IAFF Charitable Foundation

The five funds within the IAFF Charitable Foundation are: the Burn Fund; John P. Redmond Fund; Disaster Relief Fund; W. H. “Howie” McClennan Scholarship Fund; and the Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial Fund. Over the past two years, the IAFF has focused its efforts on raising money to enable the Foundation to be self-sustaining. The Foundation has been successful in developing relationships with a number of companies to form strategic partnerships and sustaining gift programs.

In 2012, Nationwide Retirement Solutions committed to supporting the Foundation with a pledge of $100,000 per year for five years. The Charitable Foundation has also partnered with Armida Winery to offer IAFF Wines and an IAFF Wine Club. The Charitable Foundation receives 18 percent of proceeds from the sale of the IAFF-branded wines. To date, the IAFF Foundation has received more than $20,000 from these wine sales. In addition, an IAFF Wines wine tasting will be held at Convention.

In October 2013, Liberty Mutual launched a campaign offering free rate quotes. For every quote, Liberty Mutual donates $10 to the Foundation. Since launching the campaign, the Foundation has received $5,980 from the program. Based on the success of that campaign, Liberty Mutual will repeat this effort in 2014.

Since 2011, we have partnered Susan G. Komen for the Cure during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, encouraging members to fundraise throughout October, with the money split equally between Komen and the Foundation. The Foundation also receives royalties on the sale of breast cancer awareness-related merchandise (shirts, stickers, etc.). In 2012, the Foundation received almost $45,000 and in 2013, the amount received was more than $50,000.

As part of the mission to expand our fundraising efforts, the Foundation is now registered in 46 states and the District of Columbia. (Other states do not require registration to fundraise and/or accept donations.)

The Foundation and its activities are promoted through social media and the Foundation web site.

Text donation can be made to the Charitable Foundation through mGive. The Foundation will be using mGive as both a communications and fundraising tool.

The IAFF Charitable Foundation’s five funds are administered through various Divisions within the IAFF as follows: W. H. “Howie McClennan Scholarship Fund – Education and Training; Disaster Relief Fund, John P. Redmond Fund; Burn Fund; Fallen Fire Fighters Memorial Fund – Health, Safety and Medicine. Additional information about each Fund is available within these Division reports.

W.H. “Howie” McClennan Scholarship Fund

The W.H. “Howie” McClennan Scholarship provides funding for post-secondary education for the children of fire fighters and emergency medical personnel who are killed in the line of duty. From 2012 to the present 87 scholarships have been awarded, totaling $217,500. The Fund anticipates awarding an additional 43 scholarships totaling $107,500 in 2014.

Jay Johnson, a member of San Mateo, CA Local 2400, upon his death bestowed the majority of his estate to the W.H. “Howie” McClennan Fund. To date, the Fund has received $537,976.07 with the anticipation of receiving an additional $50,000. The IAFF Executive Board has submitted a resolution to recognize Jay Johnson and his bequeath to the Fund.

John P. Redmond Fund

The John P. Redmond Fund was established to address the health and safety issues associated with fire fighting. This includes research and education on occupational hazards and diseases, as well as examining the effects of carbon monoxide, diesel exhaust in fire stations and product liability. The 22nd John P. Redmond Symposium was held August 21-24, 2013, in Denver, Colorado. The conference addressed issues important to the future of fire fighter and EMS provider health and safety. The 2013 event featured an innovative presentation platform and new technology to enhance the educational experience, including two days of plenary sessions and two days of topic-specific workshops and information sessions. The Symposium was attended by more than 1,468 fire fighters, physicians, scientists, lawyers, manufacturers and government officials from the United States and Canada, as well as a number of international fire service organizations.

Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial Fund

Thousands gather at the sacred grounds of the IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial each September to celebrate and honor the lives of IAFF members who have died in the line of duty during the past year. Since the last Convention, 311 names have been added to the walls.

The Memorial site in Colorado Springs is now over 28 years old. To ensure the site remains intact for future generations of fire fighters and their families, the IAFF Executive Board will be putting forth a resolution at this Convention to pay for reconstructing the entire Memorial site. The proposed cost for the new memorial is $3.5 million, which covers the complete rebuilding of the Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial, including a new entrance from the parking lot, new walkways, landscape/drainage improvements, honoree plaza, site lighting, repurposing of existing walls and new granite walls that will accommodate current and future names.  Since the granite walls were erected in 1989, more than 2,800 names of fallen members have been added. Currently, the Memorial includes the names of the fallen dating back to 1976. The IAFF has researched, local by local, every member killed in the line of duty from 1918 through 1975, and those names would be added to the new Memorial under the proposed plan. If approved by delegates at this year’s Convention, the rebuild would begin immediately following the September 2014 service and be complete in time for the September 2015 observance.

This year’s memorial will be held on Saturday, September 20, 2014

Disaster Relief Fund

The IAFF Disaster Relief Fund provides financial assistance to IAFF members who suffer the loss of their home as a result of natural or man-made disasters, such as floods, hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes or fires. Disbursements are granted for immediate housing, food, medical supplies and services and clothing.  Since the last Convention, the IAFF has assisted 1,047 members with relief funds, including members affected by Hurricane Isaac, Super Storm Sandy and flooding in Calgary.

Burn Fund

The new mission statement for the IAFF Burn Fund reflects the shift toward membership services. The mission statement now reads:

“From tragedy to recovery, the IAFF Burn Fund upholds the long-standing tradition of supporting IAFF members, their families, and their communities affected by burn trauma.  We dedicate resources to help organize, facilitate, and support IAFF members’ efforts and participation in burn prevention, awareness, fire safety, burn care, research, and survivor support activities while improving the quality of life for burn survivors across North America.”

Junior Fire Setters
Throughout the 2012 grant period, the Burn Fund has continued work on the Junior Fire Setters (JFS) project. The purpose of this project is to develop a much-needed national database to identify the national problem of youth fire setting. Members will have access to the data and resources necessary for locals to ultimately develop and sustain prevention programs in their communities. This is turn will protect fire fighters and communities from fires that would otherwise put them at risk for burn injuries and fatalities.

A summit was held to expand the project, including a data dictionary rollout and the creation of a pilot testing system. Work from the 2011 grant continued in Las Vegas, in conjunction with the 2013 Instructor Development Conference (IDC), with pilot site visits to those cities with existing JFS programs, with more site visits in 2014. Of these pilot test site visits, three have been completed. Work continues on the white paper, which is the project summary.

Survivors Offering Assistance in Recovery

The IAFF Burn Fund continues our collaboration with the Phoenix Society on the Survivors Offering Assistance in Recovery (SOAR) program. IAFF Burn Coordinators attended the Phoenix Society World Burn Congress and received valuable information to pass along to both members and their families. In 2012, 9th District Burn Coordinator Gerald Dunn received the prestigious Joe Hickey Award, created in honor of the late Joe Hickey, one of the New York Firefighters Burn Center Foundation’s founding members. This prestigious award is presented to an individual or group that has given many years of service within all facets of the burn community. Members and their spouses continue to be key additions to and an integral part as SOAR instructors in hospital-based settings across the United States and Canada.

2012 FEMA Grant

The Burn Fund received a 2012 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for $997,000 to continue exploring the prevention and reduction factors in the occurrence and severity of fire fighter burn injuries. Partnering with the American Burn Association, a survey will be created for use by the 128 burn centers across North America. The data collection will provide information on how the burn occurred and what factors may have played a role. It also will cover the extent of the burns, their treatment and outcomes. This valuable burn injury data will be tracked in the National Burn Registry for future research in the prevention and treatment of fire fighter burns.

This grant also includes the SCALD Project. Scalds (an injury that occurs when contact with hot liquid or steam damages one or more layers of skin) are the leading cause of burn injury in children age 0-4. To address these horrific injuries, we are continuing our work on Phase III of the SCALD project. Educational videos and public service announcements (PSAs) are in production to assist member organizations in our combined efforts to reduce these injuries. Locals will be able to brand these to use in their social media and local media markets. Using our resources with E-18 Media, we will be able to produce highly effective videos that will be available in October 2014.

Additionally, we have also completed the updates to our Burn Assessment Manual to reflect the latest medical information in regards to burn injuries and their treatment.

Membership Protocol Plan

All 16 IAFF Burn Coordinators, along with IAFF staff, met in conjunction with the American Burn Association Conference in March to develop a protocol for the notification and access to services to assist our affiliates when a member or family member suffers a burn injury. This new protocol streamlines the process for gaining access to the critical resources needed when these injuries occur.

Burn Camp

Both the 2012 and 2013 annual IAFF International Burn Camps were a great success and continue to be a model for other burn camps across North America. The 2012 and 2013 Burn Camps were attended by 44 and 45 campers, respectively. As we continue into 2014, work on the upcoming 2014 International Burn Camp has commenced with project planning and scheduling. This year’s camp is September 20^–28 at Camp Wabanna in Edgewater, Maryland, and will bring teenage (age 13-15) burn survivors and fire fighter camp counselors from approximately 45 regional camps across North America together. A new Burn Camp manual has been created and is in use for the IAFF, staff and counselors regarding policies, procedures and issues. This manual enables those involved to create the best possible camp environment and the great experience the camp is known for.

In 2013, the IAFF Charitable Foundation began using a new Mission Statement to better reflect the purpose of the Foundation:

The IAFF Charitable Foundation’s mission is to support and protect the health, safety and welfare of fire fighters, paramedics, and their families, as well as the communities they serve.

IAFF Charitable Foundation Board of Directors

Harold A. Schaitberger, Chairman

Thomas H. Miller, Vice Chairman

William V. Taylor

A. Michael Mullane

Lorne West

Eric Stevenson

IAFF Charitable Foundation Advisory Board

Christopher Dodd

William Bryson

James Franzoni

Edward Grebow

Robert D. Klausner

Andrew Pataky

Mark Weiner