The Iowa Firefighters Association is pleased to announce
that Lindsey Brabec has been named the Account Executive that will be handling
our account for Advanced Association Management starting November 1, 2019
Lindsey joined the AAM family in October 2019. She
graduated from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln with a Bachelor’s of
Science degree in Animal Science and an emphasis in Biology. Lindsey previously
worked for the world’s largest pork producer and brings eight years of
experience managing client accounts which included providing marketing
opportunities, maintaining accounting records and coordinating meetings and events.
She also works as a licensed real estate salesperson in her free time.
Lindsey’s passions include spending time with her two boys, her rescue dogs
Roxy and Rosie, traveling, attending Husker football and basketball games, and
raising several types of poultry and beef cattle.
On behalf of the IFA, we welcome Lindsey to our
organization.
The IFA Board
of Directors are pleased to announce that Advanced Association Management from
Milford, NE has been retained to manage the IFA office and perform the duties
of IFA Executive Director. This transition will take place effective November
1, 2019.
AAM is a
company that provides management and directorship to both small and large associations
in the Midwest and Internationally. They have been in business for over a
decade, and currently have eighteen clients including the Nebraska State
Volunteer Firefighters Association, the Nebraska Sheriffs Association, and the
Nebraska Police Association to name a few.
This decision
was made with much thought and consideration, and AAM was chosen after thorough
vetting by speaking to existing clients with the most emphasis placed on the
opinion of the Nebraska VFA. All the entities that we spoke to had nothing but
good things to say about AAM.
I am sure that
there will be questions about the choice to go with AAM as opposed to hiring an
Executive Director from within the state. There are several factors that lead
us to this decision. AAM is a one stop shop. They provide accounting,
budgeting, accounts payable, billing and dues collection, web design, in-house
printing and graphic design, mass email communication services, preparation and
filing of IRS forms, meeting support to include attending board meetings and
providing all of the printing of documents for said meeting, plus taking and
typing the meeting minutes. They will also archive the IFA files in a
climate-controlled area in the AAM office. In the present model, the IFA is
paying multiple vendors for these services in addition to the Executive
Director’s salary and benefits.
In addition to all
the services listed above, they will be able to import the membership list from
our current database and eventually move the IFA into the 21st
century by offering local fire department membership roster maintenance and online
dues payments. They will have a dedicated account specialist for the IFA and
will have office hours 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily, M-F. The phone will be answered “Iowa
Firefighters Association” and the account executive that is assigned to the IFA
will be answering the phone. As we all know, life happens and one of the many
advantages of AAM is that every member of their staff is briefed on and has
access to our association files. This will provide for redundancy in the event
our assigned staff member is out of the office.
As of this writing, AAM is currently in the process of interviewing for
the account executive that will be assigned to our association. This person
will be directly supervised by Kathi Schildt, President and Owner of AAM, plus
will be surrounded by seasoned staff members.
The final
question is: “How much is this going to cost the IFA”? The total cost for AAM
to manage the IFA ended up being less than us paying an Executive Director and
subscribing to and paying for the services that we are currently. Bottom line,
this decision makes good business sense, plus is a cost savings for the IFA.
I would ask
that the Membership be patient and understanding during the transition process.
I am sure that it will have a few bumps in the road, especially with the
condition that the IFA office was left in by our former employee.
IOWA FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATIONTHE VOICE OF IOWA’S FIRE FIGHTERS
POSTER PROGRAM RULES
The Iowa Fire Prevention
Poster Program is sponsored by the Iowa Firefighters Association.
POSTER GUIDELINES
1.
Children must be in 3rd, 4th, or 5th 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 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade per school will be
accepted for judging at the state level.
Deadline
for submittal is December 1st.
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 1st, 2nd and 3rd 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:
1st
place – $100
2nd place –
$50
3rd 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.
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.
Convention Drill Rules as approved at the Mid-Year Meeting of the IFA April 13th 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.
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 25th 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.
