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Legislation that proposes a national framework to address occupational cancer in fire fighters reached an important milestone in the Canadian House of Commons Wednesday when it passed Third Reading with a unanimous vote and overwhelming support from all parties.

Hundreds of IAFF affiliate leaders gathered for a rally at the U.S. Capitol to urge Congress to pass priority legislation for fire fighters, including a bill to help fund the research and development of next-generation, PFAS-free protective gear. 

Nearly 800 affiliate leaders from across the United States convened for the 2023 Alfred K. Whitehead IAFF Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., a short distance away from the Capitol. The annual conference champions issues most critical to the nation’s professional fire fighters and allows union leaders to hear from elected officials, including President Joseph R. Biden. 

President Joe Biden made history March 6 when he addressed hundreds of IAFF members at the 2023 Alfred K. Whitehead Legislative Conference. It was the first time in 25 years that a sitting president spoke at an IAFF conference.  

Legislation aimed at preventing railway disasters has been introduced in the U.S. Senate with the support of the IAFF. The Railway Safety Act of 2023 includes provisions that will enhance safety procedures for trains carrying hazardous materials and increase the budget for HazMat training grants, including funding for the IAFF’s HazMat Training program. 

The Ontario Professional Fire Fighters Association is celebrating a significant victory with the announcement that pancreatic and thyroid cancer coverage will be added to the list of those deemed occupational in fire fighters. The change is retroactive to 1960.

General President Edward Kelly presented Broward County, FL Local 4321 fire fighter Bryan Aparicio with the General President’s Citation for Extraordinary Heroism during the IAFF Executive Board meeting in Hollywood, Florida. The citation acknowledges the extreme risk Aparicio took to save his girlfriend from a fiery crash.

Canadian IAFF members seeking behavioural health treatment information now have easier access to the dedicated services and preferred rates offered by IAFF partner EHN Canada.

Boston, MA Local 718 members are responding to fires around the city with stronger, heat-resistant hoses on their fire apparatus thanks to a $45,000 donation from the Last Call Foundation.

More than 1,400 active and retired Chicago Local 2 members have received free cancer screenings thanks to a partnership between Local 2 and the Rush Lung Center.