FORT SILL, Okla. -- Fort Sill Fire and Emergency Services recognized its firefighters of the year for 2011 during a ceremony March 26 at the Fort Sill Conference Center.
The Fort Sill Firefighter of the Year was Fire Prevention Inspector Bill Ballton; the Fire Officer of the Year was Capt. Jeremy Thomas Sr. and the Fire Service Instructor of the Year was Lt. Scott Robinson.
Clint Langford, Fire and Emergency Services fire chief, and Bob Pirtle, Directorate of Emergency Services director, presented the awards.
"We have top-quality individuals who produce day in and day out," Langford said. "Firefighters are a humble people. They believe the extraordinary things they do on a daily basis are just part of the job.
It was a fitting reward for Ballton, who is set to retire at the end of March with 33 years of federal service as a firefighter.
"It's a great honor to be recognized," said Ballton, whose role as an inspector is fire prevention. Ballton came to Fort Sill in 2009, from Coast Guard Base Kodiak, Alaska. He said he will continue to work in fire safety as the director of wild land fire operations for the Comanche Nation in Lawton, Okla.
Langford described Ballton as a seasoned firefighter.
"He brings a lot of knowledge to the table," the chief said. "We would tap into him as a fire inspector to get some of our programs up and running."
Thomas, captain at Fire Station No. 1, was responsible for the shifts, firetruck crews, served as the lead firefighter on all calls and basically ran the station.
"I feel honored and privileged," Thomas said, referring to the recognition. "This department is filled with a lot of great firefighters."
Langford called Thomas energetic and extremely proficient.
"He can 'can-do' anything. You give him as assignment and he's usually on it if not already completing it," said Langford, who has been chief since June. "He's a joy to work with because he gives 110 percent."
One of the reason Robinson was selected as fire instructor of the year was because he spearheaded the design of the new driver and operator training and certification program which resulted in a more competent driver corps for the department, according to his award citation.
"I call it doing my job, but I guess I'm an overachiever," said Robinson, who began firefighting in 1983, when he was an 18-year-old volunteer at Indiahoma, Okla.
The trio's nomination packets will go on to the Installation Management Command firefighter of the year competition in April, Langford said. After that, IMCOM winners will compete at the Department of the Army and then DoD levels.
As a department, Fort Sill Fire and Emergency Services is in the running for the IMCOM medium-sized fire department of the year, Langford said.
Its staff of 52 people, including 44 firefighters at four fire stations, is responsible for 94,000 acres of land; tens of thousands of people who live, work and visit Fort Sill daily; and buildings and assets valued at about $2.5 billion.
Last year was Oklahoma's worst wild land fire season, Langford said. Fort Sill firefighters responded to 167 wildfires on post, and off post through its mutual aid program. They performed thousands of hours of overtime.
As part of the 2,205 emergency responses, Fire and Emergency Service personnel saved about 100 homes and structures in the surrounding communities, saving citizens $11 million in property loss.
"Our statistics speak volumes for what we've accomplished," Langford said.
Pirtle described the department's performance as outstanding.
"The fire department is truly a one-team operation," Pirtle said. "They work well together, and they support not only Fort Sill, but the community, too."
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