E-Update Archive

This issue sponsored by:

In this issue:

1. Special Member Update: NVFC and USFA Release Comprehensive Guide to Retention and Recruitment
2. Congressman King Reintroduces Volunteer Emergency Services Recruitment and Retention Act
3. NVFC Lifetime Achievement Award Nomination Deadline is August 15
4. List Your Department with the National Junior Firefighter Program
5. Nominations for EMT/Paramedic of the Year Award Due July 2
6. VFIS Needs Help For Study on Surveillance Devices
7. September is Campus Fire Safety Month
8. Calendar of Events
9. Support Those Who Support the Voice of the Volunteer Fire and Emergency Services

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The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), in partnership with the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), has released an in-depth guide on two of the biggest challenges facing the volunteer fire and emergency services � retention and recruitment. Retention and Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges and Solutions (Second Edition) addresses the primary challenges departments face regarding retention and recruitment and then outlines proven solutions to overcome these obstacles. This valuable resource is designed for all volunteer and combination departments who are experiencing retention and recruitment challenges. Read the full article and download the Guide.

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Congressmen Peter King (R-NY) recently reintroduced the Volunteer Emergency Services Recruitment and Retention Act (H.R. 2160), a bill that would clarify the treatment of length of service award programs (LOSAP) in the federal tax code. LOSAPs are pension-like programs for volunteer emergency services personnel. Nearly 20 percent of the volunteer firefighters in America participate in some form of a LOSAP. Virgil Goode (R-VA) and Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) are original cosponsors of H.R. 2160.

The treatment of LOSAPs in the existing tax structure is ambiguous at best and has not been updated legislatively since 1996. In 2002, the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) formed a LOSAP Committee to examine current law and come up with ideas for clarifying how LOSAPs are taxed. The NVFC then worked closely with Congressman King and other fire service groups to develop the Volunteer Emergency Services Recruitment and Retention Act.

"This legislation is crucial for the volunteer fire and emergency services," said NVFC Chairman Philip C. Stittleburg. "LOSAPs have no clear place in the current federal tax structure. This creates problems for states and communities that want to provide LOSAPs for their volunteers but face unnecessary complications in setting up programs. For this reason, LOSAP participation is lower than it otherwise would be, and the programs that do exist are more difficult to administer."

The point of LOSAP is to provide participants with a financial benefit after they reach a certain age and length of service. As with pension plans, LOSAPs should be taxed when a beneficiary begins drawing from it, not each year when a payment is made into the LOSAP account. HR 2160 would fix this problem.

"HR 2160 does not decrease or eliminate taxation of LOSAPs or force any new requirements on existing LOSAPs," Stittleburg said. "This bill simply clarifies how LOSAPs should be taxed, giving volunteer emergency service organizations and state and local governments a clear legal framework to administer their LOSAP internally."

Another major change that HR 2160 makes is to increase the limit on how much can be contributed into an individual's LOSAP account each year from $3,000 to $5,000. The $3,000 limit was established in 1996 and has not been increased since. The bill also creates a mechanism for adjusting the $5,000 limit based on inflation.

Some of the other changes that HR 2160 would make include:

• Clarifies that in any given year a LOSAP sponsor can contribute more to a volunteer's LOSAP plan than it pays that individual for volunteering. Limiting contributions to 100 percent of pay makes sense for traditional pension plans - an employer would not contribute more to an employee's pension plan than the employee makes in wages. However, most volunteers receive little or no direct compensation for their services and the LOSAP contribution would be their largest benefit.
• Allows non-governmental LOSAPs to be treated as governmental. Some volunteer emergency service organizations are separate from a local governmental unit. These organizations typically have a very structured agreement with the local governmental unit that defines their ability to serve the community. By treating these organizations as governmental for the purposes of LOSAP, it exempts them from Employee Retirement Income Security Act vesting and funding requirements that are unrealistic for plans the size and scope of a typical LOSAP.

"I'd like to thank Congressman King along with original cosponsors Pascrell and Goode for reintroducing this important piece of legislation," Stittleburg said. "I urge all NVFC members and supporters of the volunteer fire and emergency services to contact their Representative and ask them to co-sponsor HR 2160."

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Nominate an outstanding volunteer firefighter for the 2007 National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) Lifetime Achievement Award. Nominations must be received by August 15. Sponsored by Scott Health & Safety, this prestigious national award annually honors an individual whose remarkable achievements in the fire service and community exemplifies outstanding performance. Nominated by their peers, the recipient is honored during a special Awards Banquet at the NVFC Fall Meeting and earns a place in history with the NVFC.  
To submit a nomination, complete the nomination form available at www.nvfc.org/award_ffoty.html and send it, along with letters of recommendation and the nominee's resume, to:

NVFC Lifetime Achievement Award
Attn: Kimberly Ettinger
1050 17th Street, NW
Suite 490
Washington, DC 20036
kettinger@nvfc.org

Please include detailed information regarding the nominee's accomplishments and other information that will help the selection committee during the review process.

Additional information regarding the award and criteria is available at www.nvfc.org/awards.html.

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Nominations are now being accepted for the 2007 EMT/Paramedic of the Year Award, sponsored by EMS Magazine, Braun Industries, and ZOLL Medical Corporation. If you know someone who deserves this award, nominate them at www.emsresponder.com. The deadline for nominations is July 2.

The winner will receive a $1,000 U.S. savings bond, a $200 EMS Bookstore gift certificate, and free travel, lodging, and registration for EMS EXPO 2007, which will be held from October 11-13 in Orlando, Florida. The award will be presented during EMS EXPO, and the winner will be featured in the October issue of EMS Magazine.

Entries will be reviewed by EMS Magazine personnel and the winner will be chosen by the editor of EMS Magazine no later than July 31. The winner will be chosen based on proven abilities in the following areas:

• superior performance of duties,
• commitment to education and research
• commitment to innovations in prehospital care and community involvement

For more information regarding the 2007 EMT/Paramedic of the Year Award and to fill out a nomination form, visit www.emsresponder.com.

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The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) and Spartan Motors have teamed to create the National Junior Firefighter Program. This program will allow young people the opportunity to learn about their local fire, rescue, and EMS organization in a safe, controlled, educational, and fun environment. It also provides an invaluable recruitment pipeline to departments and positive social interaction for youth within the program and the community.

One component of the National Junior Firefighter Program is an online resource that prospective junior firefighters can use to locate a local program. If your department already has a junior firefighter program in place and you would like to have that program added to the national listing, please contact Kimberly Ettinger at kettinger@nvfc.org with the following information:

• The name and address of the department
• The name, phone number, and email information for the program's contact
• Any additional information that you want included about the current program

To be added to our email list to receive more information regarding program developments, visit www.nvfc.org/juniors and fill out the Information Sign-Up Form. The program will launch in the coming weeks, so stay tuned.

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VFIS is asking for your assistance. Please take a short survey and help with a study to learn more about video surveillance and how emergency service organizations are using video-type devices to monitor safe driving practices.

The survey will be available until July 1. Click here to take this short survey: www.vfis.com/vidsurvsurvey.htm.

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Senate Resolution 105, which recently passed the United States Senate unanimously, recognizes September as Campus Fire Safety Month. Senator Joe Biden (D-DE), Congressional Fire Services Caucus co-chair, introduced the resolution, which will be an important tool to help raise fire safety awareness on campuses across the country. This will be the third year that Campus Fire Safety Month is recognized nationally.

"We need to do everything we can to ensure that college campuses are safe for students living both on and off campus," said National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) Chairman Philip C. Stittleburg. "Each year, too many students die in campus fires that could have been prevented if proper fire safety procedures and techniques had been employed. As students return to college campuses next September, I hope that they will take advantage of Campus Fire Safety Month to make their campuses safer for themselves and others."

The NVFC urges all college students to participate in Campus Fire Safety Month in September. A web site with more information will be launching on August 14 at www.campusfire.org.

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Firehouse Expo
July 26-28
Baltimore, MD

Fire Rescue International
August 23-25
Atlanta, GA

Alaska State Firefighters Association Conference
September 26-28
Valdez Civic Center
Valdez, AK

NVFC Fall Meeting
October 24-27
Providence, RI

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The NVFC relies on the assistance of its corporate and association partners to be able to provide a voice for the volunteer fire and emergency services in Washington. We encourage you to look at a list of our Sustaining Members and support them with your business.