Who
We Are,What We Do
The North Hudson Firefighters
Association
In 1999 when
the five municipalities consisting of Guttenberg, North Bergen, Weehawken,
West New York and Union City unilaterally decided to merge their individual
fire departments into a single department under the newly created North
Hudson Regional Fire & Rescue, they disrupted long term collective
bargaining groups and firefighter international and fraternal organizations.
In direct response to this, the firefighter organizations of West New
York/Guttenberg IAFF Local 620, Weehawken FMBA Local 26, Union City
FMBA Local 12 and North Bergen IAFF Local 1387 formed a singular organization
to protect its members from any forms of injustice; to secure just compensation
for their services and equitable settlement of their grievances; to
promote the establishment of just and reasonable working conditions
and strive constantly for their improvement; to improve the efficiency
of its members; and to cultivate friendship and fellowship among its
members. Hence, the North Hudson FireFighters Association was established.
We are affiliated with the following organizations:
SCROLL DOWN FOR COMING EVENTS
Safety Officer 1
Jane & Hudson
Weehawken
Has not had fire suppression capabilities for a while, but had 2 firefighters assigned 24/7. These 2 men are now assigned to Guttenberg. Building now has NO firefighters. CLOSED June 30, 2010.
Squad Company 6
43rd & Tonnelle
North Bergen
Fire engine/pumper mainly responsible for fire extinguishment. Nearest pumper is now up the hill at 43rd & Kennedy. CLOSED June 30, 2010.
Engine Company 11
66th & Jackson
West New York
Fire engine/pumper mainly responsible for fire extinguishment. NHRFR is now using this building for training & support. There are no longer any fire suppression personnel. CLOSED June 30, 2010.
Ladder Company 2
29th & Central
Union City
Ladder/truck mainly responsible for search/rescue, laddering & ventilation. There is still a pumper and a chief in this building, but the nearest ladders are at 16th or 46th Streets. CLOSED June 30, 2010.
A Late Fall 2010 delivery date is planned for the
NHRFR 10th Anniversary Yearbook.
NOTE: ONLY A LIMITED NUMBER OF COPIES OF THE YEARBOOK ARE STILL AVAILABLE
to order your copy
*Please note that the leather edition is no longer available*
Coming Events
September 13, 2010 - September 16, 2010 - FMBA Convention - Resorts, Atlantic City, NJ. Click here for more details.
September 27, 2010 - Monday - 2:00 PM - NHRFR Management Committee Meeting - Township of Guttenberg - Town Hall Council Chambers, 6808 Park Avenue, Guttenberg, NJ 07093.
October 25, 2010 - Monday - 2:00 PM - NHRFR Management Committee Meeting - City of Union City - City Hall Council Chambers, 3715 Palisades Avenue, Union City, NJ 07087.
November 15, 2010 - Monday - 2:00 PM - NHRFR Management Committee Meeting - Township of Bergen - Municipal Building Council Chambers, 4233 Kennedy Boulevard, North Bergen, NJ 07047.
December 13, 2010 - Monday - 2:00 PM - NHRFR Management Committee Meeting - Town of West New York - Municipal Building Council Chambers, 428 60th Street, West New York, NJ 07093.
NIST Report Shows Crew Size Matters Study compared how long it took crews of three, four and five to handle the same tasks.
FIREHOUSE.COM- April 29, 2010 - WASHINGTON, D.C. - For years, firefighters across the nation have touted the importance of having enough crew members when they start to attack a fire.
Now, they have scientific research to back up their claim that size does matter when it comes to saving people from fires as well as making sure they go home after their shift.
On Wednesday, the National Institute of Standards and Technology released the results of an extensive study that used technology to determine how long it took for crews of two, three, four and five to handle the same 22 tasks.
"Four- and five- person crews were able to complete the 22 essential firefighting and rescue tasks in a residential setting 30 percent faster than the two-person crew and 25 percent faster than the three-person crews," said Jason Averill, NIST fire protection engineer and the project manager.
NIST announced the findings of the study to members of the fire service attending the annual Congressional Fire Services Institute event in Washington, D.C.
Tasks included stopping at the hydrant, positioning the engine, conducting scene size-up, engaging pump, establish 2 in/2 out etc.
The data also showed that the largest crew was able to apply water to the fire 22 percent faster than two-person crews.
The small crew also encountered a much larger fire upon arrival than the five person team.
NIST also used its fire dynamic simulator to determine slow, medium, and fast-growth fires and estimate how the crew sizes would affect the exposure of occupants to toxic gases.
"Two-person crews arriving later (than the larger ones) would also likely find a significant portion of the general public incapacitated by the time of the rescue," Averill said about his findings.
IAFF General President Harold A. Schaitberger lauded the research, saying it will be used as a tool for fire officers across the country as they educate public officials.
"This is an extremely important document," he said. "Now, we have the technology and research to back up what we've been telling politicians who are cutting budgets..."
He said the research validates NFPA recommendations regarding crew size. Schaitberger said while he understands the tough economic hardships, reducing the number of firefighters, stations or apparatus is not the answer.
In addition to firefighter safety, the public welfare is at risk, he said, when small crews are involved.
NIST received a federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant to fund the project that involved only career firefighters. Researchers said the results could be similar for combination or volunteer fire departments that have crews in their stations.
USFA Administrator Kelvin Cochran said the document will be utilized by those who need justification for additional personnel, equipment or training. This will give officers something to back up their requests.
"We now have the technology, the science to prove what we've known for a long time -- it's very dangerous for a small crew to attempt an attack," he said.
A 2,000-square-foot, two-story building was specifically constructed for the study on the grounds of Montgomery County, Md. Fire Rescue training center.
Rooms contain cameras as well as instruments to measure toxic gases and temperatures The data is recorded on computers and other monitoring equipment located in a separate section of the building.
Each assignment included a truck and three engines.
"Our study is the fist to quantify fire service lifesaving and firefighting operations for a low-hazard residential structure including the effects of changes in crew size, arrival time and stagger on rescue and suppression effectiveness," Averill explained to the crowd.
Dennis Compton, chairman of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, called it a landmark study. "This can really help everyone," he said.
"It will benefit local decision makers tremendously as they work to determine and provide the resources necessary to adequately protect their communities from fire and other life safety emergencies," Compton said.
Watch some footage from the experiments.
Credit: International Association of Fire Fighters
7/15/09
To All Members:
By now you all know that the Regional has added an additional company to close on a rotation basis, bringing to a total of two. Engine 9, Engine 11 and Squad 2 will continue to experience rotational closing, but now RESCUE 1 is closing when the manpower level falls below 57.
The Regional is still using the phrase “reallocation of manpower”; not closing but, we WILL NOT use this phrase.
The apparatus is CLOSED. Essentially they have changed, AGAIN, the minimum number of personnel required to cover the citizens from 60 to 57 to now 53.
Overtime will only be used if the manpower levels fall below 53!
As we have told you before, your association does not agree, nor condone these actions by the regional.
We have voiced our concerns with the chief and the directors, but they have not asked for, nor offered any other alternatives.
We AGAIN have sent statements and left phone messages, to the papers and they have not responded back as of this writing. We are preparing another ad and also a letter to all five Mayors.
Although the regional is now closing two pieces of apparatus, an engine and the rescue, they have not (at this point) reduced the running assignments. They still are dispatching an adequate amount of apparatus to get the proper (although it’s the minimally accepted standard level) manpower to an incident.
I REMIND you, what each member on duty needs to know is what apparatus is CLOSED that day, because that could mean a delay in response or a change in functions for an apparatus that normally would be 2nd due and is now 1st due.
If the regional reduces the number of personnel responding to an incident, and puts our lives at risk, we will respond the best way possible.
For now, if you are assigned to one of the companies that are involved in the closings, this is what you need to know:
If you are told by an officer the tour before to report to a different station the next tour, you are required to be report to duty by 0730 hours.
If you are not told the tour before, you are required to be at your station on duty by 0730 hours.
If you are called during your 3 days off by an officer and you speak to that officer and he tells you to report to a different station next tour, you will be required to be at that station on duty by 0730 hours.
Any member who is at a station waiting to be relieved and is not relieved prior to 0745 hours is due overtime.
We are very concerned with the closing of companies on a daily basis, but until the regional reduces the response level to an incident or until there is a fire or some other type of incident that might have turned out different if these companies were open, there is not much we can do.
It is the regional’s obligation to properly and safely maintain an adequate level for the fire suppression.
Fraternal,
President Marino
Promotion Process - Update - 6/29/09
Today, the North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue Department promoted three firefighters to the rank of Captain. We did not see any representatives from the press in attendance though.
Although this should be a joyous occasion, and for the three firefighters that were promoted it is, as president of the North Hudson Firefighters Association I must convey our disappointment with the process that the management committee used in choosing the three.
Since September of 2008 (10 months) the North Hudson Firefighters Association has been requesting the NHRFR to promote. There have been fire officer positions vacant for over 12 months. In October of 2008 the New Jersey Civil Service Commission ordered the NHRFR to fill three of the open positions.
Since September of 2008 the North Hudson Firefighters Association has been requesting the NHRFR to hire firefighters. They did not hire ( because of an NAACP lawsuit). Now there are 23 Firefighter positions that are vacant.
The NAACP lawsuit was lost by the NHRFR and the judge order that a new list be created to encompass Hudson, Union and Essex county. When this list was created, the NHRFR filed an appeal. Chairman of the NHRFR committee and Mayor of Weehawken, Rich Turner at the April 27th Regional meeting is quoted as stating: “the mayors will never hire from any list that goes outside the municipalities”. He went on to state that they would not promote and reduce the firefighter ranks any lower because they were not going to back fill the positions.
On May first, the NHRFR department begins to CLOSE a fire company because there are not enough firefighters to fully staff each shift and they do not want to incur more overtime costs. On any given day one of three fire companies could be closed.
The NHRFR is still closing companies, WILL NOT hire but choose to promote 3 firefighters and reduce the number of firefighters employed. Why would they do that?
One possible reason. To fulfill a political promise!
A promotional list that the regional used to promote these three firefighters should have expired on December 21, 2008. But because of the New Jersey Civil Service Commission’s requirement to send all exams to the Department of Justice for verification and because a possible breach, the new promotional list did not come out in December of 2008. So the list that was to expire on December 21st stays in effect until a new list is promulgated. There are over 8 fire officer openings, but the NHRFR will not promote.
The new promotional list is released and issued and goes into effect on June 18th. The NHRFR choose to use the old list and only promote three, when it is documented that there are more positions that are vacant.
Why did they only promote three?
One possible reason. To fulfill a political promise!
A firefighter puts many hours and incurs a financial expense to score high on a promotional exam. For the Regional to promote at the 12th hour of a list’s expiration, because they saw the new list and compared it to the old list seems strange (if not downright wrong). That is very disheartening to all the firefighters.
Although we are elated that our members are being promoted (we wish them well) we must represent all of our members. If we do not believe in the system or if we do not have faith in the process then what is the point of going through the process.
Promotion Process - 6/16/09
All members need to be aware of what is transpiring with the department and promotions.
The department has requested that the CSC certify three positions off the "old list" not the list that goes in effect on the 18th.
As you know your association has been asking the regional to promote for over 8 months.
It is disheartening that they would now promote days before a new list begins. Your association is not in favor of this manipulation by the regional.
Our members are on the old list and new list, but all should be treated fairly. What the regional is doing ( although it maybe within their right) is wrong and not fair.
Over the next few weeks if the old list is used, your association will be very vocal and will show our dissatisfaction with the regional's blatant disregard for all our members.
We will be vocal because of the process not because of which member gets promoted.
Many members will have a different look-take on how to react.
Although we are elated that our members are being promoted (we wish them well) we must represent all of our members.
It is our intention to act on behalf of 200 firefighters.
If we do not believe in the system or if we do not have faith in the process then there is no point. That is where our energy will focus.
The PROCESS.
As things develop we will advise all members in a timely manner.
To All North Hudson Firefighters - 5/7/2009:
Your Association has taken out an informational AD in today's (5-7-09) Jersey Journal (see above - page 27).
We believe that all apparatus should be staffed each and every day, either through new hires or if necessary, overtime.
We all swore to protect the citizens of the five cities we cover, and with only 57 men on duty and a strategically placed engine company closed, we feel both the residents and ourselves are being put in harm's way.
With only 57 men on duty, we are able to efficiently and safely handle a one-alarm working fire. On a confirmed working fire, 31 fire personnel are being dispatched, initial 24 and another 7 upon confirmation.
As firefighters we will always be courteous and professional to all residents, management and town officials while we work through this period of under-staffing. As far as manning and equipment are concerned, we can only work with what is given to us. Work aggressively, but safely.
Dominick Marino
North Hudson Firefighters Association President
To All Members:
As you are aware, the NHRFR has not been able to maintain the required number of firefighters (220) to properly man all apparatus on a daily basis. This is due to a number of reasons.
With our firefighter numbers being at about 205 and before the summer arrives, that number will be under 200, the regional is taking steps to alleviate the overtime that they will incur.
The Regional is developing a plan to reduce the overtime cost.
As it looks now, the regional is changing the minimum number required to operate from 60 to 57. If the number falls between 60 and 57, they will close Engine 9 and disperse those members to other companies. This is what they will do right now. If the number falls below 57, for now, we believe they will call overtime.
If they feel they have to reduce the overtime more, they will change the number to 54 and then Engine 11 would be closed and disperse those members to other companies.
If they feel they have to reduce the overtime even more, they will change the number to 51 and then Squad 2 would be closed and disperse those members to other companies.
It is also believed that if an apparatus is “shut down” because they do not want to spend money on overtime, then the safety would be move to which ever house they do shut down.
There has been nothing in writing or verbal from the department at all.
All members need to be aware of this, because if an apparatus is shut down, it now changes response times and which apparatus will arrive on a scene at what time.
