October is always busy for members of the Franklin Township Fire Prevention Department as they spend countless hours teaching the public about fire safety. Along with being Fire Prevention Month, October is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Many local members are either related to or are friends with someone who has fought this disease. To show our support, the fire inspectors have created a special helmet shield which we will be wearing for the month of October to show how much we care. The fire inspectors are also wearing a pink ribbon across their uniform badges. Also to show their support, the tele-communicators will be wearing a tee-shirt during their shift that sports our local logo in pink with a breast cancer ribbon. Click on the link below to see our shield proudly displayed on the Newark Star Ledger news website.
Tens years ago on September 11, 2001 the United States was attacked by terrorists who hijacked four passenger jets. The terrorists crashed one jet into each tower at the World Trade Center in New York City, one jet into the Pentagon in Washington D.C., and one jet into a field in Somerset, Pennsylvania. The bravery exhibited by firefighters, police officers, emergency medical personnel, and ordinary citizens on that day was unremarkable. On that day in September, 2,977 innocent people were murdered by terrorists. Among the murdered in New York City were 343 firefighters from the FDNY, 23 NYPD police officers, 37 PAPD police officers, and 8 emergency medical personnel. As the tenth anniversary of the attacks closes we ask that you remember those who unselfishly gave their lives on that day and the soldiers that continue to defend our freedom every day.
As the economy of the United States and New Jersey begins to slowly gain again, politics and emotions from the growing unemployment rate have begun to pit taxpayers and public employees against each other. The members of Local 88 would like the public to know that we proudly serve our community and it’s residents and visitors. And we ask that people take some of their valuable time to read a research study performed by Jeffrey H. Keefe, an associate professor of labor and employment relations at the School of Management and Labor Relations at Rutgers University. Mr. Keefe explains the results of his research on the comparisons of pay, benefits, and compensations between public and private sector employees. Local members feel that they are being misrepresented in the news and would like the public to read this report and see the situation and facts from a different point of view. The EPI Briefing Report can be viewed by going to the State FMBA website at www.njfmba.org. Thank you for your continuing support.
The Franklin Township FMBA Local 88 and it’s members are proud to support many of the diverse organizations in Franklin. One such organization is St. Matthias Parrish. Every year the local supports the church’s annual carnival with the purchase of a banner to be hung at one of their attractions. The thank you post card we received from the church pictured below shows our banner being proudly displayed.
The members of Local 88 have been proud sponsors our youth in the Franklin Township Little League by sponsoring a team. The FMBA 88 team finished the 2010 season with a record of 3-7. Although our team did not win the league championship we are proud of our players for playing their best game after game. Please check our photographs in our events page from teams we have sponsored in the past.
In September of 2011 when we started participating in the “Coupons For Troops” program, we had no idea how the effort would work or if we could even get the campaign off the ground. Not long after this we started to hear from locals who wanted to participate and slowly the coupons started to roll in. A few boxes set up at local businesses and we were off and running. Eight months later, franklin Township Local #88 finally concluded our program. In that short time we were able to ship boxes of coupons overseas reaching every branhc of the United States Armed Forces. We shipped out 216 POUNDS OF COUPONS to various military bases in seven different countries. This can potentially save our soldiers tens of thousands of dollars! We wish to thank each member who participated in the cause or even just helped get the word out. We would like to especially thank the businesses who were gracious enough to serve as collection points for the public and the locals who started their own programs. If you ever find yourself in Somerset, please stop in at teh Bagel Market and Deli, 900 Easton avenue for breakfast or lunch and thank Dean the owner for helping this cause.
Anyone who is interested in starting a “Coupons For Troops” program in your town can get further information by e-mail to jcampbell@fmba88.com or fall Jeanne Campbell, Delegate at 732-539-1634. The program is easy to begin and may even take on a life of it’s own. There are many websites about this program all over the United States which you can find through Google. The one we used for base addresses is www.ocpnet.org.
Thanks again for supporting the “Coupons For Troops” program and the soldiers who so proudly serve and protect us. Their sacrafice is truly immeasurable. May they all come home safe and soon.
