2017 Wildfire Mitigation Award Winners Announced
The Wildfire Mitigation Awards committee has announced the 2017 Wildfire Mitigation Award winners. Sponsored by the National Association of State Foresters (NASF), the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), the awards are the highest commendation for innovation and leadership displayed by individuals and organizations committed to wildfire mitigation.
Recognizing the comprehensive challenge posed by wildfires, these awards applaud the outstanding dedication to wildfire mitigation across a broad spectrum of activities and among a variety of individuals and organizations. By honoring their achievements, the award sponsors seek to increase public recognition and awareness of the value of wildfire mitigation efforts.
The winners of the 2017 Wildfire Mitigation Awards are:
- Ann Hogan (Town of Riverview, WI)
- Bob Betts (Prescott Area Wildland Urban Interface Commission, Prescott, AZ)
- Brianna Binnebose (Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands)
- Brian Schaffler (USFS)
- Chief Walton Daugherty (City of Helotes Fire Department, Helotes, TX)
- City of Borger, TX
- Heather Campbell (Pollock Pines Fire Safe Council, Pollock Pines, CA)
- Jim Tencza (FireWise of Southwest Colorado, Bayfield, CO)
- Joanne Drummond (Fire Safe Council of Nevada County, Grass Valley, CA)
- John T. Mele (Snowmass Wildcat Fire Protection District, Snowmass Village, CO)
- Pete Padelford (Blue Lake Springs Homeowners Association, Arnold, CA)
- Rebecca Samulski (FireWise of Southwest Colorado, Dolores, CO)
- Santa Fe Fire Department—Wildland Division (Santa Fe, NM)
- Yarnell Fire Mitigation Cooperative (Yarnell, AZ)
“Congratulations to this year's award winners for their outstanding contributions to wildland fire risk reduction in their communities,” said Chief John Sinclair, IAFC president and chairman of the board. “More than ever, wildland fire is a serious threat to life and property in the United States. On behalf of the IAFC, I commend this year's awardees for their innovation, leadership and commitment to safe communities.”
The awards will be presented at the IAFC Wildland-Urban Interface Conference in Reno, NV, on March 22.
For more information, visit iafc.org.
Africa Fire Mission Seeks Trainers for Fire Academies in Africa
Africa Fire Mission (AFM) is looking for willing trainers to be a part of its 2017 missions. A nonprofit organization founded by firefighters in the Greater Cincinnati area, AFM’s goal is train and equip firefighters in Africa to meet the challenges of 21st century firefighting.
AFM holds a country-wide one-week Fire Academy, hosted in a central location that is easily assessable by representatives of that country’s fire brigades. In 2017, this country-wide train-the-trainer concept is scheduled for both Zambia and Kenya. AFM also fosters a firefighter-to-firefighter partnership that spans international borders while helping these fire brigades better protect the lives of millions of men, women and children from the threat of fire.
In 2016, AFM was named Firehouse Magazine’s winner of their Community Service Award as part of the magazine’s annual Valor and Community Service Awards Program. AFM was also featured in the October issue of Firehouse and was presented with a contribution from to continue its future work on the African continent.
For more information, or to volunteer with an upcoming Fire Academy, visit africafiremission.org.
This Month in Fire History
March 1, 1911—The Weeks Act authorizes federal and state cooperation in forest fire protection
March 2, 1970—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration bans tetrachloride fire extinguishers
March 5, 1770, Boston, MA—A false alarm leads to confrontations that result in the Boston Massacre
March 10, 1941, Brockton, MA—The Strand Theater fire roof collapse kills 13 firefighters
March 17, 1631, Cambridge, MA—The first fire prevention legislation passed
March 18, 1951—Sparky the Fire Dog is “born”
March 19, 1896, New York, NY—Insurance groups form a committee to design what will become the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
March 25, 1911, New York, NY—The Triangle Shirtwaist fire kills 145
March 25, 1990, New York, NY—The Happy Land Social Club fire kills 87
March 29, 1929—Michigan passes the first state law banning the public use of fireworks
Courtesy of NFPA
