NEWS
Member health & wellness
IAFF Center of Excellence
The IAFF Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Treatment and Recovery is a one-of-a-kind addiction treatment facility specializing in PTSD for IAFF members – and IAFF members only – who are struggling with addiction, PTSD and other related behavioral health challenges to receive the help they need in taking the first steps toward recovery. It is a safe haven for members to talk with other members who have faced or overcome similar challenges.
Historic milestone • September 22, 2026
Portsmouth Passes Collective Bargaining Ordinance
On September 22, 2026, Portsmouth City Council unanimously passed its collective bargaining ordinance. IAFF Local 539 thanks the City Council and City Manager for helping bring this historic step forward for Portsmouth’s public employees.
Know the issues
What Is Collective Bargaining?
Collective bargaining is how employees, through their union, negotiate with their employer over pay, benefits, hours and working conditions. It gives workers a shared voice and a process for reaching a written agreement and addressing workplace concerns.
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🚒 STRONG LEADERSHIP BUILDS A SAFER PORTSMOUTH!
Investing in firefighters means investing in the safety of every family, neighborhood, and business in Portsmouth.
Every day, Portsmouth's firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics answer the call. They deserve the staffing, resources, compensation, and support necessary to provide the highest level of service to our community.
But building a stronger fire department requires more than promises. It requires leadership willing to listen, make difficult decisions, and deliver results.
Portsmouth Professional Firefighters Local 539 has been advocating for meaningful improvements that benefit both our members and the citizens we serve:
🚒 Four-Person Staffing – Ensuring adequate personnel on fire apparatus to improve firefighter safety and emergency response capabilities.
💰 Competitive Compensation – Fully funding our pay plan, addressing pay inequities, and conducting a comprehensive regional pay study to recruit and retain experienced professionals.
🚑 Stronger Emergency Medical Services – Providing properly staffed ambulances, qualified personnel, and reliable resources when seconds matter.
⏰ Better Work Schedules – Establishing a realistic transition to a 48-hour workweek, with a long-term goal of 42 hours, to improve retention, reduce fatigue, and support firefighter families.
🤝 Accountability and Collaboration – Giving frontline professionals a meaningful voice in decisions that directly impact public safety.
These aren't simply firefighter issues. They're Portsmouth issues.
When we retain experienced firefighters, strengthen emergency response capabilities, and invest in public safety, our entire community benefits.
That's why Portsmouth Professional Firefighters Local 539 proudly endorses MOODY, TILLAGE, and HUGEL for Portsmouth City Council.
We need leaders who understand that a safer Portsmouth starts with supporting the professionals who protect it.
Our mission is simple: Safer Firefighters. Stronger Emergency Services. A Safer Portsmouth.
🚒 WE SUPPORT THOSE WHO SUPPORT US!
Mark Hugel Bill Moody Councilman Vernon L. Tillage
🗳️ This November 3rd, make your voice heard. Vote for a safer Portsmouth!
#SaferPortsmouth #PublicSafetyFirst #PortsmouthFirefighters #IAFFLocal539 #MoodyTillageHugel #WeSupportThoseWhoSupportUs
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🚒 A SCHEDULE THAT SUPPORTS RETENTION IS AN INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC SAFETY!
Our firefighters deserve a work schedule that reflects the demands of the profession and allows them to maintain a healthy balance between serving their community and spending time with their families.
As neighboring Hampton Roads fire departments move toward more competitive schedules, Portsmouth must take meaningful steps to recruit and retain the experienced professionals who protect our city.
Currently, Portsmouth firefighters work an average 53-hour workweek, while neighboring jurisdictions are transitioning toward a 42-hour workweek.
We believe Portsmouth needs a realistic, phased approach:
✅ Immediate Reduction to a 48-Hour Workweek – Maintain our existing three-shift schedule and annual salaries while reducing the standard workweek to improve compensation, recruitment, and retention.
✅ A Long-Term Goal of 42 Hours – Develop a sustainable staffing and funding plan to transition toward a fourth shift when personnel levels can support it.
✅ Reduce Fatigue and Burnout – Recognize the physical and mental demands of emergency response and the importance of adequate recovery time.
✅ Protect Our Experienced Workforce – Give firefighters more reasons to build their careers in Portsmouth rather than seek better opportunities in neighboring jurisdictions.
We cannot recruit our way out of a retention problem without addressing the reasons experienced firefighters are leaving.
A shorter workweek isn't simply an employee benefit. It's an investment in firefighter health, family stability, operational readiness, and the long-term sustainability of public safety in Portsmouth.
Portsmouth Professional Firefighters Local 539 proudly supports MOODY, TILLAGE, and HUGEL for Portsmouth City Council.
We need leaders willing to listen to frontline professionals, prioritize retention, and work toward realistic solutions that strengthen our fire department.
Better Schedules. Stronger Retention. Safer Communities.
🚒 We support those who support us!
Mark Hugel Bill Moody Councilman Vernon L. Tillage
#FirefighterRetention #48HourWorkweek #42HourWorkweek #PortsmouthFirefighters #IAFFLocal539 #SaferPortsmouth #MoodyTillageHugel
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🚑 WHEN SECONDS MATTER, RESOURCES MATTER!
When someone calls 911, they expect help to arrive quickly, with the trained professionals and resources necessary to save lives.
Reliable emergency medical services aren't a luxury. They're a necessity.
Portsmouth's firefighters and paramedics answer the call every day, but delivering the level of service our citizens deserve requires a commitment to adequate staffing, reliable resources, and long-term investment in our emergency medical system.
Our priorities are clear:
🚑 Seven Fully Staffed Ambulances – Establishing a sustainable staffing plan that ensures adequate ambulance coverage throughout Portsmouth.
🚒 Adequate Staffing – Ensuring enough qualified personnel are available to meet emergency call demands without compromising firefighter safety or emergency response capabilities.
❤️ Recruitment and Retention – Investing in experienced EMTs and paramedics through competitive compensation, professional development, and improved working conditions.
⏱️ Reliable Emergency Response – Reducing unnecessary delays, improving ambulance availability, and ensuring our citizens receive timely, high-quality emergency medical care.
Our citizens should never have to question whether an ambulance will be available when they need one.
Portsmouth Professional Firefighters Local 539 proudly supports MOODY, TILLAGE, and HUGEL for Portsmouth City Council.
We believe strong leadership means listening to frontline professionals and making public safety a priority.
Because when seconds matter, resources matter—and every life matters.
🚒 We support those who support us!
Vernon L. Tillage Bill Moody Mark Hugel
#PortsmouthEMS #SafeStaffing #SevenAmbulances #PublicSafetyFirst #IAFFLocal539 #SaferPortsmouth #MoodyTillageHugel
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