Marin Firefighter News

A Memorial Service will be held Saturday in Redding to honor a CAL FIRE pioneer who died in last week's devastating helicopter crash in Trinity County. U.S. Forest Service helicopter inspector pilot James Ramage -- CAL FIRE's very first firefighting helicopter pilot -- will be honored in ceremonies scheduled for Saturday, August 16th, beginning at 2:00pm at the Redding Convention Center. Ramage, 63, was among nine people who died August 5th in the crash of a Sikorsky S-61 helicopter, which was transporting firefighters working on the Iron Complex.

The first forestry pilot hired by CAL FIRE -- then the Department of Forestry -- was among those who died in last week's devastating helicopter crash in Trinity County. James Ramage, 63, was on board the Sikorsky S-61 helicopter that went down August 5th, killing nine and injuring four. Ramage worked for CAL FIRE for two decades before retiring in 2004. He then moved over to the U.S. Forest Service, for whom he worked as a helicopter inspection pilot.

As part of its unprecedented bankruptcy filing, Vallejo has petitioned to have all of its labor contracts voided by the bankruptcy court. If allowed to stand, Vallejo’s attack on its own employees would send shock waves throughout the labor movement, setting the stage for a cascade of tactical “bankruptcies”, all filed with the sole purpose of reneging on their employees. 

With California in the grips of its third catastrophic fire season in five years, CPF is backing an effort that seeks to check uncontrolled growth in the state's fire-prone wildlands. Assembly Bill 2447 would require that any new construction in the wildland-urban interface pass a simple test before it is approved -- can it be protected from devastating wildfire.

A CPF Trustee and proud member of Long Beach Firefighters Local 372 has won decisive re-election as the IAFF Western Trustee. Tony Mejia won an overwhelming vote during the IAFF Convention in Las Vegas this week. Mejia was first elected IAFF Western Trustee in February, winning a vote to complete the term of Trustee Bob Greenwood, who died in January.