Winner of CFSI’s Award for Leadership in Fire Safety Education announced

By Leila Merrill

WASHINGTON — The Congressional Fire Services Institute and the International Fire Service Training Association/Fire Protection Publications/Oklahoma State University announced Friday that Rebecca Booker was chosen as the recipient of the 2022 CFSI/IFSTA Dr. Anne W. Phillips Award for Leadership in Fire Safety Education.

According to a news release, the award is given to individuals who have made outstanding achievements in fire safety education at the national level.

Booker will be presented with the award on April 7 during the 32nd Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner.

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Booker has served for 20 years as a certified Fire and Life Safety Educator, an arson investigator and a certified firefighter at the Spring Lake Park-Blaine-Mounds View Fire Department in Blaine, Minn. Prior to that, she worked as an oncology nurse.

Booker helped develop the Home Safety Survey (HSS) program for Spring Lake, and it evolved into a nationally recognized effort. HSS looks for potential fire, injury and crime hazards and offers solutions.

Booker also helped found a New America Academy in Minnesota, which offers fire safety education for diverse and immigrant communities.

“Ms. Booker earned this award, in part, because of her amazing set of critical skills and commitment to teamwork in advancing fire safety education,” said Bill Jenaway, CFSI president. “It is a commitment she has shared with her department and community and with so many other fire safety advocates across the United States and internationally.”

Craig Hannan, director of Oklahoma State University’s Fire Protection Publications, also praised her work.

“Booker has provided key resources to advance the fire service’s evolution to results-oriented CRR across this nation. She has also been heavily involved with carbon monoxide detection education and has demonstrated a leadership role with an international radon education organization,” he said.

The symposium and dinner is scheduled for April 6-7. The symposium will include seminars on national fire and life safety issues. More information is available here.