Jumpline magazine JUNE 2023 pages - Flipbook - Page 11
Claudine Buzzo
Benefits Officer
Thoughts from the Benefits Officer Continued
11
our brothers and sisters with the clean-up of their homes. The
I.A.F.F also provided vouchers for Airbnb’s if they had a total loss,
which was the case for many. We did everything from tarping roofs
to complete gutting of homes. The appreciation of these members
humbled me in such a way that I felt I needed to write about it. I
had grown men tearing up at the fact that we were there to help. I
never truly understood what my I.A.F.F dues were spent on. Well
brothers and sisters, I couldn’t think of a better way for it to be
spent. We assisted with local firefighters, as well as our own Local
1403 retirees and active members’ homes, which some suffered a
great deal of property damage and loss.
I often hear from people getting ready to retire, “What do I get for
paying dues as a retiree?” My answer always used to be that you
can vote in our elections and “Pay it Forward” for the new generation. After what I witnessed during Hurricane Ian, I can now attest
to the benefits of disaster relief from the I.A.F.F. I would also like to
note that all of this was on a voluntary basis. Our phone lines were
immediately flooded with volunteers, but we were only allowed to
take as many as we did. I want to thank all the members who
volunteered and busted their butts during our time out west and to
all who called to give your time. Being a union member isn’t just
so we can do disciplines and grievances. It is so much more than
that! It is being able to give back. It is being part of the national
organization that will come through for you in your time of need. It
is a family. It is a BrotHERhood.
We did everything from tarping roofs
to complete gutting of the homes. The
appreciation of these members humbled me
in such a way that I felt I needed to write
about it. I had grown men tearing up at the
fact that we were there to help.
Claudine Buzzo
June 2023 | JUMPLINE Magazine
