For the Record 3/19

Nominations Being Accepted for Firehouse Awards

Firehouse is seeking nominations for the 2018 Michael O. McNa­mee Award of Valor, Unit Citation Awards and Thomas Carr Community Service Awards.

The annual awards program highlights the efforts of firefighters who have gone to extraordinary lengths to save the lives of citizens and fellow firefighters.

“Firefighters respond to emergencies big and small each and every day, but some incidents require firefighters who take extraordinary actions that demonstrate bravery no matter the dangers,” said Firehouse Editor-in-Chief Peter Matthews. “This program honors firefighters who act selflessly to save the lives of citizens or fellow firefighters from deadly consequences.”

While the Michael O. McNamee Award of Valor focuses on the efforts of individual firefighters, the Unit Citation category allows fire chiefs to submit com­panies or departments for their actions.

The Thomas Carr Community Service Awards category is reserved for those who reach out into the community to increase their safety.

“It’s not just the emergency responses where firefighters make an impact on the lives of citizens in their communities,” Matthews said. “Firehouse recognizes those efforts that work to make their communities safer, healthier and better educated.”

Nominations are being accepted at firehouse.com/valor-awards through April 1, 2019. Please send any questions to [email protected].

NFFF Accepting Sarbanes Scholarship Applications

The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) is accepting applications for the 2019–2020 Sarbanes Scholarship Program, which provides financial assistance to spouses, life partners, children and stepchildren of firefighters honored at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial. Scholarships are awarded for undergraduate and graduate studies, vocational-technical training, and certification and job training programs. They may be used for study at in-state or out-of-state public and private schools.

To be eligible, children must be under age 30 presently and have been under age 22 at the time of their firefighter’s death. All applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalency or must be in their final year of high school. Applicants must also be pursuing or planning to pursue undergraduate or graduate studies, a certification program or job skills training at an accredited institution and must be enrolled or planning to enroll as a full- or part-time student.

Also, in 2018, the Foundation and its partners combined to award $338,921 to 80 applicants who are preparing for careers ranging from social work to civil engineering to fire science. Of the 80 recipients, 47 previously received scholarships and 33 were new recipients.

The U.S. Congress created the NFFF in 1992. The Foundation’s scholarship program began in 1997 and is named in honor of U.S. Senator Paul S. Sarbanes of Maryland, a strong supporter of education and America’s fire service family who authored the legislation creating the Foundation.

Together with assistance from generous donors, such as Motorola and David Levy, along with the NFFF partnerships with ICMA-RC, National Association of Fire Marshals, Global Health and Safety and the Engine Company 5 Foundation, over $4,080,178 in scholarships have been awarded.

To apply for a scholarship, visit firehero.org. The deadline is April 1.

Bost Named Co-Chair of Congressional Fire Service Caucus

The leadership of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus has chosen Congressman Mike Bost (IL-12) to serve as a co-chair. Bost assumes the position following the retirement of former-Congressman David Reichert at the end of the 115^th Congress. 

Currently serving his third term in the House of Representatives, Bost previously served for two decades in the Illinois House of Representatives. He also served as a firefighter for the Murphysboro, IL, Fire Department. He graduated from the University of Illinois' Certified Firefighter II Academy in 1993 and continued to serve the Murphysboro Fire Department during his six terms as state representative. He also served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1979 to 1982.

“As a former firefighter, I know firsthand the dedication our first responders show to the communities they serve,” Bost said. “I’m honored to stand shoulder to shoulder with my firefighter brothers and sisters who put their lives on the line for their communities. I’m humbled by this opportunity to be a leading voice for them in Congress through the Fire Services Caucus.”

Bill Webb, executive director of the Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) welcomed Bost to the leadership of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus and thanked him for his willingness to serve:  said “As a firefighter, the Congressman will bring an important perspective to the Fire Caucus. I applaud the decision of the Fire Caucus leadership in selecting the Congressman to join their ranks. I have no doubt he will continue the tradition of strong, bipartisan leadership that has made the Fire Caucus so successful.”

The Congressional Fire Services Caucus leadership is composed of eight members—four each from the Senate and House. Maintaining the bipartisan spirit of the Caucus, leadership is split evenly between party lines with four Democrats and four Republicans. The other co-chairs include Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD-5), Congressman Peter King (NY-3), Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (NJ-9), Senator Tom Carper (DE), Senator Susan Collins (ME), Senator Jon Tester (MT) and Senator Lisa Murkowski (AK).

The Fire Caucus is among the largest caucuses in Congress. Members join to learn more about our nation’s fire and emergency services and the federal government’s role in addressing the needs of our nation’s fire and emergency services. 

For more information, visit cfsi.org

Line-of-Duty Deaths

5 U.S. firefighters recently died in the line of duty. Two deaths were caused by motor vehicle accidents, one death was health related, one firefighter succumbed to injuries sustained during fireground explosion, and one firefighter died from a fall at the scene of a motor vehicle accident. This edition of Firehouse is dedicated to these firefighters.

FIRE CHIEF ROBERT “BOBBY” LEE DUNAWAY, 72, of the Howell Volunteer Fire Department in Lucedale, MS, died on Dec. 23. While working his third call of the day, a vehicle fire, Dunaway suffered a medical emergency and was found unresponsive. Attempts to revive Dunaway on scene were not successful. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

FIREFIGHTER NATALIE DEMPSEY, 21, of the Mizpah, NJ, Volunteer Fire Company, died on Dec. 25. Dempsey was responding to the fire station for a structure fire call in her personal vehicle when she lost control, causing the vehicle to leave the roadway and strike a guardrail. Dempsey was pronounced dead on scene as a result of the injuries sustained in the single-vehicle accident.

CAPT. CHRISTOPHER P. TRUMAN, 46, of the Lake Mills, WI, Fire Department, died on Dec. 31. Truman stopped to assist individuals involved in a single-vehicle accident. While assisting, he was hit by another vehicle. He was transported to a local hospital where he passed away from his injuries.

LT. ERIC HOSETTE, 33, of the Clinton, IA, Fire Department, died on Jan.5. Hosette responded to a reported smoldering fire in a silo storage bin at Archer-Daniels-Midland loading facility. Hosette was injured in an explosion at the scene and was transported to Mercy Medical Center where, despite all efforts, he passed away. A second firefighter was critically injured during the explosion but survived.

FIREFIGHTER STEVEN H. POLLARD, 30, of the FDNY, died on Jan. 6. Pollard arrived with Ladder Co. 170 at the scene of a motor vehicle accident on the Belt Parkway, just east of Flatbush Avenue. As he was assisting at the scene, Pollard fell through a gap dividing the eastbound and westbound lanes of an overpass bridge and plummeted 52 feet to the ground. He was transported to Kings County Hospital where he passed away a short time later from the critical injuries he sustained in the fall.