U.S. honours military firefighting excellence through annual awards

The U.S. Department of Defense has announced the winners of the 2024 Fire and Emergency Services Awards.

The Department recognised nine recipients across multiple categories, including fire departments, individual firefighters, officers and instructors, for their contributions to emergency response and mission support.

The awards were announced to coincide with International Firefighters’ Day.

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, nominees were assessed from across military branches including the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and the Defense Logistics Agency.

Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations and Environment, Robert E. Thompson, said: “Dedicated F&ES personnel sustain our defense communities through strategic planning, training, and incident response and recovery.”

Thompson added: “Their ability to continuously adapt to dynamic conditions better enables the military mission and helps safeguard the American people against catastrophic threats.”

Winning fire departments reported extensive training and emergency action

The U.S. Department of Defense stated that three fire departments were recognised for excellence in mission support and fire protection management.

Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia was named Small Fire Department of the Year. The department responded to a residential fire, rescuing three people and preserving $3 million in property value. It also hosted 130 sub-fire events and completed a confined space rescue on a submarine.

The Medium Fire Department of the Year was the 355th Civil Engineer Squadron at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. The department handled 788 emergencies, taught 43 classes with 2,500 awarded credits and contributed to a $152,000 charity initiative through Pima County Safety Day.

In the Large Department category, the 673d Civil Engineer Squadron at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska was recognised for responding to a barracks fire and teaching 74 fire safety classes to over 1,200 people. The department also certified 63 Emergency Medical Technicians with a 100-percent pass rate.

Individual firefighters acknowledged for life-saving actions

The U.S. Department of Defense named one military and one civilian firefighter for their individual contributions to emergency response.

Senior Airman Adam Olea from Kunsan Air Base in the Republic of Korea was selected as Military Firefighter of the Year. According to the Department, Olea responded to a 1,300-acre wildfire, led a three-person fuel fire response team and supported coalition training for 111 firefighters.

Stevan Ames of Naval Station Mayport, Florida received Civilian Firefighter of the Year. Ames was the medical officer at a ship fire, treating responders and training National Guard personnel in tactical medical care. He also led EMT/paramedic recertification efforts, teaching 75 classes.

Awards highlight fire officer leadership and instructor achievements

Two fire officers and one instructor were recognised for leadership and training development.

Technical Sergeant Nathaniel Hobbs of Kunsan Air Base was named Military Fire Officer of the Year. He led 45 firefighters through 409 emergencies, coordinated a multi-agency response protocol, and managed multiple hazardous material incidents involving hydrazine.

Captain Takanori Saito of U.S. Army Garrison Japan was selected as Civilian Fire Officer of the Year. He led 44 emergency incidents with full response compliance and facilitated 83 training sessions. He also introduced interactive community demonstrations during fire prevention week.

Joseph Suddarth Jr. of Eglin Air Force Base, Florida received the Fire Service Instructor of the Year award. Suddarth led a wildfire response involving four agencies, redesigned EMT responder training and achieved a 95-percent pass rate with 171 certifications. His programme was adopted across the Air Force.

2024 Fire and Emergency Services Awards: Summary

The U.S. Department of Defense has announced the winners of the 2024 Fire and Emergency Services Awards.

The announcement was made in recognition of International Firefighters’ Day.

Nine awards were issued to departments, firefighters, officers and instructors.

The awards cover military and civilian personnel working within Department of Defense fire and emergency services.

Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay won the Small Department category.

The 355th Civil Engineer Squadron at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base won the Medium Department category.

The 673d Civil Engineer Squadron at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson received the Large Department award.

Buckley Space Force Base was recognised for its fire prevention programme.

Senior Airman Adam Olea and Stevan Ames were named Military and Civilian Firefighters of the Year.

Technical Sergeant Nathaniel Hobbs and Captain Takanori Saito received Fire Officer of the Year awards.

Joseph Suddarth Jr. was named Fire Service Instructor of the Year.

The source of all information in this article is the U.S. Department of Defense.