APPFFA Conference Youth Program

July 28, 2009 – One of the strengths of the fire fighter labor movement is that labor leaders not only strive to take care of fire fighters, but their families as well. At the Atlantic Provinces Professional Fire Fighters Association (APPFFA) Conference in New Brunswick, Canada, Saint John, NB Local 771 developed and funded a youth program for children of fire fighters attending the Conference.

Local 771 fire fighter Chris Green, who organized the program, says, “For past conferences, the youth program had been mostly a babysitting service. This year, we decided to run the program more like a summer camp. The feedback we have gotten has been excellent.”

As part of the program, the children were honored to meet IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger before embarking on a variety of activities, including going to the zoo, visiting museums, whale watching and horseback riding. Each child received a backpack full of fun items, including a disposable camera to capture the week on film.

The APPFFA is comprised of professional fire fighters from Canada’s four Atlantic provinces.