Ohio Firefighters Endorse Sherrod Brown’s Reelection

CLEVELAND, OH – This weekend, Sherrod Brown joined Ohio Association of Professional Fire Fighters (OAPFF) Vice President Dean Marks and Ohio firefighters in Cleveland to announce that OAPFF has endorsed Sherrod for reelection.

Sherrod has led efforts to keep firefighters safe on the job and is leading the fight to pass the Social Security Fairness Act to ensure firefighters and first responders receive their full Social Security benefits. Sherrod also worked with law enforcement officers to pass the bipartisan FEND Off Fentanyl Act to protect Ohio families from dangerous fentanyl by cracking down on the chemical suppliers in China and drug cartels in Mexico.

While Sherrod fights for Ohioans and the Dignity of Work, Bernie Moreno has made it clear he only looks out for himself – from “stiffing” his workers out of the overtime they earned and deliberately shredding documents a judge ordered him to keep to get away with it, to selling the Chinese-made Buick Envision which “shipped [Ohio jobs] overseas,” to mocking Ohio women for wanting to make their own health care decisions.

“Ohioans rely on our firefighters to protect them every day and Ohio firefighters can rely on me to always stand up for them,” said Senator Sherrod Brown. “I will always fight to make sure Ohio firefighters are safe on the job and that they receive the benefits they’ve earned, because when you love this country, you fight for the people who make it work.”

“Sherrod doesn’t just listen, he takes action. That’s why I’m proud to announce that the Ohio Association of Professional Fire Fighters is endorsing Senator Sherrod Brown for reelection,” said Elyria Assistant Fire Chief and OAPFF Second District Vice President Dean Marks. “Sherrod has always fought to make sure we have the tools we need to do our jobs effectively, whether it’s stopping the flow of fentanyl at its source, securing crucial investments for fire departments across the state, or making sure Ohio firefighters are taken care of after their service.”

Photos are available for media use here and below.

Read / watch more: 

WJW: Ohio Firefighters Endorse Sherrod Brown’s Reelection

WJW: “Over the weekend, [Sherrod] picked up a key endorsement from the Ohio Association of Professional Firefighters. The Democrat has a history of supporting labor unions and Senator Brown says he has a record of supporting firefighters, as well.” 

Sherrod: “We work with firefighters on everything from helping to make sure their pensions are strong, making sure if they pay into Social Security they get the benefits, making sure their jobs are safer because firefighting is a dangerous occupation.”

WJW: “Senator Sherrod Brown has also picked up endorsements from other labor groups including the UAW, United Steelworkers, and the Ohio Education Association.”

Chronicle Telegram: Ohio Association of Professional Fire Fighters endorses Sherrod Brown
Carissa Woytach – October 14, 2024

• The Ohio Association of Professional Fire Fighters endorsed U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Cleveland in his reelection campaign Sunday.
• “Sherrod has always been a steadfast ally for Ohio firefighters,” [Elyria Assistant Fire Chief and OAPFF Second District Vice President Dean] Marks, joined by his wife, Cindy, said. “He stands with the men and women who put their lives on the line every day, and he fights to make sure we have the tools we need to do our jobs.”
• In 2024 alone, Brown helped deliver $30 million in grant funds to help Ohio fire departments remain fully staffed and access resources and technology needed to protect their communities, Marks said.
• That included an $850,000 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant for the Elyria Fire Department in August.
• Brown also worked to introduce [the] Social Security Fairness Act, which repealed provisions that reduced benefits for individuals receiving other benefits like a state or government pension, Marks said; and helped pass a bill allowing retirees to use pension funds to pay for their insurance premiums without being penalized.
• “We never have to wonder about where Sherrod stands,” Marks said. “He always stands with Ohioans.”
• Marks also highlighted the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, a bipartisan bill Brown introduced to crack down on fentanyl trafficking in Mexico and chemical suppliers in China by requiring the president to sanction criminal organizations and drug cartels’ members and enhance sanction violations, while prioritizing fentanyl-related transactions for the U.S. Treasury Department, and allowing it to take measures to combat fentanyl-related money laundering.
• “I appreciate the public service and the danger firefighters put themselves in every day, every day, from fighting fires to rescue missions to exposing themselves to fentanyl when a rescue squad goes out,” Brown said. “…  I appreciate the support of the firefighters, and I will continue to work to earn it.”
• If reelected, Brown pledged to get the Social Security Fairness Act to a vote, and to push for legislation to help young firefighters, police officers and teachers make down payments on their first homes.