The tables are being turned for one person receiving accolades during the annual CFSI dinner later this month.
Meri-K Appy will honored this year instead of presenting one.
Appy was named the recipient of the Anne W. Phillips Award for Leadership in Fire Safety Education.
The award was announced by CFSI and the International Fire Service Training Association at Fire Protection Publications, Oklahoma State University (IFSTA/FPP/OSU).
The former president of the nonprofit Home Safety Council, Appy is widely regarded as the fire and emergency services' leading advocate for public safety education. She specializes in simplifying injury prevention and disaster preparedness messages, concepts and strategies for greatest impact, especially for audiences at highest risk, CFSI officials noted in a prepared statement.
She spearheaded the development and national delivery of three award-winning injury prevention programs including Risk Watch (NFPA), The Home Safety Literacy Project (Home Safety Council) and Start Safe: A Fire and Burn Safety Program for Preschoolers and Their Families (Home Safety Council).
Now head of her own consulting company, she is working on a number of national fire safety initiatives, including Vision 20/20 and an exciting new public education initiative with USFA: "Fire Is Everyone's Fight."
It was Appy who actually developed the idea for the Anne W. Phillips Award while at the Home Safety Council. Realizing that the fire service did not have a national award for public fire and life safety education, she approached the CFSI about developing one, officials noted.
For the past five years, she presented the award.
Bill Jenaway, CFSI president, Craig Hannan, director of fire protection publications at OSU, and Mike Wieder, IFSTA executive director, issued a joint statement: "Meri-K Appy certainly embodies Anne Phillips through her outstanding accomplishments over the years to advance the cause of fire safety education. She is the Anne Phillips of our generation and we take great pride in acknowledging her work by presenting her the 2012 Anne W. Phillips Award for Leadership in Fire Safety Education."
