NOMINATE OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEERS FOR THE NVFC’S FOUR NATIONAL AWARDS

November 21, 2023

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is accepting nominations for its annual fire service achievement awards. Recognize the contributions of a lifetime volunteer firefighter, a leader in health and wellness, an outstanding junior firefighter, or a successful junior firefighter program.

Nominations are due by 5pm EST on January 19 for the following awards:

Lifetime Achievement Award

Sponsored by Lincoln Financial Group

This award recognizes a volunteer firefighter who has served at least 20 years and has made a major contribution or achieved significant accomplishments in the volunteer fire service at the local, state, and/or national level. The recipient will receive a trip for themselves and a guest to the NVFC awards celebration on April 26, 2024, in Arlington, VA.

Chief James P. Seavey Sr. Health and Wellness Leadership Award

Co-sponsored by VFIS and Ward Diesel Filter Systems

This award honors an active volunteer firefighter, EMS provider, or rescue worker who has served as a leader in creating or promoting emergency responder health and wellness programs or initiatives. The recipient will receive a trip for themselves and a guest to the NVFC awards celebration on April 26, 2024, in Arlington, VA.

Junior Firefighter of the Year Award

Sponsored by California Casualty

This award honors a junior firefighter, cadet, or Explorer who has shown extraordinary dedication, commitment, and achievements as a youth member of the fire service. The recipient will receive a trip for themselves and up to two parents/guardians to the NVFC awards celebration on April 26, 2024, in Arlington, VA.

Junior Firefighter Program of the Year Award

Sponsored by California Casualty

This award recognizes a department that has an outstanding junior firefighter program. The department will be presented with their award at the local level to enable all their junior firefighters to participate.

Learn more and submit your nominations at www.nvfc.org/awards.

Reminder to Ask Congress to Fully Fund the AFG and SAFER Grants

The Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant programs provide direct assistance to local fire and EMS agencies to help them purchase equipment, training, and apparatus, as well as recruit and retain career and volunteer personnel. AFG and SAFER were funded at $360 million in FY 2023. The House FY 2024 Homeland Security appropriations bill would fund these programs at $370 million and the Senate bill would fund these programs at $338 million. This decrease in funding is unacceptable. Additionally, the AFG and SAFER programs are scheduled to be shut down at the end of FY2024. In April, the Senate passed S. 870 to reauthorize these programs and the U.S. Fire Administration through 2030 by a vote of 95 to 2. Please use this action alert to tell your Senators and Representative to fund AFG and SAFER at a minimum of the $370 million contained within the House's FY 2024 Homeland Security appropriations bill and reauthorize these programs as soon as possible.