Carolina Foothills Professional Firefighters - Local 5612

08/30/2026

Local 5612 stands with the Columbia Police Department and the entire Columbia community as they mourn the line-of-duty death of Officer Chris DeLong.

Our deepest condolences go to Officer DeLong’s wife, Hannah, their children, his fellow officers, and everyone who knew and loved him.

Firefighters and law enforcement officers share a commitment to answering the call when our communities need us most. Today, we stand beside our brothers and sisters in law enforcement as they grieve one of their own.

Rest easy, Officer DeLong.

Local 5612

08/25/2026

A major win for firefighters across South Carolina.

Speaking up for safe staffing, fair pay, adequate equipment, and public safety is not misconduct — it is advocacy for our members and the communities we serve.

Solidarity with Brother Gray and IAFF Local 3967 as this case moves forward. ✊🔥

08/24/2026

Boiling Springs has grown tremendously over the past 30 years, and our fire district has grown right along with it. But while our community has changed, the fire district’s millage has not increased since 1997.
Today, staffing is our biggest focus. We can recruit young firefighters, but we are struggling to retain them because our salaries are not competitive with other fire agencies in our area. On average, our firefighters earn approximately 20% less than neighboring agencies, with a probationary firefighter at BSFD starting at approximately $32,500. This referendum is about creating competitive salaries and safe, adequate staffing—not simply giving raises.
Just as our roads, schools, and other infrastructure must keep pace with growth, our fire district must keep pace too.
The November 3 referendum would allow the Boiling Springs Fire District to levy up to 26 mills to support the operational costs necessary to recruit and retain qualified firefighters and provide safe, adequate staffing for the community we serve. Over the next few months we will continue to put out more information, and answer community questions. Thank you.

08/24/2026

08/24/2026

South Spartanburg, want to experience what a day is like for your firefighters — from station life and training to responding to calls and serving our community.

Scan the QR code and request a ride!
Must be 18 years of age to ride.
-Please be sure to complete the form in its entirety. Ride requests with incomplete or missing information will not be fulfilled.

If you’re a high school student interested in learning more about firefighting as a potential career, email [email protected] for more information

08/21/2026

🔥Fire Fact Friday🔥 When an emergency happens, every second matters! Staffing directly impacts how quickly we can begin critical patient care operations, how safely our crews can work, how quickly we can reach patients and victims, and how effectively we can control a fire.
For large calls such as house fires, major medical responses, or motor vehicle accidents you may often see several trucks from several departments respond to one incident. When departments work together, we bring the right manpower, the right equipment, and the best possible outcome to your worst day.

08/17/2026

🥎🚒🚓 Supporting Those Who Serve Remembering Those We’ve Lost

Members of IAFF Local 5612 will be participating in the 15th Annual Upstate SC Law Enforcement Memorial Softball Tournament this Saturday, August 22nd, at Century Park in Greer.

For the past 15 years, this tournament has brought law enforcement agencies and public safety personnel from across the Upstate together to honor officers killed in the line of duty and raise money to support their families.

With the support of our community, the tournament has raised more than $110,000, with over $48,000 donated to the families of nine fallen Upstate South Carolina officers.

The fire service and law enforcement may wear different uniforms and perform different jobs, but when one of our public safety families suffers a loss, we stand together.

Local 5612 members are proud to take the field across multiple teams, alongside our brothers and sisters in public safety and support a cause that ensures our fallen are remembered and their families are never forgotten.

📍 Century Park — Greer, SC
📅 Saturday & Sunday, August 22–23

Come out, bring the family, enjoy some softball, and support a great cause.

Brotherhood doesn’t stop at the bay doors. 🚒🚓
Honor the fallen. Support their families. Never forget.

08/07/2026

The cost of providing quality fire protection has changed dramatically.

Apparatus that cost around $425,000 fifteen years ago can now approach $900,000 before adding the equipment necessary to put them in service.

And apparatus are only one piece of the equation. Staffing, competitive wages, training, equipment, facilities, and benefits all continue to increase in cost as our communities grow.

The level of service our communities expect requires the resources to provide it.

At some point, maintaining and improving the fire protection our citizens depend on requires an honest conversation about whether current funding has kept pace with today’s reality.

You can’t fund tomorrow’s fire service with yesterday’s numbers.

🔥Fire Fact Friday🔥🚒 A new fire engine purchased in 2010 cost approximately $425,000. Today, a comparable 2025 fire engine costs $894,000—more than double in just 15 years.
While today’s apparatus include significant advancements in firefighter safety, technology, and reliability, one fact often surprises people:
That price is for the truck alone.
When a new fire engine arrives, it’s essentially an empty shell. Before it can respond to emergencies, it must be equipped with radios, fire hoses, medical equipment, extrication tools, ladders, thermal imaging cameras, and countless other lifesaving tools.
Fire engines are one of the largest investments a fire department makes, second to the staff, but they’re built to serve our community and respond to thousands of emergencies throughout their service life. 🇺🇸

07/29/2026

An injury to one is an injury to all.

The strength of the labor movement has always come from firefighters standing together regardless of department, city, or state.

Every firefighter deserves the ability to raise concerns about safety, working conditions, and the well-being of their members without fear of retaliation. Safe firefighters mean safer communities.

We stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters of Charleston Firefighters Association - Local 61 and support every firefighter’s right to advocate for a safer workplace and fair treatment.

The IAFF was built on unity, and moments like these remind us why unions matter. We will continue to support those who fight for the rights, safety, and dignity of the fire service.

Greensboro firefighters stand strong in solidarity with our Brother, President John Baker of Charleston (SC) Local 61 and the IAFF! When a city ignores the health and safety of firefighters, they also ignore the safety of citizens.

07/27/2026

🚨 Local 5612 Members 🚨

Please take a few minutes today to:

✅ Check the Discord for the latest union updates, announcements, and discussions.

✅ Make sure you’ve joined the new GroupMe. This will be our primary way to send out quick updates, reminders, and time-sensitive information.

If you haven’t received the GroupMe invite yet or are having trouble joining, reach out to me and I’ll get you added.

Staying connected helps us keep everyone informed and ensures no one misses important union information.

In Solidarity,
Connor White
President, IAFF Local 5612