Pierce, IAFC Honor Fire Chiefs of the Year
The IAFC and Pierce Manufacturing Inc. announced the 2016 winners of the annual IAFC Fire Chief of the Year awards at Fire-Rescue International (FRI) in San Antonio, TX. Volunteer Fire Chief Willard H. “Bill” Halmich of the Washington Volunteer Fire Company in Washington, MO, and career Fire Chief Harry Beck of the Mesa Fire and Medical Department (MFMD) in Mesa, AZ, are this year’s recipients.
Winners (selected by a committee appointed by the IAFC) are honored for their leadership, innovation, professional development, integrity and contributions to the fire service as a whole. Sponsored by Pierce, the 21st annual awards were presented at FRI.
“Both Chief Beck and Chief Halmich remind us all of the extraordinary impact that truly outstanding leaders have on the communities they serve, as well as on the advancement of the fire service,” said Jim Johnson, Oshkosh Corporation executive vice president and president of the Fire & Emergency segment of Pierce Manufacturing.
Chief Beck, who has devoted more than 40 years to fire and emergency services, began his career with the Phoenix Fire Department where he rose through the ranks to the position of deputy fire chief. He joined MFMD as fire chief in 2003. According to a statement from Pierce, Chief Beck’s accomplishments with MFMD are far-reaching and reflect a leadership style that fosters empowerment and collaboration. He is an active member of the NFPA, the IAFC and the Arizona Fire Chiefs Association.
Chief Halmich is a 50-year member of the Washington Volunteer Fire Company. The statement from Pierce explains that Halmich, a chief since 1981, has served his community, country and fire department as a leader, motivator, and consummate professional. Under his leadership, Washington Volunteer Fire Company became the first in Missouri to achieve an ISO Class 3 rating. Chief Halmich is a charter member and proud supporter of the IAFC’s Volunteer and Combination Officers Section, providing chief officers with the information, education, services, and representation to enhance their professionalism.
For more on the careers of Chief Beck and Chief Halmich, visit firehouse.com/12247531.
Jahnke Receives Excellence in Leadership Award
Dr. Sara A. Jahnke has received the Dr. John Granito Award for Excellence in Fire Leadership and Management Research. The Granito Award is presented annually to an individual who has significantly advanced the fire leadership and management literature through their research efforts.
Dr. Jahnke is a principal investigator in the Institute for Biobehavioral Health Research and Director of the Center for Fire, Rescue & EMS Research at National Development and Research Institutes, Inc. She has served as the principal investigator of several large-scale studies of the health and readiness of the U.S. fire service with funding from the American Heart Association, the Assistance to Firefighters Grants through FEMA, and from the National Institutes of Health.
Currently she is involved with several studies including an evaluation of the NFFF’s Stress First Aid intervention, an evaluation of The First Twenty online wellness program, and a study of the health women firefighters. She works closely with several fire service organizations as a scientific consultant and subject matter expert.
Line-of-Duty Deaths
8 U.S. firefighters recently died in the line of duty. Four deaths were health-related, three were the result of accidents and one occurred during firefighting operations. This edition of Firehouse is dedicated to these firefighters.
Firefighter/Safety Officer Paul Price Sr., 63, with the Audubon, NJ, Fire Department, died on Aug. 11 of an apparent heart attack at home after a response with his department.
Lolo Hotshot Justin Beebe, 26, with the U.S. Forest Service, was killed on Aug. 13 when he was hit by a falling tree while he was fighting a wildfire at Great Basin National Park in Nevada.
Firefighter Ian Howard, 36, with the U.S. Forest Service, was found deceased on Aug. 21 in California where he had been detailed to fight a wildfire in the Mendocino National Forest.
Assistant Chief Todd Hartlein, 49, of the Matthews, MO, Volunteer Fire Department suffered a fatal medical emergency on Aug. 24 shortly after responding to a motor vehicle accident.
Firefighter Keith Lane, 53, with the Oceanside, NY, Fire Department, was found deceased in his home on Aug. 27 after responding to the scene of a motor vehicle accident with his department earlier in the day.
Firefighter James Shelifoe, Jr., 23, and Firefighter Alan Swartz, 25, with the Beartown, MN, Fire Department, were killed on Aug. 27 when their fire truck veered off the road on the way to work the Box Canyon Fire in Utah.
Fire Chief Spencer Chauvin, 36, of St. John the Baptist, LA, Fire Department, was killed on Aug. 28 when he was hit by a bus while working at a crash scene.
