Iowa Firefighters Association

POSTER PROGRAM RULES

The Iowa Fire Prevention Poster Program is sponsored by the Iowa Firefighters Association.

POSTER GUIDELINES

1. Children must be in 3^rd, 4^th, or 5^th grade to participate.

2. All posters should be judged by the school and local fire department in conjunction with Fire Prevention Week with the winning poster from each grade (not each class) then being submitted to the state level.

3. Posters must be drawn by individual students under supervision of their respective teacher.

4. Posters shall measure 12”x 18”.

5. The poster must have this year’s National Fire Protection Association fire safety message,

“ Plan and Practice Your Escape”

written on it. Students then depict this theme using words and/or pictures.

6. Posters may be drawn vertically or horizontally.

7. The poster cannot contain any paste-on applications or identifying words (i.e. student name, city name, fire dept. name)

POSTER IDENTIFICATION

The back of each poster must contain:

                1. Student name

                2. Student grade

                3. Teacher name

                4. School name, address and phone#

                5. Fire department name

This information must be printed on the back of the poster. Please be sure to include a phone number in case the committee needs to contact the teacher for any further information.

Failure to follow any of the above guidelines shall disqualify a poster from being judged

SUBMITTAL PROCESS

Only one poster from each 3^rd, 4^th, or 5^th grade per school will be accepted for judging at the state level.

Deadline for submittal is December 1^st.

Send local first place winners to:

            Jewell Fire & Rescue

            PO Box 399

            Jewell, IA  50130-0399

JUDGING

Poster judging will take into consideration the following:

            Appeal of the Fire Safety

            Message – 75%

            Artistic ability, originality

            and neatness – 25%

AWARDS

• Awards are given for 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place in each grade.
• Each winner will be notified by mail and be invited to an awards banquet at a fire station.
• Each winner will receive a monetary award as follows:

      1^st place – $100

2^nd place – $50

3^rd place – $25

• The winners’ local fire departments will receive $50 to be used for their fire prevention programs.
• Winning posters become the property of the Iowa Firefighters Association and will be displayed at the Iowa State Fair Hall of Flame

We’re counting on you!  Let’s work hard to involve Iowa’s students in fire prevention!

Send their entries in so we can reward their effort

EFFECTIVE AUGUST 07, 2019, AMBER KEPHART HAS RESIGNED HER POSITION AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE IFA.

WE WISH HER THE BEST OF LUCK IN HER FUTURE ENDEAVORS

ALL ELECTRONIC MAIL COMMUNICATIONS AND TELEPHONE CALLS FOR THE IFA OFFICE SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO: GENE A. EVANS, 1ST VP. gevans@iafireassn.org 319.240.9014

THE MAILING ADDRESS OF PO BOX 111, SIGOURNEY, IA 52591-0111 WILL REMAIN OPEN FOR THE INTERIM. HOWEVER, PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THERE WILL BE A DELAY DUE TO THE MAIL BEING FORWARDED. MAIL MAY ALSO BE SENT TO GENE A. EVANS, 1ST VP 1102 OAK STREET OSAGE, IA 50461-1711

THE IFA BOARD OF DIRECTORS THANKS YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING DURING THIS TRANSITION.

RESERVE YOUR LIMITED EDITION BOTTLE TODAY!

BOTTLES WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PICK UP AT CONVENTION!!

The Iowa Firefighter Association PAC is taking reservations for a limited supply of bottled vodka made by The Foundry especially for Iowa Firefighters. Each year, the outgoing IFA Presidents Fire Department will be featured on the label commemorating Iowa Firefighters. The 2019 bottle features the Garrison Fire Department and commemorates the 140th anniversary of the Iowa Firefighters Association. The back label lists all former IFA Presidents to honor their service in our state.

You can pick up a bottle at the 2019 Convention!

IOWA FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION

THE VOICE OF IOWA’S FIRE FIGHTERS

Convention Drill Rules as approved at the Mid-Year Meeting of the IFA April 13^th 2019

2. Participants must be regularly appointed active members of the Fire Department they represent according to the records of the IFA and must be members of the Iowa Firefighters Association. EXCEPTION OF DRILL #10 (Water application Drill) IFA members are allowed to assemble a team consisting of members from multiple departments with the #1 person and #2 person being members of the represented department.

7. Starters will have full authority on starting drills. Starting ahead of the gun the second time shall disqualify the participant. All starters are to use the same cadence “Judges ready, Timers ready, Contestants ready, One, Two (Bang)”

8. The Judges shall impose penalties as provided in the Rules prescribed for each Drill and shall have the power to disqualify a team for improper conduct. The agreement by any two of the Judges shall constitute a decision. Decisions by the Judges shall be deemed final when the next team is on the line. A judge’s decision may be overturned by the consensus of all officials assigned to that drill. Any team contesting a judge’s ruling after the next team is on the line will be disqualified from that event.

19. All nozzle connections and coupling connections must show at least three (3) full threads or hand tight, at start or finish of drill, or both where required *WITH EXCEPTION OF DRILL #3.  For consistency, the same judge shall check both valves for tightness on drill #3.

EXPLANATION OF “three full threads or hand tight”: Couplings having more than three threads must be connected by at least three full threads. Couplings having less than three full threads must be connected hand tight. No quick couplers allowed.

22. Several drills may be run at the same time. If a firefighter or firefighters are participating in another drill being run, ample time will be given them to finish that drill before being up for next drill. However, in the event that there are no teams waiting, any available team may compete.

Convention Drill Training Rules

5 THE HITCHING POST – ONE FIREFIGHTER

OBJECT: Tie three knots as fast as you can.

Contestant starts the event by hitting a remote stopwatch on/off switch and ends the time by hitting the same switch. A judge also times the event for a backup. Contestant ties – bowline knot around post, Clove Hitch around post, and Figure Eight on a bight.

RULES: Association rope must be used; contestant must kneel in front of hitching post. Rope must be laid out length wise in a straight line with the middle of rope in front of contestant. Knots can be tied in any order; contestant cannot touch rope while touching start/stop button.

Judging, Penalties and Disqualifications: Knot should be tight enough that there are no open loops within the knot itself. If a standard marble (5/8 cat-eye) can fall through a loop within the knot itself the contestant receives a one second penalty. Contestant is disqualified for failing any of the three knots. If the rope has to be manipulated to make the knot look right, it is not considered to be tied correctly. The tail of the rope can be either in or out of the loop for bowline knot. Association equipment shall be used consisting of: One Hitching Post 32” x 32” made of 2 ¼ pipe. One 7/16 Kernmantle Rope 14 feet long (PMI Static E-Z Bend), One remote button to stop watch (used for start and stop timer)

SUBJECT This informational memo explains an update to administrative rule chapters 761—401, Special Registration Plate. In 2018, we were approached by the Iowa Firefighter’s Association with a request to revise the application process for a firefighter license plate to allow the application to be submitted without requiring original or notarized signatures.

SUMMARY Prior to this rule change, an application for a firefighter license plate was required to contain the original notarized signatures of the fire chief and another fire officer certifying that the applicant is a current or retired member of the fire department. However, the department recognized after consultation with the Iowa Firefighter’s Association that the requirement that the signatures be original and notarized can be an administrative burden, especially for very large fire departments with a large number of applicants or for smaller departments that may not always have a notary public available. Removing the requirement that the signature on the application be original and notarized does not in any way diminish the authenticity of the application, and the application is still being signed and certified by the chief and another fire officer.

The administrative rule amendments are effective for applications processed on or after April 17, 2019.

LINK TO ADMINISTRATIVE RULES https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/aco/arc/4344C.pdf

CURRENT The application for a firefighter license plate is required to contain the original, notarized signatures of the fire chief and fire officer.

NEW For all applications processed on or after April 17, 2019, the rules will no longer require the firefighter license plate application to contain the original, notarized signatures of the fire chief and fire officer. BUSINESS IMPACT As of April 17, 2019, you may accept and process firefighter license plate applications even if the application does not contain the original, notarized signatures of the fire chief and fire officer.

• Iowa Firefighters Association 2019 Convention Hosted by Manchester Fire Department- September 2-8, 2019
  All Convention information can be found at
  https://www.manchesterfireconvention.com/?fbclid=IwAR2dGcS8WOXpcpcL1daJ0ArkVbVGBpvmpUd1UVetjSqnyYLJ6nD2cdbGX9E

Washington National (formerly Conseco Insurance) is excited to be partnering with the IFA to offer voluntary supplemental insurance to its membership and their families.  Through this partnership, the IFA is making these very affordable policies available to their membership at low group rates.  A Washington National agent will be visiting you at your fire stations to explain how these policies get you cash when you need it most.

As studies have shown, firefighters face a higher risk of cancer and heart disease than the general public they selflessly serve.  Recently, cancer has surpassed heart disease as the #1 killer of firefighters (heart attacks are still the #1 on-duty killer).  As you know, due to the conditions and environments of fighting fires, firefighters have a much higher exposure (breathing and absorption) to cancer causing agents.  In fact, firefighters are at 2x greater risk of testicular cancer.  The physical exertion and stress related to fighting fires also puts them at a higher risk for heart attacks and strokes.  And just by the nature of what firefighters are asked to do, they have higher risks of accidental injuries.  Washington National recognizes these risks and offers great policies that protects you 24/7/365, even when you are not fighting fires. These policies help with the financial burdens associated with the high out-of-pocket expenses that occurs with battling a critical illness (like cancer and heart disease) or an accident.  That way you and your family can focus on what’s most important… getting better!

In celebration of the 25^th anniversary of the Iowa Firefighter’s Memorial, Washington National is making a $1 donation to IFA for each firefighter that sits down individually to learn more about this partnership and helpful policies offered.  Your local fire department will receive a $2 donation for each.

We have already met with over a dozen different fire departments throughout Iowa and the firefighters are seeing great value in these policies. Washington National agents look forward to working with all association members.  We will be reaching out to local fire chiefs to arrange convenient meeting times at your fire stations.  As the coordinator, please contact me directly at 319-883-1121 or terry.beek@pmagent.net to learn more individually or to schedule your department. Washington National is excited to participate in IFA events and activities.  We look forward to meeting each of you.

Sincerely,

Terry J. Beek

Regional Manager, Performance Matters Associates, Inc.

Representing Washington National Insurance

If you need help, reach out. The Fire/EMS Helpline is available at 1-888-731-FIRE (3473) for any firefighter, EMS provider, or family member facing a behavioral health issue. It is free and confidential to call. Learn more here:

Fire/EMS Helpline

 Enrollment is now open for the new IFA Rewards App!!

Earn $100’s in rewards for yourself and the IFA just by making your everyday purchases and paying through the app!

You can earn cash back for yourself on things you purchase every day and a percentage will go back to the association to help keep membership costs low.

Click here to sign up now!!

The links below list retailers that currently accept the app for payment as well as information for 2 great contests – one for members referring their friends, and one for departments that have the most number of apps signed up under their name!!!

Retailers in Iowa    IFA Rewards App Referral Contest   IFA Rewards App Referral Department Contest