News

1st District Report

Ryan Reese, WSCFF 1st District Representative

Sisters and Brothers,

Thank you for the opportunity to serve as the WSCFF 1st District Representative. I deeply value this role and never take it for granted.

When I began working as a State Representative for the IAFF in 2008, the first local I had the privilege of organizing was IAFF Local 4574, the Professional Rescuers of Skamania County. It’s incredible to reflect on the growth we’ve experienced since then. In just 17 years, the IAFF has welcomed nearly a thousand new locals, and it is an honor to witness that continued momentum here in our district, where we continue to organize new locals.

We held our jointly sponsored IAFF-WSCFF Educational Seminar in April. Attendance from the 1st District was lower than in previous years. I understand that spring brings a flurry of activity, with sports, family commitments, and the demands of daily life all competing for our attention.

As elected leaders and active members, we must remember that our primary responsibility is to serve our membership. While “service” may be subjective, we all know that education remains a top priority. To serve effectively, we must first educate ourselves. The IAFF-WSCFF Jointly Sponsored Educational Seminar offers one of the most progressive and relevant agendas to ensure you are equipped with the tools to lead and advocate effectively.

I encourage you to prioritize attendance. Plan ahead by budgeting your time, resources, and time off accordingly. The 2026 Educational Seminar will take place April 21-23 in Wenatchee. Remember that the WSCFF offers a subsidy for small locals, which you can find on our website. If there’s anything I can do to assist you, please let me know.

One of our ongoing goals at the WSCFF is to increase attendance at general membership meetings, where we provide updates on the work being done at the state level. The WSCFF has been reaching out to local leaders to schedule time to join upcoming meetings, which typically last about 45 minutes and are conducted in person or virtually. These sessions are valuable for you, as a member, because they allow you to hear directly from us, ask questions, and stay informed.

Please watch for our outreach and consider scheduling one of these updates soon.

A lot is happening across the 1st District. We will provide more updates, so please stay tuned.

Locals: 0451, 0452, 0828, 2444, 2510, 3375, 3674, 3828, 4378, 4447, 4574, 5172
Legislative Districts: 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 49
Congressional District: 3