Mike Kelley: OSFA Executive Director’s Report

Greetings Brothers and Sisters!

I hope that each of you are having a wonderful summer and staying safe in this heat!

We started the summer in Tahlequah for our 129th annual convention. Many thanks to the Cherokee Nation, the Tulsa and Tahlequah Fire Departments, the many convention volunteers and President Jim Ed Nimmo for hosting a wonderful convention!

Make plans now to join us next year on June 13-15 for the 2024 OSFA Convention. President Tony Lopez and the Midwest City Fire Department look forward to hosting us for another great event.

Conventions require a lot of work and planning, and besides the people mentioned above, I would be remiss if I didn’t thank our incredible staff: Sheri Nickel, Raegan Layne, Madelyn Roth and Lance Gill for their hard work with the many board meetings, ORFA Convention, golf tournament and, of course, the OSFA Convention. These individuals work extremely hard for you, our members, year round and really stepped up for convention itself.

We are always looking for ways to provide value to you, our OSFA members. One way is to give you an opportunity to get group health benefits through being an OSFA member.

If you haven’t logged into the website and updated your information, I would encourage you to do so. There is obviously no obligation to enroll in the coverage, however I would suggest that everyone at least take a look. There will be guarantee issue products available during the month of August. This means no health questions or qualifying for the guarantee issue products during the open enrollment period. Our hope is that our members can take advantage of these offerings if it fits your needs.

We are in what is known as the interim period with the legislature. There will be interim studies conducted by the legislature on minimum standards and funding for our departments. Also, there will be actuarial studies conducted on legislation that we helped move through the process.

Bills that have been sent to the actuary this session include an increase in the volunteer multiplier to $10 per year of service, a 2% COLA, a 4% COLA, and a $2,500 increase to the death benefit.

We will be monitoring the activity at the Capitol that potentially affects our members like the aforementioned.

Make sure that you check out our website at osfa. info for upcoming events and resources. Remember that anyone can be a leader and that you can learn from everyone that you meet! You have the privilege of serving your community, don’t take that for granted! Work to improve your knowledge and skills every day.

The best resource and support that we have is each other. So, lift one another up and be willing to listen and share your experience with others. You have the opportunity to be a firefighter and, in my opinion, there is no greater calling! Stay safe and may God Bless you and yours!

PURCHASE AN OKLAHOMA FIREFIGHTER LICENSE TAG!

• Oklahoma Firefighter tags cost $40 a year (on top of regular tag fees)

• $20 goes directly to the Oklahoma Firefighters Museum/Memorial

• Tags can be purchased from local tag agents any time during the year

• Tags can be customized to 6 letters as approved by the Tax Commission