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December 13, 2022 - As was recently shared by James VanBrederode, IAFF Local 1636 did indeed send him a letter explaining why we were not endorsing his campaign for NYS Senate. Based on the discussions we had with our colleagues in Gates Professional Firefighters Association, IAFF Local 3792, we felt the actions of Gates Fire District Commissioner Dave DiCaro were a complete contradiction of the very vocal public safety themed campaign Mr. VanBrederode was running. While we are vehement support...

One year ago tonight, on January 20th, 2021, the members of IAFF Local 1636 were part of a large public safety contingent that responded to Mendon for the crash of a Rochester-based NY Army Reserve National Guard Blackhawk helicopter. In a sequence of events reminiscent of the Mohawk Airlines crash, several off-duty Firefighters were at the firehouse due to an Alert 2 that had concluded just minutes before. In 1963, a false alarm brought many personnel to the firehouse shortly before the wor...

Recently, NY State Governor Kathy Hochul vetoed Senate bill S4859 which would have created a 25 year retirement plan for Firefighters within the NYS Division of Military and Naval Affairs (DMNA). This bill was unanimously passed by members of both the State Senate and Assembly, along with each of the committees assigned to research its impact. We are unsure as to why she vetoed the bill, but the Governor will not feel the ramifications of her action - our brother and sister firefighters will. W...

“20 years now, Where'd they go?” Bob Seger posed that question 35 years ago and it has likely been asked today by every adult old enough to have witnessed the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. For all of us involved in public safety, this is a day we remember every single year, and for Firefighters in particular, we recall the 343 FDNY Firefighters that were killed when the World Trade Center towers came down. Not counted in the 343 is Patrolman Keith Roma, of the NY Fire Patrol (a...

August 1, 2021 - Rochester Airport Firefighters responded for an Alert 2 after being notified of a CRJ-7 diverting to ROC reporting a fuel leak with 54 souls on board, and 2,100 pounds of fuel remaining - incorrectly relayed as 21,000 pounds. As Firefighters positioned along the runway to await the its arrival, ROC’s Air Traffic Controllers guided the aircraft to land on Runway 4. As the pilots began their final approach, it became obvious that the leak was a significant one due to the fuel s...

In spite of what many people have heard or been led to believe, the Firefighters and Fire Captains that this Union represents have been working without the guidance of a Fire Chief at the Frederick-Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport since March 2020. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of the responsibilities a Fire Chief is supposed to handle instead fell largely on the shoulders of the junior Captains and even on the Union leadership. We have remained quiet on this ma...

One week ago on June 18th, Afton Lathigee, the daughter of Rochester Airport Firefighter and Local 1636 Sergeant-at-Arms Bob Blank experienced a garage fire that extended into the living areas of the house. Thankfully, all of the family members that were home were able to self-evacuate and were not injured, however, the home suffered extensive damage. Adding insult to injury, the house was broken into following the fire and many salvageable belongings were stolen leaving the family with almos...