Dear Members of the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association, This year’s Florida Legislative Session, held between January 9, 2018 and March 9, 2018, was one of the most successful years on record for the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association (FFCA). Each year your FFCA prepares and plans by establishing priorities, positions, and initiatives that we will advocate and support. At the same time we defend against legislation that would negatively impact our fire services’ ability to protect property, save lives, and assure the safety and health of firefighters across the State. During this 2018 Session of the Florida Legislature, 66 Bills were introduced that could have had a potential impact on our fire service. Of the legislative bills introduced, the FFCA monitored 38 Bills, Opposed 5 Bills and Supported 23 Bills. Of the 23 Bills supported, 12 passed and were signed by the Governor, and none of the Bills that were opposed by the FFCA passed. Two of the major successes of the 2018 legislative session are the Fire Safety Bill and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Bill that passed with overwhelming support. The Fire Safety Bill establishes a requirement for Cancer Prevention and Mental Health Awareness Training, as part of the State Firefighter Minimum Standard curriculum. This bill was the number one priority for the FFCA this session. Its passage ensures that future and incumbent firefighters will be educated on the risks of cancer and mental health issues that are impacting the lives of firefighters across the State and Nation. With passage of the PTSD Bill Florida becomes one of a handful of States that recognizes the deleterious effects that continued exposure to death, destruction, and disability is having on our firefighters. This bill was a priority for the Florida Professional Fire Fighters (FPF), which the FFCA supported, and was championed by CFO Jimmy Patronis and the many families that have suffered the results of untreated PTSD. Thanks to these efforts, Florida Firefighters will have access to worker’s compensation coverage through their employers. The goal of the legislation is to provide treatment so that our brothers and sisters in service can recover, return to service, and have the opportunity to enjoy their well- earned retirements. In addition to the aforementioned historic legislation, the FFCA was able to secure $35M in the FY18/19 State Budget for our Certified Public Expenditure Program. This supplement to Fire Rescue Transport Fees has been the largest new revenue source to be available to our member agencies since the advent of Fire Assessment Fees and Rescue Transport fees. In fact, since its inception this program has brought our States’ fire-based EMS provider approximately $125M in new revenue. We will continue to advocate for the sustainment and enhancement of our CPE program. The success of this past legislative session can be attributed to the input and engagement of each and every member of the FFCA. Therefore, I encourage each of you to reach out to your Regional Directors for information, to share challenges, and to capitalize on the excellent educational networking presented by our annual conferences. I hope to see everyone at our 2018 Executive Development Conference July 13-17, 2018 at the Sawgrass Marriott Golf & Spa in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Yours in Service, Otto Drozd III FLORIDA FIRE SERVICE April 2018 6 Otto Drozd III, EFO, CFO MESSAGE FROM THE FFCA PRESIDENT MESSAGE FROM THE FFCA PRESIDENT MESSAGE FROM THE FFCA PRESIDENT April 2018 FFS.QXD 4/12/18 4:03 PM Page 6