We are America’s First Responders: The
International Association of Fire Fighters is the AFL-CIO
affiliated labor union representing more than 280,000
professional fire fighters and emergency medical personnel
in the United States and Canada. IAFF members are the
largest providers of pre-hospital emergency medical care in
the United States.In addition to city
and county fire fighters and emergency medical personnel, the IAFF represents
state employees (such as the California Forestry fire fighters), federal workers
(such as fire fighters on military installations), and fire and emergency
medical workers employed at certain industrial facilities.
We have a rich history: One of the oldest
public employee unions in America, the IAFF was formed in 1918, at a time when
many fire fighters were required to live in firehouses and be on duty 24 hours a
day every day, with only the occasional day off. Back then, civil service laws
were few and almost all pay, promotions and other benefits came and went at the
whim of local patronage.
We get results: The IAFF has been the
leading force behind numerous advances for the fire and emergency services,
including:
- Passing heart, lung and other disability laws to protect fire fighters who
become ill from on-the-job hazards
- Enacting federal benefits for the survivors of fire fighters killed or
totally disabled in the line of duty
- Establishing progressive civil service laws in the U.S. and Canada
- Enhancing public safety through national standards ensuring professionalism
and high standards of training and education for fire and emergency personnel
- Establishing training programs for hazardous materials emergencies
- Establishing minimum staffing requirements for fire fighting
We’re ready for the future: Fire fighting
is still one of the most dangerous occupations in North America: one in three
fire fighters is injured in the line of duty every year. As a result, the IAFF
is extremely active in promoting occupational health and safety, working to
include all fire fighters under federal OSHA protection, and supporting national
standards for safe apparatus, equipment and practices. Fire fighters are
extremely active politically, fighting for better public safety at every level
of government – local, state and federal. IAFF members live in every
congressional district in the U.S. and all across Canada.
We help others off the job: The IAFF
supports numerous charitable activities. It is the largest national sponsor of
the Muscular Dystrophy Association, underwrites scholarships for the children of
members killed in the line of duty, and supports research into the treatment of
and rehabilitation from burn injuries through the IAFF Burn Foundation.
