Welcome to Seattle and the 54th Convention of the International Association of Fire Fighters and celebration of this union’s 100th anniversary and Century of Progress Through Unity. It was February 28, 1918, when delegates representing many of the original fire fighter unions affiliated with the American Federation of Labor (AFL) founded this IAFF. Over the years, we’ve accomplished more and more on behalf of our members, and more and more fighters have joined our great union.
Today, as we begin our 2018 Convention, we can all be proud of the great union we’ve built together — a union that represents more than 313,000 professional fire fighters and paramedics — and the advances and achievements we have made on behalf of our members in two great countries.
This week promises to be an exciting and productive Convention. The work we do here will carry us forward so that our members throughout the United States and Canada can continue to protect their communities safely and effectively as they work in the greatest job in the world.
