In a historic moment for the IAFF, Dr. Danny Whu, MD, MPH was appointed as the organization’s first Chief Medical Officer. He will join the senior leadership team and will spearhead all facets of the Health, Safety and Medicine Division, as well as design and implement the provision of cutting-edge medical services to IAFF affiliates and members.
“This is a great day,” says General President Edward Kelly. “Under Danny’s leadership, we will meet this moment and expand on the medical, health and safety resources available to the more than 327,000 members of this IAFF.”
A proud member of Metro-Dade Local 1403 for over 32 years, Dr. Whu is also a fire fighter-paramedic who worked 30 years in fire-rescue and EMS, the last 25 with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. He promoted through the ranks and served as a Division Chief for Operations, Assistant Director for the Miami-Dade Office of Emergency Management and as Deputy Incident Commander of its Emergency Operations Center. He is also a Medical Team Manager for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Urban Search & Rescue Team, Florida Task Force-1 since 1992, and has responded to multiple disasters, including 9/11, Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, the Haiti earthquake, Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and the Surfside condominium collapse in Miami Beach. His medical practice focuses on preventive medicine with an emphasis in integrative and holistic health.
“It is an honor to serve my fellow brother and sister fire fighters and look forward to the opportunity to assist our great IAFF in improving their health, safety and well-being,” says Dr. Whu. I am humbled by and appreciative of the chance to join General President Kelly’s team and contribute to his mission of service.”
“This IAFF is about our members, and our first priority is to their health and safety,” says General President Kelly. “The work of Dr. Whu will give our affiliates a whole new set of tools to improve their health and safety and will be a key component of the future of our organization.”
