President Ken Hoover called the meeting of the Board of Directors of the Fire Fighters Association of Missouri to order at 9:00 a.m., Sunday, February 2, 2020, at the Missouri State Fair Fire Department in Sedalia, MO.
The meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance.
Roll Call of Board of Directors and other officials
Officers
President Ken Hoover, Little Dixie FPD; First Vice President Larry Jennings, Johnson County FPD; Second Vice President Grant Oetting, Higginsville FPD; Secretary Treasurer Jaime Miller, Johnson County FPD #2; Sergeant-at-Arms Rex Reynolds, Southern FPD of Holt County.
Directors
District 1, Terry Wynne, Galt FPD; District 2, Greg Wright, Shelbina FD; District 3, Larry Jones, Madison/West Monroe FPD; District 5, Terry Plumb, Southern Stone FPD; District 6, Gary Berendzen, Cole County FPD; District 7, RB Brown, Eureka FD; District 9, Roy Sims, West Plains FD; District 10, Greg Brown, Eureka FPD; District 11, Monty Thompson, Kearney FPD.
Assistant Directors
District 1, Janet Cain, Braymer Fire Rescue; District 2, Vernon Cash, Shelbina FPD; District 6, Alan Braun, Cole County FPD; District 10, Harriett Vaucher, Eureka FPD; District 11, Josh Koepke, Kansas City FD; District 14, Glen Dittmar, Dearborn Area FPD.
Others
Past President Keith Smith, Warrenton Fire Protection District.
Guests
Tim Bean, Matt Luetkemeyer, Missouri Division of Fire Safety; Billy Smith, North Central Carroll FPD; Mark Stevenson, Mike Harding, Pettis County FPD; David Hedrick, Kevin Zumwalt, Missouri Fire Rescue Training Institute; Cy Fields, Paris Rural FPD; Ed Daugherty, Chillicothe FD.
Agenda
President Hoover asked for additions to the agenda. Monty Thompson moved to accept the agenda as presented. RB Brown seconded the motion and all approved.
Minutes
President Hoover asked for corrections to the December 1, 2019 meeting minutes. Gary Berendzen moved to accept the minutes as presented. RB Brown seconded the motion and all approved.
Financial Report
President Hoover asked for a review of the November-December 2019 financial report. RB Brown moved to accept the financial report presented. Gary Berendzen seconded the motion and all approved.
Report of Officers and Special Guest(s)
Kevin Zumwalt with the University of Missouri Fire Rescue Training Institute reported that Winter Fire School will be February 7-9, in Columbia. There are approximately 1000 attendees signed up to attend classes.
19 recipients will be awarded the MFA Grant Friday afternoon, February 7. Thanks to the FFAM Directors who helped evaluate the applications.
Zumwalt advised he has been traveling around the state to different association meetings. If you have an upcoming meeting or event you would like for him to attend, just reach out.
Visit the new website at mufrti.org and let him know your thoughts, good or bad or any problems you encounter. The website is now being managed by MU Extension.
Zumwalt announced he will be retiring from MU FRTI later this year. The position announcement and hiring process will begin in a couple of weeks.
The annual report is also now available.
State Fire Marshal Tim Bean with Missouri Division of Fire Safety introduced Matt Luetkemeyer as the new Assistant State Fire Marshal.
Annual fire department registrations are going on now. 2019 ended with 85% participation. All departments are encouraged to get their registrations in.
Deedee Edwards will be retiring in May. Her position will be opening soon.
The DFS budget was submitted to the House last week. It will then go to the Senate. They have asked for the work comp grant to be moved back to DFS instead of the Missouri Department of Conservation. They have also asked for safety equipment and new vehicles.
The fire department workers compensation grant has had 33 departments apply so far. 16 have been approved. The grant is for $2,000 to be applied towards workers compensation funding.
Marijuana dispensaries are now appearing in the state. Firefighters could face exposures. Make sure to document if you are exposed and take a blood test. Since this is such a new area, we aren’t sure what risks or consequences firefighters could face if exposed.
Firefighter Day at the Capitol will be March 18, 2020. The opening ceremony will be at 11:00 a.m. The theme is Firefighter Cancer Awareness.
Workers compensation rates are locked in for volunteers leading to a very low compensation rate if they are injured on a fire scene. DFS is holding discussions on how to financially help those firefighters who are in the workers compensation system and are unable to work at their full-time jobs. Departments are encouraged to educate themselves and investigate supplemental insurance policies to help compensate volunteers who are injured.
DFS had a sprinkler trailer donated to them. They would like FFAM to partner with them with the use of the trailer as a training aid.
Correspondence
None.
Unfinished Business
None.
New Business
Discussion was held on the January LODD in West Peculiar FPD and West Peculiar’s 2020 membership that was received after the firefighter’s death. The Board advised no action would be taken regarding insurance benefits.
Committee Reports
Awards Committee
Larry Jennings reminded everyone that the awards deadline is February 28. Department grants are due June 1.
Budget Committee
Larry Jennings advised that 2019 ended under budget. Income came in well.
Bylaws Committee
No report was given.
Chaplain Committee
David Hedrick reported that the Missouri Fire Chaplains Corp (MFCC) will have an exhibit and information booth at the MU FRTI Winter Fire School Equipment Exposition on February 7, 2020. An open invitation to drop by the booth and visit with the leadership of the MFCC. Two classes for Chaplains will be conducted on Saturday at Winter Fire School.
The MFCC annual meeting and training session is scheduled for September 14 -15, 2020 in Grandview, MO.
The State Emergency Management Agency is moving forward with the Disaster Chaplain program. The intent is to be able to provide a resource of emergency service chaplains that can be requested through SEMA during disasters. Additional information will be available this spring.
Contest Committee
Gary Berendzen requested that anyone who is available to help with the contest on Saturday of convention, please contact him. New hose has been purchased leaving 400’ surplus hose that needs to be disposed of.
President Hoover advised that he was approached about dedicating the 2020 contest to Pam Carsten for her years of service to the FFAM and the contest committee. Monty Thompson moved to dedicate the 2020 contest to Pam Carsten. Gary Berendzen seconded the motion and all approved.
Convention Committee
Monty Thompson advised that the Kearney convention committee is meeting every two weeks. All preparations are going well.
Washington Fire Department contacted President Hoover. They are preparing for hosting 2021 and asked if FFAM would share the cost of a software program so registrations could be done online. Discussion followed and the board chose to take no action at this time.
Education Committee
No report was given.
Fire Prevention Committee
RB Brown challenged all departments to sponsor a poster contest in their communities and to get those posters entered in the FFAM poster contest. The submission deadline is the Friday of convention. The theme is “Not every hero wears a cape. Plan and practice your escape!”
Legislative Committee
Greg Brown reported that they are talking with insurance companies regarding cancer/critical illness legislation.
SB 671 has some language revisions. This bill creates new provisions relating to legal claims based on prior toxic exposure to certain substances.
PTSD – there are several bills trying to look at recognizing this condition.
Prescription drug monitoring – passed the house committee and continues to be worked on. It did receive first round approval.
There is a bill introduced regarding firefighting donated equipment to make the process more streamlined.
There is a cut in the firefighter education fund, but it does not affect the money the commission has to spend, because the cut is only an amount that was not eligible to be spent in our line item.
Numerous property tax bills were voted out of committee last week. Most attempt to cap the rate of growth of assessments to alleviate sticker shock on residences property tax statements. They will likely hit the debate calendar next week, which will put them in line for debate on the floor sometime in mid-March perhaps.
March 18, 2020 is Firefighter Day at the Capitol. Get to know your legislators and everyone is encouraged to attend.
Membership Committee
Grant Oetting reported the following membership counts: 370 Directors/Councilman; 270 Retired; 10 Associate; 13 Sustaining; 17 Corporate, 292 Fire Departments; 5295 Active; 10 Educational; 95 Juniors; 7 EMS Department, 93 EMS individuals.
He reported that FFAM has been asked to attend several conferences this year.
He is working with Representative Kolkmeyer about sponsoring an FFAM license plate. He will provide more information as it becomes available.
Nomination Committee
Keith Smith advised that Director positions up for election in 2020 will be Districts 1, 3, 7, 11 and 14.
NVFC Committee
Keith Smith reported that NVFC is working on routine things with grants and he will have more information in the next newsletter.
Scholarship Committee
Terry Plumb reported that the scholarship submission deadline is February 28.
State Fair Committee
Monty Thompson reported the commissioners are meeting today to discuss the contract with the state.
Website Committee
No report was given.
Newsletter
The deadline for the next newsletter will be March 1.
Historian report
Contact Grant if you have items to be donated to the museum.
Fire Funeral Team report
Harriett Vaucher reported that 10 team members helped during the West Peculiar LODD. Supporting Heroes took care of some family members expenses.
The team has two new trailers. Two surplus trailers will be sold.
The team is raising money for a LODD trailer. They are also raising money for platforms and risers which cost approximately $25,000.
EMS Funeral Team report
Greg Wright reported that the team has assisted with 4 non-LODD and 1 LODD services recently. October 23-24 will be the annual conference, more information to follow as the date approaches. The Supporting Heroes Gala will be February 29, in Owensboro, KY. There are tickets available.
Foundation report
Keith Smith reported that Phase 1 of the museum is almost complete and fundraising efforts continue for Phase 2.
The Foundation is discussing presumptive cancer and how the memorial will follow.
Discussion was held on FFAM flags being flown at the memorial and replacing the flags 2-3 times per year due to the wear. Greg Brown moved to pay for the FFAM flags at the memorial. Glenn Dittmar seconded the motion and all approved.
Monty Thompson moved to adjourn the meeting. Terry Wynne seconded the motion and all approved.
President Hoover adjourned the meeting at 11:25 a.m.
Jaime Miller
Secretary
Fire Fighters Association of Missouri
FFAM
