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Showing posts from December, 2018

In the 1940's and early 1950, there was a very popular "gather 'round the radio with your family" program called "Firefighters"

Provided from " FirefightersCloseCalls.com The Firefighters radio program had a total of 140 fifteen-minute episodes that aired on early primetime WCPO radio during the late 1940's and ended in 1950. As you will soon hear, it was a first class radio production heard across the country that was syndicated in over 225 markets in the United States and Canada... and it outranked national network radio shows like Lone Ranger and Sky King in its region. "Firefighters" dramatized actual case histories of real Fire Departments. It is authentic in every detail, from Fire Department "welcoming" of new members to the ranks, to responses to the "latest" firefighting techniques and equipment. During its run, the "Firefighters" show followed the heroic adventures of the rookie Firefighter, Tim Collins, who completed firefighter training after returning from World War II. Each episode focused on a particular fire emergency that Tim and h

The coming changeover to a new Windows operating system for ATMs is forcing many credit unions to take a hard look at their capital expenditure options this budget season, says Dolphin Debit.

That transition, coupled with aging machines, is driving decisions about whether to choose an expensive software upgrade to Windows 10 or to choose the even more expensive alternative, buying new ATMs, according to Gary Walston, president of  Dolphin Debit . “Like so many things in life, it’s all about the timing,” said Walston. “While the recent EMV upgrades forced credit unions to spend money upgrading their ATMs, the last big event at the ATM was in 2012, when so many credit unions bought new machines in order to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). That was a major event in which a large turnover of old ATMs was a boon for ATM manufacturers. Fast forward almost seven years, and many of those once shiny new ATMs are now in their final lifecycle stage.” The Cost of Upgrades For the machines that can be upgraded, the cost of outfitting them with the new Windows 10 operating system will run anywhere from $6,000 to $12,000 per ATM, said Walston.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

We wish you peace and joy in this holiday season and throughout the coming year. On behalf of our nationwide board of directors and staff, we would like you to consider supporting  the National Council of Firefighter Credit Unions Inc  representing over 800,000 firefighters, first responders and their families.  Please save the date and consider joining us in Clearwater Beach, Fl - October 1-4, 2019 Grant Sheehan CEO National Council of Firefighter Credit Unions Inc. Office: 305-951-3306,  Address: 3741 De Garmo Lane Miami, FL 33133 www.ncofcu.org

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) voted to raise the target range for federal funds

WASHINGTON–Although debate has increased recently over whether it should do so, as expected, the Fed has moved to raise interest rates. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) voted to raise the target range for the federal funds rate to 2%-2.25% to 2.25%-2.50%. “Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in November indicates that the labor market has continued to strengthen and that economic activity has been rising at a strong rate,” said the FOMC in a statement following today’s meeting. “Job gains have been strong, on average, in recent months, and the unemployment rate has remained low. Household spending has continued to grow strongly, while growth of business fixed investment has moderated from its rapid pace earlier in the year. On a 12-month basis, both overall inflation and inflation for items other than food and energy remain near 2%. Indicators of longer-term inflation expectations are little changed, on balance.” Fed watchers have bee

I must watch video of a backdraft in New York this week.

Here you will see FDNY members experience a major backdraft during a 5th alarm fire in a row of stores in the Sunnyside area of queens. (to the best of my knowledge no FDNY members were hurt during this backdraft.  Here is the link to the video that highlights the smoke explosion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66z7YVwE7n8  Be SAFE!

The CECL implementation approach should be broken into four phases.

NAFCU FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla The year 2022 may sound like it’s far off, but it’s anything but when it comes to preparing to comply with the new CECL accounting standard, according to one credit union CFO. That date is two years after banks need to be compliant (Jan. 1, 2020), and Wright noted the bank examiners are  struggling with small institutions, where data validity and model validity are issues, as is balancing reasonable expectations and resource constraints. NCUA grappling with the same issues, said Wright.While the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) continues to refine some of the issues around the new Current Expected Credit Losses (CECL) standard, Doug Wright, CFO with San Diego-based Mission FCU, noted credit unions need to have a fully CECL-compliant model in place by Jan. 1, 2022. “One recommendation I would make is to not just look at what NCUA is doing with education, but also to look to the FDIC, the OCC and the Federal Reserve to see what they are doing,

Bernie Winne interim CEO of the Cooperative Credit Union

MARLBOROUGH, Mass.– Bernie Winne, president and CEO of Firefighters Credit Union in Boston, has agreed to become interim CEO of the Cooperative Credit Union     Bernie Winne Association, in addition to overseeing his credit union. Winne fills the void created when Sarah Vega, chief of staff to NCUA Chairman J. Mark McWatters, initially accepted the position and then changed her mind. The vacancy in the position was originally created by the departure of former CEO Paul Gentile, who left to become president/CEO of Merck Employees FCU in Rahway, N.J. Winne, who has 35 years’ experience in credit union and is a CCUA board member, was appointed to the interim position by the association’s board at a recent  executive meeting, the CCUA said. "Bernie's leadership ensures the smooth continuity of all the programs and services that the Association delivers to its members each and every day," said CCUA Board Chair Ellen Ford in a statement published by the