Courtesy Photo | Shawn Johnson, the lead firefighter at McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, Okla., pulls...... read more read more
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An Army Materiel Command fire department recognized for its progressive fire prevention program and its teamwork philosophy has been named the best small fire department in the Army by the Department of Defense.
The Red River Army Depot Fire Department, Texas, received the Army-Level Fire Emergency Service Award after first taking top honors as the best small fire department within the AMC enterprise.
The RRAD fire department consists of two fire stations and 35 civilian firefighters, and is responsible for the fire prevention mission at an 18,703-acre installation that has 10 tenant organizations and 4,500 employees working in large-scale shipping, and production and assembly facilities.
“Our mission is like any regular fire department mission to prevent and fight fires. But we also support the AMC mission and protect the industrial assets for the installation,” said RRAD fire Chief Eric McClintock.
“We have already implemented the new standards of coverage from the Army’s new scope of services policy. We like to be proactive, and help define and modernize fire services. We have a great team of professionals in fire protection, paramedics and firefighting who really work well together.”
Besides their installation mission, AMC’s fire departments also have mutual agreements with the communities surrounding their installations to provide firefighting support. RRAD fire department has 14 mutual aid agreements with its surrounding communities and often is called on to respond to accidents along a nearby major interstate.
The RRAD fire department, which is part of the Tank and Automotive Command, was among eight nominations that AMC submitted in the DoD/Army-Level Fire Emergency Services Awards. Besides the RRAD fire department, firefighter Shawn Johnson of the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant Fire Department (Joint Munitions Command), Oklahoma, was named the Army Civilian Firefighter of the year and inspector Glen Wilhelm of Letterkenny Army Depot Fire Department (Aviation and Missile Command), Pennsylvania, was named the Army’s Fire Inspector of the year.
“This is the most nominees we’ve had go forward,” said Paul Wheeler, who oversees AMC’s Fire Emergency Services, Force Protection Division.
“Each award is prestigious because the fire departments and the professionals nominated by AMC first compete with others across the AMC enterprise. Then, to win at the Army level means they competed against nominees from across the Army.”
For its awards, AMC only considers government-operated fire departments and firefighting professionals from installations managed by its major subordinate commands. The MSCs submit nominees, and an AMC judging panel reviews them and selects winners based on a standard criteria.
“These professionals work 24/7 to protect life and ensure safety whether it be fire prevention or response. They are the people you need when something bad happens,” Wheeler said.
“They are continuously training to stay proficient, they educate the public about fire prevention and they serve as first responders at installations that have unique missions. From shipboard fires at ocean terminals to explosive fires at an ammunition plant to protecting hazardous materials at a production facility, the Fire Emergency Services mission is extensive for AMC. Those nominated for these awards are a small representation of what our firefighters do day in and day out to keep us safe.”
Wilhelm, who was awarded as the top Army fire inspector, leads a five-person fire inspection team at Letterkenny Army Depot, where they perform more than 2,100 inspections a year of primarily industrial facilities. The team also annually inspects 900 igloos at the Letterkenny Munitions Center.
“Our job is to ensure that employees can come to work feeling comfortable that they are safe working inside our buildings,” Wilhelm said. “Getting this award has been surreal, but individual accolades like this are not possible without a great team of employees and leadership supporting you.”
Johnson, who was named the Army Civilian Firefighter of the year, is a firefighter/emergency medical technician/HAZMAT technician, and the lead firefighter at McAlester Army Ammunition Plant. He has been credited with developing and implementing the department's training program, spearheading the effort to create the Emergency Communication Center that combines the security and fire dispatch, and teaching CPR to countless people in the community.
Although he is humbled by the award, Johnson said he would like to share it with the entire fire department team at the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant.
“Everyone here trains to be good at their job and they are committed to their job. I know a bunch of other guys here could have won this award just like I did,” he said.
Other AMC nominees that competed at the Army level were: Fire Prevention Program – Letterkenny Army Depot; Fire Officer – Stephen Batey, Anniston Army Depot; Dispatcher – Ricky Gilchrist, Anniston Army Depot; Emergency Medical Services Provider – Michael Wood, Anniston Army Depot; and Lifetime Achievement Award – Donald Heard, fire chief, Anniston Army Depot.
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| Date Taken: | 04.17.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 04.18.2017 10:36 |
| Story ID: | 230640 |
| Location: | REDSTONE ARSENAL , ALABAMA, US |
| Web Views: | 120 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Three AMC Nominees Take Top Honors In Army-Wide Fire Emergency Awards, by Kari Hawkins, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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