Marin Firefighter News

Marin Professional Firefighters Local 1775 conducted a fundraiser for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) April 2009, raising $30,000 in six hours through a "Fill The Boot" campaign.

Local 1775 kicked off the fund drive at the end of April and 65 members canvassed seven locations in Marin County to raise money for MDA.

Led by MDA representatives Leslie Uptain and Odette Lepe along with Local 1775's MDA Chairperson and Coordinator Breanna Buchanan, firefighters hit the streets, waiting at stoplights to collect donations from passersby.

In Marin county, most fire engines are staffed with only two firefighters, half of the NFPA recommended minimum staffing, and measurably less effective that the three person standard that is considered the absolute minimum in most of the country. This inadequate staffing places the public and firefighters at risk. Of the 35 engines staffed daily in Marin county, NONE meet the minimum recommended staffing level of four firefighters, and only a handful have three firefighters at any given time. Odds are, the closest fire engine to your home has only two firefighters right now - in many emergencies, this is simply inadequate to conduct a safe rescue or quickly extinguish a fire...

Local 1775 sent 6 members to the 49th biannual convention of the IAFF August 10-15, 2008. Representing Marin Professional Firefighters, IAFF Local 1775 were Delegates Stephen Warner, Robert Briare, and Douglas Wriston, and Alternates Ken Martin, Jamie Byrnes and Todd Lando.

A complete report on convention resolutions, per-capita increases, and political endorsements is available at the IAFF Convention Website.

Deputy Chief Jeffrey V. Powers died in the line of duty June 26, 2008 at Southern Marin Fire District in Sausalito, CA. Chief Powers started his fire service career as a volunteer at Alto-Richardson Bay Fire in the 1980’s. He then became an apprentice firefighter for Corte Madera Fire and was hired full time by Mill Valley Fire Department in 1988. In 1994, he transferred to Tamalpais Fire which evolved into today’s Southern Marin Fire Protection District. Always known as a respected colleague and an enormously active citizen, his warm presence will be truly missed.