By Leila Merrill
FireRescue1
WASHINGTON — The Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) announced this week that they selected the Greater Tucson Fire Foundation as the recipient of the 2023 Senator Paul S. Sarbanes Fire Service Safety Leadership Award.
The award will be presented on May 23 at the 33rd Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner in Washington, D.C. Named after retired Sen. Paul S. Sarbanes of Maryland, a strong advocate for our nation’s firefighters and rescue personnel during his 36-year career in Congress, the award recognizes organizations for outstanding contributions to firefighter health and safety.
The GTFF is a nonprofit organization designed to assess and respond to unmet needs of the greater Tucson firefighter community by facilitating access to health and wellness resources while recognizing firefighter/EMS heritage and culture.
In a news release, CFSI and NFFF stated that they “recognize GTFF for three targeted programs it delivers to firefighters in the greater Tucson region: cardiac health and wellness, mental health and wellness, and cancer screening. Recognizing the financial challenges that many firefighters face, GTFF covers the cost of these programs to ensure that all firefighters in the region have access to them. All three programs involve partnerships with occupational health and mental health providers who deliver a wide range of services to address the growing health and wellness needs of the greater Tucson firefighters.”
CFSI President Jim Estepp and NFFF Board Chair Troy Markel issued a joint statement recognizing the Greater Tucson Fire Foundation’s achievements.
“We are witnessing dramatic progress to reduce firefighter injuries and deaths, and CFSI and NFFF established the Sarbanes award to recognize organizations at the forefront of this effort. This year, we look forward to recognizing the Greater Tucson Fire Foundation for its leadership and commitment to firefighter health and safety. Through their health and wellness programs, firefighters in the Tucson region realize they have an organization fully committed to their health and well-being, providing an array of services to ensure their health and safety.”
More information about the 33rd Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner and Symposium is here.
State Farm Insurance and VFIS are the award program’s corporate supporters.