The IAFF is the driving force behind nearly every advance in the fire and emergency services in the 21st century. With headquarters in Washington, DC, and Ottawa, Ontario, the IAFF represents more than 300,000 full-time professional fire fighters and paramedics in more than 3,100 affiliates. IAFF members protect more than 85 percent of the populatoin in communities throughout the United States and Canada. The IAFF is also one of the most active lobbying organizations in Washington, DC. The IAFF Political Action Committee, FIREPAC, is among the top 25 federal PACs among the more than 4,000 in the country.

Health & Safety

The IAFF remains the leader in every fire fighter safety initiative for nearly a century. The IAFF Occupational Health, Safety and Medicine Division develops and disseminates knowledge within the fire service so fire fighters, paramedics and EMTs can recognize and control the safety and health hazards and occupational medicine issues associated with the profession.

Staffing

Adequate staffing of fire fighters and paramedics is essential to public safety. Seconds can mean the difference between life and death, and the number of fire fighters deployed to an emergency scene can mean the difference in lives lost and propery saved. The IAFF works to ensure fire departments across North America meet NFPA 1710, the national industry standard for minimum staffing and crew size.

The IAFF has led the effort to provide federal funding to help fire departments maintain safe staffing, and for fire fighters to have the appropriate training, equipment and resources to safely and effectively to the job. The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program, administered by FEMA, has provided more than $1 billion to help communities hire more fighters and maintain safe staffing through difficult economic times. The Assictance to Firefighters (FIRE Act) grant program provides funding for training and equipment.

Retirement Security

Professional fire fighters and paramedics spend their careers risking their lives to protect the public and the communities they serve. After a lifetime of risking their lives for others, they deserve the secure retirement they have earned.

Most professional fire fightersdo not collect Social Security and, therefore, depend on the defined benefit plans they were promised for retirement income. A broad and determined coalition of anti-labor and pro-business interest groups is attacking public pensions and threatening pension reforms in cities and states across the United States and Canada. These groups are determined to replace these pension plans with 401(k)-style plans. Destroying public pension systems is pushing more hard-working people toward poverty.

The IAFF continues to fight at all levels of government across North America to protect the retirement security that its members deserve after a career of service to their communities..

Training

Fire fighting is a dangerous job. Training is required to become and fire fighter or paramedic, and further training is required throughout a career to maintain skills and address an evolving list of hazards, including chemical explosions, oil tanker fires, wildfires, terrorism and other emerging threats. The IAFF provides a number of training programs, such as HazMat/WMD response, fire ground survival and peer fitness training, among others.

Governmental & Political Policy

The IAFF actively works to influence federal legislation that directly affect the jobs, economic security and safety of IAFF members, and fights to protect its members' lives and livelihoods through important public safety grant programs, collective bargaining rights, occupational cancer and disease presumption and other legislative priorities.

The IAFF is a political powerhouse in the Nation’s Capitol and in state houses, governors mansions, and county and city halls across the country. The image of our fire fighters and paramedics has made the IAFF one of the most sought after endorsements in politics at every level.

During the last election cycle, the IAFF’s FIREPAC was in the top 1.1 percent of federally registered PACs in terms of dollars raised and was the 10th largest PAC in candidate contributions. It was also one of the most bi-partisan PACs.

For more detailed information regarding the IAFF and its mission please visit the Official IAFF website HERE.