About the Award
The Senator Paul S. Sarbanes Fire Service Safety Leadership Award is co-sponsored by the Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) with corporate support from State Farm Insurance and VFIS.
The Sarbanes award recognizes organizations that embody the critical goal shared by CFSI and NFFF: to ensure that EVERYONE GOES HOME at the end of every call. The actions and achievements of the recipients address at least one of the 16 Life Safety Initiatives developed by the American fire service during the 2004 National Fire Service Safety Summit and subsequent summits hosted by the NFFF.
Greater Tucson Fire Foundation Honored with the 2023 Senator Paul S. Sarbanes Fire Service Safety Leadership Award
CFSI and NFFF presented the Greater Tucson (AZ) Fire Foundation with the 2023 Senator Paul S. Sarbanes Fire Service Safety Leadership Award at the 33rd Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner on May 23rd before 1,200 fire and emergency officials from across the nation.
The Greater Tucson Fire Foundation works to assist their fire-service community with unmet needs in the area of advanced training, technology, survivor’s help, education campaigns, firefighter health and wellness, and other support services. It is a non-profit organization, dedicated to supporting the 1,700 firefighters who serve and protect more than 1 million residents of metropolitan Tucson.
The foundation was recognized for three programs directed at firefighter health and wellness:
- Cardiac health and wellness program. Under this program, the Foundation funds training to certify and recertify firefighters as peer fitness trainers and coordinators using the IAFF/IAFC peer fitness training certification program. The Foundation also funds ultrasound heart screenings for active-duty firefighters over the age of 40.
- Mental Health and Wellness Program. This program links emergency first responders and their families with qualified clinicians, psychologists, and other social-service providers with financial support for these services provided by the Foundation.
- Firefighter Cancer Screening Program. The ultimate goal of this program is to provide free cancer screening to 1,800 active-duty firefighters serving communities throughout the southwest.
Previous Recipients
2022 Recipients
National Volunteer Fire Council
Volunteer & Combination Officers Section/IAFC
2021 Recipients
Fairfax County (VA) Fire and Rescue
Los Angeles Fire Department
2020 Recipients
Clayton (DE) Fire Company
Prince George’s County (MD) Fire/EMS Department
Sioux Falls (SD) Fire Rescue
2019 Recipients
Denver Fire Department
Florida Firefighters Safety and Health Collaborative
2018 Recipients
International Society of Fire Service Instructors
UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute
2017 Recipient
International Fire Service Training Association
2016 Recipient
Fire Department Safety Officers Association
2015 Recipient
International Association of Fire Fighters
2014 Recipients
Office of the State Fire Commissioner, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Oklahoma Council on Firefighter Training and INTEGRIS Heart Hospital
2013 Recipient
Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue, Office of the Oregon State Fire Marshal, Governor’s Fire Service Policy Council
2012 Recipient
Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training
2011 Recipients
Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition (HFSC)
2010 Recipients
National Volunteer Fire Council
Virginia Fire Chiefs Association
City of New York Fire Department
2009 Recipients
International Association of Fire Chiefs
Common Voices Coalition