Dr. Ernest Grant to be honored with the Award at the 31st Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner in Washington, DC, April 25, 2019.

The Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) and the International Fire Service Training Association at Fire Protection Publications, Oklahoma State University (IFSTA/FPP/OSU) are pleased to announce that Dr. Ernest Grant has been selected as the recipient of the 2019 Dr. Anne W. Phillips Award for Leadership in Fire Safety Education. Dr. Grant was the Outreach Nurse Clinician, North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center (retired) responsible for burn prevention. He is the Past Chair of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Board of Directors, and the current elected President of the American Nurses Association.

Dr. Grant has dedicated his life to fire safety education as a national and international burn prevention expert and policy advocate. For more than 30 years, he has advised, coordinated, delivered and evaluated nationally acclaimed burn prevention programs. As a respected leader and burn prevention advocate within the American Burn Association, he was able to move burn prevention into the spotlight within the ABA. In addition, his written work has inspired and influenced the teaching of burn prevention in the medical community.

When not applying his knowledge in burn treatment centers, Dr. Grant has been doing so in the halls of government. He was very active in advocating the North Carolina legislature for passage of legislation that addressed the dangers of hot water heaters, distribution of smoke alarms and need for fire safe cigarettes. Through his prolific work, he fulfills the spirit of Dr. Phillips’ minority report to America Burning by inspiring others in the medical community to prevent fires as the best method to reduce burn injuries and fire loss.

Bill Jenaway, CFSI President; Craig Hannan, Director of Fire Protection Publications at OSU; and Mike Wieder, IFSTA Executive Director issued a joint statement honoring the 2019 recipient. “Dr. Ernest Grant embodies the spirit, determination and drive of Dr. Anne W. Phillips. His experiences treating patients with burn injuries incited his passion for prevention. Like Dr. Phillips, he recognizes that our fundamental role in public safety needs to begin with prevention and education. This is the first year a lifelong burn prevention educator and clinician within a burn center has received the national recognition of the Dr. Anne Phillips Award.”

Recognizing the support of IFSTA, Jenaway extended his thanks to IFSTA/FPP and Oklahoma State University. “On behalf of my fellow board members, I extend my personal thanks to IFSTA for the continued support of this award which elevates the value of fire safety education throughout our nation. Our former board member, the late Louis J. Amabili, took tremendous pride in the Phillips Award because of his respect and admiration for Dr. Phillips and her contributions to American Burning. With his passing, the award takes on greater meaning for CFSI, preserving the legacies of Dr. Phillips and our dear friend and former colleague, Lou Amabili.”

The award will be presented on April 25th at the 31st Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner in Washington, DC.