Swearing in of the Executive Board Officers at the close of convention on Wednesday, April 28th , 2010  Pictured from left to right... Lance Gray - District 2 VP, Kevin Gray - District  2 VP, Rocky Hanes - District 6 VP, Jeff Hamilton - Secretary-Treasurer, Kelly Bach - President, Karl Koenig - District 4 VP, John Wooten - Distrrict 5 VP, Joe Seibert - District 7 VP, Jim Forquer - District 1 VP

The Oregon State Firefighters Council announced their endorsement of John Kitzhaber for Governor today. The support of the Firefighters represents the first major public safety endorsement in the 2010 campaign for Governor and gives Kitzhaber another significant labor endorsement.

“We are proud to be an early endorser of Oregon’s next Governor,” said Oregon State Firefighters Council President Kelly Bach. “As firefighters, our job is to step into a crisis to rescue and protect the people in danger. Right now, Oregon needs the same thing from it’s next Governor. John Kitzhaber has the on the job experience and character we need to create jobs, protect public safety and stand up for front line firefighters and all Oregon families.”

Kitzhaber said, “Like all Oregonians, I am deeply grateful for the work Oregon firefighters perform every day. I am honored by their support and look forward to working closely with firefighters throughout Oregon over the course of the campaign.”

The Oregon State Firefighters Council represents around 3,000 members in 44 different locals. They supported John Kitzhaber’s successful campaigns for Governor in both 1994 and 1998.

To date, Kitzhaber has received the support of all three labor unions that have made public endorsements. The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555 and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 48 have also thrown their support behind the former Governor. Kitzhaber also boasts the endorsement of over 60 current and former elected officials, including four statewide office holders.

John Kitzhaber is a former two-term Governor of Oregon. An emergency room physician from Roseburg by trade, he has also served in the Oregon House of Representatives and as the Oregon Senate President. In his career he enacted many progressive reforms, including the Oregon Health Plan, the Oregon Education Act for the 21st Century, the Oregon Children's Plan, the Oregon Salmon Plan, and he helped establish Oregon’s Statewide Trauma System. Since leaving office in 2002, he has continued to work on health care reform, natural resource issues and energy policy, leading several nonprofit foundations and boards.

SAFER is helping to keep Oregon communities safe - even in these tough economic times...

United States Senator from Oregon visits Clackamas Local 1159  
Firefighters  - US Senator Jeff Merkley (D) from Oregon visited Clackamas Fire  
District Engine/Boat 8. The Senator's stop was to evaluate the effects  
of the SAFER Grant Program on the Oregon Fire Service. Met by  
Operations Chief Jonathan Smith and IAFF Local President Karl Koenig  
he toured Clackamas Fire District #1 Training Center and Engine/Boat 8  
quarters. Joining the tour was all four SAFER companies, Engine 1,  
Engine 2, Engine 8 and Truck 15.  The 12 SAFER hires increased  
staffing on each of the mentioned apparatus to four per day 24 hours  
with no work down.

During our tour we stressed the impact increased crew strength has on  
fire ground operations, safety and response coverage. This program  
increases fire ground effectiveness 70% for a 25% increase in cost.  
The SAFER Grant also has a positive effect on crew safety and  
accountability. It reduces the time it takes to assemble the minimum  
numbers of firefighters on a scene prior to commencing on interior  
attack, therefore lessening the impact of fire by keeping the fire in  
check or the ability to quickly extinguish it .

The SAFER Grant has allowed our employer to increase staffing, improve  
service during the toughest economic times Oregon has experienced  
since the early 1980's. Without this program these living wage jobs  
are not a reality.

Karl Koenig
Local President
Professional Fire Fighters Association of Clackamas County
IAFF Local 1159
503-351-6797
kkoenig@local1159.com
local1159@mac.com