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Fully Involved: October 28, 2021

GSFA • Oct 28, 2021

Fully Involved - News From the Georgia State Firefighters Association

GSFA Members,

In September, with the Governor’s announcement of the pay supplement for career public safety and a stipend for volunteer firefighters, we have received numerous questions. Late last week, the full guidance, templates, and a tutorial video were released (see below.) If you are a department that is part of a local government, work within your administration on applying. If you are a private entity, then you are encouraged to work with your local government to apply. Public Safety personnel can only receive one payment. If you have members who are with other agencies, then they should be applied for via their primary agency. If someone were to receive two or more payments, they have an a obligation to return all overpayments, because the monies are subject to federal audit. Part time employees are not included in the pay supplement but paid per call volunteers are (based on how they are listed with GFSTC). On the template for submitting a roster, it asks for a certification number, that would be the GFSTC number for all eligible members of the fire service. This payment is designed to offset cost incurred during the COVID-19 surge of August 2021, so only rostered and certified members from August are eligible.

It has been asked, and we inquired, why the volunteer stipend is a different amount. The payment is, again, based solely on August 2021 and not a reflection that training requirements or severity of calls is any different for a volunteer versus career firefighter. The $300 was a prorated amount based on an estimated average of an 8hr time commitment per week for a volunteer.

Our board is here to help where we can to further answer questions and assist and we will hold a training session for our district reps to assist as well.

Diligently,

GSFA Board of Directors

Required Training Hours 2021

The Council voted 10/22/2021 to keep the 24 training hour requirement in place for 2021.

Training hours must be entered by midnight on 12/31/2021.

If a firefighter does not have the 24 required training hours by January 1, 2022, that firefighter's certification will lapse.

Georgia Public Safety Officials and First Responders Supplement Grant

Overview

Governor Kemp has announced a Public Safety Officials and First Responders Supplement Grant using funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. This program was established in recognition of the sacrifice and dedication public safety officers and first responders have shown in serving Georgians and their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant will provide a $1,000 pay supplement for all eligible sworn law enforcement officials and first responders and a $300 supplement for all active volunteer firefighters in Georgia serving during August of 2021. Eligible organizations and eligible employees include:

Eligible organizations: State government agencies and authorities, municipal and county governments, volunteer fire departments, and emergency medical services agencies licensed by the Department of Public Health.

Eligible employees: A certified employee of one of the above organizations who actively served full-time as a public safety officer or first responder during the month of August, 2021 in a position which requires active certification as a law enforcement officer, corrections officer, juvenile corrections officer, jail officer, probation officer, parole officer, communications officer, firefighter, or emergency medical services worker by the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council (POST), Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council (GFSTC), or Department of Public Health (DPH).

Click Here for More Information

9/11 MEMORIAL STAIR CLIMBS RETRACE HEROIC STEPS

Georgia 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb to be held on November 13, 2021

ATLANTA, GA October 26, 2021 – As Americans reflect on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks this year, nearly 50 cities across the U.S. will pay tribute to the New York Firefighters killed at the World Trade Center. They will do so by symbolically retracing their heroic steps in the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb.

Each 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb involves participants - to honor the 343 FDNY firefighters killed in the 9/11 attacks. Some stair climbs take place inside building stairwells, with participants climbing up and down stairs until they reach 110 stories, or 2,200 steps, the equivalent of the 110 stories of the World Trade Center. Others occur in outdoor arenas and stadiums. Often, participants wear full firefighter gear and breathing apparatuses while others take part in exercise clothes.

Viewpoint Master and Residential Tower will host this year's Georgia 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb

Address: 855 Peachtree Street, NE, Atlanta, GA

Date: 11/13/21

Regional Coordinator: Pascale Kowalski pascale.elkhourhi@fsresidential.com

Onsite Registration: 7:45 am

Opening Ceremonies: 8:30 am

Climb Start: 8:46 am

Please visit: https://nfff.akaraisin.com/ui/georgia to register for this event

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About the National Fallen Firefighter Foundation:

The United States Congress created the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation to lead a nationwide effort to remember America's fallen firefighters. Since 1992, the nonprofit Foundation has developed and expanded programs to honor fallen fire heroes and assist their families and co-workers. The Foundation also works closely with the U.S. Fire Administration to help prevent and reduce line-of-duty deaths and injuries. For more information on the NFFF and its programs, visit www.firehero.org.

Join an all-star fire and emergency management host line-up for this two-day grant writing training delivered online via Zoom

December 9-10, 2021

7:30 - 2:30 MT, 8:30 - 3:30 CT or 9:30 - 4:30 ET

Grant Writing USA and our esteemed hosts will present a two-day grant writing training delivered online via Zoom on December 9-10, 2021. The class will also be available as an on-demand replay for 30 days.

This grant writing class covers how to write grant proposals start to finish and how to locate and track relevant grant opportunities. Beginning and experienced grant writers are encouraged to attend. For this event only, class examples will be geared toward fire and emergency management agencies.

We are offering all fire and emergency management agencies a special tuition rate of $405, no discount code required. Groups of 5 or more will receive an additional $50 discount per person. Discounts for Grant Writing USA alumni are also available. Please call for details.

Checks, credit cards, and purchase orders are welcome. Agencies have 30 days after the training to pay.

Click here for complete details and registration.

If you prefer friendly, personal service:

Grant Writing USA Client Services

800.814.8191 PT

cs@grantwritingusa.com

Regional hosting partners for this event:

· Baldwin County Emergency Management, AL

· Chandler Fire Department, AZ

· Louisiana Fire Chiefs Association, LA

· Poudre Fire Authority

· Saint Joseph Fire Department, MO

· South Charleston Fire Department, WV

· Virginia Fire Chiefs Association, VA

More than 10,000 agencies across North America have turned to Grant Writing USA for grant writing and grant management training.

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GSFA News

Box Alarm Alert (5/3/24)

By GSFA • 05 May, 2024

AFG/Safer Reauthorization will be voted on next week in the House of Representatives. Use the following link to message your US Representative and ask them to vote yes.

Fully Involved: Course Announcement - Residential Sprinkler Plan Review

By GSFA • 29 Apr, 2024

The Georgia Fire Academy is hosting the following National Fire Academy Direct Delivery: Residential Sprinkler Plan Review on June 17-18, 2024, at the GPSTC main campus in Forsyth. | ASSESSMENT LAUNCHING MAY 1: HOW READY IS YOUR FIRE/EMS DEPARTMENT FOR PEDIATRIC CARE?

Fully Involved: Breaking the silence, Time for change

By GSFA • 29 Apr, 2024

Save the date, it’s time to make a change in public safety. Way too long this topic has been swept under the rug or blatantly ignored and it’s time to fix it.

Fully Involved: The NERIS Beta is On the Way. Register for the Webinar!

By GSFA • 26 Apr, 2024

One major initiative is the development and launch of the National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS), which will replace the legacy NFIRS. We kicked off NERIS development just 10 months ago as a partnership between USFA, DHS Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), the Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI), and in collaboration with the fire service at-large.

Fully Involved: GSFA Awards Program

By GSFA • 24 Apr, 2024

Nominate a Deserving Firefighter! - GSFA Annual Award Nominations Due June 30th | 2024 Georgia State Firefighters Association - Fire Department Grant & Scholarship Applications

Fully Involved: Announcements

By GSFA • 22 Apr, 2024

Join the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS S&T), UL’s Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI), and the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) for our third National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS) webinar. | very important upcoming two-day symposium entitled "Come in from the Rain: Taking Care of Ourselves", a symposium focused on behavioral and mental health of public safety employees.

Fully Involved: GFA Course Announcements: Your Firesetter Courses in Gainesville April 8-11

By GSFA • 03 Apr, 2024

The Georgia Fire Academy is hosting the following National Fire Academy Field Delivery Courses at the Gainesville Fire Department, located at 725 Pine ST, Gainesville GA. 30501

Fully Involved: HB 451- letter

By GSFA • 26 Mar, 2024

Dear Georgia Senators, Georgia fire service leaders recognize and appreciate the efforts that has been given to this peace of legislation recognizing PTSD as a threat to the health and well being of our public safety members.

Fully Involved: National Training Weekend Program

By GSFA • 25 Mar, 2024

National Training Weekend Program - This 2-day on-campus program is like our State Weekend Program but it is open to students nationwide.

Fully Involved: HB 451 Survey

By GSFA • 22 Mar, 2024

As we enter the closing days of this Legislative Session, we have some decisions to make about HB 451, PTSD Insurance Coverage. While this bill was originally designed to be similar to our Firefighter Cancer Insurance, it has been changed a few times as it has passed through committees. The House passed it with a reduction in lump sum benefit from the original $10,000 to $3,000 and a long-term disability benefit.

The Georgia State Firefighters Association (GSFA)

NEWS

Box Alarm Alert (5/3/24)

By GSFA • 05 May, 2024

AFG/Safer Reauthorization will be voted on next week in the House of Representatives. Use the following link to message your US Representative and ask them to vote yes.