Professional Services

If you know a MAFF member who has gone above and beyond the call of duty during the past year, now is the time to recognize them.

MAFF members are encouraged to nominate fellow Union members for the 2023 MAFF Fire Fighter of the Year Award before the Oct. 1, 2023 deadline. Nominees who have displayed extraordinary service between Sept. 1, 2022 and Sept. 1, 2023 are eligible.

The Fire Fighter selected to receive this award will be honored at the MAP Annual Holiday Open House in December.

Please click here for the MAFF Fire Fighter of the Year Nomination Form.

National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) President Mick McHale shared the following message remembering the bravery and sacrifice of First Responders to the 9/11 terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001:

“22 years ago today, we experienced the deadliest terrorist attack on our nation’s soil,” McHale wrote in an email to NAPO members. “On September 11, 2001, nearly 3,000 of our fellow citizens gave their lives in New York City, at the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. This includes the more than 400 federal, state, and local public safety officers who ran into harm’s way to save others, many of whom were NAPO members.”

“As we remember those who died on September 11, 2001, we also must recognize those we have lost and continue to lose as the lasting effects of that day make themselves known,” he wrote. “As we know too well, First Responders across the country continue to die from their rescue and recovery efforts on and after 9/11 from cancers and other serious health conditions related to sustained exposure to toxins found at Ground Zero.”

This year, 62 officers who died of a 9/11-related health condition were honored by adding their names to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. In recent years, nearly 330 other 9/11 First Responders have been added to the Memorial’s walls.

“Unfortunately, this number will only continue to grow,” McHale wrote. “Today, and every day, NAPO remembers our members and all the First Responders who heroically gave their lives because of their service on September 11, 2001, and in the years after. We will forever remember these officers, their families, and all survivors of 9/11. God bless the men and women who serve our nation as law enforcement officers and God bless America.”

In response to the critical shortage of EMS personnel, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has awarded EMS grants totaling $14 million to expand workforce development training programs through scholarships and grants for students.

“MDHHS is providing solutions to the shortage of EMS workers in the state,” said Elizabeth Hertel, MDHHS director. “While partnering with industry stakeholders to solve this immediate problem, we are also proactively ensuring this critical field is an attractive option for Michigan residents interested in pursuing a career in EMS. We are committed to addressing the EMS shortage by providing tuition assistance, outreach and education across the state.”

Prior to August, MDHHS awarded 37 grants totaling $8 million to support more than 400 paramedical students through tuition and wage assistance as well as mileage reimbursement, tutoring services and childcare assistance. Financial support will be provided for students until training is complete.

By the first week of August, 23 additional grant recipients were chosen to receive funding of more than $6 million. There is the potential for an additional $2 million to be awarded in the coming weeks. Michigan recipients are from municipal agencies, community colleges, private EMS agencies and proprietary education programs. Grants ranged from $80,000 to $350,000 and include initiatives to support students, increase enrollment and interest in EMS as a career.

Click here for information on how to find a EMS program.

Safari Club Mid-Michigan Chapter is hosting the free weekend for physically disabled first responders, which includes lodging and meals. Prospective participants may apply for one of five hunting weekends planned from September to December 2023.

Hunt 2 Heal provides outdoor hunting for individuals with disabilities to experience the outdoors at no cost and without worry. The dedicated barrier-free lodge and 640-acre property in Bitely, Michigan (near Big Rapids) has been designed for people with physical disabilities. Specially designed hunting blinds with groomed trails and assistance from skilled guides allow for “any type of wheelchair or adaptive equipment,” according to the Hunt 2 Heal press release.

Click here for more information in the Hunt 2 Heal Flyer.

To submit your application and for more details, visit Hunt 2 Heal’s website or connect with Hunt 2 Heal on Facebook.