An Abundance of Awards

The International Association of Fire Chiefs’ annual Fire-Rescue International Conference and Exhibition is the perfect gathering for award presentations. FIRE CHIEF and the IAFC’s Emergency Vehicle Management Section (EVMS) presented the 2011 Emergency Vehicle Technician of the Year Award to Hank Henninger of the Ruscon Truck Service in Congers, N.Y.C.E. Niehoff Co. sponsored the award, and Market Manager Pete Sremac presented it. “On behalf of Niehoff and our 300 employees, it is our privilege to present this award,” he said. “It’s always been Niehoff’s thought that we should always support our first responders and … there is no better way than to sponsor this prestigious award.” The EVMS Steering Committee also presented the second-annual Boyd Cole Memorial Educators Award — which recognizes an EVT educator, trainer or training facilitator — to Dennis Litchenstine, who retired seven years ago from Niehoff. Well-known for his electrical expertise and hands-on training programs, Litchenstine was recognized for a dedication and commitment to increasing EVT professionalism and training that Cole embodied for so many years. “It is a great personal honor to receive this award.” Litchenstine said. “As I said in the beginning 34 years ago, the emphasis must continue to be on training, training, training.” The IAFC’s Safety Health and Survival Section’s annual meeting took advantage of the opportunity to also present four awards. The Alan Brunacini Fire Service Executive Safety Award, sponsored by Provident Insurance, was presented to Fire Chief Rick Kane of Manheim Township, Pa., for developing a color-coded safety system for his department. The Billy Goldfeder Fire Service Organizational Safety Award, sponsored by VFIS, was presented to Chief Kevin McGee of Prince William County, Va. Following the death of a firefighter in training, McGee began working on changing the requirements for a baseline and annual physical program. The new program already has saved the life of one firefighter by detecting a congenital heart defect, he said. The 2011 Safety Officer of the Year Award, co-sponsored by the Fire Department Safety Officers Association and Elsevier Public Safety, was presented to Capt. David Zinther, training and safety officer for the Westmont (Ill.) Fire Department. The Gary Briese IAFC Safety Performance Award was presented to Chief Gary Morris of Rural Metro, for his work on the new Rules of Engagement for Firefighter Survival. Tomorrow morning, during the opening session, FIRE CHIEF will present our 2011 Chief of the Year Awards to Career Chief Debra Amesqua of the Madison (Wis.) Fire Department and Volunteer Chief of the Year to Chief Robert Perry of the Union Fire District in Peace Dale, R.I. While many East Coast attendees are heading home early due to the impending hurricane, the attendance for the seminars has been good and many winners.