The Way I See It – October 2023
We have recently launched our new and improved PPFRA website. It is currently, and will continue to be, a work in progress going forward. Many features will be familiar to some of you as they were brought forward from the old website…News, Editorial, List of Officers, Alcohol & Drug Assistance Hotline, Health & Wellness Committee and a Calendar of Events (new & improved).
The monthly Calendar lists all regular and special meetings and other important political or social events. We have an open Forum so that all members have a place to speak their minds, contribute to ongoing posts or reach out to other members. Currently the website is asking visitors to sign in and request inclusion on the site. All retired PPD & PFD (and widows) will be approved. At this time all non-Providence Public Safety retirees will be excluded. The site also includes a Sign-Up link for those retirees who may not be members of PPFRA but wish to join as dues paying ($10 p/month deducted from your monthly pension check) members. In this case we will send you a pre-filled card (with a pre-stamped and addressed envelope) which you will simply sign and mail to the Pension Office.
As part of the sign-up process, we are looking for basic information that will allow us to create a database of e-mail addresses so that we are able to instantly share information with the entire membership in a single message. This prompt dissemination of accurate information to all our members is imperative if we are to be successful in our endeavors. This site and the database of contact information of members will be important tools in realizing this goal.
In addition to the above we are planning to use this website to share news that may be of interest to our members, a link to contact PPFRA officers in an anonymous manner and an obituary page to attempt to keep you informed of the passings of our brothers and sisters.
Future uses include the possibility of gathering health histories from members that may aid in us documenting physical or mental health issues that ravage our occupations. This information will be documented as a whole body of police or fire retirees or both. It will be kept strictly confidential. We will never share personal information of our members and we ask that you do the same. This website and any information shared therein is strictly for our eyes only.
In order to share some news, stories or pictures of interest to our members I would ask any or all members to send me whatever you think may be of interest in this regard, particularly older photos. I will attempt to use them on our pages and possibly create another page strictly for photos of years gone by. You can send them to tekpfd@yahoo.com. Keep in mind as I contact you that we’re attempting to keep this site exclusively for our brothers and sisters. As I’m probably familiar with 90% of the retired firefighters but not with retired police officers so I may contact you before approving your membership to this site.
Remember that we’re all in this together and have only each other to watch out for us!
Stay safe!
Tom Kenney
Secretary – PPFRA
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the monthly commentary “The Way I See It” are Tom Kenney’s and not necessarily those of The Providence Police & Firefighters Retirement Association.
I am the widow of a retired firefighter. I think I am already a member. Husband’s name: Philip E. Rattenni, my name is D.Carla Rattenni. 1 Shalom Drive, Warwick, RI. 02886. Would you send me a current membership card and a sticker for my car. I would appreciate it. Thank you.