Local 3217, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Professional Firefighters Association was chartered as an affiliate with the IAFF with 94 members on September 20th, 1989. The local was created to replace the former Federal Firefighters Association Local 1 IAFF affiliate from when the airports were originally run by the FAA. Many of these initial members of L3217 were former federal employees of the FAA, who were transferred to the newly formed Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority in 1987. Those who weren't transferred federal employees were hired as MWAA conducted a large hiring and began employment on June 7, 1987 the first day of MWAA's existence. At this time the department and union went from working two shifts under the federal firefighters schedule and adopted the 3 shift "NOVA schedule" used by our adjoining jurisdictions. For many years, they were known as the "1987 group" and all but one have retired, as of 2021. Sadly, several of this group are no longer with us due to occupational disease. 

Today the union represents the over 130 firefighters and captains of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Fire & Rescue Department. The men and women of IAFF Local 3217 are on duty 24/7 to protect the travelling public and employees of Washington Dulles International Airport from 3 fire stations, and Ronald Reagan National Airport from 1 fire station. The members provide Aircraft Rescue Firefighting (ARFF), structural fire protection, EMS, hazardous materials response, and river rescue functions to these airports, the Dulles Toll Road, Dulles Airport Access Highway, and the neighboring jurisdictions of Alexandria, Arlington, Loudoun, and Fairfax Counties. The members of 3217 proudly respond to over 6,000 emergencies each year to the airports and surrounding jurisdictions to deliver the highest level of service to the citizens we are responsible for protecting.

While we hope all persons have a safe and enjoyable experience at the Nation’s Airports, we stand by to assist in any way that we can to serve the travelling public and our regional neighbors.