Fire Fighters For Dodd: Bus tour rolls through Iowa Nov. 29 - Dec. 6 Goal: Caucus Mobilization  Tour schedule attached and available online: http://www.firefightersfordodd.com/bustour  Contact: Amber Moore 703/276-2772 x17 Bill Glanz 202/824-1566

Council Bluffs, Iowa ­ The largest caucus get-out-the-vote effort by a labor union this year gets rolling in Iowa this week as the "Fire Fighters For Dodd" 20-city, eight-day bus trip through the state hits the road here Thursday, Nov. 29. It is the latest push by the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) for underdog Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Chris Dodd.

Known as the hardest campaigners, the Fire Fighters will travel the state in a 42-foot gold-and-black RV with the "Fire Fighters for Dodd" wrap. Starting in Council Bluffs and ending in Des Moines on Dec. 6, Iowa fire fighters will seek to boost support for Dodd from Iowa¹s farm communities to its urban centers.

At each stop, IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger will join presidents of Iowa IAFF locals and fire fighters to discuss Sen. Dodd¹s record of support for working families and their communities, particularly in providing resources for emergency response. Schaitberger also will urge fire fighters to participate in the Jan. 3 caucus so they can have an impact in the elections as they did in 2004 when fire fighters mobilized to ensure Sen. John Kerry¹s surprise caucus victory.

"We need a president who can get things done and has the experience to lead, and Chris Dodd clearly has a record of accomplishment and a legacy of diplomacy that makes him the obvious choice," Schaitberger said.

Photos and video will be available at: http://www.firefightersfordodd.com/bustour

Stops include Council Bluffs, Sioux City, Ft. Dodge, Ames, Boone, Nevada, Marshalltown, Mason City, Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Ottumwa, Keokuk, Burlington, Muscatine, Davenport, Clinton, Dubuque, West Des Moines and Des Moines.

*** See schedule below.***

Sen. Dodd wrote two laws ­ the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Act and Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (FIRE Act) ­ that provide funding to hire additional fire fighters and money for equipment and training. Those programs have resulted in direct federal aid to Iowa of nearly $64 million since 2001.

In addition, Sen. Dodd authored the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and fought for seven years and through two presidential vetoes until it finally became law in 1993. An estimated 50 million workers have taken advantage of FMLA.

The International Association of Fire Fighters, headquartered in Washington, DC, represents more than 287,000 full-time professional fire fighters and paramedics who protect 80 percent of the nation¹s population. More information is available at http://www.iaff.org.

Fire Fighters for Dodd Iowa Bus Schedule: Nov. 29-Dec.6

As of 11/27/07

Times and locations may shift

Thursday, Nov. 29
Council Bluffs ­ 9:00am
Local 15 Union Hall
1827 South 8th St.

Sioux City ­ 5:30pm
Famous Dave's
201 Pierce St.

Friday, Nov. 30
Ft. Dodge ­ 9:00am
Ft. Dodge Fire Station
1515 Central Ave.

Boone ­ 2:15pm
Location TBD

Ames ­ 4:00pm
American Legion Hall
225 Main St.
Meeting with other unions

Nevada ­ 6:00pm
Gates Memorial Hall
825 15th St.

Saturday, Dec. 1

*Marshalltown ­ 8:00am
Location TBD
Senator Dodd will meet the bus

Mason City ­ 2:00pm
Location TBD

Waterloo ­ 7:00pm
Sullivan Brothers Convention Center
205 West 4th St.

Sunday, Dec. 2

Cedar Rapids ­ 12:00pm
P3 Union Hall (old UFCW)
116 14th Ave SE

Iowa City ­ 5:00pm
Fire House #1
410 E. Washington St.

Monday, Dec. 3

*Ottumwa ­ 9:00am
Ottumwa Hotel Parkview Plaza
107 2nd Street
Senator Dodd will meet the bus

Keokuk ­ 1:30pm
Keokuk Labor Temple
301 Blondeau St.

Burlington ­ 6:00pm
Catfish Bend Casino
3001 Winegard Dr.

Tuesday, Dec. 4

Muscatine ­ 9:00am
Location TBD

Davenport ­ 5:00pm
Location TBD

Wednesday, Dec. 5

Clinton ­ 9:00am
Best Western Frontier Motor Inn
2300 Lincoln Way

Dubuque ­ 7:00pm
Happy's Place
2323 Rockdale Rd.

Thursday, Dec. 6

West Des Moines ­ 12:00pm
Location TBD

*Des Moines ­ 5:00pm
Location TBD
Senator Dodd will meet the bus