International Association of Fire Fighters facts for kids
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| Founded | 1918 |
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Members
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300,000 (2012) |
| Website | iaff.org |
International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) is an international organization dedicated to the firefighters. It was established in 1918 in the United States. The IAFF is a part of the AFL-CIO in the United States and the Canadian Labour Congress in Canada. They are based in Washington, DC.
IAFF Mission and History
The IAFF was formed in 1918 when fire fighters worked 24-hour shifts on continuous duty and received salaries as low 29 cents an hour. The IAFF has fought for better wages, benefits and working conditions and improved safety for its members, as well as and greater public safety services for the communities they serve. The IAFF is the driving force behind nearly every advance in the fire and emergency services in the 21st century — from the introduction of shift schedules to the enactment of the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program, which provided federal funding for fire departments to hire and retain fire fighters. With extremely active political and legislative programs, and with recognized experts in the fields of occupational health and safety, fire-based emergency medical services and hazardous materials training, the IAFF has established professional standards for the North American fire service.
The IAFF is a member driven organization — for fire fighters, by fire fighters.
