▁served ▁as ▁General ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁International ▁Association ▁of ▁Fire fig h ters ▁since ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁ ▁Harold ▁A . ▁Sch ait berger ▁is ▁the ▁nin th ▁president ▁in ▁the ▁I A FF ' s ▁ 1 0 0 - year ▁history , ▁and ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁elected ▁by ▁acc lam ation ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁He ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁to ▁another ▁four - year ▁term ▁in ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 6 . ▁Under ▁his ▁leadership , ▁the ▁I A FF ' s ▁Political ▁Action ▁Committee , ▁FI RE P AC , ▁has ▁grown ▁to ▁more ▁than ▁$ 4 . 6 ▁million ▁and ▁ranks ▁among ▁the ▁top ▁one ▁percent ▁of ▁P AC s ▁in ▁the ▁nation . ▁Sch ait berger ▁has ▁focused ▁on ▁ens uring ▁that ▁the ▁I A FF ▁supports ▁candidates ▁and ▁law m akers ▁who ▁are ▁friendly ▁to ▁fire fig h ters ▁and ▁their ▁issues , ▁regardless ▁of ▁political ▁party . ▁ ▁Prior ▁to ▁Sch ait berger ' s ▁first ▁election ▁as ▁I A FF ▁General ▁President , ▁Harold ▁Sch ait berger ▁had ▁served ▁on ▁the ▁union ' s ▁headquarters ▁staff ▁as ▁a ▁top ▁ad visor ▁to ▁three ▁I A FF ▁Pres idents ▁since ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁and ▁as ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Virginia ▁Professional ▁Fire fig h ters ▁union ▁since ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁local ▁affili ate