Thomas G. Spellacy of Schenectady, New York, is elected the first president and William Smith the first Secretary-Treasurer, neither of whom stay on past 1920. Spellacy compares the formation of the IAFF with Christopher Columbus’ discovery of America.
Samuel A. Fink (1919-1919)Samuel A. Fink took office in May 1919 and served through September of that year. He spent his entire fire service career in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and with Pittsburgh Local 1. When the IAFF was organized in 1918, Fink was elected 1st Vice President. One year later, as president, Fink focused on growing the membership, organizing 96 new locals. Fink resigned during the latter part of 1919 due to family obligations.
William D. Buck (1957-1968)William D. Buck was first elected secretary-treasurer by delegates at the 23rd IAFF Convention in Montreal, Canada. Less than a year later, he was elected by the IAFF Executive Board to serve as acting president after the untimely death of President John P. Redmond. As president, he set increasing membership as a priority, successfully growing the ranks by 50 percent to 115,370. He retired from his position as president in 1968 after celebrating the IAFF’s 50th anniversary.
Buck began his career as a fire fighter with the St. Louis Fire Department in 1930 and soon became an active member of Local 73. He served as a vice president for the local and was also a member of several committees.
Buck was elected 2nd District Vice President in 1940. During his tenure, he was credited with forming three state affiliates, including the Missouri State Council of Fire Fighters, the Professional Fire Fighters of Nevada and the Kansas State Council of Fire Fighters.
William D. Buck (1956-1957)William D. Buck was first elected secretary-treasurer by delegates at the 23rd IAFF Convention in Montreal, Canada.
Buck began his career as a fire fighter with the St. Louis Fire Department in 1930 and soon became an active member of Local 73. He served as a vice president for the local and was also a member of several committees.
Buck was elected 2nd District Vice President in 1940. During his tenure, he was credited with forming three state affiliates, including the Missouri State Council of Fire Fighters, the Professional Fire Fighters of Nevada and the Kansas State Council of Fire Fighters.
All members from the youngest age to the oldest are taken regardless of occupation, nationality or locality, without a medical examination. New members under 50 years of age will be automatically added upon notice without a medical examination after the original group closes March 15, 1921. No member over 50 will then be accepted for insurance.
Thomas G. Spellacy (1918-1919)Thomas G. Spellacy of Schenectady, New York, was elected president at the first IAFF Convention in 1918. He chose to be Local 28 because he served on Engine 28 in Schenectady. President Spellacy took on the profound responsibility of developing the IAFF’s core mission of improving wages and benefits, increasing fire fighter safety and creating basic job security for fire fighters. He left office in 1919, handing the office over to 1st Vice President Samuel A. Fink.
William A. Smith (1918-1920)William A. Smith of Washington, DC, was elected the first IAFF Secretary-Treasurer in 1918. In 1913, Smith was instrumental in forming and serving as secretary of the Fireman’s Association of the District of Columbia, which was later chartered as Washington, DC IAFF Local 36.
Smith introduced the first Convention resolution to be adopted by delegates, which resolved to form an international organization of unions and to affiliate with the American Federation of Labor.
From time immemorial there has been opposition to ideas and different projects as planned in accordance with the progress of the times. That many of these ideas have fallen short of reaching their mark goes without saying, and a great number have even succeeded the fondest anticipations. Among the latter we include two – Christopher Columbus in the discovery of America and the International Association of Fire Fighters. Nor I do not for an instant wish to infer than an analogy may exist in the way of a comparison between the noble and daring explorer, who discovered this beautiful, glorious country, and the formation of a body of men, for any purpose—even though it be a firemen’s union – but what I wish to say, and that most emphatically, is that Columbus in explaining his views met with no more opposition than many of the locals affiliated with this International; but, like the great discoverer, their unions have been vindicated.