International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) News

According to AAA, more than 9 in 10 Memorial Day travelers will drive to their destinations this year. The advocate for safe mobility predicts a 52 percent increase in vehicle travel this Memorial Day weekend over last year and reports that 34 million Americans are planning to take road trips now that COVID-19 restrictions are loosening up. In the interest of public and responder safety, leading fire service organizations are reminding firefighters, EMS providers, and roadside service provide...

Savannah, GA Local 574 will host the 57th annual U.S. and Canadian Professional Fire Fighters Golf Tournament in October after a one-year delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The three-day event on October 18-20, 2021, is expected to draw hundreds of IAFF members and family members and raise $1 million in revenue for the City of Savannah. Proceeds will benefit the Local 574 Fallen Fire Fighters Foundation. The event registration will include a hotel, three rounds of golf on different courses, br...

Firefighters from across the country participated in the National Fallen Fire Fighter Softball Tournaments in October 2020 and May 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Organizers of the annual event typically donate $10,000 from the proceeds to the IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial every two years, but this year was able to give $12,500. The check was presented on May 3 at Hennessey’s Tavern in downtown Las Vegas. “It was an honor to accept this check on behalf of the IAFF Foundation,”...

It is with deepest regret and sorrow that we report the line-of-duty death of New Haven, CT Local 825 member Ricardo Torres Jr. Brother Torres, 30, died while battling a residential fire on May 12, 2021. The IAFF stands ready to support New Haven Local 825 as it mourns the loss of one of its own. Funeral services will be held at St. Mary Church on Hillhouse Avenue on May 20. Following the mass, Torres will be buried at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Hartford with full departmental honors. People c...

As part of the transition process – and to create the necessary culture, structure, personnel, and resources to improve efficiencies across all divisions and departments – the IAFF Executive Board recently approved a restructure in the headquarters operations. This was a collaborative effort undertaken by both the Office of the General President Edward Kelly and the Office of the General Secretary-Treasurer Frank Líma. During the ongoing transition process, we identified the...

An appeals court in Texas has upheld voter-approved collective bargaining rights for Houston’s firefighters, a landmark victory for labor in the Lone Star state, and a stinging rebuke for anti-fire fighter Mayor Sylvester Turner. The Court of Appeals in Texas affirmed a lower court ruling won by Houston Local 341, repeatedly dismissing the city’s arguments. The ruling compels the City of Houston to pay the legal costs for Local 341 in this two-year battle over the rights and benef...

After an intense campaign, Austin, TX Local 975 has won the ability to call on an impartial arbiter to settle future disputes that may arise while negotiating with the city, after the passage of Proposition A. Proposition A, which passed by an impressive 81% to 19% margin on May 1, sends a clear message from Austin voters to city leaders. “Our community showed up and voted in support of their firefighters,” says Local 975 President Bob Nicks. Fairer resolution process “We ar...

Mental health wellness is a requirement for firefighters and emergency medical responders. Seeking to address the need is the Helping Emergency Responders Overcome (HERO) Act proposed by the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF). In the current 117th Congress, a bipartisan group of 31 legislators led by Rep. Ami Bera (D-Calif.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) reintroduced the HERO Act into the House of Representatives. The proposal had previously been passed in the House but not in th...

The International Association of Fire Chiefs, International Association of Fire Fighters, National Association of State Fire Marshals, and National Volunteer Fire Council urge governors and state health officials to make career and volunteer firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics a top priority level for COVID-19 vaccines. They are vital parts of the national public health system and should be treated at the same priority as other frontline healthcare workers and hospital staff. The nation’s...

LION had the honor of attending the by-invitation only IAFF Instructors Development Conference in Clearwater, Florida November 18-21. The annual event supports first responder instructors with HazMat specific training, including the opportunity to meet with industry leaders & vendors. Offering advanced protection Speaking to influencers regarding the state of the industry, LION had a chance to showcase achieving National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1994 Standard’s Class 1 cert...

Dräger, a pioneer in medical and safety technology, is launching its ‘Health for the Firefighter’ campaign to support fire services in driving the cultural changes that are required to protect firefighter health. Impact of exposure The launch follows a survey of UK firefighters that found considerable concern over the impact of exposure to contaminants on long-term health. Some 84% admitted they were concerned about the risk of cancer – a disease highlighted in some scie...

As the COVID-19 pandemic affects communities across the United States, it has also impacted in-person fundraising for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). For 66 years, the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) has collected critical funds in the community, one dollar at a time, as part of the ‘Fill the Boot’ program. This summer, the program will launch virtually to address social distancing guidelines for the firefighters and the vulnerable community MDA serves....

The COVID-19 pandemic presents new economic challenges to county and municipal governments. Fire departments are likely to be impacted as local governments respond to the economic downturn with spending freezes, hiring freezes and spending cuts. Some local governments are hoping for help from the state and/or federal level. Although some governments have “rainy day funds” to address economic downturns, not all of them do. Furthermore, the extent of the current economic crisis may ex...

Protests and riots spread throughout the United States in response to the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis policeman. Firefighters are on the front lines as rioters set fires and even attack firefighters seeking to do their jobs. In Richmond, Virginia, rioters blocked a fire truck from responding to a burning home. Protesters had intentionally set the fire at the home, and there was a child inside. In Philadelphia during a 24-hour period, the fire department responded to doze...

The Board of Directors of MSA Safety Inc. announced the election of Nish J. Vartanian to the position of Chairman, succeeding William M. Lambert, who will continue to serve the company as a Director. Mr. Vartanian, 60, is the sixth chairman in the history of the 106-year-old Pittsburgh-based company - a global provider in the development and manufacture of innovative technologies that help protect people's health and safety, and facility infrastructures. Mr. Vartanian became an MSA director in...

The Clark County Fire Department (CCFD) is temporarily taking up to 12 suppression units out of rotation since they are experiencing a significant reduction in calls for service, particularly in the Las Vegas Strip resort area. Clark County Fire Chief John Steinbeck said the factors considered for the temporary shutdown include call volume, fire response, patient transporting, and additional in-station or surrounding resources. This is a very fluid situation. A unit that makes sense to temporar...

The Fire Protection Research Foundation (Research Foundation), the research affiliate of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), has received nearly $200,000 in Fire Prevention and Safety Grant money from FEMA to study the Economic and Emotional Impact of an Active Shooter/Hostile Event. The Research Foundation will oversee the two-year project working closely with NFPA and, in particular, the technical committee for NFPA 3000, Standard for an Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response (ASH...

The Metropolitan “Metro” Fire Chiefs Association, a Section of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) held its 2019 annual conference in Edmonton, Alberta June 8-14. More than 110 Metro chiefs from Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Mexico, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States attended the conference and elected the Association’s 2019-2020 officers and board members. The officers are: Chi...

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) elected Patrick J. Morrison to its board of directors at the association’s annual Conference & Expo in San Antonio. The three-year term for each member takes effect upon the close of the conference. Three existing board members, Hatem Kheir, Teresa L. Deloach Reed, and Stacy N. Welch were re-elected to a second three-year term. General President At IAFF Morrison serves as assistant to the general president for occupational health, safet...

The first step to becoming a specialist in any field is to build a theoretical foundation, but having a vast amount of textbook knowledge isn’t enough to truly be an expert. While many things can be learned from behind a desk, those theories should always be backed up with practical knowledge as well. Now, while it might make sense to throw a new salesperson onto a cold call or a new server onto the restaurant floor immediately after classroom training – what about situations where...

MSA, the pioneer in the development, manufacture, and supply of safety products that protect people and facility infrastructures announced that Nish Vartanian, President, and CEO, has been elected to the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Foundation’s Board of Directors. Supporting the firefighters  The IAFF Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Washington D.C., provides charitable support and direct assistance to IAFF firefighters and their families in the w...

MSA Safety Incorporated, the globally renowned developer, manufacturer and supplier of safety products that protect people and facility infrastructures, has announced that Nish Vartanian, President and CEO, has been elected to the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Foundation’s Board of Directors. The IAFF Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Washington D.C., provides charitable support and direct assistance to IAFF fire fighters and their families in the wake of...

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has released its first unmanned robotics guidance for first responders and others. NFPA 2400, Standard for Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) Used for Public Safety Operations was developed by representatives from public safety departments with unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), including the fire service, law enforcement, and emergency medical services. NFPA 2400 is an all-encompassing standard that applies to all public safety departments that...

Metropolitan Fire Chiefs from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom participated in the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Urban Fire Forum (UFF) at NFPA headquarters in Quincy, Mass. NFPA President and CEO Jim Pauley welcomed the chiefs and provided an overview of the association’s Fire and Life Safety Ecosystem, reinforcing the critical role urban fire chiefs play in ensuring safe communities. Special guests at the Forum included the President of the Canadian Associ...

The pair of Oshkosh Striker vehicles will support the airport’s new 14,000-foot (4.2 km) long runway Oshkosh Airport Products Group, a division of Oshkosh Corporation, has placed twin Oshkosh® Striker® 8 x 8 aircraft rescue and fire fighting (ARFF) vehicles into service at Calgary International Airport (YYC) in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The pair of Oshkosh Striker vehicles will support the airport’s new 14,000-foot (4.2 km) long runway set to open in June....

EMS award programme launhed by CFSI and MedicAlert will boost the morale of the professionals from the industry The Excellence in Fire Service-Based EMS Awards Programme recognised fire departments that have implemented best practices in EMS. The Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) and the MedicAlert Foundation have announced the establishment of a new awards programme to recognise fire departments from across the country for outstanding achievements in EMS services....

Shift Calendar Application from IAFF and Pro-Calendar which has made the work of firefighters quite easy and handy   The IAFF Pro-Calendar App is also the only shift calendar App to include an exposure incident log. The IAFF and Pro-Calendar have partnered up to develop and release the most advanced application for firefighters scheduling and tracking critical job-related information. This shift calendar and organizer helps you manage your shift schedule, track sick, com...

One-third of home fires occur during the winter and cooking is the number one cause of these tragedies Cooking is the major cause for one-third of home fires during the winter months. As the holiday season approaches, families crank up the heat, decorate their homes with lights and candles, and gather in the kitchen to prepare and enjoy warm, home-cooked meals. Unfortunately, the cold weather and seasonal activities can also create more fire hazards around the home. In fa...

Firefighters should be aware of the 'silent killer' CO gas which causes various lethal diseases Carbon monoxide poisoning is a danger at every fire, but this "Silent Killer" is often present without symptoms, making awareness, proper diagnosis and treatment difficult. Masimo, the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), jointly announced the launch of "The Silent Killer" educational campaign aim...

NFPA recruits Fire Service Technical Panel to support Electric Vehicle Safety Training Program NFPA announced that panel will support development of new program for emergency responders. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recently announced the creation of a Fire Service Technical Panel recruited to assist with the organization’s development of a safety training program to help emergency responders prepare for the growing number of electric vehicles on the...