Local 2068 Health & Safety
Fire fighter occupational cancer is the leading cause of line-of-duty death in the fire service.
At the 2023 IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial, 63% of the names added to the wall were members who had died from occupational cancer.
In partnership with the Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN), the IAFF has designated January as Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Month to provide fire fighters the necessary tools and guidance to develop life-saving protocols for cancer prevention and to support those with a cancer diagnosis within their departments.
The IAFF Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Treatment and Recovery is a one-of-a-kind addiction treatment facility specializing in PTSD for IAFF members – and IAFF members only – who are struggling with addiction, PTSD other related behavioral health challenges to receive the help they need in taking the first steps toward recovery. It is a safe haven for members to talk with other members who have faced or overcome similar challenges.
𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗟𝘁. 𝗟𝗮𝘂𝗿𝗮 𝗛𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗶𝗻𝘀! Last week, our member Lieutenant Laura Huggins was honored as she retired following a remarkable career with Fairfax County Fire and Rescue.Lt. Huggins dedicated her career to protecting the residents and visitors of Fairfax County, and her leadership, professionalism, and commitment to the fire service will leave a lasting legacy.On behalf of Local 2068, we thank you for your years of service and wish you all the best in your next chapter. Join us in congratulating Lt. Huggins on her well-earned retirement! #Local2068 #FCFRD #fairfaxcounty #UnionStrong ... See MoreSee Less
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𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝗟𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗞𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗢𝗳𝗳 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝘁!A huge thank you to our retirees for stepping up last week to support our MDA Chair, Joel Kobersteen, in the behind-the-scenes prep for this year’s Fill the Boot campaign!There’s a tremendous amount of work that goes into making this campaign a success every year, and it wouldn’t be possible without Joel’s leadership and the dedication of our volunteers. From retirees lending a hand, to our office staff keeping things organized, to the members out on the streets collecting each day, this is truly a team effort.We’re grateful to everyone who helps make Fill the Boot such an impactful campaign for the MDA community!#local2068 #FCFRD #fairfaxcounty #UnionStrong #mda #FillTheBoot ... See MoreSee Less
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𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟲𝟴 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲𝘀 𝗕𝗖 𝗞𝗿𝗶𝘀 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗻’𝘀 𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲Yesterday, Local 2068 member Battalion Chief Kris Johnson was honored for 20 years of dedicated service to the residents and visitors of Fairfax County!Chief Johnson plays a vital role in overseeing our health and wellness programs, ensuring our members have the support they need to stay strong, healthy and ready to serve.Please join us in congratulating him on this milestone and wishing him many more years of service to Fairfax County! #Local2068 #fairfaxcounty #FCFRD #UnionStrong ... See MoreSee Less
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𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 – 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗸 & 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲Last week, Local 2068 active and retired members proudly participated in the annual Backpack and School Supply Distribution at Firehouse 411, Penn Daw.This incredible event is organized each year by our retired brother Willie Bailey and his team at Firefighters and Friends to the Rescue. Their efforts bring together organizations across the community to support more than 9,000 kids each year, not only with backpacks and school supplies, but also with haircuts, winter coats, sneakers, toys, and bikes during the holidays.This year’s event provided around 1,600 backpacks filled with supplies to schools, families, and nonprofits throughout Fairfax County.A big thank you to all our members and community partners who came out to make this event such a success. Together, we make a difference!#Local2068 #FairfaxCounty #FCFRD #UnionStrong #BackToSchool ... See MoreSee Less
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𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗠𝗧 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘀𝗼𝗻 & 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴!Today we celebrate two outstanding milestones from our brothers at FS08, Annandale (C-Shift):Master Technician Gary Thompson – honored for 25 years of dedicated service to the residents and visitors of Fairfax County.Captain Jon Long – promoted to Captain of C-Shift at Firehouse 408.Both of these accomplishments reflect years of commitment, leadership, and professionalism. Please join us in congratulating MT Thompson and Captain Long on their achievements!#Local2068 #FairfaxCounty #FCFRD #UnionStrong ... See MoreSee Less
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𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝟮𝟬 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 – 𝗙𝗙 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗶𝘀 𝗡𝗴𝘂𝘆𝗲𝗻Please join us in congratulating our member Firefighter Travis Nguyen (FS01, McLean, A-Shift) on achieving a remarkable milestone, 20 years of service with Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department .Thank you, FF Nguyen, for your dedication, professionalism, and commitment to protecting the residents and visitors of Fairfax County. Your hard work and service make a difference every day.#Local2068 #fairfaxfire #FCFRD #UnionStrong ... See MoreSee Less
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𝗛𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗧 𝗝𝗼𝗲 𝗦𝘄𝗶𝗳𝘁Today we recognize one of our retired members, Master Technician Joe Swift, who was recently honored by Manna Foodbank for an incredible 1,000 hours of service and his unwavering commitment to ending hunger in Western North Carolina.While our members may retire from serving the residents and visitors of Fairfax County, many continue to serve their communities in new and meaningful ways. MT Swift’s dedication is a shining example of that continued service.Strong work, Joe and thank you to all our retirees who keep giving back!#Local2068 #FairfaxFire #FCFRD #FairfaxCounty ... See MoreSee Less
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𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹When your firefighters and paramedics aren’t training or responding to emergencies, it’s just as important that we’re out in the community building relationships with the people we serve.Last week, Local 2068 members across Fairfax County took part in National Night Out, an incredible opportunity to meet residents in a relaxed, positive setting, instead of the high-stress situations where we often cross paths.Thank you to everyone who stopped by to say hello, and to the communities that welcomed us with open arms. Stronger connections make for stronger public safety, and we’re proud to be part of that.📸Credit: Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department PIO#Local2068 #NationalNightOut #FCFRD #Fairfaxcounty #UnionStrong ... See MoreSee Less
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𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶!Today we proudly celebrate Captain Alessi on his well-deserved retirement after 25 years of dedicated service to the residents and visitors of Fairfax County.Throughout his career, Captain Alessi went above and beyond, including serving as the Health & Safety Director for Local 2068 for several years, playing a pivotal role in strengthening cancer presumptions, advancing cancer prevention and reduction efforts, and championing our members’ rights when it came to workers’ compensation and workplace injury support.He also represented our Union during several significant incident investigations, always advocating to ensure the safety, health, and well-being of members, ensuring the lessons learned from these incidents could be used to prevent similar situations in the future.Captain Alessi’s leadership, advocacy, and passion for protecting the fire service family will be greatly missed, but his impact will continue to be felt for years to come.Congratulations, Carmen! Thank you for your service, and enjoy the next chapter of your journey, you’ve earned it!#Local2068 #FairfaxCounty #UnionStrong #FCFRD ... See MoreSee Less
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