President's Report
November 2023
Today we will be addressed by Sandy Denault a first responder and cancer survivor who works for Detec Together , an organization that is going throughout the country visiting other Fire Dept about cancer. Their moto is "Saving lives through Early Cancer Detection". We welcome Sandy and thank for her presentation.
Thanks to alot of hard work by Larry Mack we now have been presented with a car from the Fire Family Transport. It will be great for our members and their familes for doctor and hospital visits. Larry will give a presentation on how it will work. Congrats to Larry on a job well done!
We had a board meeting Tuesday and are working to get the web site current and make many added improvements . If you can help in this please let us know.
Our Christmas Blood Drive will be on Frida,y Dec. 29 at the VFW in Carmel. Set-up starts at 8 am, and volunteers are needed and donations start at 10 am and go till 7 pm where volunteers again be needed to help break down. Any questions call Denis Hanrahan 845 300 0428, or Tom Lynch 845 661 4926
The FDNY Holy Name Society Anual Memorial Mass will be held on Nov. 19 at 11:45 in St. Barnabas Church 409 E. 241 st in the Bronx. Members are asked to wear their class A's.
Please par take in our 50/50 and we would like to thank the Carmel K of C for letting us use their hall while the Mahopac FD was under construction. And a thank you to the Mahopac FD for their continued support!
October 2023
Today we will be addressed by Eileen Bellew, wife of Lt. John Bellew L-27 who was killed along with Lt. Kurt Myren and Lt. Joseph DiBarnardo Jr.in the Black Sunday Fire in the Bronx. Eileen's daughter has written a screen play about the fire and are in the process of making a movie about that tragic day. We welcome Eileen.
Also today we will hear from Carmel town Councilmen Frank Lombardi who is up for reelection to the Town Council. We thank Councilmen Lombardi for coming.
Blood drive for retired firefighter James Joos E-37, will be held from 10/18 till 10/25. You must register with the New York Blood Center, http://www.nybc.org or call Kevin Joos 516 557 6490.
A firefighter candidate has died while on a training run. Candidate Alexander Griffin 32 suffered a medical episode while on the run.
Annual Emerald Society Dinner Dance will be held on Nov. 3 at Antun's in Queens. This year’s honorees are Rob Brown Lt.Sq.41 and Denis Donoghue E-47. Call Artie Evans for tickets 917 697 7875
Harlem Hilton firefighter Jason Powell has written his first novel called No Man Ghost, I wonder where he got that title from? The book is available from Barnes and Noble.
At our next meeting we will have an organization called Detectogether. They are first responders who teach about early cancer detection. We will have Sandy Denault, an EMT and cancer survivor who regularly talks to departments throughout the nation.
Please partake in the 50/50.
We would like to thank the Carmel Knights of Columbus for their continued support!
September 2023
FDNY 343 Bike Ride was held on Sept. 9 in Conn. Building Homes for Hero's was dedicating the 343 house they built to Disabled Veteran Evan Marcy who is the son of Duane Marcy who was a firefighter in 50/19 and a Lt. in Eng. 80. Evan lost his leg in a firefight in Afghanistan and is one of the reasons the ride was started. Since its beginning, the FDNY 343 Ride has raised over $2 million for disabled veterans.
U.S. Senate passed an amendment to add $444 million over 10 years to the WTC health fund. There 124,000 responders and survivors. 1 billion was added last Dec.
911 Memorial stair climb sponsors .The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation will be held at Flushing Meadow Park on 10/15. Climbers must donate $50. non climbers $35.
The FDNY Emerald Society had a trip to Ireland with about 70 members including Larry Mack, he will tell you all about it.
Upcoming events
9/24 Tunnel to Towers
10/9 Columbus Day parade
10/10 NYS Fallen Firefighter Memorial
10/11 FDNY Memorial Day
10/17 53 anniversary of the 23 St. fire
10/24 UFOA retirees meeting at Russo's
Please partake in the 50/50
Thank you to the K of C for their generous support.
May 2023
Today we will have two guest speakers: Tristen Hartman, who is the representative for the FDNY Honor Emergency Fund and will bring us up to date on all benefits available for our members and services they provide. The UFOA President Jim McCarthy who contacted me and asked if he could come and address our membership, and any member of either UFA or UFOA Board is welcome to come and address us. We welcome both Tristan and Jim.
Our twice-annual blood drive will be held on Friday June 30 at the VFW on Rt. 52 in Carmel from 10 am to 7 pm. As usual volunteers are need at 8 am, and 7 pm, to help set up and break down. If you can please volunteer to help and to donate blood. Blood supply is critical this time of year. For information please call Denis Hanrahan at 845 300 3428.
The second Tunnel to Towers Cornhole Tournament will be held on Sunday June 4 at the Country Side inn on rt. 52 in Kent. Last year the tournament raised $10,000.00. There are only seven openings left for 2-man teams. Cost $75.00 per team. See Tom Burke for details.
A fund raiser for Billy Moon will be held on Sunday May 21 from 1 pm to 5 pm at Mulcahy's Pub 3232 Railroad Ave. in Wantagh NY 11793. Entertainment by Shileagh Law and the FDNY Pipes and Drums.
Please partake in the 50/50.
We thank the K of C for their generosity in allowing us to use their hall.
Our next meeting will be our annual barbeque on Thursday June 15 at the Mahopac VFW on East Lake Blvd in Mahopac.
April 2023
Plaque Dedication - Firefighter Timothy Klein L-170, who was killed LOD on April 24, 2022, will be honored with a plaque at the quarters of E-257 and L- 170 Batt. 58 on April 24 at 11:00 am. The firehouse is located at 1361 Rockaway Pkwy, Brooklyn.
60 & 17 Memorial Mass will be held on Sat. June 10 at 10:00 am at the quits 341 E 143 South Bronx.
Our July 4 blood drive will be held on Friday June 30 at the VFW on Rt. 52 in Carmel from 10 am to 7 pm. As always, dinners and volunteers are needed. More to follow as we get closer.
The FDNY Hockey team won a convincing victory in Saturday game against the NYPD 8 to 5 and also won the fights. The HBSC arena was sold out!
A few of our members attended the Aetna Medicare advantage plan at the Putnam County Golf course yesterday. Aetna presented a positive explanation of their plan with no criticism, I would wait until the courts make a decision to take any action.
February 2023
Today we will be addressed by retired BC Don Borthworth, who is very active in the WTC medical monitoring. If you go to Orange county site you may have met him. Chief Borthworth will bring us up to date on all hall things pertaining to the program, we welcome him.
I have reached out to Bill Newland who runs the retirees firefighters Cancer Fund to come to our meeting but he had to decline, but will be at a future meeting. They do a great job of raising funds for cancer research.
I, along with many other members, attended the first meeting of Guardian Revival, it was attended by members of the Carmel PD, the Sheriff’s Dept., mental health professionals, rescue dog and support dog groups, among others, including veteran groups. It was headed up by Navy Seal Alex Othmer, who spoke at our Nov. meeting. There are flyers about their organization.
As of this moment we have 22 members who volunteered to drive a Family transport vehicle. I reached out to the UFA to send an email or put it on the 65-2 for active members. We should have plenty of drivers.
The lucky winners of the Superbowl pool are 1qtr. score 7-7 Jim Hosford $250, 2nd qtr. 4-4 Tom Burke $500, 3rd qtr. 7 - 1 Matt Wanner, $ 250 and the big winner $1000 8 - 5 Mike O'Brien. Thanks to everyone who participated. Thanks to Larry Mack for running the pool.
Thanks again to the Carmel/ St. James K of C for their support. If anyone is interested in joining the K of C please talk to Larry Mack or Denis Hanrahan.
January 2023
Greeting Brothers, I hope the notice of the change of location for our meeting was well-circulated. Today we will be addressed by ret. DC Joe DiBanardo on behalf of the Joey D foundation (in memory of his son who was a tragic victim of Black Sunday) and we’ll be joined by ret. BC Tom Martin, who writes the retiree column for WFNY. We welcome them both. Also ret. Capt. Steve Lonergan, who represents the FIRE Family Transport Foundation. Welcome!
NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees - we believe the City Council is having a vote on code 12-126 today, however, I have not heard anything at this time. Maryanne Fritzatola was happy with the turnout and the speakers for the hearing.
Blood Drive - This is the 25th year of Denis Hanrahan running the blood drive. We collected 142 pints this session, and 4,006 pints in total. We collected 3 bone marrow drives with 1 match, which resulted in a FDNY member donating a kidney to another FDNY member. Denis, Tom Burke, Paul DeLeo, Bill Silk, and all who helped or contributed deserve a lot of credit. Wife of LODD Firefighter William Moon, R-2 was at the Fire Academy talking to the probes about bone marrow and organ donations. FF Moon organs were harvested and donated. The FDNY has a long history of bone marrow donations started by a member of 43 Eng after his sister had died from leukemia in the early ‘80s.
NYS Supreme Court has issued a temporary restraining order on the $15.00 co-pay from Emblem/GHI.
The Retired Professional Fire Fighters Cancer Fund, which raises money for cancer research has reached to us for a donation. Bill Newland is the chairman and has spoken at our meetings in the past, they do a great job and I'd like to get him at another meeting.
FDNY Ski Races will be held at Hunter Man. on Jan. 31. All proceeds will be donated to the NY Firefighters Burn Center. Any questions call Joe Jove at 914-525-2228
We would like to thank the Board and members of the Carmel/St. James Knights of Columbus in their donation of this hall for our use. Our condolences to the Mahopac FD for the damage to their building.
2022 News
November 2022
Please follow the directions on page in this e-newsletter and call the speaker of the city council,
Adrienne Adams, at (718) 206-2068
Miss Adams controls what pieces of legislation will be permitted through the City Council. We need to put pressure on her and other City Council Reps. If you live in the five boroughs, then go to: https://council.nyc.gov/districts/
There you will find who your Representative is in the City Council.
Click on his or her name, copy their phone number and CALL IT! What are you waiting for? You most likely will not get the actual rep., but a staff member. Express your concern to him/her. Don't know what to say?
Here's what you should be telling them:
** Don’t change administrative code 12–126. Proposed change will force retirees into a Medicare Advantage Plan.
** Any change removes equal protection under the code permitting the city/MLC to diminish benefits and pass costs and premiums onto any different class of individuals they determine different benchmarks for.
**Forcing people into Medicare Advantage passes drug costs onto them because it prohibits coordination of other insurance that currently protects them for their individual needs. It would also force seniors out of stepped care facilities, burdens them with prior authorization, narrow networks, and administrative burdens to appeal denials. The Office of the Inspector General, and Congress, are fully aware of these in stated reports from 2018 and 2022.
** Protect the code from amendments, keep the city promise to retirees for a choice of premium free health plans that they earned and paid for and were promised.
Now, who ya gonna call?
Please note that e-mail blasts become routine after a while and you may not open them immediately. Please go to our webpage and check it every day. We try and update it every day, especially now during this time when the city is putting pressure on the city council to change the NYC admin. Code 12-126, so we need to counter with our own pressure. Do not take it for granted, do not leave it up to the other guy or girl. This is not the firehouse kitchen. It's up to you to help us all.
Go to our webpage: www.fdnyrma.org
Once there, go to the ACT NOW Page.
October 2022
With the midterm elections upon us, we reached out to local politicians to address us. Today we will hear from Mike Lawler who is running for the U.S. Congress 17 District, Matt Slater NYS Assembly 94 District, and Greg Ellner, who is running for the Putnam County Legislature. Welcome to all.
Health care update, a tentative date for the court hearing on our Medicare battle is Oct. 27. All of us should contact the member of the City Council in the district of your firehouse. You can go to the UFA and UFOA web site for that info. If you call please be civil. If you can't be civil send a e-mail. Tell them you oppose the changing of the city administration code 12-126.
One of our members, Rich Othmer had a major heart attack while in Germany. He was fortunate to have 2 doctors right beside him when it happened, they worked on him brought him back, got him to the hospital and preformed bypass surgery. He is on his way home today. Rich's son was the Navy Seal who addressed us at our last meeting.
Emerald Society Irishmen of the Year is B.C. Tom Martin Batt. 3 ret. and FF Brian Doyle L- 45. The dinner will be held on Nov. 4. For tickets call Tom Began 516 248 1831
Fundraiser:
For the young daughter of a member of the FOP who is battling cancer. This Sunday 10/23, $50.00 donation at the Carmel K of C
Please partake in the 50 / 50
Again, thanks to the Mahopac FD and George Jones for all their support.
The next meeting is Nov. 17
September 2022
The WTC line of Duty Administrative Deaths has reached over 300 this month! The City of New York has refused to release the records of the air quality for days around the pile without law suite immunity. Sen. Schumer, is seeking an additional 3 billion for the troubled WTC health fund.
OUR MEMORIAL DAY IS WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 12!
Today we will be addressed by Ret. Lt. John Hemsley, who heads up the FDNY Counciling Unit and Navy Lt. Alex Othmer, who was a member of Seal Team 4 and is also Rich's son. We welcome them both!
Our blood drive in July netted 152 pints of blood, which is a new record for us! Thanks to Denis Hanrahan, Tom Burke, Paul DeLeo , Bill Silk, and all who donated or helped set up and take down. A job well done!
The Moving Wall is a tribute to all our Service Men and Women who made the supreme sacrifice in Vietnam, will be in Putnam Veterans Park in Kent starting Sept. 21. It is a fitting tribute to their memory!
Eng. 81 and L-46 will host a golf outing in memory of Paul Tegtmeier, who perished on 9/11 on Sept. 29, @ 11 am at the Putnam County Golf Course, price is $150.00 per golfer.
We do not have a date on the Medicare advantage court hearing yet, we will pass the info along when we get it. Maryanne Fritzitola is doing a great job getting then info out. Eight unions voted against the move to change the administrative code which included the UFA and The UFOA.
We would like to thank George Jones and the Mahopac FD for all their help and support!
Please remember to par take in the 50/50 raffle. Thank you.