Allegheny County DA and Attorney General candidate Stephen Zappala won the endorsement of the two largest firefighter unions in the commonwealth today.

Local 1 and Local 22 of the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) announced their support. Local 1 represents Pittsburgh while Local 22 is from Philadelphia.

“If your home is on fire in Philadelphia, you want an experienced, professional firefighter to show up and put it out. We see it the same way in the Attorney General’s race, we are backing Stephen Zappala, a full-time, professional prosecutor who has been running one of the biggest and busiest prosecutors’ offices in America the last 18 years,” said Andrew Thomas, President of IAFF Local 22 in Philadelphia.

“In Pittsburgh, not only are we well aware of the outstanding job Steve Zappala does as our District Attorney, as firefighters we are deeply grateful for his vigilance in pursuing and convicting arsonists and other criminals whose direct actions or acts of carelessness have cost the lives of men, women and children in our community and firefighters who answered the call to duty in dangerous and perilous circumstances. Endorsing Steve Zappala is not even a close call,” said Ralph Sicuro, President of IAFF Local 1 in Pittsburgh.

“When public servants who put their lives at risk on a daily basis declare publicly their support for my candidacy for Attorney General, it is a humbling experience,” Zappala responded. “I am truly grateful to have the support of the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh firefighters and pledge to serve as Attorney General in the same honorable way they serve us every day in our communities.”

The support of the Local 22 is particularly noteworthy because it’s the largest Philly organization to back the Allegheny-based Zappala over his chief rival Montgomery County Commissioner Josh Shapiro.

Northampton DA John Morganelli is also running in the Democratic primary.