The IAFF doesn't represent the real, polished, kick-butt, military-style fire departments like New York's FDNY, which has its own 17,000-member union called the Uniformed Firefighters' Association (UFA). The UFA split off from the IAFF in 1980. The rank-and-file and leadership of the UFA, like America's firemen in general, tend to be very patriotic and conservative.
I did not notice the “International”. That makes sense. I shouldn’t have painted with such a broad brush.