Philadelphia Local 22 President Emeritus Les Yost Dies

July 1, 2008 – The IAFF is sad to report that respected Philadelphia, PA Local 22 President Emeritus Les Yost died June 29, 2008, in North Carolina. He was 68.

“Yost devoted his life to improving the lives and working conditions for members of Local 22,” says Brian McBride, president of Local 22. “He was a great mentor to all of us, even encouraging me to run for my first local office. I was fortunate enough to have him as vice president during my first term as president. He will be missed.”

Yost was born in Fishtown, Pennsylvania, in 1940. He later became a student at West Chester and La Salle Universities before joining the Philadelphia Fire Department in 1959.

As a fire fighter, Yost was known for being aggressive, but smart. This reputation followed him to his first elected union office on July 1, 1981 when he was sworn as recording secretary. He then served as Local 22 president from 1987-1999. When Yost left office, he returned to active fire fighting and was assigned to Ladder 1. In 2001, he was elected as Local 22 trustee. From 2003-2007, he also served as the local’s vice president. He retired on January 1, 2004.

As a union leader, he was known for fighting against staff reductions and station closures and in favor of better pensions, health benefits, working conditions and wages. Yost’s success was due, in part, to his knack for supporting fire fighter-friendly politicians. In fact, he formed Local 22’s FIREPAC.

“He was well-respected on all levels of government – state and local,” says McBride. “Because of his reputation, politically, many doors were open to Local 22 that might have otherwise been closed.”

Outside of Local 22, Yost served as a fire service member of the National Professional Qualifications Board. Additionally, he was a former vice president of the Philadelphia AFL-CIO and the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO.

He was also a member of the Police & Fire Medical Association, Fire Department Athletic Association, Police and Fire Association of Handicapped Children, the League of the Sacred Heart, the Emerald Society, the German-American Fire Fighters Association and the Ancient Order of Hibernians.

Yost is survived by his wife, Barbara, daughter, Christine, two sons Kirk and Andrew, and three granddaughters. Local 22 will finalize and announce details for a memorial service on the union’s web site. Meanwhile, the family will hold a private service in North Carolina.