RELEASE: Gottheimer Joins International Association of Firefighters to Support First Responders

Above: Gottheimer joins New Jersey firefighters at the IAFF’s annual convention.

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, March 3, 2025, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), at the invitation of its leadership, addressed the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) annual convention in Washington. Gottheimer met with Jersey first responders and highlighted the critical need for increased federal investments to support fire departments across the country. 

Gottheimer is fighting back against the Trump Administration’s attempts to cut federal grant funding for firefighters and first responders, including the Administration’s attempt to freeze all federal funding last month. 

Last week, Gottheimer reintroduced bipartisan legislation to ensure that firefighters across the country — regardless of whether they’re volunteer or professional — have access to multi-cancer early detection tests at no out-of-pocket cost. Firefighters have a 14% higher risk of dying from cancer than the general public.

“Every day, our firefighters answer the call and put themselves in harm’s way to protect our families and communities — not only from fires, but from flooding, terror, natural disasters, and other threats to our homeland. While everyone knows about the immediate dangers our firefighters face when they run into a burning building, what’s not talked about nearly enough is the silent killer they come home with after putting out the fire,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), a member of the bipartisan Congressional Fire Services Caucus. “That’s why I’ll never stop fighting to secure investments to support our first responders, including life-saving early cancer detection testing. But let’s be clear: with some of what this White House is doing and their across-the-board, draconian cuts, I’m worried about what could happen to these critical, life-saving programs. Just like with law enforcement, we need to fund, not defund. We must always get the backs of those who have ours.”

Gottheimer was joined by IAFF President Ed Kelly, IAFF Secretary-Treasurer Frank Lima, President of the Professional Firefighters Association of New Jersey Matthew Caliente, and Jim Slivi.

More information about the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) can be found here.

Below: Gottheimer speaks at the IAFF convention.

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