R 221750Z JUL 09

ALCOAST 422/09
COMDTNOTE 11320
SUBJ: COAST GUARD AND DOD FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICE AWARDS
1. EACH YEAR THE COAST GUARD PARTICIPATES IN THE DEPARTMENT OF
DEFENSE (DOD) FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES TRAINING CONFERENCE HELD
IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS
FIRE RESCUE MEETING. IN ADDITION TO RECEIVING FIRE TRAINING, EACH
SERVICE SPONSORS AN AWARDS PROGRAM WHERE A FIRE DEPARTMENT AND
FIRE PERSONNEL ARE RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR EXCEPTIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS
FROM THE PREVIOUS CALENDAR YEAR. COMMANDANT (CG-1132) SOLICITS
NOMINATIONS FROM COAST GUARD FIRE DEPARTMENTS FOR THESE FIRE
SERVICE AWARDS WHICH RECOGNIZE THE MOST OUTSTANDING: FIRE
DEPARTMENT, FIREFIGHTER (MILITARY AND CIVILIAN), FIREFIGHTER(S) WHO
DEMONSTRATED HEROISM, AND FIRE PREVENTION PROGRAM. COAST GUARD
AWARD RECIPIENTS COMPETE WITH AWARD WINNERS FROM THE OTHER MILITARY
SERVICES AND THE DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY FOR RECOGNITION AS THE
BEST IN EACH OF THE ABOVE CATEGORIES. LAST YEAR, COAST GUARD
INTEGRATED SUPPORT COMMAND, KODIAK, AK, RECEIVED THE DOD FIRE
DEPARTMENT (SMALL CATEGORY) AWARD FOR 2007. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME
IN THE 13 YEAR HISTORY OF THE DOD AWARDS PROGRAM THAT A COAST GUARD
FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS SELECTED FOR THE TOP DOD AWARD.
2. EACH OF OUR FIRE DEPARTMENTS PROVIDES OUTSTANDING AND, OFTEN
TIMES, HEROIC SERVICE TO PROTECT BOTH OUR MEMBERS AND OUR
VALUABLE OPERATIONAL ASSETS. I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THIS YEARS
COAST GUARD FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES AWARD RECIPIENTS:
 A. FIRE DEPARTMENT OF THE YEAR AWARD: COAST GUARD INTEGRATED
SUPPORT COMMAND, KODIAK, AK. FIRE DEPARTMENT KODIAK RESPONDED TO
OVER 586 RESCUE, MEDICAL AND FIRE EMERGENCY CALLS, ORGANIZED
406 DOOR-TO-DOOR FIRE PREVENTION INSPECTIONS AT CG HOUSING UNITS,
AND SPENT 2,400 MAN-HOURS CONDUCTING MONTHLY INSPECTIONS AND
PERFORMING MAINTENANCE ON 667 FIRE EXTINGUISHERS FOR FIVE COMMANDS.
DESPITE THIS HECTIC SCHEDULE, DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL MAINTAINED 100
PERCENT OF THEIR STATE AND NATIONAL REGISTRY EMERGENCY MEDICAL
TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATIONS.
 B. FIRE PREVENTION PROGRAM OF THE YEAR: COAST GUARD TRAINING
CENTER YORKTOWN, VA. EVEN THOUGH MR. ROLAND TODD IS TRACEN
YORKTOWNS ONLY FIRE-SAFETY SPECIALIST, HE EFFECTIVELY BOLSTERED
MANY OF THE BASES FIRE SAFETY AND PREVENTION PROGRAMS. FOR EXAMPLE,
BECAUSE THE TRACEN DOES NOT HAVE AN ACTIVE FIRE DEPARTMENT, HE
COORDINATED A NEW FIRE RESPONSE AID AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY
ENSURING THEIR TIMELY RESPONSE FOR TRACEN EMERGENCIES.
ADDITIONALLY, MR. TODD PERFORMED AN AGGRESSIVE FIRE SAFETY
INSPECTION PROGRAM FOR THE BASES 72 FACILITIES AND HELD
INDOCTRINATION TRAINING FOR OVER 2,000 LONG TERM STUDENTS ON FIRE
PREVENTION PRACTICES, FIRE REPORTING AND RESPONSE PROCEDURES. FOR
FIRE PREVENTION WEEK 2008, HE ORGANIZED THE EIGHTH ANNUAL FIRE
PREVENTION MUSTER, A HANDS-ON COMPETITION FOR MEMBERS OF THE
TRAINING STAFF TO SHOWCASE THEIR FIREFIGHTER SKILLS.
 C. CIVILIAN FIREFIGHTER OF THE YEAR: FIREFIGHTER JOHN GLAZ, COAST
GUARD INTEGRATED SUPPORT COMMAND, KODIAK, AK. FIREFIGHTER JOHN GLAZ
PLAYED AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN SPEARHEADING THE OPERATIONAL READINESS
COMMITTEE FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS NEW AERIAL APPARATUS. ON HIS OWN
TIME AND INITIATIVE, HE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED SEVERAL PROFESSIONAL
BOARD CERTIFICATIONS: DRIVER/OPERATOR OF THE AERIAL APPARATUS,
HAZARDOUS MATERIAL TECHNICIAN, AND RECERTIFICATION AS A STATE OF
ALASKA EMT III. DURING EMERGENCY RESPONSES, FIREFIGHTER GLAZ
DEMONSTRATED SUPERIOR SKILLS IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS,
AIRCRAFT RESCUE AND FIREFIGHTING, STRUCTURAL FIREFIGHTING, AND
HAZARDOUS MATERIAL OPERATIONS. AN EXCEPTIONAL TEAM LEADER,
FIREFIGHTER GLAZ INSPIRED COOPERATION AND COMMITMENT FROM UNIT
PERSONNEL AS WELL AS THE LOCAL RESPONSE COMMUNITY.
 D. MILITARY FIREFIGHTER OF THE YEAR: OSC PAUL AGLIANO, COAST GUARD
TRAINING CENTER PETALUMA, CA. AS A VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER FOR
TRACEN PETALUMA, OSC AGLIANO PERFORMED SUPERBLY IN EVERY AREA OF
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. NOT ONLY HAS HE RESPONDED TO STRUCTURAL AND
WILD LAND FIRES, MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS, AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL
CALLS, HE HAS TAKEN ON A WIDE VARIETY OF DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATIVE
DUTIES SUCH AS UPDATING STATE OF CALIFORNIA FIRE TRAINING
CERTIFICATION RECORDS, DEVELOPING A NEW FIRE STATION WATCH STANDER
SCHEDULE, DEVELOPING A FIRE DEPARTMENT WEB PAGE AND UPDATING THE
DEPARTMENTS COMPUTER-BASED TRAINING COURSES. MANY OF THE HOURS
SPENT PERFORMING THESE FIRE DEPARTMENT TASKS WERE ON HIS OWN TIME
AND IN ADDITION TO HIS REGULAR MILITARY AND FIRE DEPARTMENT DUTY
HOURS.
 E. FIREFIGHTER HEROISM AWARD: FIRE CAPTAIN KYLE KORTIE, ENGINEER
LORI ANELLO AND FIREFIGHTER HS1 DAMON LAWSON, COAST GUARD TRAINING
CENTER PETALUMA, CA. COAST GUARD TRACEN PETALUMA FIRE DEPARTMENT
PERSONNEL EXHIBITED EXCELLENT JUDGMENT UPON RECEIVING A DISPATCH
FROM THE COAST GUARD POLICE DEPARTMENT STATING THAT THERE WAS A
CHILD HAVING DIFFICULTY BREATHING. WHILE ENROUTE TO THE RESIDENCE,
FIRE CAPTAIN KORTIE ASTUTELY REQUESTED A BACK-UP AMBULANCE AND CREW
FROM THE CITY OF PETALUMA. UPON ARRIVAL, THE CREW FOUND A 5 MONTH
OLD INFANT LYING ON A COUCH, LIMP, PALE AND ONLY BREATHING 3 TIMES
A MINUTE. THE PATIENTS PARENTS STATED THE CHILD HAD A HISTORY OF
CARDIAC PROBLEMS SINCE BIRTH. AFTER AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO
INSERT AN ORAL AIRWAY, ENGINEER ANELLO AND FIREFIGHTER LAWSON SET
UP A BAG VALVE MASK AND STARTED RESCUE BREATHING. SEEING THE
DISTRESS OF THE INFANT PATIENT, FIRE CAPTAIN KORTIE REQUESTED AN
AIR AMBULANCE TO TRACEN PETALUMA, THE CLOSEST HELO LANDING AREA.
ENROUTE TO THE TRACEN TO MEET THE AIR AMBULANCE, ENGINEER ANELLO
AND FIREFIGHTER LAWSON CONTINUED RESCUE BREATHING, VITALS
ASSESSMENTS, AND CARDIAC STIMULATION DUE TO THE PATIENTS FALLING
HEART RATE. THE PATIENT WAS THEN TRANSPORTED VIA AIR AMBULANCE TO
OAKLANDS CHILDRENS HOSPITAL WHERE A FULL RECOVERY WAS MADE.
PARAMEDICS AND HOSPITAL PHYSICIANS ALL AGREED THAT THE PROMPT AND
COMPETENT RESPONSE OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL SAVED THE
CHILDS LIFE AND PREVENTED BRAIN DAMAGE.
3. EACH OF THESE AWARD WINNERS WILL RECEIVE A COAST GUARD PLAQUE
FOR HIS/HER ACHIEVEMENTS AND WILL COMPETE WITH OTHER SERVICE AWARD
WINNERS FOR THE DOD TOP FIRE SERVICE AWARDS. ADDITIONALLY, COAST
GUARD AWARD RECIPIENTS WILL RECEIVE SERVICE RECOGNITION DURING THE
DOD FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES TRAINING CONFERENCE IN DALLAS,
TX AT THE FIRE SERVICE AWARDS DINNER BANQUET ON 28 AUGUST 2009.
4. I CONGRATULATE ALL COAST GUARD FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL WHO
PARTICIPATED IN THIS YEARS AWARDS PROGRAM AND ENCOURAGE ALL COAST
GUARD FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND FIRE SERVICE MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE
DURING NEXT YEARS AWARDS PROCESS. I COMMEND YOUR SELFLESS SERVICE
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS IN KEEPING OUR COAST GUARD FAMILY
SAFE.
5. COMDT (CG-1132) POC IS MR. MICHAEL L. SMITH, 202-475-5205.
6. RADM MARK J. TEDESCO, DIRECTOR OF HEALTH, SAFETY AND WORK-LIFE
SENDS.
7. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.