12th District Report

Dear Brothers and Sisters, 

Welcome to Arlington, Texas, and the 58th Biennial Convention of the International Association of Fire Fighters. The 12th District proudly represents IAFF members across Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean Islands. 

In accordance with Article VI, Section 7, of the IAFF Constitution & By-Laws, I respectfully submit this report of my activities as the 12th District Vice President to General President Edward Kelly, General Secretary-Treasurer Frank Líma, the IAFF Executive Board, and all officers and delegates in attendance. This report summarizes our District’s activities from July 2024 through June 2026. During this period, I attended all virtual and in-person Executive Board meetings, diligently executed all assignments from General President Kelly, and proudly represented the members of the 12th District. 

District Activities and Medical Assistance 

The 24 months since our 2024 Convention in Boston, Massachusetts, have been exceptionally busy. District activities continue to increase across multiple fronts, including: 

Additionally, with the creation of our Medical Assistance Program, under the leadership of Dr. Dan Whu, the MAP remains instrumental in helping members secure benefits for on-the-job injuries and illnesses. The program also assists families in securing Line of Duty Death (LODD) benefits, providing vital support during their times of greatest need. 

Growth and Organizing Initiatives 

I am particularly proud of our organizing advances within the 12th District. Since launching the Southern Organizing Initiative in 2017, we have made substantial progress, adding 11,955 new IAFF members to our District ranks. Supporting these organizing projects will expand our regional footprint and help state and local affiliates grow their political influence through the IAFF brand. As we grow together, we stand stronger together. 

As of this writing, membership in the 12th District has grown from 41,342 members across 241 locals in June 2024 to 44,469 members across 239 locals as of June 1, 2026—a net increase of 3,127 new members since our last Convention. These gains are the direct result of robust internal organizing drives and local amalgamations. I expect our membership will continue this upward trajectory, surpassing 47,000 members by the end of 2028. 

Our collaborative organizing efforts—spearheaded by the Deputy Director of Organizing Neil Pettit, Strategic Campaigns, IAFF Staff, State Affiliates, District Field Service Representatives (DFSRs), and Service Representatives (SRs)—offer valuable opportunities to collaborate with new local affiliate leaders. Their enthusiasm and desire to use IAFF services inspire our continued push forward. 

Later this year, we plan to roll out our new Organizing Boot Camp. Modeled after our highly successful Political Training Academy (PTA) and Communications Training Academy (CTA), this program focuses heavily on internal and external organizing. The South remains a prime landscape for educational outreach; “Right to Work” laws are fundamentally ineffective and must never serve as an obstacle to legal representation and a strong voice for fire fighters. Our goal is to educate the South on what “Right to Work” is and is not. 

Disaster Response and Readiness 

Members across the District recently faced an unprecedented crisis when Hurricane Helene, a Category 5 storm, tore through Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. The resulting path of destruction reached levels and areas our district had never experienced. 

In response, the IAFF “GO” Team deployed across state lines for several weeks. Working alongside our DFSRs and SRs to aid impacted members and their families, our teams accomplished what many thought impossible. As natural disasters, massive wildland fires, and horrific acts of gun violence increase in frequency and intensity, the 12th District will continue to prepare and respond. Because forecasters predict a similarly highly active 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, we remain vigilant while hoping for a quiet year. 

As weather patterns intensify, the IAFF staff continuously improves our disaster response readiness. This past year, we integrated Starlink satellite internet service into our deployment protocols to ensure resilient communication networks during crises. 

By sharing disaster response duties with 14th District DVP Danny Todd, 11th District DVP Michael Glynn, the IAFF GO Team, and headquarters staff, we can mobilize rapidly to any disaster site. Our Disaster Assistance Trailers, funded by generous donations to the IAFF Foundation and the IAFF Financial Corporation, remain fully equipped. We are immensely grateful to the IAFF staff, DFSRs, local and state officers, and local members who provide this essential relief. These efforts are made possible by the IAFF Foundation Disaster Relief Program and the generosity of members and sponsors across our two great nations. 

Behavioral Health Support 

As we face evolving professional hazards, providing adequate and timely behavioral health support remains a paramount challenge. We continue to lose far too many members to suicide; over the past year, occupation-related suicides accounted for 5% of all line-of-duty deaths. 

To confront this crisis, the IAFF continues to provide premier behavioral health assistance to our affiliates and their memberships through IAFF Foundation funding. This past year, we introduced a specialized resiliency training class alongside dedicated training for clinicians who treat first responders in crisis. Our mission—to care for members in their moments of urgent need—remains unwavering. Sister Claudine Buzzo from Local 1403 continues to excel in her leadership role coordinating our Behavioral Health Services for the district. I extend my sincere thanks to the Peer Support members and staff who respond to these difficult situations with compassion and dedication.  

Despite these heavy challenges, our affiliates stand strong, responding with the utmost courage, compassion, and professionalism. They prove time and again the invaluable 24/7/365 service our members perform for their communities.  

Comprehensive IAFF Services and Legal Support 

The specialized departments and divisions of the IAFF consistently deliver high-demand services to support local operations, including: 

Providing legal assistance and support to affiliates is a core function of our organization. The IAFF legal team is anchored by our general counsel firm, Mooney, Green, Saindon, Murphy & Welch, led by General Counsel Peter Leff. The General Counsel’s office routinely manages vital legal protections for our affiliates, including Emergency Dispute Funds (EDF) assistance, Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) policy cases, Guardian Policy cases, Union Activities Justice Fund assistance, rival organization pushback, cease-and-desist notifications, and formal legal opinions. 

Highlighting our legal efforts, our team recently secured a landmark victory in a Guardian Policy case out of South Carolina. The IAFF prevailed in the initial round of its legal battle against the City of Greenville over the wrongful termination of Local 2261’s President. The President was targeted for advocating for better working conditions and fair wages—activities fully protected under the First Amendment. The courts ruled in the IAFF’s favor on all counts, affirming that speaking on matters of public concern at City Council meetings is a protected right that must never be infringed.  

We finally got the summary judgment decision denying the motion filed by the current and former fire chiefs of the High Point, North Carolina Fire Department, and it is a good one.  They were seeking dismissal of the claims brought by Local 673 President on the grounds of qualified immunity.  

The decision has very favorable language for fire fighters on the qualified immunity doctrine.  Under the qualified immunity doctrine, public officials can avoid First Amendment claims against them if they can establish that the First Amendment rights sought to be protected are not well established.  The Court takes a very narrow view of when qualified immunity can be applied, which makes it very difficult to dismiss a First Amendment lawsuit on qualified immunity grounds. We will be able to use the language in this decision to our advantage in future cases.  The decision also provides us with a roadmap for what we need to prove to prevail on the Local President’s claims at trial. The trial is scheduled for August of this year. 

These victories underscore the fundamental strength of our Union Representation. 

Legal Services for District 12 

This is an IAFF Legal Department report covering District 12 matters since the 2024 Convention, organized into four categories: Guardian Policy Cases, pending Guardian Policy Applications, FLSA Cases, Other Cases, and Legal Memos. Here’s a summary by section: 

Guardian Policy Cases (Retaliation/First Amendment matters) 

Closed matters: 

Active/ongoing: 

Pending application: 

FLSA Cases (overtime exemption disputes) 

Other Cases 

Legal Memos (advisory opinions, no litigation) 

Overall picture: District 12 has been heavily active in First Amendment/retaliation litigation (many resulting in favorable settlements or precedent, like the Local 2261 and L672 rulings), several FLSA overtime fights with mixed results, and a steady stream of advisory memos on policy compliance across the Southeast.  

Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial  

In my capacity as District Vice President, I regularly attend Line-of-Duty Death funerals across the District and attend the IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial each September in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The data from these memorials highlights a sobering trend in fire fighter mortality by category: 

Leadership, Education, and Training 

General President Kelly has assigned me to several internal IAFF committees, where I serve year-round to ensure our affiliates receive premium resources and support.  

To better equip our local leadership, we have completed three Regional Secretary-Treasurer training programs and hosted two District Conferences in partnership with the 14th District. We are also currently finalizing logistics for our 2nd District Caucus and training sessions scheduled for July of this year. These educational programs have been highly successful, instructing members on the critical operational aspects of running a local union, including internal organizing, labor history, financial management, and collective bargaining tactics. I want to express my gratitude to DFSRs Tory Fatjo, Jayson French, and Vinnie Messina for their hard work in making these programs a success. 

Looking ahead, the 12th District plans to deliver an expansive educational slate through the remainder of 2026 and 2027. This includes additional Secretary-Treasurer classes, a New Organizing Boot Camp in North Carolina, and Strategic Communications and Internal Organizing training in Georgia. We will continue to deliver quality training to all corners of the district via online platforms, in-person regional classes, and District Conferences. Planning is already underway for the next 12th District Conference in the spring of 2027 and the Biennial District Caucus and Training event for July 2028. 

State Legislative and Bargaining Updates 

Georgia 

As reported in 2025, the city of Atlanta worked for five years to implement Title 25, Georgia’s local collective bargaining ordinance. Although the City Council unanimously approved Local 134’s first contract in April 2025, the mayor refused to sign the agreement and attempted to introduce an alternative representation model. The IAFF responded immediately, filing a lawsuit to compel the mayor’s signature. In May of this year, the mayor acquiesced and signed the agreement. We now begin the vital work of enforcing the hard-earned benefits our members bargained for. 

Additionally, recently finalized successor agreements in South Fulton and Athens are paving the way for other locals seeking collective bargaining across Georgia. We continue to advocate for the passage of local-option collective bargaining statewide. Meanwhile, Savannah fire fighters continue to lobby hard for their own bargaining ordinance. The drive to expand collective bargaining opportunities in the South remains strong; when we fight, we win. 

South Carolina 

The Professional Firefighters Association of South Carolina (PFFASC) continues to advance critical legislative initiatives. Amid our ongoing fight to improve member representation, the PFFASC successfully secured cancer screenings and PFAS testing for all South Carolina fire fighters at no cost to the members or their departments. In addition, the expansion of cardiac injury benefits for in-the-line of duty. The PFFASC is currently managing the implementation of these benefits with the assistance of the IAFF Legal Department. 

North Carolina 

The North Carolina General Assembly is advancing legislation, with SB 226, aligning LODDs with the cancer benefit (still in the budget). Updates on the budget are expected the middle of June. HB1203, which expands tuition waivers for children of certain public safety employees to attend North Carolina community colleges, passed the Higher Education Committee unanimously. This bill is a step towards extending tuition waivers to four-year universities for firefighters and dependents in the next session. Dr. Angela Hind, the PFFPNC Chief Medical Officer, has been instrumental in supporting members, preparing attachments, conducting Zoom updates, and leading the Health and Safety Committee. PFFPNC is the one of the first State Association’s to partner with a local physician in support of our mission. 

Backed by these legislative victories and our focused organizing efforts, we anticipate strong membership growth across North Carolina over the next few years. Charlotte Local 660 has continually fought to improve wages and benefits for their members. Lacking collective bargaining, their avenue to success is simple, political action. After months of hard work, Local 660 Charlotte Firefighters secured a 10% wage increase and added protection for members who suffer on-the-job injuries.  

Florida 

Navigating a demanding legislative cycle, the Florida Professional Firefighters (FPF) secured critical legislative wins in 2023 and 2024. These victories included enhanced cancer coverage and the restoration of a Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for members within the Florida Retirement System. Restoring the COLA represents the culmination of 15 years of dedicated lobbying by the FPF. This achievement was made possible by the unified efforts of the FPF leadership team, district vice presidents, staff, and local affiliate leaders. In a complex political climate, this legislation delivers a lasting, positive impact to Florida’s 36,000+ professional fire fighters, EMTs, and paramedics. 

I also want to congratulate FPF President Wayne “Bernie” Bernoska on his well-deserved retirement from the Orlando Fire Rescue Department, capping off a stellar career in the fire service. 

Puerto Rico  

Recent organizing activities aimed at rechartering the local labor representation for Puerto Rico’s fire fighters have picked up significant momentum as part of a broader, renewed push for stronger collective bargaining rights and improved working conditions. Local organizers have been actively mobilizing personnel across the island’s emergency sectors to secure official reaffiliation with the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) to help amplify their legislative voice. These grassroots efforts are focusing heavily on addressing long-standing grievances regarding sub-par baseline salaries, localized infrastructure needs, and the mental and physical tolls of the job. By focusing on structural rechartering, organizing leaders aim to establish a more unified, legally binding framework for upcoming contract negotiations, aligning Puerto Rico’s first responders with a recent surge in public-sector union expansion.  

Closing and Acknowledgments 

Representing the 12th District as your Vice President is my distinct honor and privilege. We belong to an outstanding trade union that provides unparalleled service and represents our members with distinction in every facet of our profession. Together, we will continue to achieve greatness. 

I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to my home local, Broward County Firefighters and Paramedics Local 4321, for their steadfast support and resources. Their backing gives me the strength to serve the brothers and sisters of the 12th District and this great International Union. 

Throughout this reporting period, General President Kelly’s office, General Secretary-Treasurer  Líma’s office, my fellow District Vice Presidents, and the IAFF staff provided exceptional service during a demanding era. Their leadership is the reason our Union continues to flourish. The IAFF staff consistently delivers the premium-quality reports and analytical data necessary to back our local unions. As you visit the convention exhibits, please take a moment to thank our officers and staff for their outstanding service. 

I want to wish a fond farewell to two distinguished union leaders retiring from the Executive Board: 7th District DVP Ricky Walsh and 14th District DVP Danny Todd. It has been a true pleasure serving alongside them. 

Since our last Convention, we mourned the loss of a great union leader: Eastern Region Trustee Mark Ouellette. Let us remember Mark for his strength, dedication, friendship, mentorship, and unwavering commitment to everything he held dear. We honor his memory by carrying forward the values he embodied: courage, loyalty, and a deep commitment to serving others. 

I will conclude my report by thanking General President Kelly and General Secretary-Treasurer  Líma for another successful two years of collaborative leadership. The IAFF continues to make incredible organizational advances while maintaining robust financial stability, and I look forward to continuing our work together. 

I stand eager, willing, and able to face the challenges ahead as we work together to build a better Union and a stronger District. We remain united in our spirit and our mission. Let’s leave this convention re-energized, re-focused, and completely unified. I wish you all a highly successful 58th Biennial Convention. 

We are the IAFF 12th District—Strong, Proud, and United! 

We are #UnionStrong 

We are #12thDistrictStrong 

We are #Team12