Fire Fighters, Police & Teachers Call for National Investment in Public Safety & Education

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Fire fighters, police officers and teachers joined together on October 19, 2011 at 2:15 p.m. at the Russell Senate Office Building to urge Congress to stop dragging its feet and start restoring public safety and education – already threatened by budget cuts – by investing in programs to put fire fighters, police officers and teachers back to work protecting our communities and educating our children by passing the Teachers and First Responders Back to Work Act, S.1723.

"Public safety and education are the cornerstone of a prosperous nation and the rebuilding of our economy. Putting fire fighters, police officers and teachers back to work will strengthen communities and generate a stronger environment for local businesses to start hiring more workers," International Association of Fire Fighters General President Harold Schaitberger said.

The act includes $35 billion in funding to invest in public safety and the education of our children, including $1 billion for the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program to keep fire fighters on the job in our country's neighborhoods.

Nearly 15,000 fire fighter and paramedic positions have been lost, targeted for elimination or have been left unfilled after a vacancy due to funding shortages as the prolonged economic downturn has decimated local tax revenue.

A national television ad running in key states and produced by the IAFF promoting the Teachers and First Responders Back to Work Act is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mya1eSSWPlY



Author:IAFF Press Release