935 LEADERSHIP
935 LEADERSHIP
CAPT. KEN LEWIS
ENGINEER
JIM GRIGOLI
LOCAL 935 PRESIDENT
The only organization we are destined to become is the organization we decide to be.
Powerful words if you think about the the times we are in. We stand on the verge of greatness. Are we afraid to
achieve it, content to stay the same?
Captain Lewis began his
fire service career as a paidcall-firefighter in 1985 with the
Lake Arrowhead Fire Protection
District. During his time there he
was elected treasurer and then
President of the Lake Arrowhead
Firefighter’s Association.
Hired full-time with County Fire in
1988, Ken has served in both the
mountains and valley, promoting
through the ranks and remaining
active with the health and
benevolent functions of the San
Bernardino County Firefighter’s
Association. Ken served as
association treasurer for many
years, during which time numerous
other associations consolidated to
become the current entity.
When you elected me to this position I said that I believe in the vision to change this department for the
future—a sentiment I believe more today than ever before. If you read the print media, Twitter or Facebook,
you have seen the potential within the ambulance transport business; it is our obligation, to each other and our
future, to stay together, and to achieve that destiny. As I attend meetings with the board of supervisors, talking
to each of them, I know they are very aware and are willing to have that discussion—soon. Of course you may
ask, Then why not now? The answer is county politics. By the time this printing we will have a clearer time line
but as of now its week by week.
We at Local 935 have built this department to where it is today. We did it together—not always with
administrative support—and we will continue to be the driving force behind this organization’s improvement.
The firefighters here have never thought that programs pushed on us were done correctly. When it’s forced, we
tend to change, resist, ignore, break or lose it! But every program we developed, nurtured, and did not give up
on is still flourishing; indeed, these are the programs which have made us better and gained positions for the
union. These are the programs that are built with our sweat and commitment.
And so we do not wish to destroy what we have built. These programs were not started because we had to;
nor did we did start them for the money. They were created to offer a better service to the public, and to make
our livelihoods safer. We wanted to train our firefighters our way. That is why the incredible instructors teach
the tower. We wanted to be safer in rescues, so we developed our technical rescue program. We wanted to
be safer on Haz-Mat calls, so we developed the Haz-Mat response team. We wanted to be better on wildland
fires, so we developed the hand crew programs. We have always been doing that from back in the days of
Dozer Dick and our first dozer season many years ago. In developing the newest programs we have built
strong relationships with the sheriff’s department—a dynamic we have not always had.
EXECUTIVE VICE-PRESIDENT
Brothers and Sisters,
As I sit down to write this I am honestly at a loss for words at the dedication and commitment all of you
have for our chosen profession. I am honored to represent each of you and will continue to fight on our
behalf for the benefits we’ve earned. Many of you have shown me a great deal of support, and I want you
to know it helps keep me going for the challenges that comes our way.
Transfers and Station Bid
We will soon be putting out a memo for the transfer process that will take place on Sept. 24. We will work
to honor as many of your requests as possible leading up to the new recruits hitting the floor around
November. We will be working with management to identify the specialty stations for the upcoming bid in
Division 2/3.
Division 1
Fontana’s city council approved the truck company move to Station 71. We will be working with Division
Chief Jon McLinn to create a timeline to get this implemented. I appreciate the work Chief McLinn and the
city council have done to make this happen.
AO positions
I’d like to discuss what I believe are the benefits this new position creates for the 935 membership. First,
it will take our firefighters off the ambulances and place them on fire engines, where they belong. It also
helps us create and define a staffing level standard for our engine companies. Having a captain, engineer
and firefighter aboard each engine has been a long time coming. Further, this move eliminates a number
of LT positions, and we are not eligible for force hire to AO positions. I believe this new position indicates
a step in a positive direction, but remember that as long as the LT position exists at all, the county feels it
has a cheap staffing option available.
Make your decisions based on educated facts and common sense, not emotion. Don’t dwell in the rumor mills.
We are striving for better ways to give you the correct facts; if you have solutions please share those with us. In
the meantime feel free to contact me, I will get back to you if I miss your call, I always do.
Please take care of yourselves and your families,
Ken Lewis
Ken and his wife Leisa have been
married for 30 years. Together
they’ve raised children Blake,
Bryson, Brant and Kendra.
Jim Grigoli
Executive VP, Local 935
We have more opportunities today to do different aspects of the firefighting business then when I started 26
years ago. That is impressive, and we have improved San Bernardino County Fire in the process. Ask the
senior members if they feel the same, and ask them how we did it.
With all that said we will soon be growing with new hires and with the creation and implementation of the
ambulance operator (A/O) program, which replaces the long-obsolete limited term (LT) position. This is another
feat I did not think would happen in my career. The force hires will slow down. This business always has
included force hires and we will always have them as firefighters.
We all knew or should have known that things would perhaps get tougher before they got better. I know we are
in t