Your immediate help is requested! Reports from Fire Department of New York members tell me attendance at funerals and memorial services for those FDNY members who were lost in the September 11 World Trade Center attacks has dropped off significantly. There are approximately 35 firefighters who are yet to be honored. In many cases, it will be only one per day.
Please do whatever you can to attend and show the families how
much we care and respect their loved ones.
Visiting firefighters can plan their visits to New York City by checking the www.ufalocal94.org or this Fire Engineering’s Memorial/Funeral Schedule page for the schedule of memorial services.
If you need directions or other information, contact me by e-mail at Chgold151@aol.com. I will be attending some services in December and will do whatever I can to hook you up.
Additionally, many of you have written to me asking about donations to FDNY firefighter families over the holidays. My source has sent me the following message:
Billy:
We are inundated with teddy bears and toys for this holiday season! In the nicest way possible, I want to say thanks to The Secret List members who have inquired, but please ask them not to send anymore. We have nowhere to stock any more, and the kids do have toys! Tell them we say, ‘thank you. Thank you. THANK YOU!’
“It truly means so much to us that ALL of our brother and sister firefighters are looking out for us, but we are overloaded right now!
“But, for those who really want to make a difference, here is where we do need help. The THOMAS ELSASSER FUND, which is operated from the Uniformed Firefighters Association (UFA) office, is the best and greatest gift anyone can give! This fund is the nearest to our hearts. The UFA runs only two funds (Widows & Children’s and THOMAS ELSASSER). We hardly get any monies into the ELSASSER FUND because it’s little known and not a catchy name. The monies go to the families of active FDNY firefighters who die
nonline of duty. Those particular widows and families do not get a pension, and their health benefits die with the firefighter. We (the union) pick up the cost of health coverage for a couple of years, just to get the widow through her time of grief. Because the FDNY is so large, we have to care for so many of our own. One of our toughest challenges is presented when a member passes away nonline of duty and leaves a family. We really need support in this fund!
Note: The Widows and Children’s Fund donations cannot be co-mingled with the Elsasser Fund because of the law. We are still asking for continued support for both of these funds! Go to www.ufalocal94.org for additional information on where to send donations for the Thomas Elsasser Fund.”
Well, there you have it. Thanks to the many who have written about sending toys, donations, and other assistance. Hopefully, the above information will answer your questions and send you in the right direction.
Billy Goldfeder
Battalion Chief
Loveland-Symmes Fire Department
Loveland, Ohio
