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If you have any  "news" to add email dennis@offdutynetwork.com

 

 

June 2009

 

June22

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Missing Holmatro Air Bags & regulator assembly with hoses.  Contact Asst. Fire Chief Roy Acree, Smyrna Fire Rescue  770-262-8890

 

REWARD    REWARD    REWARD

 

 

June 22

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Injured Firefighter Update:  FF Willie Surry (Atlanta Fire) has been moved out of ICU.  His new room number is 3-B19. 

 

June 18

 

June 17

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Injured Firefighter Update: at 4:30pm Firefighter Willie Surry is out of surgery and he is back in his room 6th floor, “B” room 47.  Please continue to keep him lifted up in prayer.

 

June 17

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FF Willie Surry (Atlanta Fire) was struck by a tire from a tractor trailer while working a brush fire on 285 NB on June 12, 2009. FF Surry is at Grady Hospital in critical but stable condition, he sustained a head injury and has 4 or 5 ribs broken, punctured lung, and he will have to have a hip replacement on Wednesday June 17, 2009.  We will keep you updated on his condition.  Be safe out there!!

 

June 11

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Over the past year, several Georgia Fire Service members have been working with the families of three firefighters killed in the line of duty to ensure they are taken care of and facilitate the benefit packages they were told they would receive.

Firefighter Joey Turner had a heart attack and died last February at the Fire Academy while crawling the "Maze" during a structural firefighting class and ran into some problems with the State benefits.

The staff of the Georgia Indemnification Program has recommended to the Board of Directors (who will make the final decision) that Joey's family, not receive the State benefit of $ 75,000.00. The reasoning behind this is that he was training and according to the staff, this is not considered to be on-duty. The law is a little ambiguous on the training issue, and benefits have been denied in the past for public safety officers that have died in
training deaths.

We feel this is wrong on many levels, and we need your help to let the board know this. We are asking the public safety community to stand up and let the State know that this attempt to deny Firefighter Turner's family the benefits, benefits that we have all been promised, is not acceptable. We should be able to go to work in the morning to protect our local communities and feel confident that our families will be taken care of if we don't come home.

The Turner family's attorney is handling the legal aspects of what basically is turning into an appeal with the board, and has asked the fire service to work the political side of the issue through the different Fire Associations.

The Indemnification board meets on June 29, 2009 @ 10:00 at the State Capital. Exact location in the capitol has not yet been announced, but we will get that information out as soon as we have it. The current plan supported by many of the public safety associations is to fill not only the board room, but the entire capitol with uniform firefighters, police
officers, and other public safety officers during the appeal to the board.  We will be respectful and visible.

Please come and show the board how powerful the voice of public safety can be and that this is not acceptable. Remember, this is not just about Joey Turner's family, it could any of ours!

 

June 5

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Cobb County 9-1-1 Communications Officer Al Hagan passed away last night after a long illness.  West Cobb Funeral Home at 2480 Macland Road, Marietta, GA  30064 will be working with the family to finalize arrangements later today, but preliminary information is visitation will be sometime tomorrow afternoon and again on Sunday afternoon at 1400 hours with the funeral being at West Cobb Funeral Home on Sunday afternoon at 1500 hours.  Employees of the Cobb County 9-1-1 are to serve as Honorary Pallbearers during the services.  I’m not sure if someone with Cobb County will let us know when arrangements have been finalized, so please check the West Cobb Funeral Home website at http://www.westcobbfuneralhome.com/obit.htm or the MDJ for final information.

 

Al mainly worked the fire dispatch console but occasionally you would hear him on MPD Patrol 1 or Patrol 2 talk groups coordinating emergency and routine operations.  His presence will be sorely missed in the 9-1-1 Center and his extremely deep, highly recognizable, always calm and collected voice will be greatly missed on the airwaves of the Cobb County Public Safety Radio System.  Please keep his family and the members of the Cobb County 9-1-1 Communications Center in your thoughts and prayers.