Karl’s career as and IAFF Fire Fighter began in Canby, a full-service fire district, along with a seven-year career at Life Flight as a Flight Paramedic. Elected as President of the Professional Fire Fighters of Clackamas County IAFF Local 1159. As an amalgamated union we have as many as 12 Collective Bargaining Agreements, grew during my 20 year run as local President to over 275 members. Work-week reduction, health insurance modernization, NFPA 1710 implementation, Collective Bargaining protection.. Most recently OPSRP retirement improvements and apprenticeship implementation statewide. Karl retired as a station captain at Clackamas Fire District #1 November 2019.
Advancing through the ranks becoming a Lieutenant in 1996 then on to Captain in 2002, Karl has worked in the Training Division, EMS Division and Operations.
His union career began as a bargainer in Canby, then on to Steward. After coming to CCFD#1 he joined the bargaining team while still on probation. He was lead steward for several years, taking his first elected position, Local President, in 2000. Karl was elected 4th District Vice President of the Oregon State Fire Fighters Council in 2006, and in 2016 served as Legislative Director, and in 2018 elected President.
As the lead lobby and organizer for all fire fighters in Oregon we are focusing on Apprenticeship funding to diversify and add to weight of attack for Oregon’s Fire Service. We are adding more departments to our groundbreaking paid apprentice program adding our fourth and fifth apprentice sites. Bringing the total apprentices since 2020 to 48 with 18 more with Legislative support.
Karl is Partner Education Program Instructor for the International Association Fire Fighters since 2011, Delivering education for current and emerging union leaders across North America.
Education: AAS Portland Community College Fire Science, Oregon EMT Paramedic and numerous Oregon DPSST Certifications and National Fire Academy Curricula.
"My career as a union officer is an honor of which I do not take lightly and consider my involvement a small investment in my profession and my union."
Rocky was elected as Secretary-Treasurer in 2018, prior to that Rocky served as District 6 Vice President since May of 2006. He is currently the President of Tualatin Valley Fire Fighters Local 1660, in which he was elected in 1999.
Other activities include:
Alan was appointed legislative director at the 2018 OSFFC convention in April of 2018. He previously served as the District 1 Vice President since 2014. The District 1 Vice President covers the City of Portland and Port of Portland Airport fire fighters. Alan has served as the President of the Portland Fire Fighter Associations’ since January of 2013. Previously he was a Vice President of Local 43 from January of 2008 until January of 2013, and before that served as a district representative from January 2006 until January 2008. He served on the budget committee from 2005 until January 2006. Alan has been married to his wife, Havilah, since 2002. They have twin daughters born in 2010 (Ava and Lucy) and a younger daughter born in 2012 (Charlotte). They reside in Milwaukie, Oregon.
Matt was elected as District 2 Vice President at the 2018 Convention, proudly serving the areas of Salem, Marion County, Keizer, Albany, Sweethome, Polk County, Newport, Corvallis, and Lincoln City. -Current President for Salem Firefighters Local 314. -Currently a Captain for the Salem Fire Department. -Active bagpiper in the Salem Firefighters Pipes and Drums. -Education: Western Oregon University, Oregon Health and Sciences University and Chemeketa Community College. -Family: Married to Courtney; Sons: Jackson & Henry
Irik was elected as the District 3 Vice President in May of 2014. He also currently is serving as a Field Services Representative for the IAFF. He began his career at the City of Roseburg in November of 1999, and has been a Engineer/driver since April of 2002. He served as the President of Roseburg Local 1110 from December of 2002- until December of 2016.
Kevin was elected as District 4 Vice President in May of 2016. Kevin started his career as a professional firefighter in 1999, in Gresham, OR where he has worked ever since. He is currently a firefighter on the USAR specialty team and is in charge of the rope rescues element of the station.
Kevin started out in Union Leadership when he was voted in as Vice President of Local 1062 in 2014. In 2015 he was voted in as President of the Gresham Local and been ever since. In 2016 he took on the role of 4thDistrict Vice President pushing hard to serve his assigned area. The 4th District represents the career/union fire fighters and paramedics of Hillsboro, Gresham, Astoria, Columbia River Fire and Rescue, McMinnville.
Stephen was elected District Vice President at the 2024 State convention, and represents the IAFF locals in District 5 which includes locals in Central Oregon starting at LaPine going north to The Dalles and then east through the Columbia River Gorge to the far reaches of Eastern Oregon ending at Ontario and Baker City. He has served his local in Bend for nearly 10 years in the positions of shop steward, vice president, and is currently in his second term as president.
January 2021 at the first virtual State Convention, members unanimously passed a resolution to make L1159 a seperate district. Nate Hon, member of L1159 and the locals current secretary was elected for the position.
Nate began his fire career in 2001 at Cal Fire out of San Luis Obispo, CA as a seasonal wildland firefighter. Nate worked for private ambulance in Chico, CA for a couple years before relocating to Bend, OR where he volunteered for LaPine Fire District while finishing up his fire service and paramedic education. In 2005 Nate was hired on as a firefighter/paramedic with LaPine Fire District where he was involved as a union member at Local 3387. In 2008 Nate and family moved to Portland where he began his career with Clackamas Fire District. Nate has served as a Firefighter/Paramedic, Apparatus Operator, Lieutenant and in September of 2019 was promoted to Captain. Nate now serves as the Captain at Station 4 in Clackamas.
Nate has served Local 1159 as an assistant shop steward for Clackamas Fire unit and in January of 2017 was elected as Secretary of Local 1159. Along with the secretary role, Nate also oversees Local 1159’s communication and social media platforms, the family picnic and the Local 1159 store.
In his free time Nate enjoys spending time with his family in the outdoors and coaching his daughters volleyball teams. Nate has been married to Amy since 2004 and they have three kids together, Aubree, Samantha and Everett.
Lisa has served as the Office Manager since May of 1998. She is a mom of 4, and lives in Salem with husband Lance who is a Captain at Salem Fire.
Cheri has served as Office Assistant since May 2004. Cheri lives in Salem with her 2 girls and husband Ryan who is a Battalion Chief at Albany Fire Department.
Jeff Hamilton was elected as OSFFC Secretary-Treasurer in 1998. Jeff is married to Traci, who runs the OSFFC decal program and together they have three grown boys. Jeff is retired with Gresham Fire Department and has over 20 years of experience in his local union where he has held every position from executive board to president. Jeff was appointed as Emeritus Secretary-Treasurer at the 2018 Convention, and currently serves as IAFF 9th District, District Field Service Representative.
Bob was appointed Legislative Director in 1998. He has been employed with the City of Salem Fire Department since 1993 and also obtained a Master’s degree in Public Administration with an emphasis on labor management relations from Portland State University in 2001. Bob served as the OSFFC Legislative Director from 1998-2016, President 2016-2018, and appointed to Emeritus Legislative Director at the 2018 convention.
Joe Seibert served as District 7 Vice President 2006-2018. Joe was a member of the Governors Fire Policy Committee, DPSST board and an IAFF State representative.