GO TO THE ACT NOW PAGE TO DO SOMETHING CONSTRUCTIVE TO HELP SECURE A HEALTH CARE BILL
GO TO THE ACT NOW PAGE TO DO SOMETHING CONSTRUCTIVE TO HELP SECURE A HEALTH CARE BILL
APRIL 29Th, 2025 RETIRED MEMBER’S ASSOCIATION MEETING
K of C HALL 3051 NOSTRAND AVE BKLYN, NY 8:00PM
Executive Board Members present:
Pres. Jim Hayhurst, Newsletter Editor Mike O’Keeffe, Treasurer Paul Mallery, Trustee Vinnie Doherty, Legislator Bill Romaka, & Recording Sec’y & Website Mgr. Bill Schillinger
Meeting Opened at 8:00pm by Pres. Jim Hayhurst
Jim conducted the Pledge of Allegiance
Jim then asked Joe Bryant to conduct the Prayer for All
Jim then asked for a moment of Silence for deceased members, notably
Lt. Gregory John Schmidt Engine 8(4/25/25). Jim also asked membership to prayer for Mark Dzieman (E-217) who is still in a coma after suffering a Heart Attack at a job. Mark is the Pulaski Assoc. President.
Jim then stressed the need for more members and asked everyone at the meeting to go out and recruit new members. Jim then passed out an envelope for Building Homes for Heroes, which is in the process of building its 407th home for its next deserving wounded warrior.
He then presented at the front of the room, hats from the VFW for sale, 343 stickers and all the informational bulletins on the dais desk. He then gave an update on Board Member, Dick Webb who could not attend the meeting for he is unable to drive at night. Jim also mentioned our Chaplain Everett Wabst who is on the mend and will be returning to NY in early May, we hope to see him at our June Meeting (6/24/25).
Medicare Disadvantage Update: Jim then asked the membership to donate funding to the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees. Marianne Pizzitola who is their President has done an exhausting job of combating the city’s attempts to take away our deserved Medicare Benefit. She has defeated the city 5 times in expensive court cases, hence the need for donations to her organization. Go to our ACT NOW Page on fdnyrma.org to donate or just write a check to NYCOPSR and send to: NYCOPSR c/o JSH Accounting PO Box 143538 Fayettevile, Ga. 30214. Marianne is also organizing a bus trip to Albany on 5/15/25 to gain support for protecting our Health Care further. She already has one bus filled and looking to get a second bus of supporters. Go to “Do Your Homework” on fdnyrma.org to help further.
GUEST SPEAKERS:
KEVIN WOODS CHIEF OF OPERATIONS
We were honored to have Kevin Woods at our meeting. Kevin in his 35 year career has seen lots of action including being a Deputy Chief in the 11th Division, the Staten Island Boro Commander and being at the helm of Operations for the last two years. He praised the Fire Commissioner, Robert Tucker and our Chief of Dept., John Esposito on the good job they are both doing. Now concerning promotions, the FDNY has made good on promotions to the upper ranks; the last class at FLIPS seeing 64 new Lieutenants & 48 Captains. The will be 16 new Battalion Chiefs in June. Also a class of Probies will be graduating on 5/15/25, 329 in all. He then said a new class will go in in May and that the current list will be exhausted. In the future they want all classes to be 343 in number. All new recruits will be in the Tier III pay class and able to retire in 22 and a half years. EMS Promotion Classes will continue and he also said the Cadet Program continues to thrive. He then informed us that the New List will start in January of 2026. Concerning the points credited to candidates; you get 10 points for Legacy, 10 pts for being a city resident and 10 points if you were a US Veteran.
Now concerning the Rotation Program, that has been re-instated and proves to be successful. It takes probies in the field and puts them into different sections in the city, so that a member coming out of a private dwelling area goes into an H-Type area so he/she learns all aspects of firefighting. Many “Rotaters” who are in slower companies are putting in their papers for the busier companies throughout the city. This is a good sign for the job. He likes the encouragement of the new personnel. The new guys/girls are very health conscious, they clean their gear after each job efficiently and take showers. They use their wash up time efficiently. They are aware of how contaminants enter their skin; inhalation, absorption and digestion. The job wants them to wear their facepieces during overhaul and all are using the facepiece during this operation.
MODIFIED RESPONSE
There has been a program in place for awhile of 2nd due on a gas leak responding in a 10-20 mode, well that’s out! Everyone will respond into the box unless notified by the first due Chief of a reduced response. There has been an increase in Class 3’s, 31,000 in the Bronx alone. We are looking to fix this and address it further. Kevin then broached the dining sheds that engulf the city. Restaurant owners may put them up from 4/1 to 11/30 and have to be modified to fit each block. His Dept. is also addressing the Summertime Staffing which needs to be also modified and hopefully will be run more efficiently this summer.
“We had a busy Winter!” A cold snap saw an increase in 10-75’s and multiple alarms, there were 26 3rd alarms. Just this past Easter Sunday there was four 10-75’s.
Members have been informed of Cancer Awareness. Again they were told to use their facepiece in the overhaul phase of each job. We all know that cancer among retirees is high, Blood Cancer which is irreversible is among their many concerns. Again the new personnel are very health conscious and continue to perform at a high standard. We are encouraged by their performances.
BRUSH FIRES
The Dept. is addressing this closely. Chief of Dept. Esposito went to Calif in the aftermath of the Calif. Fires to see how that scenario could be averted here. There are many unforeseen difficulties which we encounter at Brush Fires but we are encouraged to avert such tragedies here in NYC.
NEW TOOLS
DRONES! The Drone Program has proved invaluable. (Also for the NYPD) it gives us a clearer picture of involved structures at jobs and helps our Incident Commander make split second decisions for the safety of our members and that’s what it is all about, “SAFETY!”. Another tool that has been used at cockloft fires is the bent tip nozzle which can be operated from the roof to extinguish stubborn cockloft fires. Another tool for the Incident Commander is the Incident Command Ap. This has proved to be an invaluable tool which can be brought up on the Chief’s Cell Phone or Tablet and can be used enroute. Also for the responding companies in the rear cabs on screens in there, the members can see three views of the building involved so as to aid in attacking the fire. Yes Technology is catching up to our Fire Operations and all resulting in a safer operation for all of our members.
CONGESTION PRICING
At the Q n A, a member asked about the Congestion Pricing Program and how it impacts on us. Kevin addressed it and said its not good for our members to incur this additional cost. He said however that Division Messenger Vans are being used to transport members below 60th street to avoid the fee. The FDNY is exploring ways to work with the city on this, a work in progress…
Kevin then got a standing ovation from the 47 strong! Kevin thanked the Board once again for the opportunity to speak at our meeting. We wished him good luck.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WAS BONNIE STEINWOLF, an Attorney involved in the AFFF Foam Exposure Litigation.
She opened with thanking the RMA for the opportunity to speak to our Retirees concerning this important Health Issue. She’s with the Meirowitz & Wasserberg Law Firm.
Their main office is in Manhattan with many satellite offices on Long Island. (see the links following the minutes) Their lawyers represent many involved in mesothelioma, lung and cancer law suits and also for asbestos exposure from boilers. She made us aware of the recent expired law suit involving the contaminated water at Camp LeJeune. That just expired in August of 2024. Their law firm has and is representing hundreds of US Marines.
Now concerning the AFFF exposure. Many if not all of the retired firefighters at our meeting has in some way been exposed to the dangers of AFFF Foam. Remember according to our training manuals we had to keep the Foam Can properly filled and pressurized at all times. She then told us it is not a difficult task to prove you were exposed to this chemical into your body which can cause cancer, mostly liver cancer but also prostate, bladder, testicular, thyroid, and breast cancer and it can cause colitis too. They would be suing 3M and Dupont who is responsible for its content. She said the date of exposure is not important.
She informed the membership that she would stay and take personal questions, of which the membership did after Jimmy concluded the meeting.
She then thanked us again for being able to speak to all of us, the members responded with applause.
Jimmy then brought up the subject of the Part B reimbursement, to make sure everyone received it via their direct deposit accounts. He also informed the members of the IRMAA Reimbursement, a form that has to be sent in annually in May. Members approached Jimmy for personal answers concerning this. The IRMAA subject can be addressed by going to the OLR website which will be put up after the minutes have concluded here.
Mike O’Keeffe then spoke about the Special Needs Group which has its own website, again it will be put up as soon as the minutes have concluded.
A member from the audience then informed us of an event on 6/26, a Fishing Trip to benefit the FDNY Marine Corps Assn.. It goes out of Captree and costs $90.00 per person, everything included.
Jimmy then concluded the meeting, invited everyone up for “CHOW”.
Paul Mallery & Vinnie Doherty then ran the raffle and distributed the winnings.
Members had nothing but praise for our executive board present.
And so the meeting was concluded, all had a nice time. It was a nice night in Brooklyn except for the 2 hour ride home on the Belt Pkwy when I for one was greeted with a closed Belt Pkwy east at Pennsylvania Ave due to a stolen car and the shooting of the suspect. The Porsche was stolen on Pennsylvania and met its end in Brooklyn at Pennsylvania Ave. I guess that’s poetic justice!
See you all on 6/24 in New Hyde Park at the Elks…
[Repectfully submitted this the 30th day of April, 2025, by Bill Schillinger]
LINKS AS PROMISED:
MEIROWITZ & WASSERBERG PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEYS
FDNY SPECIAL NEEDS GROUP - Home