An update from President Caggiano

July 13, 2021

Jamie Caggiano began his career in the fire service at just 18 years old. A few decades and a lot of experience later, Gaffney Fire Chief Caggiano was inducted as the South Carolina State Firefighters’ Association President at the 2021 Fire-Rescue conference, June 6-13, in Columbia.

Excited for the year ahead, his goals for the Association and its committees are ambitious and sure to improve the Association’s operations for its members. With an overall goal of engaging the membership, President Caggiano has provided each committee with its own objectives that contribute to the collective mission. Note that recently elected Fourth VP Randy Arant will rotate committees throughout the year and will act as an ex-officio member of these committees.

Finance and Audit Committee, chaired by First VP Josh Holzheimer

• Supervise the annual audit
• Engage the committee and write policies for the committee
• Assist with budget preparation
• Establish a plan for future growth and sustainability

Legislative Committee, chaired by Second VP Malcolm Burns

• Assist with Legislative Day
• Ensure the legislative agents are equipped with information
• Ensure membership is educated on legislative agenda
• Develop strategic action items for future planning

Advisory Committee, chaired by Third VP Jamie Helms

• Determine how to engage the membership to have more award applications
• Oversee the selection process for Leadership Institute
• Consider opening award submission year round
• Develop plan for award presentation process/videos
• Work with State Fire and other associations to create a “master” calendar of statewide events

Member Benefits, chaired by Ross Vezin

• Continue providing the discounts for the members
• Work with Fire Academy in publicizing the cancer policy
• Develop a marketing plan to ensure members are aware of benefits
• Continue consideration of potential death benefit changes
• Work with staff to gain more involvement in Memorial Service from families and move to Fire Service Improvement conference

Training and Education, chaired by Terry Sheriff

• Provide training for all groups of our membership
• Work to make changes for the Fire Service Improvement Conference
• Hands on training
• Vendor participation
• Provide a list of dynamic speakers for the president to choose to use at for Quarterly Training, Fire Service Improvement Conference, and Fire-Rescue

Supervisory, chaired by John Bowers

• Continue the training classes and educating our department and members on 1%
• Continue to develop guidance for departments that meets current laws, polices, and accounting practices
• Develop a plan to reach a goal of auditing each member department every 10 years (tiered system)

Health and Safety, chaired by Tracy Williams

• Continue to educate the membership on cancer prevention
• Continue the small videos

Strategic Planning, chaired by John Jones

• Keep strategic plan updated
• Plan for brain storming session during 2022 spring workshop
• Assist Executive Director with a plan for a new office

By-Laws Committee, chaired by Jason Pope

• Explore how to give sections more of voice
• Discuss possibly only elected officers have a vote
• Clean up how departments apply for membership and to who

EMS Committee, chaired by Ryan Eubanks

• Continue working on EMS Regulations
• Work to get Fire Academy to do more EMT and Paramedic training
• Build relationship with EMS Association with the goal of working together more (training, conferences)

Diversity Committee, chaired by Mickey Folsom

• Work on programs that can assist the Executive Committee to be more inclusive
• Work with Training & Education to bring in more diversity training

Foundation, chaired by Tres Atkinson

• Look at feasibility of hiring a fundraiser (company or individual)
• Look into having a trustee board and director’s board
• Involve more community stakeholders
• Ensure members are aware of the foundation, how to support and how to access when needed
• Grow the annual golf tournament

Insurance Board, chaired by Rick Cramer

• Meet goals set that are drafted by the insurance board
• Explore expanding our footprint to other states

NVFC, represented by Brian Moon and Jack Kirlin

• Bring more programs home from NVFC
• Podcast, FireWires, social media campaigns, etc.
• Help Executive Committee provide more programs for volunteers
• Help Executive Committee work to recruit volunteers
• Provide monthly reports to the Executive Committee

Conference Committee, chair to be named by collective membership

• Work with staff, President, Executive Director, and members to ensure a good transition to Myrtle Beach for Fire-Rescue 2022
• Handle all aspects of Fire Rescue except training portion

Reach Chief Caggiano at 864-487-8517 or [email protected].