Spring 2022
A LOOK INTO FIREFIGHTER FAMILIES
UNITED DATA CONNECT .
CORRECTIONS OFFICERS: ADDICTION, STRESSORS & PROBLEMS THEY FACE
GOOD BEARS PROTECTING PEOPLE WHO LIVE OR WORK IN HIGH-RISES
101 EAST 116TH STREET ● CARMEL, IN 46032 ● 800-221-7342 ● WWW.PFIA1913.ORG
Spring 2022
Volume 38 Number 1 The PFIA Protector is printed quarterly by the Police and Firemen’s Insurance Association. The Executive and Editorial Offices are located at 101 E. 116th Street, Carmel, IN 46032 Local: 317-581-1913 or toll-free: 1-800-221-PFIA (7342) Creative Services . . . . Rebekah Brownson
Police and Firemen’s Insurance Association President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tom Clines Senior Vice President, Executive Secretary . . . . . . John E. Murphy Vice President, Treasurer . . . Jeff Warnock
Board of Directors Mike Carrigan . . . . . . . . Littleton, Colorado Ruben Cevallos . . . . . . . San Antonio, Texas Myles Christie . . . . . . . . . Augusta, Georgia Thomas Clines . . . . . . . . . . Fishers, Indiana Tom Evans . . . . . . . . Cattaragus, New York Edward Griffith III . . . . . Brick, New Jersey Gerald Housel . . . . . . . . Speedway, Indiana Mark S. Kemp . . . . . New Palestine, Indiana David G. Lentz . . . . . . . . . Slidell, Louisiana John Murphy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carmel, Indiana Steve D. Murphy . . . . . . . Indianapolis, Indiana Bradd Roembke . . . New Palestine, Indiana Don Trejbal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Akron, Ohio Jeff Warnock . . . . . . . . . . . . Carmel, Indiana Legal Counsel . . . . . . . . . . John D. Hoover E. Davis Coots Lawrence W. Schmits Actuary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brad Simanek Griffith, Ballard & Company
CONTENT COVER STORY
16 A LOOK INTO FIREFIGHTER FAMILIES The experience of being in a firefighter family and the outlook children have on different themes.
FEATURES
2 INVESTIGATIVE GENETIC GENEALOGY: A NEW TECHNIQUE FOR IDENTIFYING CRIMINAL SUSPECTS USING DNA A leader in forensic science computing and has established a reputation for its innovative approach to DNA Familial Searching and Forensic Genetic Genealogy Analysis.
20 CORRECTIONS OFFICERS: ADDICTION, STRESSORS & PROBLEMS THEY FACE Corrections officers who watch over prisoners face traumatizing, life-or-death challenges that often go unnoticed and ignored, which can result in substance abuse and suicide. Their thoughts and feelings are addressed as one expert breaks down the concepts of psychological trauma.
24 GOOD BEARS One man’s dream to spread love and caring to children and the elderly who were in need of comfort. Many have discovered the teddy bear’s magical healing power is invaluable when given to children and their families in traumatic situations.
25 PROTECTING PEOPLE WHO LIVE OR WORK IN HIGH-RISES Fire and life safety challenges that tall buildings present to the emergency services and to the occupants who live or work in them.
Letter from theEditor
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Happy Spring everyone! It’s a great time to get your student qualified for our scholarship program, so call your representative to make sure the kids have a chance to receive a scholarship. Hundreds of scholarships have already been awarded to children, grandchildren, and greatgrandchildren of Police and Firemen’s Insurance Association. The scholarships are $1,500 per year for up to four years of undergraduate study. Applications will be available online beginning March 15.
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Also, If you have any photos or stories that you would like to see in The Protector, please get in touch with your representative or contact me. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern time.
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rbrownson@pfia.net 101 E 116th Street Carmel, IN 46032 Phone: 317-581-1918 Ext: 126 Web: www.pfia1913.org
DEPARTMENTS
4 HEROES HALL OF FAME 5 PRIVACY POLICY 6 IN THE SPIRIT OF BROTHERHOOD 10 PFIA REMEMBERS 11 CHARITABLE FUND 12 TIMELINE 14 BODY SHOP 19 MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD 26 CHILI & DONUTS 27 SWAP SHOP 28 HOME OFFICE/REGIONAL MANAGER DIRECTORY 29 ABM/AR DIRECTORY 33 MISSING KIDS You can find our online magazine issues at: www.issuu.com/pfia © 2001 Police and Firemen’s Insurance Association
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Investigative Genetic Genealogy: A New Technique for Identifying Criminal Suspects Using DNA By Mitch Morrissey, Chief of Operations of United Data Connect, a recognized leader in Investigative Genetic Genealogy Analysis. Due to advancements in forensic technology, crimes that eluded law enforcement, sometimes for decades, can now be revisited and solved using Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG). Cold Case DNA crimes, as well as current rape and murder cases, frustrate investigators, and haunt the victim’s family and friends. Most importantly, these unsolved crimes allow a dangerous criminal to evade justice. United Data Connect (UDC) is at the forefront of the drive to finally find answers to tragedies and hold perpetrators accountable.
Once these individuals are discovered, a genealogist begins researching, combing public records and analyzing data to provide investigators with a lead which may help identify the donor of the crime scene DNA. Once a person of interest is identified, a lead is given to the investigators who then must obtain a DNA sample from that person. The DNA sample must be tested and compared with the short tandem repeat (STR) DNA profile found at the crime scene. UDC has had many notable successes, but our oldest case was the murder of Peggy Beck: On August 18, 1963, United Data Connect, Inc. (UDC) is a recognized IGG relies on a 16-year-old Margaret leader in forensic science computing and has fundamental principle of “Peggy” Beck was found established a reputation for its innovative approach genetics that individuals raped and murdered to DNA Familial Searching and Investigative who are closely related at the Flying G Ranch Genetic Genealogy Analysis. The company will share DNA from in Jefferson County, was founded by the Dr. Greggory LaBerge, a their common ancestors. Colorado. A camp distinguished forensic DNA scientist and Director The more distant counselor, Peggy had of the Denver Police Crime Laboratory, and Mitch the relationship, the been alone that night Morrissey, a career prosecutor and elected Denver less DNA is shared. because her tent mate District Attorney from 2005 to 2017. Once high-resolution was ill in the facility’s commercial direct-toinfirmary. Although the The primary work of UDC is to solve violent crime consumer testing kits case predated the use of with DNA evidence through either familial DNA became available and DNA to solve crimes searching or Investigative Genetic Genealogy. To their corresponding like this, detectives had date UDC has solved 12 homicides and numerous database grew, recovered and preserved rapes across the United States. genealogists were able biological evidence from to enhance their family the crime scene. In 2007, history research and conduct unknown-parentage Cold Case investigators submitted the sleeping bag searches, connecting with siblings and identifying stain to the crime lab for DNA analysis and a DNA biological parents. It was just a matter of time profile from the evidence was generated but there before these tools were recognized as useful for were no matches in the national DNA database. In identifying the remains of missing persons and 2019, using Investigative Genetic Genealogy analysis, providing investigative leads for law enforcement. UDC was able to provide investigators with the Most commercial kits contain 600,000 DNA markers, name of a strong person of interest: James Raymond providing matches with both close and distant Taylor. Additional DNA testing of family members relatives. confirmed that Taylor was the source of the DNA found on Peggy’s sleeping bag. The Jefferson County In criminal investigations, the goal is to find someone Sheriff’s office issued a national warrant for Taylor’s who shares enough DNA to qualify as a fourth arrest. The work of UDC and the detectives solved cousin or closer. Most of us have at least 800 people, Beck’s murder after nearly 57 years. At the time, this somewhere in the world, who fall into this category. was the oldest Cold Case in the world where a suspect
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Margaret “Peggy” Beck Colorado Bureau of Investigations.
was identified through IGG. Although Taylor has been identified as Beck’s attacker, he has not to date been located. The last time Taylor was seen was in the mid1970’s in Las Vegas. Law enforcement and UDC solved the murder of Peggy Beck by James Raymond Taylor using IGG – ending a decades-long mystery.
If you have an investigation that might benefit from IGG, the first step is to find out if this technology is appropriate for your needs and determine if there is DNA evidence in the case. A review of the laboratory reports and the physical evidence can James Raymond Taylor in answer the question if there a 1961 photo. was DNA evidence collected or examined in the case. UDC is often contacted by investigators who have DNA evidence that has been tested and uploaded in the national criminal DNA database: CODIS, however the DNA does not match anyone in the database. Sometimes UDC is contacted by detectives Golden State Killer, with DNA from their Joseph James DeAngelo, investigation, which has 2018 mugshot. already been sequenced and they now need the extensive genealogy investigation provided by UDC.
during the STR DNA analysis to determine if the quality of the DNA is appropriate for sequencing and use for IGG. Once UDC finds that there is sufficient DNA for sequencing, we determine if the sample is a mixture of two or more people’s DNA. In the case of degraded DNA in the forensic sample, we need to determine if sequencing will provide enough information to get useful results. After a satisfactory scientific review, UDC gets the DNA sample from the crime scene sequenced. Once DNA sequenced data is produced, it is uploaded into both GEDmatch.com and FamilyTreeDNA.com, the two commercial sequencing databases that allow law enforcement searches. The results of these database searches can point to individuals in the database that may be relatives of the donor of the crime scene sample. UDC then begins the highly involved genealogy investigation which includes building family trees and extensive background research. Successful results of IGG are compelling and the process can save law enforcement resources. Investigations can be tedious - and demoralizing when perpetrators get away with their crimes. IGG provides another avenue for identifying bad guys and closing difficult cases. If you have been told in the past that your case did not have enough DNA, or that the effort required would be too expensive, please contact us! Technology has improved exponentially in just the past few years allowing DNA analysis of the tiniest amount of DNA. If you have any questions about using this new technique to solve a case do not hesitate to contact us at UnitedDataConnect.com. ●
We always recommend that if the DNA in question has not been tested by the state or local crime laboratory, this testing should be done in advance to determine if the individual who left the DNA in the crime scene is already in CODIS for another crime. A CODIS hit to an offender in the database is a reliable identifier so there is no need to use IGG. As part of our protocol, UDC always conducts a scientific review of the DNA data that was produced Spring 2022 • The PFIA Protector
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HEROES HALL OF FAME SO CI A
O TI
Honor and Praise
Heroes IN
’S EN M N
THOSE WHO DESERVE
A LICE ND F PO SURANCE AS IRE
HA
E L L of FAM
Fire Fighters and Police Officers report for duty never knowing which of their skills will be called upon to protect the public safely. They are people of whom heroic acts are expected—it is part of the job. PFIA feels differently. Regardless of how often one is called, it takes a certain amount of courage to put one’s own life on the line to save another. Our Heroes Hall of Fame recognizes the courage and fast action necessary to keep an incident from becoming a tragedy.
Deputies Rush into Inferno to Save Disabled Resident Texas — On December 19, 2021, two Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies, Corporal Roper Ellison and Deputy Darin Brooks, were both dispatched to a house fire in Livingston. While in route to the call, they were advised by dispatch that the homeowner is in a wheelchair and unable to exit his residence. Moments before arriving, dispatch lost contact with the homeowner. Upon their arrival, the fire had already engulfed the entire residence, including the front porch roof/overhang. Corporal Ellison and Deputy Brooks both immediately exited their patrol vehicles and ran toward the front porch, without hesitation or regard for their own safety, and continued running onto the front porch through the fire, where they both encountered the homeowner. The homeowner had made it to the end of the front porch but was unable to continue any further. Corporal Ellison then physically picked up the homeowner and placed him over his shoulder with Deputy Brooks ensuring their safety and carried him away from
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the fire and to the safety of their patrol vehicles. Both deputies suffering minor burns/injuries from the fire. The fire fully engulfed the entire front porch within 20 seconds after deputies cleared the homeowner from the porch.
and on the ground, Ferris returned gunfire. McLeod died at the scene.
The quick response and immediate actions of Corporal Ellison and Deputy Brooks resulted directly in saving the homeowner’s life. They demonstrated exceptional performance by intervening in an extremely dangerous situation, without regard for their own safety, to save a life.
Prior to the exchange, McLeod had just shot 28-year-old Sarah Steck, an employee at the nearby Hyatt House hotel. Steck later died. McLeod allegedly killed four other victims.
Police Agent Shot Colorado — Police Agent Ashley Ferris was shot in an exchange of gunfire with a suspect who allegedly killed five people in Denver and Lakewood. Agent Ashley Ferris was released with her family, members of the Lakewood Police Department, and hospital staff cheering her on. Ferris encountered 47-year-old Lyndon McLeod, the shooting spree suspect, and ordered him to drop his weapon as he approached her, police said. McLeod instead shot Ferris, according to police. Wounded
“If not for the heroic efforts of Agent Ferris and other law enforcement, this incredibly violent tragedy could have been even worse,” police said.
“All of us at the Lakewood Police Department are incredibly proud of Agent Ferris and the bravery shown by her and her fellow law enforcement officers during this active shooter situation. The entire Lakewood Police family will be here to support Agent Ferris and her family as she embarks on this recovery process,” said Lakewood Police Chief Dan McCasky, in the release. “Our hearts are incredibly heavy with the loss of life and injuries suffered by others during this rampage. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Cardenas, Gunn-Maldonado, Scofield, Steck and Swinyard families, as well as the families of those injured.” -The Denver Post
PRIVACY POLICY Your privacy is important to us. Police and Firemen’s Insurance Association has been committed to protecting your privacy and earning your trust since 1913. We respect your right to keep your information confidential and avoid unwanted solicitations. Please read this notification to learn how we handle your personal information.
Types of information that we collect: We collect information about you to help us serve your financial and fraternal needs, provide customer service, offer new products or services, and fulfill legal and regulatory requirements. Application information: This is information we receive from you on applications and other forms. It includes your name, address, social security number, date of birth, employment, gender, marital status, prior insurance information, home ownership, and medical history. Consumer report information: This is information we receive from a consumer-reporting agency and is used to confirm or supplement application information. It includes credit report information and personal history information. Medical information: This is information we receive from your personal physician and hospitals. Information is used to determine the premium applicable to the insurance coverage you have requested.
Parties to whom we disclose information: We may disclose information to non-affiliated third parties only as permitted by law. For example, we may disclose information in response to a subpoena or to comply with an inquiry by a government agency or regulator. Police and Firemen’s Insurance Association does not have affiliates and we never sell lists of names and addresses of our members, either current or past.
Confidentiality and Security: Access to your records is limited to our employees who must use that information to provide insurance and fraternal services to you. Our employees have been instructed and trained to exercise the highest level of confidentiality regarding all personal, non-public information, which they may be required to handle in performing their job. We maintain physical and procedural safeguards that comply with federal regulations to guard your non-public personal information.
Spring 2022 • The PFIA Protector
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IN THE SPIRIT OF BROTHERHOOD...OUR FRATERNAL SIDE
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Fraternal Events Rhode Island - PFIA Sponsored members of the East Providence Fire Department, which are also PFIA members, to participate in the Boston Bruins Bfit Challenge. Participants walk, run or step around the Boston Garden. This is the home of the Boston Bruins and the Boston Celtics. The participants can name the charities the team will benefit, such as the 100 Club, New England Firefighter Cancer Fund among others. Rhode Island — On graduation day of the Warwick Fire Department, the recruits gathered for a breakfast, where they met with the IAFF local executive board members and were presented with information on PFIA. One lucky recruit was presented a special award, Pictured: Zach Goodheart, Adam Maroney, Jeff in true FD spirit. Bayuk, Ryan DiGiulio, and Dan Kanavage.
Recruit Max Savaria, who Pennsylvania — On was assigned to Engine December 14, 2021, PFIA 6, had an issue on his last Agent Jon Rush and his day of training, in drivers wife Amber attended training. The officer and the law enforcement firefighters assigned to officer wife’s dinner in Engine 6 thought it only appropriate to present Max Lancaster, Pennsylvania. with the results of his “issue,” the wheel well lining They donated a basket and mudflap. Congratulations Max and all other filled with a Massage recruits. Envy and Starbucks gift cards, a PFIA mug, a PFIA tumbler, and a small bag of local coffee. It was raffled to one of the attending wives. Free tickets were given out upon entry for the raffle. There were approximately 50 wives from various parts of Pennsylvania in attendance. Ohio — PFIA Agent Vince Viancourt presents fraternal donation check to Rocky River Fire Department members Steve Golobic, Chris Toth, and Colin Cunningham for the department’s Christmas charities fundraising drive.
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Georgia — PFIA Agent Jason Roehm donating a check to the City of Hinesville Police Department for their Shop with a Cop program. This is an event where children can spend time with local law enforcement while shopping for Christmas gifts.
Ohio — A big thank you to the Butler Township and Vandalia Police Department Officers to help with our Christmas with Cops program. The kids all had a wonderful time! PFIA Agent Matt Matlock and many other donors were able to increase the amount per child to the highest amount ever. Thank you to Walmart Dayton for hosting each year, as well as providing drinks and snacks for everyone. This is without a doubt a favorite event of the year, and we look forward to continuing to grow it thanks to the support of our community. Georgia — PFIA Agent Jason Roehm donating a check to Richmond Hill Fire Department for their annual Operation Presents Under the Tree.
Ohio — PFIA Agent Vince Viancourt presents fraternal donation check to Lieutenant Jim Fisher of the Avon Fire Department for their annual Christmas children’s party.
Operation Presents Under the Tree is a program that continues to provide gifts at Christmas time so no child goes without during the holiday season. This program also helps families in need throughout the year.
Texas — The Huntsville Warrior banquet was a huge success. Over 1,200 ribeye steak dinners were served! Silent and live auctions along with sponsors and ticket sales enabled us to raise more money this year than ever before. LTC Allen West, U.S. Army retired, was our keynote speaker. Rock legend Ted Nugent played our National Anthem. The money we raised went to the Mighty Oaks Warrior Foundation. They focus on mental and spiritual healing for our veterans, active duty military, and first responders at no cost to the participant. Flights, meals, transportation, and the programs are free due to the donations of supporters. This program has proven life-changing results, time and time again. PFIA Agent Tara Burnett has been able to take part in sponsorship every year! Spring 2022 • The PFIA Protector
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New Jersey — 27 years ago, the Passaic Fire Department and its members began their annual Christmas toy, clothes, and food drive by providing 200-250 kids at the Passaic Head-start with toys during the Christmas season. This year PFIA is one of many proud sponsors of this very special event and we were able to help provide services for over 1,000 kids. Thank you to all sponsors who made this Christmas drive possible for these kids.
Rhode Island — North Kingstown Fire Lieutenant and PFIA member Steve St. Pierre accepts a donation check from Agent Ray Masse. NKFD came together and had a fundraiser to support a brother NKFD firefighter battling cancer.
Ohio — PFIA Agent Vince Viancourt presents a fraternal donation check to Officer Nate Homoki of the Avon Police Department for their annual Christmas toy drive.
Rhode Island — Prudence Island is a small island of about 100 year-round residents located in Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island. The island residents used to get an annual visit from jolly ole St. Nick, via helicopter, at the island’s lighthouse, until Covid grounded the Flying Santa program (Santa arrives to Lighthouses via helicopter throughout New England). Members of the Bristol FD stepped in and “delivered” Santa to the island for a short visit via the BFD Fire Boat.
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Indiana — Peppermint Giggles was created by two breast cancer survivors on a mission to provide care packages to cancer patients to help ease the pain and discomfort from the side effects they may experience during their chemotherapy and radiation treatments. It also provides a safe community where cancer patients, survivors and their families can go to find support and resources from those further down the line on their cancer journeys. Activities to support this include: providing chemo care packages, radiation packages to those enduring cancer treatments, and caretaker packages to those supporting cancer patients through their treatments. Their goal is to provide a package tailored to the treatment each individual is receiving (different chemo meds have different side effects). It is also to help encourage each person along their journey so they do not feel alone. While we both had significant support during our journeys, we readily recognized that others did not. Taking good care of yourself and having support can make a huge difference in the outcome of a patient’s treatment.
Ohio — PFIA Agent Vince Viancourt presents a check to Brian Webb, Local 93 Christmas toy drive committee member, for this year’s annual toy drive.
Texas — The Beaumont Police Officers Association hosted a concert as a fundraiser to raise money for its scholarship fund. Each year the Association gives out scholarships to children of Beaumont Police Officers who are graduating and heading off to college. PFIA Agent Tara Burnett sponsored a table, which allowed members of PFIA to enjoy the event. A check was presented to BPOA President Robby Campbell. BPOA is always thankful for our support.
Iowa — The Holidays with Heroes event recognizes our young heroes who have experienced adversity this past year. The event allowed our heroes to be partnered with a uniformed police officer, fire fighter, or military personnel for the evening. A meal was provided and Santa even made an appearance. The kids were able to shop for family members for the holidays, enjoy a delicious meal, and simply have a night to celebrate them. This event was made possible because of our amazing sponsors: Police & Firemen’s Insurance Association, Conlin Properties, DMPD Burial and Bargaining Union, Gold Braid Organization, Country Financial, Target (local stores), and the Barratt and McCarthy families. Spring 2022 • The PFIA Protector
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PFIA REMEMBERS OUR FALLEN HEROES
WE PAY OUR RESPECTS TO OUR
FALLEN HEROES Detective Antonio Valentine St. Louis County Police Department, MO 14-year veteran Detective Antonio Valentine was killed in a vehicle crash. He and his partner were responding to assist fellow narcotics unit detectives when a suspect fled from them. The fleeing suspect crashed into Detective Valentine’s vehicle head-on at a high rate of speed. Detective Valentine and his partner were transported to Barnes-Jewish Hospital, where Detective Valentine succumbed to his injuries. The suspect driving the other vehicle, who had a violent criminal history, was also killed in the crash. Detective Valentine was a United States Army combat veteran and had retired from the Air Force Reserves.
St. Louis Fire Department, MO 2-year veteran On January 13, 2022, St. Louis Fire Department firefighters responded to a multi-story building, designated as vacant by the city, consumed by fire. Firefighters had put out the flames on the first floor and were checking to make sure no one was on the second floor when they decided to turn back because of the intensity of the fire. As they were leaving, the building’s roof and top story collapsed, burying Firefighter Benjamin Polson. He passed away at the scene. Two other firefighters were injured and taken to the local hospital where they were treated and released. Master Trooper Adam Gaubert
Police Officer Shane Bartek
Louisiana State Police, LA
Cleveland Division of Police, OH
19-year veteran
1 year, 6 month veteran Police Officer Shane Bartek was shot and killed while attempting to take action when a woman attempted to carjack. The woman approached him in the parking lot of an apartment complex and attempted to rob him of his car. Officer Bartek immediately took police action and attempted to disarm the woman but was shot twice during the ensuing struggle. The woman fled but was arrested later in the evening and admitted to murdering Officer Bartek. She was charged with aggravated murder and multiple other felonies in connection with the incident. An associate of the woman was arrested after a vehicle pursuit in which he was driving Officer Bartek’s stolen car. He was charged with failure to comply with an order of a police officer, receiving stolen property, and obstructing official business.
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Firefighter Benjamin Polson
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The suspect had shot and wounded two of his neighbors in French Settlement before stealing a pickup truck shortly after midnight. The man then drove to his half-sister’s home on Dutton Road in Prairieville where he murdered her and wounded her husband. A short time later, the man opened fire on a Louisiana State Police trooper who attempted to pull over the truck. The man fled and remained at large throughout the day while a massive manhunt was undertaken. At some point during the incident, Trooper Gaubert was shot and killed from ambush as he sat in his patrol car near the intersection of Airline Highway and Old Jefferson Highway. The subject was arrested later in the evening.
CHARITABLE FUND
PFIA’S
Charitable Fund PFIA can accept charitable contributions to the Fund that are tax deductible for the person or company donating. The Board consists of the Executive Committee and two other current Board Members. The Board will determine every December meeting how much PFIA will contribute to the fund and then distribute the funds to predetermined charities. The fund will be distributed to a zero balance and start over on January 1st of every year. We will lean heavily towards children and military families. The four funds that we will contribute to will be: Make-A-Wish Foundation®, Special Olympics, Special Operations Warrior Foundation, and St. Jude
General Contributions: Bruce Skehan Jerry & Mary Jane Housel
Memorial Contributions to Honor the Memory of DAVE BRUNNER MARY LOU ROEMBKE Thank you Jerry & Mary Jane Housel
Children’s Research Hospital. Everyone gives money to charities of their choice but we think giving our members a place to give, they know 100% of funds are distributed to charities close to their heart will be a very benevolent endeavor. We think that will be a great extension of our fraternal mission and hope it is received well and becomes the go to place for members to help others. What better way to fulfill our fraternal mission in today’s society with over 100 years of service with donating money to the deserving funds listed?
Memorial Contributions to Honor the Memory of DAVE BRUNNER MIKE HOLLINGSWORTH MAX WARNOCK TOM JACKSON GLEN SHINABARGER Thank you Mark & Debbie Kemp
If you are interested in becoming a contributor or if you would like to donate, please make a check payable to PFIA Charitable Fund and put in the memo “charitable contribution,” or write a note and put it in the envelope and mail to: PFIA ATTN: Tom Clines 101 East 116th Street Carmel, IN 46032 Spring 2022 • The PFIA Protector
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TIMELINE
PRESERVING THE HISTORY OF
First Responders November 2, 2019
Notes from the Field: A Snapshot of the United States Indian Policing Academy By: Steven Juneau, Director, United States Indian Policing Academy Tribal communities are unique and relational. In many cases, people in the community are at least somewhat familiar with one another. To serve tribal communities involves significant officer accountability, since the community is often composed of people we know and care for, including our immediate family, extended family, and friends. An officer’s community reputation is based on the professional service he or she provides to the community. Thus, specialized training to serve Indian Country is key. The United States Indian Police Academy was established to meet law enforcement training requirements for officers who serve tribal communities throughout the United States. Established in 1969, the academy is a nationally recognized institution for law enforcement training offered to 191 Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and tribal departments. The academy trains police, corrections, and dispatch officers, special agents, and command staff in basic, specialized, and advanced programs. Academy instructors are
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experienced in handling the unique needs and expectation of tribal communities, and the academy’s curriculum combines this tribal-specific knowledge with contemporary law enforcement practices and techniques. We incorporate scenarios and examples from Indian Country so new cadets are best trained in how to address serious situations with integrity and safety in mind. This approach is also applied throughout the academy’s supervisory and command schools.
which helps cadets better relate to the training and expectations for serving Indian Country.
Instructors are full-time BIA law enforcement and corrections officers who possess significant expertise in all facets of the law enforcement and corrections fields. They are highly experienced in serving in tribal communities, and are themselves members of the tribes, bands, pueblos, and villages that comprise Indian Country. Their instructional expertise is in corrections, federal law, policy, firearms, community policing, police operations, criminal investigation, drug enforcement, and tactics. Instructors’ backgrounds reflect the tribal departments who send their new officers to attend the academy,
Professional Development and Accountability: The Foundation of Our Training
Cadets come from 191 Indian Country departments throughout the United States. Once their department hires them, they attend the academy to complete basic certification. Each class of the Indian Country Police Officer Training and Correctional Officer Training Programs consists of 48 cadets who complete 13 weeks and six weeks of training, respectively.
The training we provide is based on four cornerstones. Students learn: •
Professional Development
•
Authority and Jurisdiction in Indian Country
•
Officer/Agent Job Tasks
•
Expected Performance in Serving Indian Country
The academy’s curricula include significant academic, legal, and practical instruction that incorporate role-playing
throughout basic training programs. Course topics include federal laws, federal jurisdiction, the Fourth Amendment, and search and seizure. Officers then apply the skills they have learned in courses on vehicle stops, firearms, arrest procedures, searching, domestic violence, child abuse, and assault. After finishing specific scenarios, police cadets complete police reports and testify in mock tribal court multiple times throughout the program. Our graduates are well prepared to serve communities in a safe and secure manner.
Advanced Training for Indian Country One of the academy’s goals is to continue to provide skills training for officers throughout their careers. Specific courses in crime scene investigation, evidence collection, jail administration, missing persons investigation, and drug enforcement facilitate continual officer development opportunities. We believe continuing education and training for officers create stronger agencies that better serve and protect themselves and their communities. To support this goal, we developed command schools for midlevel and senior law enforcement and corrections managers. In 2015, we started with the Lieutenant Command School. Since then, we’ve expanded to the Corrections Lieutenant Command School, Chief of Police Command School, and Executive Command School. The training we offer is now an essential foundation for new command staff serving
Indian Country. As with our other trainings, curricula are based on existing policy and leadership in the field. Students learn about the job tasks, and also about themselves. Using DISC assessments — Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness — which measure an individual’s personality traits, and other evaluations, they learn how to apply their unique strengths to the job. In 2016, the academy also developed the Indian Country Criminal Investigator Training Program to strengthen training for FBI, BIA, and tribal special agents assigned to Indian Country. This training helps new agents understand jurisdiction, authority, and crime-scene investigation. Agents also develop a network of practitioners who can work together on crimes throughout Indian Country. Agents are placed on multi-agency teams; after completing courses in forensics, these teams are responsible for responding to and processing various crime scenes within Indian Country. Agents who complete the three-week training report greater confidence, as well as greater success in collecting evidence, following leads, and closing cases, because they have a better understanding of their role in the investigations, working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and multi-agency dynamics before getting to the field.
of Policing,” which is curriculum that addresses officer wellness, integrity, and ethics; we have also been first to introduce other courses focusing on human trafficking, missing persons investigation, opioid enforcement, and peer support programs. By continually offering the best training to our tribal and BIA officers and agents, we ensure they are well prepared to serve our relatives and tribal communities.
About “Notes From the Field” The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is the research, development, and evaluation arm of the U.S. Department of Justice. NIJ aims to address the critical questions of the criminal justice field, particularly at the state and local levels. NIJ Director David Muhlhausen developed the “Notes From the Field” series to allow leading voices in the field to share their strategies for responding to the most pressing issues on America’s streets today. “Notes From the Field” is not a research-based publication. Instead, it presents lessons learned by law enforcement executives and other on-the-ground leaders, from years of experience and thinking deeply about law enforcement issues. https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/notesfield-snapshot-united-states-indian-policing-academy#about-author--0
The academy is constantly updating the curriculum with the latest techniques or courses. We were the first academy in the United States to implement “Blue Courage — the Nobility Spring 2022 • The PFIA Protector
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THE BODY SHOP
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Genetic risk factor found for Covid-19 smell and taste loss, researchers say
Six months after contracting Covid, as many as 1.6 million people in the U.S. are still unable to smell or have experienced changes in their ability to smell. January 17, 2022 By Sarah Sloat Scientists are piecing together why some people lose their sense of smell after contracting Covid-19. A study published in the journal Nature Genetics identified a genetic risk factor associated with the loss of smell after a Covid infection, a discovery that brings experts closer to understanding the perplexing pattern and may point the way toward much-needed treatments. Six months after contracting Covid, as many as 1.6 million people in the United States are still unable to smell or have experienced a change in their ability to smell. The precise cause of sensory loss related to Covid is not known, but scientists think it stems from damage to infected cells in a part of the nose called the olfactory epithelium. These cells protect olfactory neurons, which help humans smell.  “How we get from infection to smell loss remains unclear,” said Dr. Justin Turner, an associate professor of otolaryngology at Vanderbilt University who was not a part of the study.
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“Early data suggests that supporting cells of the olfactory epithelium are the ones mostly being infected by the virus, and presumably this leads to the death of the neurons themselves,” he said. “But we don’t really, really know why and when that happens, and why it seems to preferentially happen in certain individuals.”
Within a group of 69,841 individuals who self-reported receiving a positive Covid test, 68 percent reported a loss of smell or taste as a symptom. The loss of smell and taste were combined as a single survey question; this grouping and the use of selfreported data are limitations of the study.
A genetic locus near two olfactory genes is associated with Covidinduced loss of smell and taste, according to the study. A locus is the fixed position of a gene on a chromosome.
After comparing the genetic differences between those who lost their sense of smell and those who reported that they did not suffer this effect, the study team found a region of the genome associated with this split that’s situated near two genes, UGT2A1 and UGT2A2. Both of these genes are expressed within tissue inside the nose involved in smell and play a role in metabolizing odorants.
This genetic risk factor increases the likelihood a person infected with SARS-CoV-2 will experience a loss of smell or taste by 11 percent. While some estimates suggest four out of five Covid patients regain these senses, research suggests the persistent inability or reduced ability to smell and taste impacts relationships, physical health and psychological well-being. Researchers at the genomics and biotechnology company 23andMe conducted the study as part of a larger Covid project. All participants live in the U.S. or the United Kingdom.
“It was this really beautiful example of science where, starting with a large body of activated research participants who have done this 23andMe test, we were able to very quickly gain some biological insights into this disease that would otherwise be very, very difficult to do,” said Adam Auton, vice president of human genetics at 23andMe and the lead author of the study.
How UGT2A1 and UGT2A2 are involved in this process is unclear, though he and his colleagues hypothesize the genes “may play a role in the physiology of infected cells” and the resulting impairment that leads to smell loss. To use these findings, scientists need to learn more about how these genes are expressed and what their functions are in olfactory signaling, Turner said. Certain trends also emerged among the participants who reported the loss of smell and taste: Women, for example, were 11 percent more likely than men to experience this. Meanwhile, adults between the ages of 26 and 35 made up 73 percent of this group. The study team also found people of “East Asian or African American ancestry were significantly less likely to report loss of smell or taste.” The cause of this observation is not yet
known, but Auton said it’s likely not explained by the genetic variants of this specific locus. The team also notes the study is biased toward people of European ancestry because of limited reference data. These findings can help patients in two ways, said Danielle Reed, associate director of the Monell Chemical Senses Center. She studies person-to-person differences in the loss of smell and taste due to Covid and was not a part of the new paper. First, “it helps answer the question of ‘why me’ when it comes to taste and smell loss with Covid-19,” she said. “Some people have it and some do not. Inborn genetics may partially explain why.” The study may also help scientists find treatments. Earlier research suggests the loss of these senses is related to a “failure to protect the sensory cells of the nose and
tongue from viral infection,” Reed said. “This study suggests a different direction,” she said. “The pathways that break down the chemicals that cause taste and smell in the first place might be over or underactive, reducing or distorting the ability to taste and smell.” For most of the coronavirus pandemic, the loss of smell and taste have been known as signature symptoms. Early research suggests loss of smell and taste is rarer with the omicron variant, but not entirely unlikely: In a study of 81 omicron cases in Norway, 12 percent reported reduced smell and 23 reported reduced taste. https://www.nbcnews.com/science/ science-news/genetic-risk-factor-foundcovid-19-smell-taste-loss-researcherssay-rcna11996
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A LOOK
By: Catherine Phillips Carrico
IN
TO R EF FI
ERS’ IGHT
FAMILIES QUAL A I T ATIVE STUDY
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Firefighters face the risk of exposure to potentially dangerous and psychologically traumatic situations during every shift. This study investigated the experience of being in a firefighter family and explored the meaning the family members and the firefighter created in this unique situation. Five families participated in semi-structured interviews. Findings revealed themes that were overarching, as well as themes unique to the firefighters, spouses, and children.
Children’s Themes
Twelve children ranging in age from 7 to 18 participated in this study. All the children had a father who was a firefighter. Interviews with the children revealed the following themes: positive impressions of their father’s job among the children and their peers, children having knowledge of the job from conversations with their firefighter parents’, a desire to be a firefighter when they grow up, advantages and disadvantages of shift work, parental continuity at home when their dad is at work, and the influence of the media on their knowledge of firefighting. The children also reflected a degree of worry about their father’s safety that is similar to that of their parents, and the children who expressed the most worry discussed coping strategies they rely on when their father is at work. Table 6 presents the children’s themes.
Positive Impressions
The children all related a positive impression of their fathers’ careers as firefighters. Several children used the word “cool” to describe the job. The children discussed a number of reasons why having a dad who is a firefighter is “cool,” which ranged from getting to play basketball at work, as Max Hill, age 11, reported, to the child getting to ride on the fire truck and hang out at the fire station, as Peter Smith, age 13, recalled. Most of the children also mentioned that their fathers “save people,” or are viewed as “hero[es] of the town,” in the words of Hayden Julian, age 18, as positive aspects of the job. The children also discussed their friends’ favorable views of their dads being firefighters, reporting that their friends think being a firefighter is a “cool” job.
Talking About Calls
All of the children reported that their fathers talk to them about calls and that this was an interesting part of having a dad who is a firefighter. The younger children felt that their dad told them all the details of their calls. The Smith family’s granddaughter, 7-year-old Jenny, said, “He tells me everything, like what he does and things like that”; for example, “He tells me how long he has been a firefighter.” The older children appear more aware that there are many details that they do not find out from their fathers. Hayden Julian, 18 years old, stated that her father “keeps it P.G.” when he talks about his job. She stated that her father “never really gives full-out details, which is good, cause, yeah, we don’t Theme really need to know. But I mean we know Positive Impressions how the job works and how it goes and Talking About Calls stuff like that.” This is representative of the Being a Firefighter overall attitude of the older children, who Shiftwork: Advantages and were aware that they Disadvantages knew a good deal about their fathers’ jobs, but that some things at Parental Continuity work are not shared with the children. The Influence of the Media adults’ interviews support this finding: the firefighters and Children’s Level of Concern their spouses reported sharing more about the Coping with Fear job as their children matured, but told very little to the children when they were young.
Being a Firefighter
At least one child from each family reported that he or she currently or in the past had wanted to be a firefighter in the future. Several of the boys had had their bedrooms decorated in a firefighter motif when they were young. Some of the children who had wanted to be firefighters, however, reported that they no longer wanted to because of what they have learned from having a parent who is a firefighter. Jack Robertson, 13 years old, stated that he had
wanted to be a firefighter when he was younger, but now he does not think he would enjoy shift work, so he no longer sees firefighting as a probable career. Other children reported that the inherent danger of the job has changed their minds. The Julian family’s 15-year-old son, James, said, “I have actually thought about [becoming a firefighter]. But after seeing the way he works, I am kind of scared in a way. I just don’t want to go into a job that I could possibly get killed in.” Other children were still considering firefighting a career option, including Hayden Julian and both Ty and Max Hill.
Shift Work: Advantages and Disadvantages
The children echoed their parents’ discussions of the advantages and disadvantages of shift Description work. Several children, It is “cool” to have a dad who is a including the Jones firefighter and Hill children, The fathers talk about emergency calls cited the advantage of with the children getting to spend more Most have wanted or still want to be firefighters when they grow up time with their dads than other children Advantage of getting to spend lots of time with fathers during off-shift days whose fathers work a traditional schedule. Disadvantage of fathers inevitably They talked about the missing some family events summer weekdays The home environments feel the same to most of the children when their dads they spend with their are gone dads and discussed fun Television news and movies influence outings such as going their level of fear about their dads’ jobs to the pool. Many Children whose fathers work in the city of the children cited express more anxiety and concern about their fathers’ missing safety important events, such Focusing on fathers’ skills at their jobs, praying for their safety, limiting worrying as holidays, birthdays, thoughts or school concerts, as a disadvantage of shift work. Jessica Jones, 13 years old, stated, “It’s kind of sad” when her father misses an event, such as one of her orchestra concerts; however, she acknowledged that “he hasn’t missed that many, because he tries to be there.” Most of the firefighters reported that they do try to swap shifts when possible in order to miss as few important family events as possible.
Parental Continuity
Nearly all of the children reported that they do not notice a difference in the atmosphere of the home or parenting styles when their father is at work. The children who did report feeling a difference included Spring 2022 • The PFIA Protector
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7-year-old Jenny, who reported that it feels safer when her grandfather is home, and the Robertson children, who admitted that the atmosphere at home is more relaxed when their father is on shift, since they do not have a formal family dinner or cook and clean. The Jones children reported that, since their father has been working 24-hour shifts their entire lives, “It’s pretty normal,” and it does not impact the atmosphere of the house. The Hill children, part of a blended family in which their stepmother cares for them while their biological father is on-shift, stated that they did not notice a difference at home when he is at work.
Influence of the Media
Several of the children reported that the media, such as television news and movies, have influenced their knowledge of the dangers of their fathers’ jobs. The Julian family reported that they frequently watch the local television news and see fire trucks and ambulances from their father’s department. Mrs. Julian stated that when the children see a fire truck on television they immediately want to know if it is their dad’s truck; however, once they are told it is not their father’s truck, they go on with their evening without worry. The Julian children and Heather Robertson admitted that they had watched Ladder 49, a movie about firefighters who were killed in the events of September 11, 2001, and that it was extremely upsetting. Heather said, “One time we watched Ladder 49, and I can’t watch that. I watched it once, and I can’t watch it.” She stated that the film was scary “because it’s the same job my dad has.” Hayden Julian reported that the film made her more aware of her biggest fear -- the fear of her father “going into a fire and not coming out.”
Children’s Level of Concern
A pattern emerged in the children’s interviews in which their level of concern for their fathers’ safety paralleled the amount of concern their parents expressed. Both sets of children of the two families of first responders working in a large, urban fire department expressed more concern for their fathers’ safety, just as their mothers did. The Julian children related their fear of their father being harmed on the job, such as by a violent crime. Hayden Julian said, “Everybody hears about policemen getting shot or something like that. It always worries me that something like that is going to happen to him.” Peter Smith also discussed his fear that his father could be hurt on the job, stating, “When I do stop
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to think about it, I do think about how he could be risking his life for other people.” The children of the urban firefighters were acutely aware of the dangers their fathers face each time they go to work in an impoverished area of a major city. These children’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Julian and Mrs. and Mrs. Smith, also more openly discussed the threat of being harmed as a firefighter in a large city and how they cope with this threat.
Coping With Fear
The children who reported feeling afraid for their fathers’ safety described how they cope with this fear. Hayden Julian stated that danger is “part of the job. You get used to it, and you live with it.” In order to ease their fears, the Julian children reported that they pray for their father’s safety. They also rely on the fact that their father is skilled at his job and motivated to come home safely. Hayden said, “We know that he knows how to do his job. And we know that he is definitely going to keep safe, especially for us. He has got a family at home. He is going to stay safe for us, ‘cause he wants to be here with us.” Peter Smith stated that he focuses on the thought, “He will come home the same person he was yesterday.” He also strives to minimize his worry in order to “keep it something that doesn’t make me feel bad.” The Robertson children related feeling less fear for their father’s safety since he is now working in an administrative position; they did not report any coping strategies.
Summary of the Themes
The children related themes expressing positive impressions of firefighting, knowledge of the job from conversations with their fathers, a desire to be a firefighter when they grow up, advantages and disadvantages of shift work, not noticing a difference at home when their dad is at work, and the influence of the media on their knowledge of firefighting. The children’s level of concern for their fathers’ safety appeared related to their parents’ level of concern, and those children who expressed anxiety about their fathers’ safety related strategies that help cope with this fear. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the impact on-the-job trauma has upon the firefighter and his family. For a full review of this qualitative study visit https://digscholarship.unco.edu/dissertations/89/
MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD
THOSE WHO PERFORM
Above and Beyond Without Hesitation Georgia —On November 19, 2021, the Hinesville Fire Department’s Station 2 crew of Captain Graham Martin, Engineer Hugh Long, and Firefighter Adam Ziter were dispatched to a motor vehicle crash. Arriving on scene to find
of the crew, using hydraulic extrication tools, began the process of removing the patient from the truck while the third member extinguished the fire. The rescue and fire extinguishment took less than three minutes. The patient suffered burns to legs, arms, neck, and face. He was treated by emergency medical personnel and transported via helicopter from the scene to the burn center in Augusta.
Saved from a Burning Car Georgia — On December 21, 2021, Chatham County Fire Department volunteer Luke Culleny saved a woman trapped inside her burning car. Culleny was seen on Truman Parkway pulling the trapped woman, who was unable to escape from her burning car. Firefighter Culleny approached the flames and broke out the rear window with a wrench, pulling her to safety before more first responders arrived. There is no doubt that the quick action of volunteer Culleny saved the life of the female victim.
These three individuals put the life of the victim ahead of their own. Their Pictured: PFIA Agent Jason Roehm, Firefighter Adam Ziter, training and Engineer Hugh Long, and Captain Graham Martin. experience aided in them a head-on collision involving a making the right decision, in the pick-up truck and a school bus, right order. Their dedication to they performed a rapid evaluation the community, the Hinesville of the scene. The driver of the Fire Department, and the fire pickup was trapped inside, and service, allowed them to put their his vehicle was on fire. The safety secondary to the safety of flames had entered the passenger the lives we are sworn to protect. compartment of the truck and the Without their heroic actions, driver was burning alive. there is no doubt that the patient Without hesitation and relying on would not have survived. Pictured: PFIA Agent Jason Roehm and training and experience, these men Firefighter Luke Culleny. sprang into action. Two members Spring 2022 • The PFIA Protector
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Corrections Officers:
Addiction, Stressors & Problems They Face The United States has the unenviable reputation for being the “incarceration nation,” the country that holds 25 percent of the prisoners in the world but only 5 percent of the general population of the world. While the causes of what led to this situation are hotly debated, the corrections officers who watch over these prisoners face traumatizing, life-or-death challenges that often go unnoticed and ignored, which can result in substance abuse and suicide.
Building Working Relationships
Today, correctional officers are expected to play a more hands-on role with the inmates in their charge. As much as the job entails keeping an eye on prisoners, COs are trained and empowered to offer on-the-spot (and limited) mental health treatment, to be involved in job skills development programs, religious rituals, and substance abuse interventions. Since inmates who participate in these programs have a greater chance of living productive and peaceful lives upon their release, more and more correctional departments across the country are investing time and training for their officers to know how to respond in appropriate situations. The key is to build working relationships with the inmates who are the most eager to have a better future outside prison, so correctional officers will work extra hard to meet those prisoners halfway. This may mean that COs liaise with job placement, housing, and substance abuse rehabilitation agencies in the community, sometimes in their professional capacity as employees of state and local criminal justice departments.
Corrections Officers and PTSD
The theory of the job is commendable, but the reality on the ground is starkly different. The Guardian writes of the unofficial motto that exists among COs across America: “Prison guards can never be weak.” Figures are not easy to come by, but for the halfmillion officers who work in prisons, there are over 2.5 million prisoners to watch. Guards are exhausted, traumatized, and often ignored or shunned if they express any weariness or misgivings about the work they are required to do. As a result, COs have rates of post-traumatic stress disorder that are more than double the rate that military veterans experience. This, in turn, affects prisoners; guards have been known to take their frustrations and anxieties out on inmates, incurring penalties that contribute to their mental health problems. In 2011, Caterina Spinaris, an expert in clinical research on correctional policy issues, conducted an anonymous survey of COs, looking specifically for the signs of post-traumatic stress disorder: flashbacks, hypervigilance, suicidal thoughts, depression, and intrusive thoughts, among other symptoms. Spinaris found that 34 percent of corrections officers met the criteria for PTSD; by comparison, 14 percent of military veterans experience those symptoms. When it came to suicide, COs take their own lives at a rate of twice that of both police officers and the general public. A national study published in the Archives of Suicide Research found that the risk of suicide among correctional officers was 39 percent higher than all other professions put together. Michael Van Patten, one of the officers profiled by
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The Guardian, said that most of his job was “pretty mundane” – cell counts, watching what inmates are doing, even getting inmates extra toilet paper. This can go on for as long as 16 straight hours, sometimes without breaking for lunch. Such activities can account for 95 percent of the job. What happens in the other 5 percent is what scars many officers: breaking up fights between inmates who are using smuggled weapons or their bare hands to try and kill each other; trying to stop suicide attempts and cleaning up an inmate’s cell after a successful attempt; and coming home with blood or human excrement smeared all over their uniform. The worst part, said Van Patten, is that officers don’t know when the violence and intensity of that 5 percent will happen. This leads to guards being in a constant state of hypervigilance, a switch that they cannot simply turn off when they go home for the day. The high blood pressure from the “constant state of fight or flight,” in the words of the co-founder of the American Correctional Officer Intelligence Network, leads to heart attacks, ulcers, and reduced life expectancy.
Going into Battle Mode
On the face of it, the COs have control of the prison, but if the inmates wanted to, “they could take it.” Never knowing when that moment will come is akin to the environment that leads to PTSD in combat veterans; it is also similar to why women (and men) who have survived sexual assault develop PTSD, because they never know if they are really safe. For that reason, COs go into “battle mode” the second they enter a prison. Michael Morgan, a former officer at a state penitentiary in Oregon, described the experience to The Guardian like a soldier getting ready for war. For an eight-hour shift, anything can happen, and correctional officers have to be ready every second of those eight hours. An environment like that is not conducive to dealing with the strain in a healthy manner. Officers are expected to process the trauma and swallow it as part of the job. There is an image to maintain, both for the benefit of the inmates, the general public, and other COs. Showing weakness could be the end of a career; it could also mean an opening for a hostile inmate to
attack. As a result, COs often become more aggressive and withdrawn after spending enough time on the job. The warden at a correctional facility in Long Island says that officers become “robotic, emotionless,” both because of what the job did to them and also to protect themselves when they came to work. When the warden first started, guards came to work drunk. Things have improved enough where that is a rarity, but many COs still use drugs and alcohol to get through the dehumanization of what their job does to them.
Nightmares and Suicide Attempts
Michael Van Patten related how watching an inmate die in agony (“coughing up lungs and screaming”) gave him nightmares, and no job training prepared him for the inability to mentally move on. Trevor, Van Patten’s son, also a corrections officer, was traumatized by seeing the remains of an inmate who was beaten to death by other prisoners. An hour after the murder, he went to lunch, then resumed his shift. Trevor came home one day minutes before his father attempted to kill himself, but neither man was able to talk to the other about their shared experience. Michael had showed all the signs (insomnia, panic attacks, an obsession with working out, and heavy drinking), but COs don’t talk about PTSD. Many are afraid that a positive test for PTSD will get them decertified, unable to work in criminal justice or law enforcement. Because of this, they don’t talk to anyone about their problems; they drink harder and heavier; and they show up to work on time. The head of the American Correctional Officer Intelligence Network says that COs are as much prisoners as the men and women under their charge. The only difference is that guards get paid for their time. When they hit rock bottom, their state and department health services are rarely sympathetic. It took nothing short of a panic attack for Michael Morgan to be diagnosed with PTSD to qualify for employment protection under the Americans With Disabilities Act. His state and department transferred him to a non-security job.
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Morgan counts himself lucky but warns that “you can’t change a culture overnight.” Most COs are denied a healthy outlet for the stress they experience on the job; the president of the New York City Corrections Officers’ Benevolent Association told Newsweek that most officers find comfort in alcohol and drug consumption.
Divorce
The combination of mental health struggles and substance abuse takes its toll on the family; a Radford University study found that officers serving in correctional facilities have higher rates of divorce than the general population (which, in its own way, contributes to negative well-being and stress). The Journal of Family Violence writes of high rates of domestic violence carried out by COs, and The Atlantic says that violence directed toward wives or girlfriends by COs often goes unreported.
Female Officers
The common image of a correctional officer is a hulking man with a badge, but women also serve as COs, and they are not spared the abuse that comes with the job. A female CO told NBC Miami that she was sexually and physically assaulted by 17 inmates; however, despite reporting the incidents to her superiors, the managers of the Miami-Dade facility did not inform the police. Seventy-three days after the assault, the CO went over her supervisors’ heads and called the police herself. A corporal representing an association of correctional officers attributed the silence to an attempted cover-up. Women are more vulnerable than men for developing post-traumatic stress disorder, including substance abuse, in the aftermath of a traumatic event.
An Inherent Sense of Shame
The environment of a corrections facility, already tense to begin with, is not conducive to sound mental health. The co-founder of the American Correctional Officer Intelligence Network explains that “incarceration nation” has overcrowded prisons across the country, and corrections departments are continually understaffed. The American Federation of Government Employees writes that the number of prison inmates in the 119 facilities operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons went up 41 percent
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between the years 2000 and 2013, but the number of guards increased by just 19 percent. This adds to the host of problems that correctional officers face; they are constantly abused, given no healthy outlet to let go of their tension, outnumbered, and even feel an “inherent sense of shame about what they do.” Officers rarely, if ever, talk to their families about what they do. Conflicts between work and family life are common, according to a study by the Correctional Management Institute of Texas at Sam Houston State University, which also wrote that COs do not get healthy amounts of sleep. The end result is that morale among COs is perilously low, leaving many to feel that the only respite and release they can get is from drinking. Some guards find themselves part of their respective prison’s black market. Whether intimidated by inmates, swayed by sympathy, or because they’ve simply “gone bad” (due to the stress), correctional officers are becoming an unlikely method for drugs and illegal materials to get into prison. It can happen because a guard has low self-esteem and craves adoration from inmates. Negative well-being is boosted by the risk of smuggling drugs, by flouting the rules, and by being in a position of power. KFOR.com explains that the average pay for a CO is only $43,550, with certain states paying as low as $22,000. The desire to help an inmate is usually motivated by human kindness, not greed; but money is invariably involved, and what starts out with a pack of cigarettes can become cocaine and smartphone smuggling. One former corrections officer made $150,000 in a year by delivering contraband to the inmates under his watch. Additionally, once a CO starts helping an inmate, the balance of power shifts, and the inmate now has blackmail material with which to coerce the guard to continue the smuggling. In an environment where guards are already stressed, the pressure of being involved in criminal activity and being surrounded by hostile, dangerous people can be severe.
The Undeclared War Zone
Life as a correctional officer eats you up, said an Iraq War veteran to the Denver Post, which quoted Caterina Spinaris, an expert in clinical research on correctional policy issues, as saying that prison guards
work in a war zone; they are subject to inhuman amounts of anxiety and personal abuse but have to be professional and stoic, to the point of turning off their humanity. As combat veterans can attest, simply turning it back on isn’t possible. A former manager of a corrections facility told the Post of how even at family outings, COs will always sit facing the exit and will always keep an eye on complete strangers, never letting their guard down and never relaxing. For some families, the burden is too much, culminating in domestic violence (which entails physical or sexual abuse) and divorce. For some officers, consumed by guilt and stress, their lives
about how the constant violence of the job (from the inmates to the guards, and vice versa) broke his will to continue working. Praising Caterina Spinaris’s work, Kapolites agreed with the idea that guards themselves are doing time, trapped by what they see every day, the uncertainty and fear of what might happen, and the inability to let go of their trauma when they return to their families. “A lot of them are unable to detach,” Kapolites said, and the only way they can channel their emotions is through alcoholism, domestic violence, and ultimately suicide. But Spinaris’s focus is on changing things for the better, albeit slowly. She recounted success stories
A doctor in Cañon City said that even though prison jobs offer a nice retirement, “many of these guys don’t live long after they retire.”
of guards being able to come to terms with the nature of their work, and some prison facilities are sending their stressed and burned out employees to her. She writes articles for a criminal justice resource website, breaking down concepts of psychological trauma, “corrections fatigue,” and post-traumatic stress disorder. For many COs, this may be the first (and only) time that their thoughts and feelings are addressed, and it suggests that the once-impenetrable culture of corrections officers is opening up to the dangers of the abuse and pressure that COs face every day
Changing the Corrections Culture
https://americanaddictioncenters.org/rehab-guide/correctionsofficers.
end in suicide. No one, says the former manager, wants to hear or talk about the inmate who changed the television channel in a rival gang’s area of the prison and wound up dead the next day, a pencil driven through his ear and into his brain. Officers are left with no choice but to keep their distressing memories and nightmares to themselves, and then turn up to work the following day.
Gary Kapolites, a veteran CO, talked to the Post
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Good Bears of the World (GBW), a caring and giving charity, was founded in 1969 by the late radio pioneer, James Theodore Ownby, Colonel Robert Henderson from England, and English actor, Peter Bull, in Bern, Switzerland. GBW Headquarters were located in Mr. Ownby’s radio station KNDI, in Honolulu until the organization subsequently relocated their headquarters to Toledo, Ohio and in 1991 after Mr. Ownby passed away in 1986. It was Mr. Ownby’s dream to spread love and caring to children and the elderly who were in need of comfort with teddy bears. His dream has been carried on over four decades by members worldwide.
GBW was the first group to donate teddy bears to police departments in the early 80s. This program has gained tremendous popularity in the last few decades.
Since their founding, GBW has given hundreds of thousands of teddy bears to those in need of love and a hug. The Oklahoma City bombing, the crash of TWA flight 800, events of September 11, 2001, Hurricane Katrina, Kansas tornados and floods, and the Fukashima Nuclear Disaster are some of the tragedies where we have gifted our Good Bears. Firefighters, police officers, emergency workers, psychologists, and grief counselors have discovered the teddy bear’s magical healing power is invaluable when given to children and their families in traumatic situations.
Pictured: PFIA Agent Kyle Hartman presenting a donation to our local Disorderly Bear Den/Good Bears of the World organization on behalf of PFIA and the Fort Wayne Police Department.
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The PFIA Protector • www.pfia1913.org
Protecting People Who Live or Work in High-Rises The tragic loss of life from the 19-story apartment building fire that occurred in New York City on Jan. 9 reminds us of the fire and life safety challenges that tall buildings present to the emergency services and to the occupants who live or work in them. High-rise design challenges and features
Because of the inherent nature of tall buildings and a series of historic fires, the practice of protecting the people who live and work in high-rise buildings has evolved over the years. Very specific sets of precautions that incorporate the most effective means of fire protection are included in every building’s design. Often defined by their height, highrise buildings have a formal definition in modern building codes. Occupied floors located high above the ground present many serious challenges for fire and life safety, such as: •
•
•
Fire and smoke tend to spread vertically because of the buoyant nature of the heat produced during a fire. Buildings with occupied levels above a fire floor pose a significant danger if the fire is not extinguished quickly. It can be difficult to evacuate large numbers of people from elevated floors, resulting in longer evacuation times and challenges for first responders trying to reach the elevated floors. Fire department aerial apparatus can only access a limited number of floors from the ground, complicating firefighting operations.
For these reasons, modern high-rise buildings are required to incorporate several design features that limit the likelihood of fire, quickly detect and suppress fires that occur, and protect occupants during an evacuation. Features generally required include: •
Fire-rated compartmentation.
•
Noncombustible construction.
•
Fire alarm systems, including
fire department communications systems. •
Automatic fire sprinklers.
•
Smoke control systems.
•
Multiple fire- and smoke-protected exit stairs.
Very tall buildings, typically ones greater than 420 feet in height, are required to have an additional stairway.
If you don’t live or work in the building familiarize yourself with a building when you first enter it. Note the locations of exits, fire alarm pull stations, fire extinguishers, etc. Look near exits or in the lobby for maps and diagrams showing the location of these items. Always have a plan for what to do in an emergency and practice it.
If a fire occurs •
Quickly and safely proceed to the nearest stair exit and close any doors behind you. Do not use elevators during a fire as they may become disabled or be secured by first responders for their operations and rescues.
•
Shout “fire” or pull the fire alarm as you make your way to the nearest exit.
•
Close the stair or corridor door(s) to help ensure that smoke and fire do not fill the stairwell or corridor and make it difficult to use. Most stair enclosures are constructed of fireresistant walls and doors and have mechanical pressurization systems that blow outside air into the stairwell. These systems work best with doors closed.
•
Continue down the stairs until you reach the ground floor and fully exit the building. In some cases, exit stairs will discharge to a lobby space. If so, quickly locate the nearest exit to the outside.
•
Call 911. Notify any building staff that you encounter of the fire so they can take appropriate preplanned actions or assist fire and emergency medical services when they arrive.
Safety messages to share
Emergency actions by occupants will vary slightly depending on familiarity with the building layout and the design of the building’s safety systems. People who live or work in a high-rise are often more familiar with the location of exits and fire alarm pull stations. Conversely, people who are visiting a high-rise for a short duration, such as for a meeting or a hotel stay, might be more reliant on building staff or audible and visual notifications to know what to do in an emergency.
Key messages for the public • • • • • •
Always familiarize yourself with the fire safety features in a building, especially the locations of exits. Practice your exit route. Make sure exits are not blocked. Do not chock or prop stairway or corridor doors open. Remember to close doors when you leave the room. Report non-functioning or damaged fire protection features, such as an automatic door closer. Do not tamper with life safety devices.
In the event of a fire, stay calm and follow the plan. Call 911 for help.
Additional considerations Not all tall buildings meet the modern standards described above. Some may predate these
(continued on next page) Spring 2022 • The PFIA Protector
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safety requirements or have unique alterations that can be confusing. Occupants must be familiarized with the locations of exits when entering a building for the first time. If a person cannot self-evacuate or use the stairs, they should call 911 for help and be prepared to shelter in place. Sheltering in place may mean sheltering within an individual room with the door closed and using a wet towel to seal the cracks around the door. In some cases, people with limited mobility can get to the nearest exit stair. If it is clear or nearly clear of smoke, they can wait on the stair landing for assistance. Under certain circumstances, occupants might be directed to evacuate to a different floor. https://www.usfa.fema.gov/blog/ci-011222.html
CHILI & DONUTS
HERE’S THE FUN
Food & Humor Baked Meatball Stroganoff Ingredients ⅓ cup chopped green onions ¼ cup seasoned bread crumbs 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 1 pound ground beef 1 loaf (1lb.) Italian bread, cut into 1-inch slices 1 package (8oz.) cream cheese, softened ½ cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning ¼ teaspoon pepper 2 cups shredded part- skim mozzarella cheese, divided 3 ½ cups spaghetti sauce 1 cup water 2 garlic cloves, minced
Directions In a large bowl, combine the onions, bread crumbs, and Parmesan cheese. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into 1-inch balls; place on a greased rack in a shallow baking pan. Bake at 400° until no longer pink, 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, arrange bread in a single layer in an ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, Italian seasoning, and pepper; spread over the bread. Sprinkle with ½ cup mozzarella. Combine the spaghetti sauce, water, and garlic; add meatballs. Pour over cheese mixture; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Bake, uncovered, at 350° until heated through, about 30 minutes.
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The PFIA Protector • www.pfia1913.org
SWAP SHOP
CLASSIFIEDS
For Sale or For Swap is for firefighters or law enforcement officers who have items to swap or sell, or are looking for items to add to a collection. There is no charge for this service, but we ask that you follow one rule: items advertised must relate to your profession as firefighters and/or law enforcement officers. PFIA solely makes it possible for you to contact one another. PFIA does not accept any responsibility for transactions. To participate, e-mail your name, contact information, & ad information to
rbrownson@pfia.net.
You may use any address and/or telephone number you wish.
PATCHES Looking to grow police/fire patch collection. If you have patches you would like to part with, please send to Shannon McCarty at 20 Nicole Court, Lakewood, New Jersey 08701. Kansas Fire Engineer wanting to trade Fire and EMS patches. Have extra patches from other depts. E-mail and we can find out if there are others you would want to trade. Contact Tim Dokken, at tim. dokken81@gmail.com or send patch to Tim Dokken 1028 W. Ash St., Junction City, KS 66441. Looking to grow my fire patch collection. Captain Jeff Fuchs, Carmel Fire Department, 2214 Mozart Drive, Greenfield, Indiana. 46140. 317-695-8969 Looking to trade my police departments patch. New patch for new patch. Contact: John Kerrigan, 3804 Fairhaven Court, Midland, Texas 79707. Jkerrigan@midlandtexas.gov
OTHER 1000s of FOP pins to sell from all states. Call Patsy McKinney at 936647-7415.
Retired Cleveland Police Officer Bob Guttu’s book, “Community Policing (It Really Works).” Contact: Bob Guttu at rguttu@ clevelandpolicefoundation.org. Custom-designed blankets with PD/FD logos. Choice of colors to match department and company patches. Contact NHRF&R FF Stefan S. Vassallo at 973-768-1049 or Sv145@aol.com. 50x60, 80% cotton 20% poly, $65 Free shipping in the Continental US. Fire bike painting commemorating 9/11 by artist Motor Marc Lacourciere. A framed giclee collector’s piece, #2 of 250, $500. Contact: William Irby at 386-3168275 or skipirby@aol.com. I would like to swap challenge coins with other officers or agencies. One for One. I also sell them for $10 each plus $5 for shipping. Sandra Torres at 903-2216344
I have pictures available for anyone interested. Duty holster $165 and tactical holster $195 retail. I’m willing to sell both for $250. Contact Det. Brian Jeffers at 720810-0856. For Sale: A Fireman’s Log, a collection of poems written by a fireman. Titles include, Fireman’s Pole, A Fireman’s Wife, A Fireman’s Coat and more. $5 each plus $2 shipping. Contact Huey Hoover at hjh.33sd@gmail.com or phone 895-542-6434. Firefighter/paramedic of the Independence Fire District would like to trade fire, EMS, or police challenge coins for one of our fire challenge coins. Email me or mail me your coin and I will return the favor.10409 Sharpsburg Drive Independence, KY 41051 dcoyle@independencekyfire.org
Wanted: I collect antique fire memorabilia and any items from Wilmington, DE Fire Department. Contact E. Tickner at bat6wfd@ verizon.net or call 302-598-6038 and leave a message. Spring 2022 • The PFIA Protector
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HOME OFFICE DIRECTORY
CONTACT
Information
317-581-1913 • 1-800-221-PFIA • www.pfia1913.org Police and Firemen’s Insurance Association is the only group in the world that exclusively caters to police officers, firefighters and correctional officers. Our members enjoy competitive premium rates and products designed specifically for police officers and firefighters, which are unavailable anywhere else.
Executive Committee Association Offices Chairman of the Board Mike Carrigan Vice President of Operations Jeanie Williams Tom Clines President
John Murphy
Senior Vice President/ Executive Secretary
Jeff Warnock Vice President/ Treasurer
Departments Member Services Anne Karn Amanda Rice Christina Coan
Accounting Lead Sherrie Vermande Accounting Nancy Brown
New Business Brian Kinnaird Brittanie Butcher
ACH Coordinator Jennifer Ireland Agency/Commissions Amanda Hendricks Claims Examiner Mindy Roberts Creative Services/Editor Rebekah Brownson Department Assistant Tanyia Elston General Services Margaret Snyder
Receptionist Heather Starwalt Secretary to the Executives Susan Shinabarger-Woolf Shipping & Receiving Cristian White Statutory Accounting Joe Tauber
Information Services Chris Marlor
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The PFIA Protector • www.pfia1913.org
National Sales Diretor Bradd Roembke 317-498-9440 (C) pfia282@gmail.com
Regional Managers Southeast Myles Christie 706-951-9620 (C) pfia567@gmail.com Louisiana Gary Ralph 318-426-4034 (C) garyralph874@gmail.com Texas Darren “Lang” Spencer 979-716-6193 (C) lspencer_pfia@yahoo.com Mid-Atlantic Ed Griffith 732-674-3143 (C) pfiaejg3@gmail.com Midwest Mark Reuss 513-706-1287 mark.pfia@gmail.com Northeast Alan “Tom” Evans, Jr. 716-628-4774 (C) nypfia@gmail.com
Directory of Advisory Board Members & Account Representatives (H) Home Phone Alabama Birmingham PD PAUL A. IRWIN JR. 205-365-7092 (C) 205-591-0911 (B)
Colorado Arvada FD TODD HOBLER 720-540-4940 (H) 303-919-7759 (C) todd.hobler@arvadafire.com Denver FD JAMES H. SNYDER 303-888-0810 (C) jimpfia434@gmail.com Denver PD JASON CARRIGAN 303-994-7575 (C) pfiacarrigan@gmail.com Denver PD & Sheriff MIKE CARRIGAN 303-619-6112 (C) pfia.mikecarrigan@gmail.com Denver West Metro Fire Rescue DUANE G. PELL 303-238-2328 (H) 303-810-2480 (C) pelldp@q.com Mountain View FD MIKE STRATTON 970-587-8923 (H) 970-412-6730 (C) mikestratton@gmail.com mstratton@mvfpd.org
Connecticut Bridgeport FD MIKE KAMSZIK 203-767-3331 (C) mikekamszik@gmail.com CT State Corrections - Garner SCOTT STRIELKAUSKAS 203-206-2027 (C) 203-757-0036 (H) scottstriel@icloud.com Hartford FD EDWARD MACHIAL 860-985-9350 (C) latinofire73@yahoo.com New Britain FD TIM CYR 860-841-7242 (C) ctpfia@outlook.com New Britain PD PAUL BAK 860-560-3973 (C) pbak66@comcast.net New Haven Corrections ERNEST AWUSAH 347-270-6141 (C) ernestawusah@gmail.com
(C) Cell Phone
(B) Business Phone
New Haven FD and Branford FD & PD JASON T. CUSACK 203-996-G0597 (C) qball0056@gmail.com
Jacksonville FD ANTHONY E. RAGANS 904-768-3546 (H) 904-699-7181 (C) tbone247@att.net
New Haven FD and Branford FD & PD WILLIAM CUSACK 203-494-6762 (C)
Orange Co. FD JIM MERGENTHALER 407-694-4927 (C) pfiacfl@gmail.com
Norwalk FD & PD JUSTIN BISCEGLIE 203-803-8050 (C)
Orlando FD T.J. LOWREY 407-970-0893 (C) pfia.tj@gmail.com
Robinson State Corrections ROSENDO DELEON JR. 860-982-9692 (C) rodeleonjr0311@gmail.com Stamford FD MICHAEL GALLAS 203-470-0275 (C) pfia786@gmail.com Stamford PD FRANKIE FORBES 203-469-5320 (H) 203-627-0259 (C) fforbes@stamfodct.gov Waterbury FD JOHN PERUGINI 203-233-3394 (C) johnperugini1987@gmail.com Waterbury PD MICHAEL STOKES 860-637-0815 (C) mikestokes628@gmail.com
Delaware Wilmington FD & PD ANTHONY HARRIS 302-250-5276 (C) aharris275@msn.com
Florida Cape Coral FD EDWARD AGOCS 239-214-1467 (H) edagocs@yahoo.com Deltona FD ANSON CHUCCI 386-878-3166 (C) pfia.ac680@gmail.com Ft. Lauderdale FD JORGE MORAL 772-341-2446 (C) pfia765@gmail.com Gainesville FD EUGENE DUGAN 386-344-3427 (C) ejd0907@gmail.com Gainesville PD MARTIN HONEYCUTT 352-871-5360 (C) martinh5360@gmail.com
Orlando PD JASON BATURA 321-228-7821 (C) batura@gmail.com Port St. Lucie FD & Sheriff MICHAEL RIZZELLO 772-370-4803 (C) firerizz@aol.com St. Petersburg FD WINTHROP M. NEWTON 727-323-1213 (H) iwilldo@earthlink.net St. Petersburg PD SCOTT LAANINEN 813-482-3972 (C) scott.laaninen@gmail.com St. Petersburg PD RICHARD THOMAS 727-798-7165 (C) rthomas1@knology.net Tampa PD CHRIS LaFRAMBOISE 813-892-5313 (C) clafram.pfia@gmail.com Volusia County FD &PD JUSTIN HUGHES 386-931-8728 (C) jhughespfia@yahoo.com
Georgia Atlanta FD GEORGE W. HOWELL III 678-787-2465 (C) george.howell.pfia@gmail.com Augusta FD & PD ERIC V. SMITH 706-339-5979 (C) smith23ev@hotmail.com DeKalb Co. PD & FD TAD LANDAU 404-557-4205 (H) tadlandau@yahoo.com
(F) Fax Number
(P) Pager Number
Macon-Bibb Co. FD & PD LARRY SMALLWOOD 478-737-8467 (C) larrys_fireman@yahoo.com
Ft. Wayne PD KYLE HARTMAN 260-908-4726 (C) kyle.pfia@gmail.com
Muscogee County Sheriff JOHN WADE 862-216-4217 (C) pfia706@gmail.com
Hammond FD JEFF HARTLERODE 219-671-2167 (C) pfia707@gmail.com
Roswell FD IOSEFA LEOTA 678-559-4304 (C) iosefa.pfia@gmail.com
Indianapolis FD ERIC HOFMEISTER 317-946-8551 (C) pfia332@gmail.com
Savannah FD & PD JASON ROEHM 989-239-1450 (H) roehmjason@yahoo.com Whitfield Co. FD, PD, Sheriff & Corrections BRETT MILLER 706-280-2160 (C) bmiller0828@gmail.com
Illinois Chicago FD FRANK COSTANZO 773-430-4855 (C) frank.pfia@gmail.com Chicago FD MICHAEL J. SHANAHAN 312-307-8795 (C) mspfia@msn.com Chicago FD MICHAEL WALSH 773-852-2927 (C) pfia3210@att.net Chicago, Southern Suburbs FD & PD, University Park FD JEFFERY A. DUHOSKI 708-927-0960 paidnproud@aol.com Peoria FD SHAUN MANNING 309-261-9441 (C) manningshaun@yahoo.com Peoria PD TERRY L. PYATT 309-697-9325 (H)
Indianapolis PD DAVID V. ROTH 317-490-9008 (C) rothventure@gmail.com Mishawaka/South Bend FD & PD NICK KAUFMAN 574-226-9681 (C) nikkik204@comcast.net Richmond/ Connersville FD & PD MATT MATLOCK 937-409-1508 (C) mmatlock94@yahoo.com
Iowa Burlington FD KENNETH MORRIS 319-753-6285 (H) Cedar Rapids FD LYLE THEISEN 319-462-3912 (H) lylepatthe@msn.com Des Moines FD & PD RAYMOND A. GALLARDO 515-205-2414 (C) ray.gallardo13@gmail.com West Des Moines FD DOUG REX 515-222-3423 (W) 515-991-3684 (C) dougrex1@gmail.com
Kansas
Rock Island FD NICK THOMPSON 309-314-6276 (C) nick3146276@yahoo.com
Indiana
Anderson FD & PD MATTHEW COLE 765-208-5179 (C) pfia176@gmail.com
Junction City FD, PD & Sheriff J. R. REYNOLDS 785-238-7835 (H) 785-375-1340 (C) j.r.jcfd@gmail.com Kansas City FD JIM CANADA 913-909-4585 pfia.jimcanada@gmail.com
Kentucky
Macon-Bibb FD ZEDRIC GREENE 478-221-0496 (C) policefire2018@gmail.com
Columbus FD AARON EICHEL 812-603-8641 (C) aaroneichel246@gmail.com
Ashland FD & PD DAVID REDMAN 606-465-9344 (C) fdredman@yahoo.com
Macon-Bibb Co. FD & PD STEPHEN M. STAFFORD 478-978-5316 (H) ss20041@cox.net
Evansville FD & PD GREG LEHMAN 812-455-3443 (C) glehman64@gmail.com
Covington/Northern Kentucky FD CHRIS HANDLEY 513-919-3521 (C) Chris.handley.pfia@gmail.com
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Lexington FD PATRICK SUMNER 859-743-9485 (C) psumner1117@gmail.com
Slidell FD LOUIS MELANCON 985-960-7651 (C) tamnlou@gmail.com
St. Louis FD JACOB NEWMAN 314-706-2522 (C) jake.pfia@gmail.com
Clifton FD,& PD JASON AYALA 973-249-7976 (H) samjay134@gmail.com
Long Branch FD & PD PATRICK CASTELLANO 732-804-1563 patrick_castellano@yahoo.com
Lexington PD GARY THURMAN 859-351-4507 (C) thurnam.pfia@gmail.com
Slidell PD DAVID L. LENTZ 504-606-4427 (C) dlentz78@gmail.com
St. Louis Co. PD MATTHEW CRECELIUS 314-341-4290 (C) mattcrecelius@gmail.com
East Jersey/Trenton Corrections JORGE ORTIZ 201-680-8789 (C) pfiajortiz@gmail.com
Manasquan PD PATRICK CASTELLANO 732-804-1563 patrick_castellano@yahoo.com
St. Louis PD BRYAN BARTON 636-232-5318 (C) bryaly21@gmail.com
East Orange FD & PD KYLE KONDRECK 201-341-2946 (C) kkondreckpfia@gmail.com
Nebraska
Elizabeth FD & PD ANTHONY “FOGE” FAZIO 908-377-2052 (C) foge69@aol.com
Louisiana
Maryland
Baton Rouge FD PAUL H. OWENS 225-772-4190 (C) pfiaowens48@gmail.com
MD National Capital Park PD ZENOBIA SANTANA 347-229-3561 (C) pfia.santana@gmail.com
Baton Rouge FD CAMERON WESLEY 225-937-0907 (C) camwesley97@gmail.com
Western PD, Sheriff, & Corrections ALLISON ARANA 301-730-0443 (C) allisonarana89@gmail.com
Baton Rouge PD STEPHEN MARTINEZ 225-397-1548 (C) stephenmartinez.pfia750@gmail. com Bossier City, PD/FD JOHN MORTON 318-455-6665 (C) pfiajohn764@gmail.com Caddo Parish Sheriff PAMELA PURGERSON 318-617-9506 (C) pammypurg@gmail.com Caddo Parish Sheriff JERRY SILVA 318-655-5627 (C) j.silva360@yahoo.com Jefferson Parish Sheriff KIM LENTZ 985-774-4414 (C) 985-639-1723 (H) lentz1848@bellsouth.net
Wicomico Co., FD & PD DUANE CLECKNER 443-365-3805 (C) 410-873-2538 (H) cleck2006@aol.com
Omaha FD RANDY WOLODKEWITSCH 402-216-9664 (C) 402-571-2694 (H) pfia.rjw656@gmail.com
Massachusetts
Omaha PD QUENO MARTINEZ 402-212-9336 (C) pfia307@gmail.com
Hampden County Sheriff ADAM APPLE 413-237-3233 (H) adamapple1418@yahoo.com New Bedford FD & PD JAMES ESTRELLA III 774-473-0451 (C) james.estrella@newbedfordpd.com Worcester PD TIMOTHY REYNOLDS 774-253-6432 (H) tcr316@live.com
Michigan
Lake Charles FD ANDREW LEE 337-764-3979 (C) drewglee@gmail.com
Ann Arbor FD & PD CHRIS MCGLOTHIN 517-915-8316 (C) 810-237-6888 ext. 4479 (W)
Livingston Parish FD PAUL H. OWENS 225-772-4190 (C) paulowens1948@gmail.com
Flint PD MICHAEL P. SULLIVAN 810-814-3381 (C) sully1968@comcast.net
Mandeville FD ROBBY MARQUETTE 985-789-2814 (C) healthavengers@gmail.com New Orleans FD ROXANNE HADELY 504-234-2327 (C) ffhadley21@gmail.com New Orleans & Kenner FD PAUL J. MELANCON 504-524-3878 (H) 504-430-1962 (C) New Orleans PD DAVID G. LENTZ 985-649-5741 (H) nameck2@aol.com Shreveport PD RODNEY HORTON 318-773-1232 (C) spdp386@comcast.net Shreveport FD PATRICK DENNEY 318-349-8530 (C) patrickdenney398@gmail.com
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Lincoln FD KARLA HOUFEK 402-499-1773 karlajhoufek@gmail.com
Grand Traverse City FD & PD KARYL L. MOORE 231-947-1758 (H) dfivestar@chartermi.net Wayne Co., PD HARVEY YOUNG 734-787-5372 (C) harveyy415@gmail.com
Missouri Franklin/Jefferson Co. PD & Sheriff DONALD MEYER 314-471-7653 (C) donmeyerpfia@att.net Kansas City FD MICHAEL FITZWATER 816-935-0405 (C) mikefitzpfia@gmail.com Kansas City Metro Area DONNIE SHOOK 816-315-9943 (C) pfiashook@gmail.com
The PFIA Protector • www.pfia1913.org
New Jersey Asbury Park FD & PD PATRICK CASTELLANO 732-804-1563 patrick_castellano@yahoo.com Atlantic City FD & PD GENNARO BASSO 609-214-3002 (H) gennarobasso81@gmail.com Bayonne FD ROBERT PILGER 201-638-5297 (H) rpilg@aol.com Bayonne PD ALLAN SLATTERY 201-315-4314 (C) allanslattery1959@gmail.com Bay Shore, Monmouth Co. PD, FD MICHAEL MICHALSKI 732-673-6402 (H) michalskipfia@gmail.com Belleville FD & PD KYLE KONDRECK 201-341-2946 (C) kkondreckpfia@gmail.com Bergen Co. PD, FD MICHAEL PARISE 973-271-0069 (H) mparisepfia@gmail.com Bloomfield FD & PD KYLE KONDRECK 201-341-2946 (C) kkondreckpfia@gmail.com Bradley Beach PD PATRICK CASTELLANO 732-804-1563 patrick_castellano@yahoo.com Brick Township PD JOSEPH PACITTI 848-333-1259 (C) jpacittipfia@gmail.com Camden County PD & FD Cherry Hill FD ED MICUA 609-315-0609 (C) 856-428-3252 (H) edmicuapfia@verizon.net
Essex County Sheriff & Corrections KYLE KONDRECK 201-341-2946 (C) kkondreckpfia@gmail.com Garfield PD CHAD DiGIORGIO 201-206-5183 (C) chadckfd@verizon.net Glen Ridge PD KYLE KONDRECK 201-341-2946 (C) kkondreckpfia@gmail.com Gloucester County FD & PD EDWARD VINCENT 856-316-2547 (C) edvincent.pfia@gmail.com Hackensack FD & PD MICHAEL PARISE 973-271-0069 (H) mparisepfia@gmail.com Hoboken FD ROBERT PILGER 201-638-5297 (H) rpilg@aol.com Hoboken PD ALLAN SLATTERY 201-315-4314 (C) allanslattery1959@gmail.com Hudson Co. PD & Sheriff THOMAS MCKENNA 973-919-7158 (C) tommy.mck116@gmail.com Irvington FD CHARLES WEST 973-945-4892 (C) 973-328-7974 (H) chuckwest@newarkfd.com Irvington PD KYLE KONDRECK 201-341-2946 (C) kkondreckpfia@gmail.com Jersey City FD ROBERT PILGER 201-638-5297 (H) rpilg@aol.com Jersey City PD ALLAN SLATTERY 201-315-4314 (C) allanslattery1959@gmail.com Linden FD STEPHEN SMIGELSKY 732-634-8582 (H) 732-236-3036 (C) srs214@msn.com
Mercer County GREGORY A. SWANSON 609-352-9931 (C) njpfia@gmail.com Middlesex County PD THOMAS RATAJCZAK 732-501-5604 (H) tjay103@yahoo.com Middletown Twp. FD & PD MICHAEL MICHALSKI 732-673-6402 (H) michalskipfia@gmail.com Monmouth Co. PD, FD, & Sheriff MICHAEL MICHALSKI 732-673-6402 (H) michalskipfia@gmail.com Montclair FD CHARLES WEST 973-945-4892 (C) 973-328-7974 (H) chuckwest@newarkfd.com Montclair PD KYLE KONDRECK 201-341-2946 (C) kkondreckpfia@gmail.com Morris County FD & PD CHAD DiGIORGIO 201-206-5183 (C) chadckfd@verizon.net Newark FD CHARLES WEST 973-945-4892 (C) 973-328-7974 (H) chuckwest@newarkfd.com Newark PD ALEX MARTINEZ 973-390-1918 (C) alnpd@mac.com Newark PD NAJEE WEBB 201-454-6845 (C) webbees99@aol.com North Hudson FD ROBERT PILGER 201-638-5297 (H) rpilg@aol.com Nutley FD & PD KYLE KONDRECK 201-341-2946 (C) kkondreckpfia@gmail.com Passaic FD & PD JASON AYALA 973-249-7976 (H) samjay134@gmail.com Passaic County Sheriff MISAEL MATOS 862-668-4386 (C) matosmisael@yahoo.com Passaic County Sheriff THOMAS M. PANZARINO 973-296-8006 (C) bkckgangarino@gmail.com Paterson FD & PD FRANK DAUNNO 973-330-2968 (C) jrdaun@aol.com
Paterson FD LUIS A. SANCHEZ III 201-638-3674 (C) lsanchez.pfia@gmail.com
Niagara County Sheriff KEITH HETRICK III 716-622-6461 (C) keith.hetrick@gmail.com
Plainfield FD & PD NUNO CARVALHO 908-296-6871 (C) ncarvalho.pfia@gmail.com
Niagara Falls FD JOSEPH TORRE 716-940-8225 (C) j.torre@nypfia.org
Sussex County FD, PD, & Sheriff MICHAEL PARISE 973-271-0069 (H) mparisepfia@gmail.com
Niagara Falls FD RISKY SANABRIA 716-550-0625 (C) rskpfia@gmail.com
Trenton FD & PD GREGORY A. SWANSON 609-352-9931 (C) njpfia@gmail.com
Niagara Falls PD RICK FLECK III 716-807-6876 (C) precki17@aol.com
Ventnor FD WILLIAM NAGLE 609-705-8450 (C) bubby129056@yahoo.com
Rochester FD BRIAN WHITE 585-705-7179 (C) white.brian11@gmail.com
Wallington FD & PD MICHAEL PARISE 973-271-0069 (H) mparisepfia@gmail.com
Schenectady FD MARK KARL 518-852-4953 (H) omm21@yahoo.com
New Mexico
Syracuse FD JAMES ENNIS 315-430-0340 (C) 315-468-8630 (H) jennis@twcny.rr.com
Colfax Co. FD & Sheriff PAUL MAY 832-724-5818 (C) pm3149@sbcglobal.net
New York Albany FD EDWARD VERHOFF 518-378-1488 (C) everhoff@hotmail.com Albany PD KYLE PARKER 518-944-6206 (C) kjparker@albany-ny.org Albion Corrections THOMAS SUTTON 716- 471-9326 (C) co11to7@aol.com Binghamton FD BRAD GUASCONI 607-644-2876 (C) usmcvet93@yahoo.com Buffalo FD WENDY MAJTYKA-HARTMAN 716-479-2976 (C) ffwendi@gmail.com Buffalo PD PAT MEEGAN 716-239-1845 (C) patmeegan.pfia@gmail.com Cattaraugus County Sheriff NATHAN A. ROOT 716-938-2239 (W) 716-498-3252 (C) naroot@cattco.org
Syracuse PD TAYLOR ANDERSON 920-883-1437 (C) tanderson@syracusepolice.org Troy FD RAYMOND J. DAVIS 518-423-8918 (C) sdavistroy@hotmail.com Troy PD CHRISTOPHER J. PARKER 518-378-2283 (C) parkerc24@yahoo.com Utica FD PETER A. CARUSO 315-725-5712 (C) pfiapete@yahoo.com Utica PD PETER A. CARUSO III 315-269-4886 (C) paac3@yahoo.com Wende State Corrections ZACHARY HANCZAROWSKI 716-697-8017 (C) zhanczarowski@gmail.com Wende State Corrections NATONYA YARBOUGH 716-986-7321 (C) natonyayarbough@gmail.com White Plains FD PATSY DeFONCE IV 914-505-1412 (C) patsydefonce@me.com
Irondequoit PD GREGORY KEHRER 518-229-7513 (C) gkehrer34@gmail.com
North Carolina
Monroe County Sheriff ALFRED N. DeROSA 585-208-3902 (C) aderosa58@gmail.com
Greensboro FD MATTHEW PATTERSON 336-382-4600 (C) mattsfiregfd@yahoo.com
New York State Court PD BRITTANY PARKER 518-859-9887 (C) baberrings@gmail.com
Winston-Salem FD DAVID POLLARD 336-403-7771 (C) wslocal682@gmail.com
Ohio
Oklahoma
Akron PD DON G. TREJBAL 330-352-4502 (C) apd506@aol.com
Tulsa PD DENNIS SMITH 918-282-7523 (C) popodad71@yahoo.com
Akron FD GREG GEARHART 330-351-2673 (C) gearhartpfia@gmail.com
Pennsylvania
Canton FD, Greentown FD, Massillon FD & PD & Stark Co. FD MARC R. JACKSON 330-904-9095 (C) cfd110@aol.com Cincinnati PD GREG TOYEAS 513-738-4141 (H) 513-484-2459 (C) gregtoyeas@yahoo.com Cincinnati FD CHRIS HANDLEY 513-919-3521 (C) chris.handley.pfia@gmail.com Cleveland FD VINCE VIANCOURT 440-835-5647 (W) 216-534-6927 (C) benefits.consulting@yahoo.com Cleveland PD DAN VIANCOURT 216-990-2882 (C) dsv.pfia@gmail.com Columbus FD KURT DIETZ 614-332-2795 (C) kurt.pfia@gmail.com Columbus FD BRADY SEDDELMEYER 419-233-6974 (C) bsedd@yahoo.com Columbus FD KELLY STORTS 614-496-4544 (C) kemist14@hotmail.com Columbus PD RICHARD A. HILSHEIMER II 614-402-8944 (C) rhilsheimer1469@gmail.com Coshocton County FD & PD CORY WILSON 740-502-9240 (C) cwilsoniaff216@gmail.com Dayton Region MATT MATLOCK 937-409-1508 (C) mmatlock94@yahoo.com Hamilton Co., FD MATT NIEMER 513-919-6926 (C) me11an@yahoo.com Marion FD & PD MICHAEL M. RADCLIFF 740-225-2120 (W) mandjradcliff@roadrunner.com Youngstown FD SHAWN MURRAY 330-518-2966 (C) mur511.sm@gmail.com Zanesville FD, PD, Sheriff, & Corrections RANDAL WINEGARDNER 740-475-8014 (C)
Chester FD & PD THOMAS THORNTON 267-275-5932 (C) tthornton2493@gmail.com Delaware Co., FD & PD MARTIN KELLY 610-299-3656 (C) marty1297@aol.com Erie FD TIM ROMANSKI 814-572-2323 (C) Johnstown FD ROBERT J. OPETT 814-659-9313 (C) opett24@ymail.comre McKeesport FD & PD JEFFREY D. TOMOVCSIK 412-523-3903 (C) 412-675-5050 Ext.640 (W) jtomo170@comcast.net Penn. Law Enforcement JONATHON RUSH 412-952-5615 (C) jrush21488@hotmail.com Penn. State Corrections VINCENT HEISS 814-241-2887 (C) 814-237-708- (W) 814-237-2429 (F) vinndinsurance@gmail.com Philadelphia FD FRANK DAUBER, JR. 215-904-7143 (C) 215-904-7143 (H) francis5923@aol.com Philadelphia FD TIMOTHY G. McSHEA 267-331-0606 (C) tbonemick17@gmail.com Philadelphia FD JASON MILES 267-718-5093 (C) jasonmilespfd@gmail.com Pittsburgh FD DONALD DORSEY 412-680-9351 (H) Pittsburgh FD RICKY STEWART 412-613-3980 (C) rickypbf@gmail.com Pittsburgh PD CARL R. MOROSETTI, JR. 412-600-2806 (C) crm3393@gmail.com Scranton FD & PD & Waymart Corrections ANDY POLANSKY 570-961-9024 (H) 570-878-1248 (C) andy.polansky@verizon.net
Rhode Island Johnston Corrections KYLE CORDEIRO 401-215-6292 (C) kyle.cordeiro@cox.net
Johnston PD SETH D. CROSBY 401-641-1575 (C) scros788@gmail.com Johnston PD DAVID GALLIGAN 401-419-7967 (C) davegalligan@yahoo.com Pawtucket FD & East Providence FD RAYMOND J. MASSE 401-639-0164 (H) pfia1261@gmail.com Providence FD ANTHONY LANCELLOTTI 401-569-3551 (C) 401-946-6939 (H) alancellotti@providenceri.gov, Providence PD RALPH ABENANTE IV 401-225-6530 (C) rabenante4@yahoo.com Providence PD SCOTT ZAMBARANO 401-265-1657 (C) zambarano1075@yahoo.com
South Carolina North Charleston PD MICHAEL FIGUEROA 973-477-0749 (C) mfigpfia@gmail.com North Myrtle Beach FD & PD RICHARD BUDDELMEYER 843-249-5334 (C) rickbuddelmeyer@yahoo.com
Tennessee Nashville FD ADDIS KENDALL 615-533-8685 (C) rakendall13@gmail.com
Texas Amarillo FD, PD, & Corrections JOE C. PONDER 806-584-0953 (C) joeponder2012@yahoo.com Beaumont PD JARROD MIRELES 409-284-5220 (C) neilmireles@gmail.com Bedford PD D.J. CROWELL 817-791-3224 (C) dpmt824@gmail.com Bee County FD, PD, Sheriff & Corrections DANIEL RODRIGUEZ 361-354-8901 (C) dr1856635@gmail.com Bee County FD, PD, Sheriff & Corrections RICHARD L. WEBB 361-319-3758 (C) urout_78102@yahoo.com Brazos Co,. Sheriff JERRY BARRATT 979-492-1008 (C) barrattjn@gmail.com
Spring 2022 • The PFIA Protector
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Brazoria County FD, PD, Sheriff & Corrections PATRICK WARE 936-581-3309 (H) txpware@outlook.com Coryell Co. FD & PD MIKE CLOUDS 936-293-0486 (C) mlclouds@yahoo.com
Jefferson County Sheriff BRITTANY NGUYEN 409-540-9342 (C) britnguyen94@gmail.com Kileen FD CODY NEWMAN 254-981-6110 (C) codynewman1978@protonmail.com McAllen FD ERIC RAMIREZ 956-607-7549 (C) esmr412@gmail.com
Denton County Sheriff LES WOODS 817-675-6151 (C) lwpfia@yahoo.com El Paso Sheriff LUIS D. RODRIGUEZ 915-294-8385 (C) lrodriguezpfi@yahoo.com Gurney Unit Corrections CINDY ARNOLD 903-724-9007 (C) cindyarnold18@yahoo.com Harris County PD, Sheriff & Corrections MARTY KUEHN 281-935-4610 (C) mk0160@yahoo.com Harrison County Police & Fire FLOYD DUNCAN 903-930-9721 (C) 903-777-3694 (H) dleader59@protonmail.com
McAllen PD ROLANDO CASTILLO 956-655-8476 (H) r.c.21@hotmail.com McLennan County Sheriff SHEILA THUN 254-405-3797 (C) sdthun@ctwa.com Montgomery County PD, Sheriff & Corrections THOMAS M. PIERCE 936-355-0490 (C) toetee@aol.com Pasadena FD, PD, & Corrections J.C. ROCK 832-457-1685 (H) rockfish007@gmail.com
San Antonio FD JOE VALADEZ 210-654-3333 (H) 210-884-7651 (F) valadezjp@aol.com
Walker County FD, PD, Sheriff & Corrections TARA M. BURNETT 936-668-9193 (C) burnett.t2013@yahoo.com
San Antonio FD RUBEN CEVALLOS 210-861-4578 (C) ruben.cevallos@gmail.com
Webb County Sheriff JOEY MEDELLIN 956-652-8640 (C) jmedellin.pfia@gmail.com
Smith County Sheriff WANDA HUNTER 903-710-2769 (H) 903-511-6819 (C) Tarrant County Sheriff STEFAN HODNETT 817-343-3300 (C) smodnett Tarrant County Sheriff & surrounding Metropolis area TANYA YOUNG 817-988-9704 (C) 817-292-5388 (F) tanyayoung7800@sbcglobal.net Victoria County FD, PD, & Corrections RICHARD COSS 361-541-0769 (C) pfiavictoriatx@yahoo.com
Virginia Loudoun County FD, PD, Sheriff, & Corrections MICHAEL COX 703-297-1527 (C) mcox.pfia@outlook.com
Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. FD WESLEY BANNER 540-604-4518 (C) wbdcfdt16@outlook.com Washington, D.C. FD DANIEL LOVATO 202-904-4012 (C) lovato8@hotmail.com Washington, D.C. PD MIGUEL MIRANDA 202-439-2292 (C) miguel.miranda@verizon.net
West Virginia
Page County FD, PD, Sheriff, & Corrections MICHAEL WAGONER 540-860-2382 (C) kc8jpk03@gmail.com
Huntington FD & PD RANDY D. ELLIS 740-886-5388 (H) 304-633-4975 (C)
Prince William FD DANIEL WILLIAMS 240-398-1114 (C) foxtrotwhiskey14@gmail.com
Laramie City FD, PD & Sheriff B. JOHN FITZGERALD 307-775-9610 (H) jcatfitz@msn.com
Wyoming
Prince William Co., PD MARCIA WHALEY 571-259-7034 (C) pwpfia@gmail.com
ACCIDENT PROTECTION PLAN $600/mo. Disability, On-duty • $1,200/mo. Disability, Off-duty
Optional Gunshot and Burn Riders (only $1 each per month!)
$34.59 (12 pay) $17.30 (24 pay) $15.97 (26 pay) $7.99 (52 pay) ●
1st day coverage (up to 1 year per occurrence)
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Additional Tax-free Benefits:
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Accidental Death (up to $40,000), Dismemberment (up to $12,000)
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Fractures (up to $2,250), Dislocations (up to $2,025)
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Tendon/Ligament Repair ($400-600)
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Burns (up to $600), Stitches ($50-200)
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Medical Fees (up to $250 for off-duty Only)
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Physical Therapy (up to $250 for off-duty Members Only)
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Emergency Treatment ($125)
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Appliances (crutches/wheelchair)
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Blood/Plasma ($200)
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Torn Knee Cartilage
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Ruptured Disc
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Eye Injury Pays in addition to other coverage! Full family coverage also available.
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The PFIA Protector • www.pfia1913.org
HELP US FIND THESE
Missing Children
Our members are in a unique position to spot missing children. PFIA urges you to make a special effort to try to locate these missing children. If seen, contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children immediately at 1-800-843-5678 or report a sighting online at www.missingkids.com. You may also call or visit the website for free abduction prevention tips.
MISSING • HELP BRING ME HOME
ESMERALDA CRUZ
Sex: Female Race: Hispanic Birth: 12/2/2004 Age Now: 17
Height: 5’2” Weight: 130 Eyes: Brown Hair: Black
Missing: September 19, 2019 Phoenix, AZ
DEMARIA FINLEY
Sex: Female Race: Black Birth: 5/30/2006 Age Now: 15
Height: 5’9” Weight: 270 Eyes: Brown Hair: Brown
Missing: February 16, 2022 Chicago, IL
DON’T HESITATE CALL
SUMMER WELLS
Sex: Female Race: White Birth: 2/4/2016 Age Now: 6
Height: 3’0 Weight: 40 Eyes: Blue Hair: Blonde
Missing: June 15, 2021 Rogersville, TN
911 OR 1-800-843-5678
SPECIAL NOTE: Height and weight are listed from the date an individual went missing and may not currently be accurate.
MOVING? Maintaining contact with our members at Police & Firemen’s Insurance is very important to us. In order for us to do that, we are providing a change of address form to assist our members in helping us maintain their most current information. Go to our website at www.pfia1913.org In the top right-hand corner select Address Change and fill out your updated information. Please download form ChangeAddress.pdf and Email to: memberservices@pfia.net (Form must be downloaded first, then saved to your desktop to retain your information) Spring 2022 • The PFIA Protector
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Police & Firemens Ins. Association 101 E. 116th St. Carmel, In 46032-4567
We Share Your Life’s Uncertainties...
Let us help find the BEST Protection Service for you!
Call today, to enroll in our no-cost
Memorial Benefit Fund
* *$1,000 to the family of a non-member who is killed in the line of duty. We help fellow community service professionals. both active and retired police, fire, and correctional officers’ prepare themselves for the unpredictable uncertainties their careers bring.
FRATERNAL BENEFITS
Scholarships of $1,500 per year for up to four years of undergraduate study for children of members.
ACCIDENTAL DEATH
On or off duty, 24-hour protection for just $3, $5, or $10 per month!
ACCIDENT/DISABILITY
Pays for on or off duty injuries for less than $10 per week!
CANCER PROTECTION
Pays $7,500 or $15,000 as a lump sum
CHILDREN’S ACCIDENT
Rain or shine, it is important to cover your kids! For less than $1 per week.
We can help because we’ve been there. Photo courtesy of Chris Mickal