Professional Fire Fighters Association of Louisiana (PFFALA)
Reviews and Complaints

I help out the firefighters in our community through the purchase of their annual calendar.

Mr. Rosenbrook has been working for a company FIRECO, LLC which solicits money for concerts to help benefit the Fire Fighters Associations of the town he is calling from. The majority of this money is to support the union and not for fire safety prevention, as stated. He is a professional fund raiser, but uses questionable tactics to solicit the funds. He will use any tactic he can to make money (he is paid based on ticket sales). His hiring practices are highly questionable and he is the master BS'er...

I appreciate the opportunity to respond to the complaints of Mr. Daniel Davis regarding the fundraising office of the Professional Fire Fighters Association of Louisiana. I would like to point out that this is an employer/employee dispute. Mr. Davis is not a client, contributor or customer of the Association. He is a former employee who has taken to internet websites to attack his former employer. His post exists because he is upset at being fired. Due to his actions while employed Mr. Davis received warning that if he returns to our office he will be charged with trespassing. Unfortunately, I am unable to provide details in a public forum as to why Mr. Davis was terminated from his position. I will simply state that Mr. Davis was fired for good cause which has been documented.
That being said, there are several false statements and accusations by Mr. Davis that I do feel need to be corrected.
I would like to start by addressing Mr. Davis’s comments regarding the Professional Fire Fighters Association of Louisiana (PFFALA). The PFFALA was founded in 1940 and represents the career professional fire fighters throughout the State. Today, well over 4000 Fire Fighters and Emergency Medical Technicians are proud to be members of this organization. In 2012 the fundraiser was established by member decision in order to provide and support programs for the public as well as the fire fighters who serve them. This fundraiser consists of staff contacting residents by phone and asking them to support the fire fighters efforts by purchasing ticket vouchers to benefit concerts. We will host two shows a year, with our first one taking place at the Pete Maravich Center on LSU Campus. These concerts will offer quality entertainment, available at a reasonable price and provide our supporters a fun night out for the whole family. The information confirming the concert can be viewed on the Pete Maravich website itself at www.maravichcenter.com then clicking the “Event Calendar” in the upper left of the page (http://ath-ems-serv.ath.lsu.edu/VirtualEMS/BrowseEvents.aspx) and scrolling to the month of May. We are also pleased that the Zachary Plainsman-News ran an very positive article about our fundraiser after some residents had expressed concern as well. I have included a copy of the article in this mailing. (http://zacharytoday.com/view/full_story/20741331/article-Firefighters--benefit-concert-not-a-scam?). Regardless of what Mr. Davis believes, the concert will in fact take place as scheduled. We anticipate a fun night, safe night out with family entertainment and I personally encourage Mr. Davis to attend the event.
The PFFALA is proud to not use an outside agency or professional fundraising company and instead chooses to conduct the fundraiser itself. Individuals such as Mr. Daniels were hired to assist in this fundraiser. Through the purchase of ticket vouchers contributors are supporting the men and women of the Professional Fire Fighters Association of Louisiana who help make their communities a safer place to live and raise our families. Some of our programs include: Community Health and Fire Safety Seminars presented to the public at no charge. Our fire fighters will be there in person, covering such topics as proper fire safety in the home, smoke detector and fire extinguisher maintenance, as well as teaching first aid. PFFALA members reach out and provide support to fire fighters throughout the State who have suffered traumatic stress due to on the job occurrences. As first responders, they enter into dangerous environments to help others in need. Fire Fighters are often the ‘first boots on the ground’. Whether it be fire, medical emergency, violent injury, automobile accidents or natural disaster they are there when seconds count. We support other organizations essential to the community such as Muscular Dystrophy Association, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and Life Shares Blood Drive. Each year we help our fire fighters with their participation with the “I’m Still Me” Burn Camp for children. This camp provides a fun, safe environment for young burn survivors to be with other children who have had the same experiences as well as offer one to counseling with our fire fighters. These programs will continue to be made possible through our fundraiser and the support of the residents of Louisiana.
Regarding Mr. Davis’s allegation of people complaining about being called after “they have decline[sic] the solicitation”: We will host two shows a year, and will make contact with people only once for each of those events. If Mr. Davis truly encountered that o the job then it was because he was not following basic instructions on how to designate his phone conversations properly within the computer system. That is human error on his part and not a reflection of our methods.
Mr. Davis states: “Also, I watch[sic] a guy come back for his own personal information, Brent fired the guy after 4 hours of work, he made up excuses on why he couldn't return information. His excuse was he no longer had the information, or he couldn't make a copy of it because his equipment wasn't in operation. That is a "red flag" for identity stealing.” First, the ‘guy’ Mr. Davis refers to is in fact himself. Only Mr. Davis can know why he refers to himself in the third person when invoking this incident. I imagine it is to conceal the fact that his return to our property the following day constituted trespassing. Mr. Davis admits to this occurrence where he came back to the job site and demanded his paperwork in a Better Business complaint. That complaint was subsequently discarded as it was an employer/employee dispute and not a consumer complaint. The bottom line is that Mr. Davis has misstated facts throughout his post. Mr. Davis states that I would not return his paperwork and “made up excuses”. What he refers to as “excuses” was in fact me explaining my obligations under federal and state law. All employees are required to fill out several forms including the Louisiana Department of Revenue (LDR) L-4 form and Federal W-4. These forms must be completed and sent by the employer to the LDR and IRS. By law, an employer is responsible for completion and retention of Form I-9 for all employees hired for employment. This form includes Mr. Davis’s attestation of work authorization and my signature stating that I have reviewed the documents presented by Mr. Davis that demonstrate identity and work authorization. I did offer to make copies the following day when possible but Mr. Davis stated that was unacceptable and that he needed any and all original paperwork. When I stated to Mr. Davis that I needed the paperwork to submit his information to process my payroll and without it I couldn’t pay him, he made a very telling comment. It was to the effect that he “didn’t care”, “didn’t trust me” and that he didn’t want to be paid. At that moment it became very clear that his actions were simply a transparent attempt to make me run afoul of US and Louisiana labor law by undermining my ability to pay him for his time employed. I would like to make it clear that I will not be intimidated by Mr. Davis into violating the law. Mr. Davis also chooses to use the term “identity theft” in his complaint. It one thing for an individual to be concerned about identity theft but another to state that it has happened. By using the term in the header of his post Mr. Davis implying that it has. In regards to the PFFALA or myself in the legal handling of Mr. Davis paperwork, it has not occurred. Any statement by Mr. Davis that we have stolen his identity or operated an illegal fashion is slander and will be treated as such.
Mr. Davis states: “In fact, the proper licensing in not on his wall for viewing.” This is a very quaint attempt Mr. Davis to sound as if he has any knowledge on what type of documentation is required for a professional non-profit organization to operate its office. Any documents required to be on our walls “for viewing” are indeed on the wall. If it’s not there, it is not required. Mr. Davis is unqualified to make such statements. Comments in this vein are Mr. Davis attempting to paint this fundraiser as a scam which again crosses from rhetoric and opinion into slander.
Lastly, it true that I am not from Baton Rouge. It is however, untrue that I have been “all over the United States soliciting phones[sic] for money”. This is something conceived and embellished upon by Mr. Davis for effect. I have lived and worked in the same place for the last 14 years on behalf and directly for professional fire fighters. My career with them has allowed me to build upon my bonds with IAFF affiliates and fire fighters in the South. It is simply networking. Due to my success in 18 years of service to the Professional Fire Fighters I was offered an opportunity to work directly with the members of the PFFALA with their fundraiser and accepted that position. What most people would consider an example of success and opportunity Mr. Davis spins into some vile undertaking. He also raised the issue of my birth state in his original BBB complaint. To clear the record, during a break period I was asked by an employee in casual conversation where I was originally from. When Mr. Davis returned to our office the day after he was released from employment he made personal insults regarding my origins. He stated I had no right to move to Baton Rouge. Disparaging me for where I was born and spent my childhood is an approach I would not expect from anyone. How my birth state is any of Mr. Davis’s concern, or has anything to do with the PFFALA and his complaint only he can explain. We pride ourselves on being an equal opportunity employer to which a person’s origins and birthplace play no factor in the hiring process. I would ask that Mr. Davis utilize some tact and afford me the same professional courtesy.

I do not feel there is any more to say on the matter. I will not respond to more attacks by Mr. Davis and his friends recruited to post such attacks. Any personal insults toward me or innuendo posted here will be ignored. I do wish Mr. Davis the best in his future endeavors.

Respectfully,
Brent Rosenbrook