Whatcom County Professional Fire Fighters IAFF Local 106

6 days ago

Bellingham Firefighters Pipes & Drums – St. Patrick’s Day Lineup! 🍀

📍 Uisce Irish Pub
🕖 7:00 PM | 🕗 8:00 PM | 🕘 9:00 PM

📍 The Grand Avenue Alehouse
🕣 8:30 PM

🍻 Come out, grab a pint, and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with us! 🍻 ... See MoreSee Less

Whatcom County Professional Fire Fighters IAFF Local 106

4 weeks ago

Engineer David Tysdal has been awarded the Idaho Medal of Honor for his actions during the June 29th ambush on Canfield Mountain. Dave’s action saved many lives during this horrific event. The Medal of Honor is the highest medal given in the state of Idaho.

Despite having just been ambushed and paralyzed, Engineer Tysdal’s first instinct was to prevent additional responders from walking into danger. Unable to move his arms, Dave used his chin to key his lapel microphone and broadcast a description of the assailant, request law enforcement, and warn others not to respond to his location.

We are thankful to those firefighters and law enforcement officers that responded on that day and in the weeks after who showed true courage during this emergency response.

*No on-screen interviews will be granted on this topic at the request of the families.

#cdafire ... See MoreSee Less

Whatcom County Professional Fire Fighters IAFF Local 106

1 month ago

The Washington State House of Representatives passed House Bill 2034 (55–39), authorizing a $2.5 billion transfer from the LEOFF 1 retirement fund to the state’s general fund.EDITED TO PROVIDE MORE INFO: 2/20 Update

For years, there has been ongoing discussion in the Washington State Legislature about what elected officials believe should be done with the large surplus in the LEOFF 1 retirement fund. The Washington State Council of Fire Fighters has consistently advocated on behalf of both LEOFF 1 and LEOFF 2 members that if elected leadership chooses to make changes, any money taken should come only from the portion contributed by the state, and that any additional changes should benefit all Washington State firefighters, not just one group.

This year, Washington State is facing a budget shortfall. You will hear debate about why, but here are the facts. Unlike the federal government, Washington State cannot run a budget deficit. The state must create and approve a two-year budget based on projected income and revenue. Over the last biennium, revenue did not meet projections. As a result, the governor and legislature are now required to either cut spending or identify new sources of revenue.

With that context in mind, both parties have argued, pushed messaging, and sought public support from their different perspectives. Now, here we are.

Last night, Washington State House Democrats turned their back on the will of our LEOFF 1 members in Olympia. By a vote of 55–39, House Bill 2034 passed, authorizing a $2.5 billion transfer out of the protected LEOFF 1 trust and into a new state-managed account, intended for benefit improvements, but without guaranteed restrictions on how or when the funds will be used. It’s also unclear what will happen to the remaining surplus that is not moved into the new account, this is a key area of concern for us and our advocacy of our LEOFF 1 retirees and survivors.

To be clear, this transfer reduces the funded status of LEOFF 1 from approximately 160 percent to about 110 percent. The United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) considers a public pension fiscally healthy at an 80 percent or higher funding ratio. While that minimum has been debated over time as potentially too low, there is broad agreement that funds should remain at least above that level.

There are now only six active LEOFF 1 members still employed. All other LEOFF 1 members are retirees or surviving beneficiaries. I will not stop fighting to protect those six members and the roughly 6,000 remaining pensioners and survivors in LEOFF 1.

I share the frustration, concern, and uncertainty many of you are feeling. It is important to be clear about where things stand.

First, there are no proposed benefit reductions or changes to LEOFF 1 or LEOFF 2 members in this legislation. That reflects the advocacy of the WSCFF, and I am grateful for that work. If you recall, LEOFF 1 AND LEOFF 2 members received a benefit improvement because of the financial health of our funds in the 2022 legislative session (Voted 48-0), which resulted in a one-time pay out for current retirees, based upon months of service, as well as a 5% increase in years 15-25. Those benefits were earned through effective and consistent lobbying efforts by our WSCFF. While this bill is not law yet, it has moved forward in the process, and both the WSCFF and I will continue to engage to protect our members interests.

One positive aspect is that some oversight authority of LEOFF 1 funds would move to be consolidated under state structures that include the LEOFF 2 Board, which has a history of stable management. However, the full extent of that governance shift remains unclear in current language.

At the same time, LEOFF 2 is considered fully funded, which makes this decision by State Democrats concerning. We knew this was a possibility, and we actively engaged with legislative leadership to present clear alternatives and solutions, but this is where they chose to land.

I want to be clear: we will support candidates, Republicans or Democrats, who protect our members and oppose incumbents who seek to take away earned benefits.

This moment is another reminder of why staying involved in politics matters so much. Nothing is guaranteed. No benefit or protection lasts forever without continued engagement, and no single political party supports us 100 percent of the time.

The safety, health, and retirement protections we have today exist because members before us stayed involved and held leaders accountable. It is now our responsibility to continue that work.

If you have questions, please reach out to your WSCFF District Representative or your elected legislators directly. I will continue to share what I know as information becomes available.

Stay informed. Stay engaged. Stay united

#WSCFF #IAFF #IAFF7thDistrict #Pension #WALeg #WAElex ... See MoreSee Less

Whatcom County Professional Fire Fighters IAFF Local 106

1 month ago

IAFF Local 106 stands with the Tumbler Ridge community.

We are heartbroken by the tragic events at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and join BC Professional Fire Fighters in extending our deepest condolences to the families, students, educators, and all those affected.

In moments like these, we are reminded that the fire service and emergency response community is bound not by borders, but by shared commitment and compassion. We hold in our thoughts the emergency responders, medevac crews, and frontline workers who answered the call with courage and professionalism during an unthinkable day.Our hearts are with the Tumbler Ridge community and the students and staff of Tumbler Ridge Secondary as we offer our deepest condolences to the families of those lost and stand in profound gratitude for the emergency responders, medevac crews, and frontline workers who showed up for their neighbours with such courage today. ... See MoreSee Less