MSFCA Regional Report

 Report Date:   10/15/2011                                          Region #7 St. Croix Valley         

 Regional Meeting Date:  8/25/2011                            Meeting Location: Mora Fire Department

 Number of attendees:  22

 Special Guests:  Training Board Bruce West

 Program: A presentation was made to the Association by the Memorial Foundation (Jay Wood).  Donations are being asked for by Fire Fighters.  An amount suggested is $ 30 per Fire Fighter.  The memorial will be on the State Capitol grounds and $ 600,000 needs to be donated by December 31, 2011to continue the plans.  If the amount is NOT raised; all monies will be returned.

 Issues of Local Interest: Bruce West talked: The Training Board has appointed a new Director.  Bruce West will now be the Executive Director and offices will move from Elk River to St. Paul.  The office will be within the State Fire Marls’ Office.  Licenses are being issued and over 4,000 Fire Fighters have applied to be licensed.

 Qualified Instructors are now listed on the web site if someone wants to be listed or qualified, please submit a resume and application from the web site to Bruce West. 

 Also: No news on the appointments of the State Fire Marshal or Homeland Security Director.

 Issues of State/National Interest:

 Minnesota State Fire Department; Todd Bennett: 

Take a look at the Association Web Site; www.msfda.org.   Ed Hoffman is the contact and can help you post notices on the Web Site.

 The MSFDA conference was held June 2, 3, and 4th  in Detroit Lakes. 

 Minnesota State Fire Chiefs’ Association; Ardie Anderson; 

 September 11 will have several memorials around the Cities and a Mass at St. Paul Cathedral  at 4 pm.

 The State Chiefs’ conference is October 20th to 22nd.  This will be in St. Cloud and you still have time to register.

 Pine Tech; Mike Anderson:

FF I and other classes are available. If you need any classes give me call, including the simulators.

 Other Comments: Assistance to Fire Fighters Grant needs to be submitted by September 9th.

 Attendance Very low from local and state. 

 The next meeting is scheduled for October 13th .  Is there any interest in doing a function for this meeting, such as a meet your lawmaker?  There was discussion about the idea and an amount of $ 1,500 was approved for food and meeting location.  The Secretary will TRY to organize the meeting. 

 Next Meeting Date/Time:       being rescheduled                               Place: undetermined

Report to Board - October 2011
Reports to Board 2010
Reports to Board 2009

St. Croix Valley Firefighters Association
Meeting Minutes
October 22, 2009
General Fire Safety

The meeting was called to order by our President Wayne Whited.  General Safety provided food and tours of the facilities.

Steve Harris of General gave a short thank you message from General and Rosenbauer.

Attendance was taken; 41 members from 16 Fire Departments and Agencies were present.

Reports:

Minnesota State Fire Department; Todd Bennett:

Fire Fighter licensing is moving forward and most likely will grandfather current Fire Fighters.  Departments should make sure that they have applied for Training Reimbursement through the MFTB.  March 2, 2010 is Fire Fighter Day at the Capitol.  Please try to attend and meet with your legislators.  The association web site is being worked on and should be better than ever.  The next Board Meeting is January 23, 2010 in St. Cloud.

Minnesota Fire Chiefs Association:

Randy Polzin has been elected as Vice President.  We will be electing a new representative from our District.   Information is being handed out for you to select initiatives for the legislative session coming up.  Please circle your choices and hand back. 

Memorial Foundation:

No Report

Minnesota Certification Board; Christy Patrick:

Board meetings are coming up in the next couple weeks

Minnesota State Fire Marshal; Jerry Rosendalh:

Training Board has request for reimbursement open until November 1st.  So far, there are more applications and request than the last round.  The more we show the need, the more control we have on the money. 

There is 4.5 million dollars sitting in the Fire Safety Account that has NOT been appropriated.  Over $ 12 million goes into this account every year. 

Bruce West of HSEM is at the Fire Academy and will not be able to be here tonight.  He is building a much better working relationship between the Fire Service and Emergency Management. 

The Blaze has replaced the Smoke Eater as information from the Fire Marshal.  You can get a lot of information from the Daily Dispatch, which will email you updates.  In 2010, 100% of the Fire Departments must report electronically.  Image Trend is the new online fire call reporting system.  Take a look at it.  It does not cost anything to the Fire Departments. Fire Deaths for 2009 are down from last year.  The Division hires a public education specialist.  She is from Eden Prairie and has fire fighting experience and is also a licensed teacher.  The Fire in Minnesota, 2008 is out and on the web site.  Fire Investigation training is available and dates will be posted.  Fire Fighter Day at the Capitol is March 2, 2010.  When responding please be careful going through Hiway Construction Zones.

Minnesota Fire Training Board:

No Report

Volunteer Firefighters Benefit Association; Tim Linhoff:

August was the Board Meeting.  Our Audit was completed.  We paid out $ 90,740 in claims. 

MnScu; Dan Roeglin:

No Report

F.I.R.E.; Dale Mashuga:

No Report

Election of Officers:

President:
Wayne Whited

Vice President:
Kevin Grote

Secretary/Treasurer:
Mark DuCharme

MSFCA District Representative:
Arden Anderson

Alternate MSFCA District Representative:
Paul Miller

Other Business:

Woody Walters motioned:

…to support lifting the cap on the income exemption of $ 360.00 (Federal income exemption from taxable income) and encourage other Regions to support Federal laws to lift the cap (or increase the exemption amount)….

2nd By Foreston

Approved

Woody Walters also brought up an offer of education at meetings.  Mark DuCharme will get a hold of Dave Gantfield for more information.

Approved 2010 Meeting Schedule:

January 21, 2010                     East Bethel
April 8, 2010                           Foreston
July 8, 2010                             Harris
October 21, 2010                    Hinckley

Next Meeting at EAST BETHEL.  January 21, 2010.  7 pm Meal;  7:30 pm Meeting

Meeting Adjourned

Minutes of October 2009