UPDATES

Local - 3139 Golf Tournament
On Friday September 23, 2005 local 3139 will be holding their annual golf tournament at Newcastle Golf Club. For more details contact Dan Worrall at (905) 718-6135
This successful golf tournament helped raise $800.00 for charity.

Terry Fox Run
On Sunday September 18th. several members and their spouses and friends will be participating in this annual event. This year we are running under the corporate team name of "Clarington Fire Fighters" and contributions can be made to the team or individual members. For more information or to make a contribution please visit www.terryfoxrun.org.
Last year we placed 6th. out of 49 registered teams, and doubled our earnings from the previous year. We are hoping to do better again this year, as this is the 25th anniversary of this run.
Click here to see TERRY FOX RUN PHOTOS.

Luke's Place Baseball Tournament On Saturday September 17th. several members, their spouses and friends participated in the 5th Annual Charity Baseball Tournament for Luke's Place. A silent auction with displays along with a BBQ and refreshments helped make this day a success.
Click here to see BASEBALL PHOTOS.

Terry Fox Run Car Wash
On Saturday September 10th at the Garnet Rickard Center in the parking lot we will be having a car wash with all proceeds going to the Terry Fox Run.
Please come out and join us.

Graydon Brown Retirement
On August 25th, Captain Graydon Brown "BROWNIE" will be hanging up his red helmet. Brother Brownie has been a career FireFighter for 34 years and a real asset to this department. Brownie will be surely missed. Brownie's family and friends are holding a party on Saturday August 27th in Orono. For details of this party contact ALISON (905) 623-2922 or CINDY (905) 983-6102 by Aug. 19th.

Big Bike for Stroke
On Monday June 20th, staff from Clarington Emergency and Fire Services took part in this fund raising event in Bowmanville. CEFS raised a total of $915.00, thanks for everyones support. Click here to see PHOTOS.
The Big Bike for Stroke made its first appearance on Canadian roadways in Alberta in 1987. Since that time they have expanded from 1 bike to a fleet of 9 bikes that visit more than 200 communities coast to coast with over 54,000 riders. In 2004, Big Bike participants raised more than $6.2 million for research into the root causes of heart disease and stroke as well as to the development of health education & prevention programs. This year the goal is to raise over $7.0 million.
Big Bike Fun Facts
- It's 8 feet wide x 30 feet long (the size of a school bus!)
- It's 1,950 pounds
- It's over 150 feet of bicycle chain
- Participants put over 12,000 km on our bikes each year (the Trans-Canada Highway is 7,821 km)
- Average ride time is 20 minutes.
Click here for more info.

Clarington Fire Fighters Car Wash
On Saturday June 18th, Clarington Local 3139 members will be holding a Car Wash to raise funds for local charities.

THIS CAR WASH HAS BEEN CANCELLED

Queen's Park Fire Fighter Memorial Dedication Service
On Sunday June 5th, 2005 at 1:00 pm the Ontario Fire Fighters Memorial Foundation Committee will be unveiling the Monument at Queen's Park with the assistance of key government officials. Lieutenant Governor James K. Bartleman, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, Minister Monte Kwinter have all been invited to speak on behalf of the people of Ontario. The Monument was erected in memory of all fire fighters who have died in the Line of Duty protecting the citizens and property of Ontario.
This Ceremony will be a fitting tribute to these fire fighters.
We are encouraging all fire fighters to attend the ceremony at Queen’s Park.
Fire fighters are being asked to assemble at the site of the Monument at 11:30 am in order to properly co-ordinate the Dedication Ceremony.
Thanks to the members that attended.

Clarington MD Boot Drive
On Saturday May 28th, Clarington Local 3139 members held their annual MD Boot Toll in Bowmanville.
Fire fighters have been the backbone of Muscular Dystrophy Canada since its inception in 1954. It doesn’t matter how big a role a Fire Fighter plays in raising funds, everyone who steps up to the plate and gets involved, makes a difference.
This annual Boot Drive was a success and the final amount was $7,640.94 and we would like to thank all the residents and people who donated and also our members that helped out.
Click here to see PHOTOS.

OPFFA Provides Critical WSIB Debriefing in Cobourg
April 29, 2005 - In Cobourg over 130 fire fighters received a debriefing from WSIB representatives from the OPFFA. Lessons learned from the Horticultural Fire in Kitchener and the Plastimet Fire in Hamilton were conveyed to the fire fighters who were on scene at the Horizons Plastics Fire in Cobourg. OPFFA President Fred LeBlanc stated "when I received a call notifying me about the fire my immediate reaction was for the health and safety of the fire fighters on scene as well as the citizens in the fall-out area. We contacted our WSIB and OH&S representatives for guidance and direction on first steps and preventative measures post incident." Cobourg President Mark Diminie was contacted during the fire with an offer of assistance from the OPFFA and its representatives. A meeting was conducted with an invitation extended to all departments who responded and their administration. Professional and volunteer fire fighters gathered to hear the advice offered from WSIB representatives Paul Atkinson and Colin Grieve. The 'debriefing' was deemed a total success and a very necessary exercise in the aftermath of an incident such as this. "There is no doubt in my mind that we will witness serious health effects as a result of this response" said LeBlanc. "We are currently in discussions with the provincial government regarding ongoing monitoring for these fire fighters." It is our goal that with early intervention and education we will succeed by detecting an illness in its infancy stages and mitigate its tragic effects.

$30 Million Divided Among Ontario's Fire Service
The numbers are in and every member of the OPFFA should benefit from the provincial government’s Fire Service Grant recently announced by the Minister of Community Safety and Corrections, Monte Kwinter.
These monies are desperately needed and will greatly enhance current services and in some areas allow new services to be introduced. While the emphasis for the grant is on training, the flexibility of the grant is appealing.
This is the largest single contribution to Ontario’s Fire Service by a provincial government.
OPFFA President Fred LeBlanc stated “despite the weighted formula this financial support will not only contribute to the health and safety of my members, but will be an investment in enhanced community safety across the province.”
The OPFFA represents over 9,600 full-time professional fire fighters who provide protection to over 80% of Ontario’s population. For more details, click here.

Kapuskasing Fire Fighters Arbitration Award
Kapuskasing fire fighters received some relief in the form of their interest arbitration award. The award, which was delayed due to the tactics employed by the Town in their ongoing efforts to disband the fire department and terminate all of the full-time fire fighters, primarily recognized the growing disparity in the salaries paid to the Town’s fire fighters.
The fire fighters have been without a contract since February 1, 2002 and the award brings them up to current levels and the new contract will expire December 31, 2005.
Fred LeBlanc, OPFFA President stated that “while we see this as a clear victory for proper and fair recognition with respect to the full-time fire fighters salaries and other working conditions we are not about to wane in our fight to prevent the Town from arbitrarily terminating these fire fighters and reducing the level of protection to the Town’s citizens.”
It is expected that the Court of Appeal will hear the Town’s appeal by the fall of this year.
“I am sure the Mayor and others will attempt to use this arbitration decision to depict the fire fighters salaries as a reason they must move forward with their attempt to disband the department” said President LeBlanc. “However, their actions have cost the taxpayers far more by way of court costs and legal fees and if the Town is successful the price may well be the safety of the residents.”

Clarington Local - 3139 Member Exonerated
Brother Azevedo who was wrongfully terminated for speaking about the fire service’s CBRN capabilities with a candidate during the federal election campaign finally had his day before an Arbitrator on March 14, 2005.
While Frank was reinstated last July the Town still invoked a 3 day suspension and recorded a letter on his file. The Clarington Local with the assistance of both the OPFFA and IAFF carried the grievance through to arbitration regarding any and all discipline in this regard.
Because Brother Azevedo was acting in his capacity representing the Local during his meeting with the candidate he and the Local were represented by Sean McManus under the auspices of the IAFF’s Legal Guardian Policy.
IAFF 13th District V/P Bruce Carpenter, IAFF Asst. to the General President Jim Lee and OPFFA District #1 V/P Greg Colton all played important roles supporting Brother Azevedo and the Clarington Local through this difficult time.
Arbitrator Knopf recognized Brother Azevedo’s right as a union representative to speak out on issues such as safety and presented an award that removed the three day suspension and all letters pertaining to the incident. Frank was reimbursed the three days pay along with personal expenses that resulted from out of pocket expenses related health benefits required during his termination. As well the award reinforced the right of any member, while acting in the capacity of a union representative to speak publicly on matters provided they are factual and not malicious.