March 19, 2012 – The IAFF and the Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois (AFFI) are
wading into the Republican nomination process with a new
broadcast ad
highlighting Mitt Romney’s opposition to critical public safety programs,
including Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) and
Assistance to Firefighters (FIRE Act) grants.
“It is important for Illinois voters to know Romney’s poor record on public
safety,” says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger. "On the eve of the
Illinois primary, we must let voters know that if Mitt Romney has his way, he
will eliminate successful public safety programs that makes communities safer.”
As governor of Massachusetts, Romney repeatedly attempted to cut local aid to
communities, jeopardizing public safety and safe staffing. He also attempted to
strip away the collective bargaining rights of fire fighters in the state.
“We want our members to know about Mitt Romney's failure to support fire fighter
issues," says AFFI President Pat Devaney.
The SAFER program has put more than 5,000 fire fighters back to work across the
country, giving a much-needed boost to public safety in countless struggling
communities. In Illinois, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provided fire departments $10.2 million in grants to hire or retain fire
fighters last year.
