FIREPAC

FIREPAC is a political action fund, managed by the IAFF, that is made up of voluntary contributions by fire fighters to advocate for fire fighters and their families.

FIREPAC continuously fights for the right to collective bargaining, healthcare, adequate staffing, retirement security, better tools and equipment to do your job, and a healthy and safe environment both on and off the job.

No dues money goes to federal candidates.

FIREPAC builds collective power and relationships by supporting campaigns to elect a fire fighter majority.

FIREPAC is about you, your family, and your union. Contributing to FIREPAC builds a more powerful and effective union. Every leader and member are encouraged to contribute. If not us, who?

This portion of the IAFF website is paid for by IAFF FIREPAC. This page has not been authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.

Why FIREPAC?

As long as politicians are involved in our ability to fight fires, fire fighters have to be involved in politics. Every decision about your job is influenced by someone elected or appointed. FIREPAC empowers fire fighters to build collective power and relationships by supporting campaigns and independent efforts to elect a fire fighter majority.

FIREPAC has helped win fights for fire fighters across the country. FIREPAC has secured billions of dollars in federal funding to local fire departments through a variety of grant programs, including the SAFER and FIRE grant programs; established a first-of-its-kind national cancer registry exclusively for fire fighters; defeated efforts to directly tax your employer-provided healthcare benefits; and continues to protect and pass collective bargaining, protect pensions and elect pro fire fighter candidates.

FIREPAC is about you, your family, and your union. Contributing to FIREPAC builds a more powerful and effective union. Every leader and member are encouraged to contribute. FIREPAC can legally solicit active and active retired members and their families for contributions. We can not solicit alumni members.

If not us, who?

What is FIREPAC?

FIREPAC is a political action fund, managed by the IAFF, that is made up of voluntary contributions by fire fighters to advocate for fire fighters and their families.

FIREPAC continuously fights for the right to collective bargaining, healthcare, adequate staffing, retirement security, better tools and equipment to do your job, and a healthy and safe environment both on and off the job.

FIREPAC takes the fight through the front door into the halls of power. From the White House to city hall, FIREPAC expands fire fighter influence across the US.

Contribute to FIREPAC

We are so glad you have decided to invest in FIREPAC. All contributors receive unique FIREPAC lapel pins.

Contribute Online

There are two ways to contribute online whether you are renewing your contribution or making a new contribution. You can choose to pay via credit card or debit card:

  1. Online with a one-time credit card contribution.
  2. Online with a recurring credit card contribution.
    • This option allows you to distribute your contribution over the course of the calendar year by debiting your credit card in equal monthly payments.

Membership Club

There are several membership levels to choose from. All amounts are suggested investment amounts:

Membership ClubPer Pay Period (12 months)Annual Total
Cornerstone$83.33$1,000
Chairman’s Council$62.50$750
Leadership Trust$41.67$500
Founder’s Circle$16.67$200
President’s Club$8.34$100
Capitol Club$4.17$50

About Recurring Contributions

The IAFF online contribution option allows members to contribute monthly – and automatically – to one of FIREPAC’s donor clubs. The auto-draft program is similar to a dues check-off program.

In other words, if you sign up for recurring contributions in January for the Leadership Trust donor level, your credit card would be debited $41.67 each month ($41.67 x 12 = $500). FIREPAC will automatically pro–rate any recurring contributions for the remainder of the year if you sign up after January.

So, if you sign up in July for the Leadership Trust donor level, your credit card would be debited $83.34 each month ($83.34 x 6 = $500). Once the new calendar year begins, the monthly deduction amount will automatically revert to a 12-month cycle.

Members who choose to contribute via recurring contributions will also receive their donor club gifts as soon as they are available each year.

Check-Off Program

The FIREPAC Check-Off program is a voluntary payroll deduction plan that allows IAFF members to make individual contributions to FIREPAC. Before an IAFF member can contribute to FIREPAC via check-off, the local must first have an established Check-Off program with its employer.  

If you are a local president or secretary-treasurer who is interested in starting a check-off program, click here for instructions and documents to help start your program. 

The Check-Off program allows members to spread their contributions over the course of a calendar year, easing the burden of making a one-time contribution. Each member determines the amount that will automatically be deducted from his or her paycheck and forwarded to FIREPAC. Members can also choose to check off an amount that allows them to join one of FIREPAC’s six membership clubs:

Membership ClubPer Pay Period (26 months)Annual Total
Cornerstone$83.33$1,000
Chairman’s Council$28.85$750
Leadership Trust$19.24$500
Founder’s Circle$7.70$200
President’s Club$3.85$100
Capitol Club$1.93$50

FIREPAC Canada

FIREPAC Canada is a powerful tool that gives Canadian IAFF members a loud and clear voice in the legislative arena. At the federal level, FIREPAC Canada utilizes funds raised by individual member contributions to educate members and politicians about issues of importance to professional fire fighters and at the local and provincial levels, FIREPAC Canada funds are also used to support fire fighter-friendly candidates in the heat of an election campaign.

FIREPAC Canada supports those who will support fire fighter issues, and who will speak out in support of professional fire fighters and their families.

IAFF members are encouraged to make voluntary contributions to FIREPAC Canada every year to ensure the voice of professional fire fighters is heard loud and clear at all levels of government.

Without funds to educate or support our friends in the political arena, the IAFF will not be able to make its voice heard before critically important decisions that affect fire fighter and public safety are made.

IAFF members can also make their voluntary FIREPAC Canada contributions through a check-off program if their local offers one. It’s a payroll deduction system, similar to a dues check-off, through which a fire fighter authorizes periodic paycheque deductions.

Please note that due to federal law, FIREPAC Canada contributions are not tax deductible.

IAFF Elected Officials

FIREPAC is an IAFF-managed PAC that may be able to donate to your campaign. IAFF members and their family members running for public elected office are eligible to request a FIREPAC contribution. Here’s what you need do:

  • Submit the FIREPAC Contribution Request Web Form, which requires the following attachments:
    • Letter of endorsement from your home local president
    • Letter of endorsement from any local president whose local you would represent if elected
    • Copy of your campaign budget

You can find a list below of IAFF members who have been elected to federal, state and local offices. Some of these members have received a FIREPAC contribution in their successful campaign runs:

FAQs

FIREPAC is an IAFF-managed PAC that may be able to donate to your campaign. IAFF members and their family members running for public elected office are eligible to request a FIREPAC contribution. Here’s what you need do:

What is FIREPAC?

FIREPAC is a political action fund, managed by the IAFF. FIREPAC is the IAFF’s federal political action committee, and it is important because everything that affects IAFF members is ultimately decided by an elected official or someone appointed by an elected official.

Does any of my dues money go to FIREPAC?

No dues money goes to federal candidates. Federal election law, regulated by the Federal Election Commission, prohibits the use of union dues money for the purposes of making contributions to federal candidates or attempting to influence the general public in a federal race.

What does FIREPAC fight for?

FIREPAC continuously fights for the right to collective bargaining, healthcare, adequate staffing, retirement security, better tools and equipment to do your job, and a healthy and safe environment both on and off the job.

Who can contribute to FIREPAC?

As a federally registered PAC, FIREPAC must rely solely on personal, voluntary contributions from IAFF members, spouses and immediate family members. FIREPAC can legally solicit active and active-retired members and their families for contributions. We cannot solicit IAFF Alumni members.

I am not really political. Why do I need to contribute to FIREPAC?

Every decision about your job is influenced by someone elected or appointed. FIREPAC empowers fire fighters to build collective power and relationships by supporting campaigns and independent efforts to elect a fire fighter majority. FIREPAC is about you, your family, and your union. Contributing to FIREPAC builds a more powerful and effective union. Every leader and member are encouraged to contribute. If not us, who?

How has FIREPAC helped me or my union?

FIREPAC has helped win fights for fire fighters across the country. FIREPAC has:

  • Secured billions of dollars in federal funding to local fire departments through a variety of grant programs, including the SAFER and FIRE grant programs.
  • Established a first-of-its-kind national cancer registry exclusively for fire fighters.
  • Defeated efforts to directly tax your employer-provided healthcare benefits.
  • Defeated efforts to cut pensions for our federal brothers and sisters by 1/3.
  • Continues to protect and pass collective bargaining, protect pensions and elect pro fire fighter candidates and even some of our very own fire fighters who have run for political office.
  • Passed legislation to officially recognize PFAS as a danger to fire fighters, secured PFAS blood testing for federal fire fighters, and is developing next-generation bunker gear.
I already give to my state and local PAC. Why do I need to give to FIREPAC?

FIREPAC focuses on federal candidates who have a say over your job and benefits, as well. FIREPAC is managed by the IAFF because there are contribution limits, so it’s easier for us to manage and track the limits.

How do I contribute?

You can make a one time or recurring contribution here

Just like any investment, building little by little each year goes a long way. We kindly ask that you make a recurring contribution of smaller contributions to build towards a larger investment.

I am a local/state leader. What should I be doing with FIREPAC and how can I help make FIREPAC successful?
  • FIREPAC depends on fire fighters to build collective power and relationships by supporting campaigns and independent efforts to elect a firefighter majority. FIREPAC is about you, your family, and your union. Contributing to FIREPAC builds a more powerful and effective union. Every leader and member are encouraged to contribute. We want to make sure all IAFF affiliates know the importance of FIREPAC. We know some members don’t know what FIREPAC is, or they think contributions only go to federal issues. That’s why we created the Leadership First campaign! Leadership First means leading by example and contributing to FIREPAC. We need YOU, a respected IAFF leader, to contribute to FIREPAC and help us expand the fire fighter majority. Leadership First also means trusting our affiliate leaders, like you, to promote FIREPAC to your members. Our Political Department has developed FIREPAC toolkits for our local and state leaders. In your toolkit, you can find:
  • Tailored messages on what FIREPAC is and why it is important
  • Promotional materials such as presentations and flyers
  • FIREPAC contribution data if requested
How do I start a FIREPAC check-off program for my local?

You can check if your local has a FIREPAC check-off program by emailing [email protected].

If your local does not have one, consult your local president or secretary-treasurer and encourage them to start one today. If you are a local president or secretary-treasurer who is interested in starting a check-off program, click here for instructions and documents to help start your program.