Retired Fire Fighters of Washington

WHY SHOULD I JOIN RFFOW?
There is strength in numbers. RFFOW gives us the numbers we need to become a voice that cannot be overlooked in Olympia and throughout the state. Besides working for equitable pension laws and benefits, RFFOW lets you stay in touch with other retirees and their spouses, and serves as a resource to help answer your questions about retirement and retired living. You will receive the monthly RFFOW Newsletter, be invited to the monthly meetings, and have access to the Members Only Area on the RFFOW website.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
Membership dues are $45 per year. In addition, you can make a donation to the Retired Firefighters of Washington Legislative Fund, the Political Action Committee of RFFOW, if you wish. Dues are payable when you join, and are renewable on the first of January each year. When you fill out the application, you can choose from a variety of options to pay your dues including direct withdrawal, check, cash or money order.

HOW DO I JOIN RFFOW?
Membership in RFFOW is simple. Just click here to go to the Application page.

Print out the application page and send it to:

For the last fifteen or so years of my career, I was deeply involved in the program of Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM). CISM is a program designed to aid emergency service providers (such as firefighters, police officers, paramedics, ambulance techs, emergency room trauma docs and nurses, dispatchers, etc.) to cope with the potential emotional effects resulting from continued exposure to emotionally stressful incidents (like the death of a coworker, death or serious injury to a young child, etc.).

FIREHOUSE CHILI

In a really big pot, brown together:

2 lbs beef (ground beef, cubed round steak, or shredded beef)
2 cups of chopped onions
1/2 diced green pepper
2 to 5 large cloves of garlic

This takes about ten minutes, stirring frequently. Pour off any excess fat, then add:

32-oz. can (or 2 16-oz. cans) whole tomatoes, chopped, with liquid
1/3 cup chili powder, any combination of hot and mild powders to taste
salt to taste, starting with 1/2 teaspoon

Heat to boiling, then reduce heat to low. Simmer until liquid is reduced, about one hour, stirring every once in awhile.

Stir in:

4 16-oz. or 17-oz. cans of beans and their liquid, any combination of kidney and pinto beans

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let simmer again until liquid is reduced and chili is thick, at least one hour, stirring whenever you think about it. The longer it cooks, the better it is.

Serve it with shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, chopped green onions, diced avocados, chunks of french bread, corn tortillas or taco chips, and enjoy. If the alarm rings during cooking, just turn off the burner and resume when you get back.

submitted by Pete Petersen, retired Bellevue Fire

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The RFFOW meets the second Saturday of the month, 11:00 AM at St. John Lutheran Church, 5515 Phinney Ave, Seattle.  There are no meetings June, July and August.  Coffee and donuts are provided so come early to visit.

ST. FLORIAN, THE PATRON SAINT OF FIREFIGHTERS

The man who would become St. Florian was a third century officer in the Roman Army, stationed in what is now Austria. He was the military administrator of the Austrian town of Noricum, and a closet Christian.

It is said that he once stopped a town from burning by throwing a single bucket of water on the blaze. (OK, so this might be a slight exaggeration, but you know how events improve when you're sitting around the beanery telling old war stories.)

In 304 A.D., he was ordered to execute a group of Christians during the persecutions of Diocletian, but he refused and admitted that he was a Christian.

For violating the "don't ask, don't tell" policy of the time, Florian was scourged (flogged almost to death), flayed (skinned alive), had a stone tied around his neck and was thrown into a river! (Evidently, they really, really wanted him dead.) His body was retrieved by some Christians and he was buried at an Augustinian monastery near Lorch. His remains were moved to Rome in 1138 A.D.

Appropriately enough, St. Florian isn't only the patron saint of firefighters. He is also the patron saint of brewers and barrel-makers! Austria, Poland, chimney sweeps, drowning victims and soap-boilers also claim him as their patron.

The memorial day for St. Florian is celebrated each May 4th. Next May 4th, consider taking a firefighter to the local brewer to raise a toast to our patron.