affi-iaff

The Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois serves as the Illinois state labor association of the International Association of Firefighters. The AFFI represents 202 locals which are the collective bargaining agents for over 15,000 full time professional firefighters and retired members who are serving or have served in cities and fire districts throughout the State of Illinois.

The AFFI exists to help these member locals in a wide variety of ways, including:

Assistance in preparing for collective bargaining.
Assistance with negotiation and mediation.
Assistance with interest arbitration.
Lobbying for state legislation which improves firefighter working conditions and fire safety in general.
Educating members to handle basic arbitration and concerns and issues common at the Local level.
Promoting the job done by union firefighters throughout the State of Illinois.

The AFFI is affiliated with the International Association of Fire Fighters, Illinois State Federation of Labor and the AFL-CIO, American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations.

The AFFI was founded on October 22, 1935 and has lead in the fight for improved working conditions for firefighters statewide, culminating in the passage of a Collective Bargaining Law for firefighters in 1985. For a complete history of the firefighter labor movement in Illinois, read the Draft Version of Fiery Struggle found elsewhere on this web site.

The AFFI maintains its office in Springfield, Illinois and holds meetings in each of its five districts twice each year. The AFFI conducts its biennial convention at sites throughout the state. In 2008, Peoria Local 50 welcomed brothers and sister from throughout the state to the 37th Convention. In 2010, Springfield Local 37 will assume the mantle of host local for the 38th!

The governing body of the AFFI is the Executive Board, which is elected at the conventions. The Executive Board consists of the President, Secretary-Treasurer, six Vice Presidents and three Legislative Representatives and meets quarterly. Rounding out the elected positions for the AFFI are three elected Trustee positions, whose primary responsibility is to serve as auditors for the state organization.

Current Members of the Board and Elected Representatives include:

President Patrick Devaney president@affi-iaff.org
Secretary-Treasurer Tom Roate treasurer@affi-iaff.org
Vice-President at Large Russ Hunt vp@affi-iaff.org
First District Vice President Danny Fortuna dist1vp@affi-iaff.org
Second District Vice President Chris Coats dist2vp@affi-iaff.org
Third District Vice President Adam Ruderman dist3vp@affi-iaff.org
Fourth District Vice President Tom Willis dist4vp@affi-iaff.org
Fifth District Vice President Steve Horne dist5vp@affi-iaff.org
Northern District Legislative Representative Edward Crews ndlegrep@affi-iaff.org
Central District Legislative Representative Chuck Sullivan cdlegrep@affi-iaff.org
Southern District Legislative Representative Richard Martin sdlegrep@affi-iaff.org
Northern District Trustee Eric Habercoss ndtrustee@affi-iaff.org
Central District Trustee Jay Smith cdtrustee@affi-iaff.org
Southern District Trustee Rich Wilson sdtrustee@affi-iaff.org

AFFI Staff Members include:

Office Manager Sue Smith office@affi-iaff.org
Secretary Melanie Stivers secretary@affi-iaff.org
Database Manager Shawn Gillis database@affi-iaff.org

The AFFI has five Standing Committees, an Honor Guard and is also affiliated with the Association of Retired and Disabled Firefighters. These appointees and elected officers are from throughout the State of Illinois.

Firefighter Code of Ethics

The International Association of Fire Fighters, in its Manual of Common Procedure and Related Subjects, contains this code which helps union firefighters uniformly remember their career mission and goals.

As a firefighter and member of the International Association of Fire Fighters, my fundamental duty is to serve humanity; to safeguard and preserve life and property against the elements of fire and disaster; and maintain a proficiency in the art and science of fire engineering.

I will uphold the standards of my profession, continually search for new and improved methods and share my knowledge and skills with my contemporaries and descendants.

I will never allow personal feelings, nor danger to self, deter me from my responsibilities as a firefighter.

I will at all times, respect the property and rights of all men and women, the laws of my community and my country, and the chosen way of life of my fellow citizens.

I recognize the badge of my office as a symbol of public faith, and I accept it as a public trust to be held so long as I am true to the ethics of the fire service. I will constantly strive to achieve the objectives and ideals, dedicating myself to my chosen profession--saving of life, fire prevention and fire suppression.

As a member of the International Association of Fire Fighters, I accept this self-imposed and self-enforced obligation as my responsibility.