CAL FIRE Local 2881 and the CAL FIRE Trademark
As you probably know, CAL FIRE Local 2881 is the labor association for the firefighters and resource management employees of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF), now known as CAL FIRE. In 2006, legislation (AB 1423) was sponsored by Assembly Member Russ Bogh to change CDF’s public name to accurately represent what we do for the people of California. The bill passed the legislature unanimously and was signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on September 14, 2006. That legislation officially allowed CDF to be referred to as CAL FIRE as of January 1, 2007. For over 20 years CAL FIRE Local 2881 has advocated that our public name represent what our department’s members actually do over 300,000 times a year, which is to respond to all types of emergencies that threaten our fellow Californians.
From day one, CAL FIRE and CAL FIRE Local 2881 worked hand in hand to develop and protect the branding of the new CAL FIRE label. A committee appointed by CAL FIRE Director Ruben Grijalva and CAL FIRE Local 2881 President Bob Wolf set out to re-brand, design and protect the monikers, logos and applications of the new CAL FIRE name. As soon as a design was decided upon, CAL FIRE Local 2881 immediately filed for and was approved for the trademark rights to the CAL FIRE mark by the United States Trademark Office.
In July of 2009, after lengthy negotiations, CAL FIRE and CAL FIRE Local 2881 entered into an agreement where CAL FIRE Local 2881 assigned our trademark rights to the CAL FIRE marks over to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE). In return, CAL FIRE assigned CAL FIRE Local 2881 the rights to administer the use, application according to Department guidelines, and enforcement of the trademark requirements of the marks. These rights include but are not limited to selecting vendors to produce CAL FIRE marked products, approving the products and the design of such products, ensuring the quality and accuracy of those designs, approving retailers selling these products, and enforcing the trademark.
It is CAL FIRE Local 2881 intent to enforce the use of the marks for on-duty uniform items according to the Department’s uniform guidelines as established by the Department’s Uniform Committee and Department executive staff, and to assure products bearing the CAL FIRE and CAL FIRE Local 2881 marks produced for off-duty wear are professional, appropriate, quality, and economical.
Royalties received by CAL FIRE Local 2881 for CAL FIRE items will be sent to the CDF Firefighters Benevolent Foundation (a not-for-profit IRS 501(C)3 organization that supports firefighters and their families throughout the state in time of need).