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VFPASNY COMMITTEES 2022-2023
FROM Norm Davis, 1st VP
Hello to all members.
I hope this email finds you and your family well. I hope you had a happy & safe holiday.
1. Thomas F. With Fire Police Training & education Seminar will be held March 23,2024 at the Deerfield Fire Dept -Firefighter Banquet Hall 5476 Trenton Rd, Utica, NY 13502 (NO WALK-INS )
2. VFPASNY 2024 Convention will be April 25th-28th at the Hilton Garden Inn, 1290 Arsenal St. Watertown NY 13601. I have attached an event schedule and hotel information.
3. Reminder to all Regional Directors you must hold your regions meeting and election of officers prior 30 days to the Convention.
4. What are the duties of a VFPASNY Regional Director and Delegates they must be elected by their region membership. (I have attached the SOGs for for Directors & Delegates for you information below)
DUTIES OF REGIONAL DIRECTORS
It is the responsibility of the newly elected Regional Director to correspond with the former
Regional Director and current Delegates, prior to the convention, to be brought up to date on
any matters or open issues in your region. This includes the schedule of upcoming regional
and county meetings and training for your region. Additionally, ensure you are in
possession of the up to date Director’s copy of the Standard Operating Guidelines (SOGs)
and By-Laws of our Association. The nine (9) Regional Directors will serve on the Board of
Directors of the Association. The Delegate is elected at a regional meeting Forty Five (45)
Days prior to convention.
The Regional Director’s Duties will also include but are not limited to the following:
● Prepare and submit a report for your region on events, important items, problems and
your attendance at meetings and events. Directors are expected to attend Annual
Meeting, Board of Directors Meetings, Convention, Fall & Spring Meetings and
Special Meetings of the Association. If unable to attend, ensure your region has
representation with a regional Delegate or a Director at Large (DAL)
● Ensure there are periodic regional and county Fire Police meetings in your region and
keep your Counties up-to-date on any changes in the laws for Fire Police. The
Director is expected to attend these meetings when possible, if not ensure a Delegate
or DAL is in attendance.
● Assist your counties in training as needed and training dates and places in other
surrounding counties.
● Educate members where they can get proper safety equipment.
● Notify Chief Chaplain and Presidents of deceased members in your region ASAP by
phone, text or e-mail.
● Attend wakes and/or funerals for deceased fire police (members and non-members)
in your region. Prepare and ensure the family of the deceased member receives the
Memorial Resolution packet supplied by our Association.
● Prepare the “Deceased Member Notification Form” found on the VFPASNY website
under “Files”/”Membership Information”. for deceased fire police (members or non-
members) in your region. Follow directions on form and mail/e-mail completed form
as directed to appropriate officers. This is important to ensure the deceased is
appropriately remembered during the annual Memorial Service at the convention.
● Advise the Presidents via phone call, text or e-mail of any problems in your region to
see if it can be resolved before a formal meeting.
● Educate members on awards, applications, 50 year certificates, etc. and where to get
the forms on the website. Bring a supply of forms (make sure it is the latest revision)
to meetings for Delegates and members of our Association.
● When requested by county associations, swear in their officers utilizing the “Oath of
Office” supplied in you packet.
● Attend monthly “Director’s Workshop” via zoom to share ideas, discuss challenges,
mentor new directors, etc. to strengthen communication and the results of our
Association.
● Prepare Region newsletter articles by the due date to the Newsletter Editor including
events, important items, awards, milestones (ie: 50 years of service), deceased
members, election results, photographs and other happenings in your region.
● Provide Webmaster with your meeting schedule (dates, times and location) and other
events and photographs you would like to share on the website.
● Train your Delegate(s) in your region as backups and to communicate to Association
members and potential members the values of membership. The Delegate(s) will be
your assistants throughout the region and at Association meetings and events. There
should be two way communications between Director and Delegate(s).
● Director will provide a list of Delegate(s) in your region to the President, First Vice
President, Second Vice President, Membership Secretary and Recording Secretary.
DUTIES OF REGIONAL DELEGATES
The Delegate is elected at a regional meeting to represent and attend meetings in the
counties of the region and for the Association. They will assist the Director to
disseminate training and safety, educate and update on duties of a volunteer fire police
officer and changes in laws. The Delegate must serve at least one (1) year in this
position to be eligible to run for Regional Director (Director) and enhance their career in
the Association.
In the absence, short or long term, of the Director the Delegate will be responsible for the
Duties of the Regional Director as outlined on pages 4 and 5 of this document “Standard
Operating Guidelines (SOGs) and the ByLaws Article VI section 7.
.As a Delegate from your region, you should have a thorough knowledge of the duties of
a NYS Fire Police Officer and be able to pass such knowledge on to others.
The
Delegate will be aware of safety and protection available as per ANSI-ISEA 107, Class 3
equipment.
Delegates must be knowledgeable of the chain of command of the Association.
5. We are looking for a host to hold the Spring & Falls VFPASNY meetings in April & September 2025 & on.
These meetings are usually held on a Friday for the Board of Directors and on Saturday 9:00 to usually about 15:00. If you would like more information feel free to contact me.
6. Reminder we are accepting nominations for association elected officers positions for 2024/2025 Treasurer, Membership Secretary, Recording Secretary, President, 1st & 2nd Vice presidents , Chief Chaplin, Sergeant-at-Arms. If you would like to run for one of these officer positions please send your credential information to the nominating committee adviser: Dorothy Brown @ womenwolf46@yahoo.com and also copy Barbara Fischer @ nyspsec@gmail.com. At less 45 days before the convention
7. THE VFPASNY OFFERS THREE AWARDS TO FIRE POLICE
“Fire Police Officer of the Year Award Nomination Form Award”
The Fire Police Officer of the Year Award is presented to an Active Fire Police Member of a Volunteer Fire Department, Company, or Squad. The Award shall be made based on some outstanding heroic or exemplary fire police related activity performed The Award shall be for an incident/deed/event/action/activity occurring in the previous calendar year, January 1st – December 31st.
“Woodman Award Nomination Form for Fire Police Service Achievement”
The Woodman Award is presented to an Active Fire Police Member of a Volunteer Fire Department, Company, or Squad. It is awarded for continued distinguished meritorious service to the Fire Police Community over a prolonged period of years. This individual leads by example and demonstrates total dedication to the fire police service and his/her community and may include being a volunteer in other organizations.
“Delegate or Director-at-Large of the Year Award Nomination Form”
This individual is a current VFPASNY Delegate or Direct-at-Large that has done an outstanding job in the performance of his/her duties and responsibilities or in conjunction with special projects or assignments and leads by example. The Award shall be for performance during the current fiscal year, June – May.
These forms are available for download from the Files section under Awards On this website vfpasny.com, I have attached these 3 forms.
Out of 1800 members I am sure someone has done something notable that they should be awarded for. All applications for awards listed above are due by MAIL or EMAIL to the Chair or Co-Chair listed on the bottom of the form and must be received by March 31st.
8. The Spring 2024 meeting this year will be held on ZOOM meeting with a date TBA due to the convention being moved to April. We will send out more information sorry for any inconvenience. If you don’t have a zoom maybe you can go to a fire station and watch as a group.
Thank you for all your service and your time reading this email.
Norm Davis
1st Vice President
From the office of the President - VFPASNY
As you will notice from the inside front cover of the new listing of VFPASNY officers for 2023-2024, I have returned to the position of President to try and get some items corrected and updated so this organization can survive. All groups are facing declining enrollment, involvement and any chance to improve what they can do for the Fire Service.
Since the convention in Niagara Falls, I will say that I have been blessed by a lot of officers jumping on board and working to bring us up to speed on SOG's, Bylaws and getting to some meetings to spread the word and what we plan to accomplish. Yes, I have returned this year to bring forth my belief of operating under a 3 P programs: Productive, Positive and Professional. Keep your eyes open, folks as there is more to come.
Items that all should be aware of is that next March, the Tom With Seminar will be held at the NYS Fire Acadamy in Montour Falls...is a GO! We are not only working on the speakers and subject matter, but with OFPC on their schedule. We might be moving out one week but this is for the Acadamy to schedule other events because they will be shutting down April 1, 2024 for a lot of renovations to the Acadamy until at least September. We will be working hard on getting all of this information out to you by the Fall/Winter Issues, on the website and the Offices through attending your meetings. Yep, another work in progress.
We are working with other organizations such as OFPC, NYSDOT, Emergency Services and FASNY to improve training for Fire Police. Plans are still in the works for upgrades and availability to the courses out there. Possible webinars are being proposed to get to you for the updates that are out there. Yes, we know that changes are coming and hope to get all this out to you. Plans are in the works for next year's convention to be held in Jefferson County in April at the Hilton Garden Hotel. Registration forms are included in this issue, and we will be sending out information to cover the scheduled training programs. Start checking around now for those individuals that warrant recognition for awards. Forms are on the website.
We will continue to send out information to the Directors when By-Law are placed in the corrected copy mode. Issues of your concerns should always be forwarded to the Directors and Officers so we can act on them. Let's work together to "Get Er Done".
On behalf of the Officers of the VFPASNY, we wish you all a safe and enjoyable fall season. Together let's keep the fire police active and work with our groups to better what we do for our communities. God Bless You All.
Dick Duerr.
Volunteer Fire Police Association of State of New York