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California Wildfires Leave Members Homeless
At least 10 CWA members have lost their homes and countless others have been displaced by wildfires that have ravaged Southern California.
"Our hearts go out to all of our affected members," CWA President Morton Bahr said. "We're going to stick with them through this crisis and make sure they get the help they need to put their lives back together."
As the CWA News went to press, CWA District 9 Vice President Tony Bixler had dispatched his assistant, Jim Weitkamp, from Sacramento to assess the needs of members in the area primarily affected by the fire - a thousand square miles from the San Bernardino mountains east of Los Angeles to the mountains of eastern San Diego County.
"The first steps we're telling people to take for immediate assistance is to call the Red Cross, and we'll help them in applying to FEMA as soon as that's been set up," Weitkamp said. In addition, Bixler said, "We'll make sure they get whatever assistance we can provide through the CWA Disaster Relief Fund." Fund applications have been distributed to the presidents of Locals 9509, 9573, 9511, 9400, 9588 and 9590.
By early reports, four Local 9509 members in the San Diego area, three in statewide local 9590 and three in San Bernardino Local 9573 were known to have lost their homes. Many CWA members joined 30,000 people who evacuated as the flames encroached on their neighborhoods.
Weitkamp said SBC "lost miles and miles of cable and equipment in San Diego." Louie Rocha, president of Local 9423 in San Jose, reported the fires had destroyed some 800 telephone poles, 15 central offices, 150 miles of cable, 45 remote terminals and 175 work locations. Weitkamp estimated some 150 technicians called in to help.
Weitkamp said SBC technicians were working seven days a week and would put in as much overtime as was needed.
"One of our immediate concerns is the safety of our workers, because of the air quality," Weitkamp said.
Dave LeGrande, CWA occupational safety and health director, provided safety guidelines and the company agreed to supply masks and respirators to protect workers from health-threatening air-borne particles.
TNG-CWA journalists and photographers and NABET-CWA camera crews put themselves at great risk covering the fire.
Local 95053 represents members at seven TV stations in the fire area, including NBC-owned KNBC. Firefighters rescued reporter Chuck Henry and cameraman Chris Li, both Local 95053 members, on Oct. 29, as flames engulfed their satellite truck, which had stalled in the Sky Forest community north of Los Angeles.
"This kind of reporting is quite dangerous," said Local 59053 President Keith Hendricks. "These people get an adrenaline rush - they're out there competing with one another - but at the same time, they know they're pushing the limits and can get into trouble."
Other members affected by the fires include casino workers represented by Local 9400. With casinos closed because of the fires, Wietkamp said, they had not been able to get into work to collect their pay.
"Our hearts go out to all of our affected members," CWA President Morton Bahr said. "We're going to stick with them through this crisis and make sure they get the help they need to put their lives back together."
As the CWA News went to press, CWA District 9 Vice President Tony Bixler had dispatched his assistant, Jim Weitkamp, from Sacramento to assess the needs of members in the area primarily affected by the fire - a thousand square miles from the San Bernardino mountains east of Los Angeles to the mountains of eastern San Diego County.
"The first steps we're telling people to take for immediate assistance is to call the Red Cross, and we'll help them in applying to FEMA as soon as that's been set up," Weitkamp said. In addition, Bixler said, "We'll make sure they get whatever assistance we can provide through the CWA Disaster Relief Fund." Fund applications have been distributed to the presidents of Locals 9509, 9573, 9511, 9400, 9588 and 9590.
By early reports, four Local 9509 members in the San Diego area, three in statewide local 9590 and three in San Bernardino Local 9573 were known to have lost their homes. Many CWA members joined 30,000 people who evacuated as the flames encroached on their neighborhoods.
Weitkamp said SBC "lost miles and miles of cable and equipment in San Diego." Louie Rocha, president of Local 9423 in San Jose, reported the fires had destroyed some 800 telephone poles, 15 central offices, 150 miles of cable, 45 remote terminals and 175 work locations. Weitkamp estimated some 150 technicians called in to help.
Weitkamp said SBC technicians were working seven days a week and would put in as much overtime as was needed.
"One of our immediate concerns is the safety of our workers, because of the air quality," Weitkamp said.
Dave LeGrande, CWA occupational safety and health director, provided safety guidelines and the company agreed to supply masks and respirators to protect workers from health-threatening air-borne particles.
TNG-CWA journalists and photographers and NABET-CWA camera crews put themselves at great risk covering the fire.
Local 95053 represents members at seven TV stations in the fire area, including NBC-owned KNBC. Firefighters rescued reporter Chuck Henry and cameraman Chris Li, both Local 95053 members, on Oct. 29, as flames engulfed their satellite truck, which had stalled in the Sky Forest community north of Los Angeles.
"This kind of reporting is quite dangerous," said Local 59053 President Keith Hendricks. "These people get an adrenaline rush - they're out there competing with one another - but at the same time, they know they're pushing the limits and can get into trouble."
Other members affected by the fires include casino workers represented by Local 9400. With casinos closed because of the fires, Wietkamp said, they had not been able to get into work to collect their pay.