DHS Preparedness Directorate and U.S. Fire Administration Announce Outstanding Research Award Winners

News Release Date: March 30, 2006

EMMITSBURG, MD. – George Foresman, Under Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Preparedness Directorate, and Acting United States Fire Administrator Charlie Dickinson announced today the four fire service executives receiving the National Fire Academy's (NFA) 2005 Annual Outstanding Research Awards. Over 600 Executive Fire Officer Program (EFOP) applied research papers were completed during 2005 and submitted for review. The Outstanding Research Award recognizes excellent applied research projects completed by EFOP students. This year, four research efforts were judged to be outstanding by their faculty and peers. The award winning papers will be presented at the 18th Executive Fire Officer Symposium on April 21-23, 2006, at the National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg, Maryland.

"Daily emergencies coupled with events such as Hurricane Katrina and the September 11th attacks underscore the varied role of the fire service in protecting our nation's citizens," said George Foresman, Under Secretary for Preparedness. "I join with Acting Administrator Dickinson in congratulating these awardees, and further recognize the contributions made by all of the students in the Department of Homeland Security's Executive Fire Officer Program. I'm proud of the work and accomplishments of these fine men and women, especially of those leaders who have committed themselves to advancing the expanding and changing body of knowledge for the entire fire service so our nation can be safer and more secure."

The Executive Fire Officer Program is designed to provide senior fire officers with a broad perspective on various and challenging facets of fire administration. Over a 4-year period, the officers continue their professional development in four courses at the Academy, which are recommended for either graduate-level or upper division baccalaureate credit equivalency by the American Council on Education. Participants in the program are required to complete an applied research project in their organization six months after the completion of each of the four course areas.

"Each year reinforces the need for our fire services to act with more unity and shared sense of purpose. These applied projects reinforce that our departments are becoming more and more diverse in the services they provide to the public. However, with this diversity the need to function with cohesion and in robust fashion has become so critical, and research is key to this outcome," added Dickinson. "Within our Executive Fire Officer Program, USFA remains committed to the belief that critical thinking is the basis for defining and ultimately resolving the complex problems that confront the fire service. The papers are examples of how research can save lives and make our organizations more efficient."

The 2005 Outstanding Research Award recipients announced today are:

Executive Development Course Awardee: Marcus G. Lusk, District Chief, City of Amarillo Fire Department, Amarillo Texas: Paper: Evaluating the Amarillo Department Mayday Guidelines
Leading Community Risk Reduction Course Awardee: Ray A. Webber, Fire Chief, The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati Ohio: Paper: Identifying Alternative Approaches To Fire and Hazard Protection at Procter & Gamble
Executive Analysis of Fire Service Operations in Emergency Management Course Awardee: Kevin O. Milan, Division Chief, City of Golden Fire Department, Golden Colorado: Paper: Evaluation of Electronic Student Response Technology in an Introductory National Incident Management System Training Course
Executive Leadership Course Awardee: Mark Brown, Superintendent, New South Wales Fire Brigades, Sydney New South Wales, Australia: Paper: The Effectiveness of Fire Safety Training for Employees in Commercial Premises

To obtain a copy of the four projects Executive Fire Officer Outstanding Applied Research Awards 2005, contact the U.S. Fire Administration, Executive Fire Officer Program, 16825 South Seton Avenue, Emmitsburg, Maryland, 21727; or call (800) 238-3358, extension 1639, and leave your request on voice mail. You can also obtain a copy of the individual outstanding research projects from the U.S. Fire Administration's Web site at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/training/nfa/efop/applied_research/awards.shtm

USFA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.