire Foundation (UFLACFF) Grant and Scholarship Program provides educational assistance to fire service members and their immediate families.

The UFLACFF will be awarding the following grants and scholarships twice in year 2023:

Two – $2,000 grants/scholarship

Four – $1,000 grants/scholarships

Four – $500 grants/scholarships

ELEGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

The Applicant must be an active firefighter, or a dependent of an active firefighter, wishing to further their education, or in need of assistance with tuition, books, materials, trade specific tools or equipment, internet access etc.

*An active firefighter or his or her immediate family member is eligible for an Award Grant once every 12-month period.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Applicants seeking a Scholarship or Grant Award must complete the application packet and forward it to UFLACFF by the application closing date.  Applications may be submitted by e-mail to [email protected] or mailed to:

United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, IAFF Local #112
c/o UFLACFF Scholarship/Grant Program
1571 W Beverly Blvd, Suite 201
Los Angeles, CA 90026

Application deadline is June 1, 2023 for the July 2023 Awards

Application Packets include:

  • Completed Application
  • Jpeg photo for our files and to use in Foundation related material.
  • A brief essay (500 word maximum, typed or written and clearly legible) prepared by the applicant or the parent/guardian. The essay should include how the award will benefit his or her life and serve others in the future, listing their area of study, last grade completed and the school of their choice for their higher education purposes.
  • Biography (2 page maximum).

SELECTION CRITERIA

Applications will be evaluated, and awards granted based on the information provided by the applicant, by the UFLACFF Awards Committee (comprised of Foundation Board Members), active firefighter (non-Board members) and the UFLACFF Advisory Committee.  The name, and any personal identifying information of the applicant, will be redacted prior to review by the committee.

FUNDING

Funding for the grants and scholarships is made possible by UFLACFF, a 501 (c) (3) Charitable Organization, created by United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, IAFF Local 112 (UFLAC) to assist firefighters and the families of firefighters. Donations from Supporters of UFLACFF and UFLAC Local 112, have been designated specifically to support these opportunities for firefighters and their immediate families.

AWARDS AND GRANTS AMOUNT AND DISTRIBUTION

  • Each Grant Award is based on the specific needs of each applicant
  • Awards will be announced in the month of July of 2023.
  • Awards will be made directly to the applicant, if over age 18, or to the parents/guardians of a minor child

Please click here to fill out the online application

Please click here to download a PDF application.

Special thank you to the main Education Grant sponsors & our supporters!

Major Sponsors:

  • Matthew and Miho Blumkin – The Blumkin Family Foundation
  • Ed Avaness – Miller Kaplan
  • Jennifer Lincicum – Fickewirth
  • Aaron Straussner & Julie Sherman
  • UFLAC Fire Foundation
  • Brian and Mary Ann Hishinuma – Retired – LAFD
  • Chris Wann, UFLAC
  • Tech SFT Jack Kushner Ret’d Foundation, Inc.
  • Marian Hishinuma
  • Gold Lee – Lewis, Marenstein, Sherwin & Lee

Supporters:

  • Jimmy Blackman & Associates
  • Sandra Jackson – Greenspan Co./Adjusters International
  • Maria Riggs – UFLAC
  • Chris Wann – UFLAC

BULLETIN 25 – 23 UFLAC General Membership Meeting

May 23, 2023
Bulletin 25 – 23

UFLAC General Membership Meeting
May 31, 2023 at 0800 hours
UFLAC Offices
being held at 1571 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA  90026

 

0730                Stewards Meeting

0800               General Membership Meeting Immediately Following Special Meeting

Call to Order
Pledge of Allegiance
Moment of Silence for our past fallen UFLAC Firefighters
Invocation
Roll Call of Officers
Adoption of the Minutes
Committee Reports

  1. 2023-2024 UFLAC Budget
  2. LA City Budget
  3. Assign Hire LOA
  4. Update on the UFLAC Lawsuit Regarding Pay
  5. Unfinished Business
  6. New Business

Adjournment

Executive Board – United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, Local #112

BULLETIN 24-23 MEMBER UPDATE

May 22, 2023
Bulletin 24 – 23

 

MEMBER UPDATE

 

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month. The clinicians at UFLAC Center for Health and Wellness and the peer support program are aware that mental wellness is a top concern for you and your families. In these trying times we want to assure you that we are here and ready to provide support. You do not need to face this issue alone.

We ask that all stations take a moment of silence during line ups between May 22nd to May 26th. We encourage you to have conversations amongst yourselves about mental health and ways we can support our brothers and sisters on a daily basis.

This conversation may need additional support. Just know that the clinicians at UFLAC Center for Health and Wellness and Peer Support are available to help. Please feel free to reach out to our treatment team or Peer Support. We can walk this road together.
To view the Peer Support Team Roster, click here

To view the UFLAC Health & Wellness Center Staff Roster, click here

 

In Solidarity,

Executive Board
United Firefighters of Los Angeles City

BULLETIN 23-23 MEMBER UPDATE

May 19, 2023
Bulletin 23 – 23

 

MEMBER UPDATE
New Coded Assign Hire Letter of Agreement

Beginning in the summer of 2021, the Department unilaterally initiated limited recall to address staffing shortages.  The implementation of a limited recall procedure for routine staffing shortages continued to adversely impact the membership and your families for the remainder of that summer and through the holidays. In response, UFLAC instituted legal challenges and demanded that the Department meet and confer.  UFLAC also spent months polling its membership for solutions and learned that a majority of the membership prefers the coded assign hire process for predictability. After nearly 18 months of negotiating with the Department, an agreement has now been reached. We understand this has been highly anticipated as we enter the summer months. The UFLAC Executive Board wanted to make all efforts to help the less desirable part of our job commitment work best for you and your families, so we thank you for your patience.

During the meetings with the Department, UFLAC leaders made it clear that the intent of this agreement is to restrict the Department’s ability to use limited recall for staffing crisis and, instead, to use the coded assign hire procedures.

As part of the settlement, UFLAC will withdraw the related Unfair Employee Relations Practice No. 2135 (UERP) which alleged violations of the previous Assign Hire LOA. In agreeing to do so, UFLAC demanded and achieved concessions from the Department including, but not limited to, additional hourly compensation for involuntary assign hire on certain days.

There was a lot of valuable input and suggestions that came from the membership, which was all considered and noticed within the new agreement. Some of these changes include:

  • Exemption earned by working 4 extra days (instead of 5)
  • Mandatory and scheduled Vacation days count towards monthly exemption
  • One (1) annual floating exemption
  • $20.00 / hour extra pay for involuntary assign hire on certain days

To view the new Assign Hire LOA, click here

In Solidarity,

Executive Board
United Firefighters of Los Angeles City

BULLETIN 22-23 MEMBER UPDATE

May 15, 2023
Bulletin 22 – 23

 

MEMBER UPDATE

We are continuing our efforts to be as transparent and informative as possible with our members. This month, immediately following the UFLAC Monthly General Membership meeting (Wednesday, May 31 at 0800), we will release a video with an update on what was discussed at the GM meeting and we will also answer questions that have been submitted to the Executive Board.

Please email any questions you have to: [email protected] and we will answer as many as we can in our next video.

In Solidarity,

Executive Board
United Firefighters of Los Angeles City

BULLETIN 21-23 UFLAC LAWSUIT

May 11, 2023
Bulletin 21 – 23

 

MEMBER ALERT

UFLAC LAWSUIT REGARDING INCORRECT PAY

Many UFLAC bargaining unit members have not been paid correctly and/or in a timely manner by the City.  This includes failure by the City to pay amounts owed retroactively and currently.  These payments may include the following:
  • Step Increases
  • Longevity
  • Promotions
  • Wellness
  • RIP
  • Special Duty/Platoon Duty
  • Education Bonus
  • Driver bonus
  • FF II advancement to FF III
  • Paramedic bonus
  • Driver bonus
  • Bilingual bonus
  • EMT bonus
  • Transfers (special duty to platoon duty) vice versa
  • USAR bonus
  • Hazmat bonus
  • Fire Prevention bonus
The IAFF has joined UFLAC to file and pursue a lawsuit in an attempt to make our bargaining unit members whole for unpaid and owed payments.  If the City owes you compensation in the categories listed above and if you would like to be included in the lawsuit, you must affirmatively opt in.
Members must opt in to this lawsuit anytime between May 23, 2023 and June 23, 2023. You will not automatically be in the lawsuit without taking the steps necessary to opt. 
There will be no upfront cost to any member who joins the lawsuit.  All you will need to do is come to UFLAC office (1571 Beverly Blvd) and sign a retainer and fill out a brief questionnaire Monday through Friday 0800-1400.
Please reach out to UFLAC Director Richard Ramirez at [email protected] or 213-442-9771 if you have any questions about this matter.

In Solidarity,

Executive Board
United Firefighters of Los Angeles City

UFLAC Executive Board

BULLETIN 20-23 MEMBER UPDATE

May 3, 2023
Bulletin 20 – 23

 

MEMBER UPDATE

Due to great interest, our CISM Peer Support Training scheduled for May 16 – May 18 is currently full. We appreciate everyone’s excitement and eagerness to join the Peer Support Team and, in the event that a member cancels, we have created a waiting list and will contact members if an opening becomes available.

We are planning on having another training sometime in the second part of this year. As soon as we have confirmed a date, a notice will be sent out to all members.

Thank you.

In Solidarity,

Executive Board
United Firefighters of Los Angeles City

UFLAC Executive Board

SUMMER 2023 UFLAC FIRE FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS

The United Firefighters of Los Angeles City Fire Foundation (UFLACFF) Grant and Scholarship Program provides educational assistance to fire service members and their immediate families.

The UFLACFF will be awarding the following grants and scholarships twice in year 2023:

Two – $2,000 grants/scholarship

Four – $1,000 grants/scholarships

Four – $500 grants/scholarships

ELEGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

The Applicant must be an active firefighter, or a dependent of an active firefighter, wishing to further their education, or in need of assistance with tuition, books, materials, trade specific tools or equipment, internet access etc.

*An active firefighter or his or her immediate family member is eligible for an Award Grant once every 12-month period.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Applicants seeking a Scholarship or Grant Award must complete the application packet and forward it to UFLACFF by the application closing date.  Applications may be submitted by e-mail to [email protected] or mailed to:

United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, IAFF Local #112
c/o UFLACFF Scholarship/Grant Program
1571 W Beverly Blvd, Suite 201
Los Angeles, CA 90026

Application deadline is June 1, 2023 for the July 2023 Awards

Application Packets include:

  • Completed Application
  • Jpeg photo for our files and to use in Foundation related material.
  • A brief essay (500 word maximum, typed or written and clearly legible) prepared by the applicant or the parent/guardian. The essay should include how the award will benefit his or her life and serve others in the future, listing their area of study, last grade completed and the school of their choice for their higher education purposes.
  • Biography (2 page maximum).

SELECTION CRITERIA

Applications will be evaluated, and awards granted based on the information provided by the applicant, by the UFLACFF Awards Committee (comprised of Foundation Board Members), active firefighter (non-Board members) and the UFLACFF Advisory Committee.  The name, and any personal identifying information of the applicant, will be redacted prior to review by the committee.

FUNDING

Funding for the grants and scholarships is made possible by UFLACFF, a 501 (c) (3) Charitable Organization, created by United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, IAFF Local 112 (UFLAC) to assist firefighters and the families of firefighters. Donations from Supporters of UFLACFF and UFLAC Local 112, have been designated specifically to support these opportunities for firefighters and their immediate families.

AWARDS AND GRANTS AMOUNT AND DISTRIBUTION

  • Each Grant Award is based on the specific needs of each applicant
  • Awards will be announced in the month of July of 2023.
  • Awards will be made directly to the applicant, if over age 18, or to the parents/guardians of a minor child

Please click here to fill out the online application

Please click here to download a PDF application.

Special thank you to the main Education Grant sponsors & our supporters!

Major Sponsors:

  • Matthew and Miho Blumkin – The Blumkin Family Foundation
  • Ed Avaness – Miller Kaplan
  • Jennifer Lincicum – Fickewirth
  • Aaron Straussner & Julie Sherman
  • UFLAC Fire Foundation
  • Brian and Mary Ann Hishinuma – Retired – LAFD
  • Chris Wann, UFLAC
  • Tech SFT Jack Kushner Ret’d Foundation, Inc.
  • Marian Hishinuma
  • Gold Lee – Lewis, Marenstein, Sherwin & Lee

Supporters:

  • Jimmy Blackman & Associates
  • Sandra Jackson – Greenspan Co./Adjusters International
  • Maria Riggs – UFLAC
  • Chris Wann – UFLAC

BULLETIN 19-23 MEMBER UPDATE

April 28, 2023
Bulletin 19 – 23

 

APRIL GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING & MEMBER QUESTIONS

We hosted our April General Membership Meeting on Wednesday, April 26 and covered a few important items.

In addition, over the past month we received a number of questions from members about important issues our firefighters are dealing with.

Click here to view the brief video message from UFLAC President Freddy Escobar with a recap of the GM meeting and to hear answers to some of the most pressing questions that were submitted.

We encourage all members who have questions or comments about anything related to UFLAC or the LAFD to continue to send them to [email protected] and we will answer as many questions as possible in next month’s video which will be posted after the next Monthly General Membership Meeting on Wednesday, May 31st.

In Solidarity,

Executive Board
United Firefighters of Los Angeles City

UFLAC Executive Board

BULLETIN 18-23 MEMBER FINAL REMINDER UPDATE

April 24, 2023
Bulletin 18 – 23

 

MEMBER FINAL REMINDER UPDATE

The UFLAC Executive Board has been working with the IAFF FLSA attorneys regarding our members not being paid FLSA after 40 hours when they are detailed to ride the rescue ambulance from the fire side. Based on recent court decisions the attorneys feel now is a good time to file a lawsuit to protect our FLSA rights for both Firefighters and Firefighter/Paramedics.

Members will need to “opt in” to this lawsuit by THIS FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 2023. You will not automatically be in the lawsuit without taking the steps necessary to opt in by this date.

There will be no upfront cost to any member who joins the lawsuit. All you will need to do is come to the UFLAC office (1571 Beverly Blvd.) and sign the retainer and fill out a brief questionnaire anytime Monday through Friday from 0800-1400.

Please reach out to UFLAC Director Shawn Connolly at [email protected] if you have any questions about this matter.

In Solidarity,

UFLAC Executive Board