WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE, Ohio — Local 699, the union representing career firefighters at the Washington Fire Department, is celebrating 50 years of continuous affiliation with the International Association of Fire Fighters, the department said in a Facebook post. IAFF Local 699 50-year affiliation certificate. Photo: Washington Fire/Rescue DepartmentThe recognition is documented on a certificate signed by IAFF General President Edward A. Kelly and General Secretary-Treasurer Frank V. Lima, dated August 2026, honoring Local 699, Washington Professional Fire Fighters, for its continuous affiliation with the union. The IAFF was founded in Washington, D.C., in 1918, when delegates from 24 local unions gathered for the organization’s first convention. The information contained in this story was obtained from the Washington Fire/Rescue Department.