Success, success, success, those were the word used to describe the PPFFA/Barry Buskey Legislative conference that was held June 1, 2 and 3 at the Crowne Plaza in downtown Harrisburg.

The annual Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters/Barry Buskey  Legislative conference is over and by all accounts it was a huge success.  Members of the PPFFA were assembled for three days in Harrisburg and learned about legislation, the legislative process and how to lobby.  In addition, subject experts from across the state and from the IAFF itself addresses the members present. Kevin O'Connor, Assistant to the General President of the IAFF was on hand to address the group and assist with interviewing possible gubernatorial candidates. The precedent setting Gubernatorial forum gained statewide media attention and was the first time that all the major potential gubernatorial candidates were assembled to address one group.  Presentations from both Republican and Democratic contenders captivated the nearly 100 PPFFA members present.  Feedback from onside and outside the PPFFA was all positive and the PPFFA is now being seen as a major force to be reckoned with on the political front.  On the second day of the conference PPFFA members descended  on the capitol for personal visits with their district representatives and senators.  In addition to individual meetings with legislators the PPFFA rolled out their smoking cessation program in conjunction with Pfizer Pharmaceuticals.  The PPFFA was joined by numerous state legislators, including Representative Kevin Murphy from Scranton who has reintroduced House bill 1231 the Fire Fighter Cancer Presumption bill.  Representative Thomas Caltagirone who sponsored similar legislation  in the last session was also present at the press event.  Bill George, President of the Pennsylvania State AFL-CIO also joined PPFFA members for this historic event.  This program make the PPFFA the first state-wide union to attempt to become tobacco free.  When questioned about the legislative conference, PPFFA President Art Martynuska stated, "The events of the past three days has placed the PPFFA on a level that we have never experienced. We will continue to build on our momentum and we will continue to expand those relationships that we have to protect our members and the citizens we are sworn to serve.  To do anything less would be a disservice to members of the PPFFA and the community.  President Martynuska also had high praise for the staff of the PPFFA, "Without all of the support and hard work done by the Officers, Trustees, staff and even the Emeritus officers we could not have enjoyed the success we did this past week."  The PPFFA will be posting pictures of the event in the very near future, stay tuned to the PPFFA web site.