Firehouse.com, the leading Web portal for the fire and rescue service, took home the Gold Award for Interactive Community by the American Society of Business Publication Editors.
The competition is open to U.S.-based business-to-business, trade, association and professional magazines, Web and newsletter/E-newsletter publications, and their editorial and design staff and contributors.
Entries in the category were judged to demonstrate a good job of generating an interactive community and involvement among Web site members and other users, and other industry-related audiences. The variety and usefulness of interactive devices are important considerations as is whether the site offers solutions to problems, is authoritative, well designed and organized, and easy to use.
"This is really a great honor to be recognized by our business community for playing an important role in the lives of our visitors," Firehouse.com Associate Publisher Christopher Hebert said. "Our visitors are what make us a great destination, their involvement in every aspect of our site is critical to providing the resources, news, education and information they need."
The Silver Award in the category went to the Oracle Technology Network, with PC World taking the Bronze.
"Firehouse.com is honored to be in the company of some very comprehensive community-oriented Web sites," Founder Dave Iannone said. "We are going to continue to add new features and services, including more tie-ins with Firehouse Magazine and the Firehouse series of trade shows and conferences, to help us grow even more."
Firehouse.com is visited by more than a half-million fire and rescue service professionals each month, featuring daily breaking news, robust discussion forums, on-demand training, shopping, an employment center, industry search tools and more.
The site is one of three online portals for the public safety industry managed by Cygnus Interactive, a division of Cygnus Business Media. EMSResponder.com launched last fall to serve the growing emergency medical services community, and Officer.com is a leading portal for law enforcement professionals.
Cygnus Business Media is a leading, diversified business-to-business media company with a portfolio of over 200 media products reaching five million professionals annually within 15 major markets. Its four distinct divisions -- Cygnus Publishing, Cygnus Expositions, Cygnus Interactive and Cygnus Custom Marketing - provide comprehensive, integrated advertising and marketing programs for Cygnus' valued customers and clients. The company's leading business publications, trade shows, conferences, Web sites, online products and custom marketing capabilities enhance brand identity, generate sales leads, and build product awareness as they strengthen customer/client relationships.
