OPINION — The International Association of Fire Fighters represents the men and women who show up on the worst days of your life. Our members run toward burning buildings, car wrecks, cardiac arrests, overdoses and every emergency imaginable. Firefighters, EMTs and paramedics are there when seconds matter. The IAFF ensures the professionals who answer 911 calls have a voice in how that work is done.
Rarely do elected officials work to undermine and silence that voice. But Amish Shah, a Democratic candidate for Congress in District 1, did exactly that when he served in the Arizona Legislature.
We do not take lightly the decision to speak out about any candidate for office. The IAFF works with lawmakers from both parties, and we have built strong relationships with Democrats and Republicans across Arizona. But when a legislator introduces a bill that restricts what frontline first responders can do to help people in need, refuses to listen to the workers affected, and sees the overwhelming majority of his own caucus reject that legislation, we have an obligation to speak up.
