FORT STEWART, Ga. - The Fire Prevention Team of Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield has again been noted for their collaborative work by winning the 2011 Best Fire Prevention Program Award for the Installation Management Command Southeast Region and the Department of the Army.
This recent recognition did not go unnoticed by the new garrison leadership of Col. Kevin Gregory and Command Sgt. Maj. Louis Felicioni, Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield garrison commander and Command Sergeant Major, respectively.
In his initiation visit to the fire station followed by a coin presentation ceremony July 20, Col. Gregory said, "This Fire Prevention Team is holding the standard for fire prevention. I have seen your statistics and figures, and they are just phenomenal."
Jose Sanchez, a Directorate of Emergency Services Fire Inspector and one of the team members, states that the potential for award continues. "Our next step is submission and [competition] in the Department of Defense against our fellow service The results of that competition will be made known within the coming months," he said.
This award has been presented to the Stewart-Hunter team in previous years, but not to this level of recognition.
To get this achievement, Sanchez freely gives open credit to the Stewart-Hunter installation. "The community has been freely open to our inspections, reviews, public education and facets of fire safety at Stewart-Hunter to make sure everyone is well informed," Sanchez said. "Our audience has included persons from 5-years-old to the well-seasoned Soldiers and Civilians. We put a lot into our education program and everyone has been very receptive."
Listed are some of the statistics that make the Stewart-Hunter Fire Prevention Program the best to date:
• Partnered with Forestry to burn 15, 531 acres, reducing the range load 70 percent and saving 12,500 acres
• Provided fire safety training to 27,000 military, Civilians, Family Members and retirees to enhance safety
• Conducted 1,800 building inspections; 1,600 facility inspections; 3,949 Family housing unit inspections; 597 National Guard facility inspections
• Trained 12,000 personnel
• Conducted over 200 fire drills
• Conducted 87 plans reviews
• Researched building requirements for vehicle repair operations, medical facilities, day care centers, single and Family housing
• Submitted code-based recommendations for all new and renovated buildings
Sanchez summed it up by adding how the team feels. "We feel great and appreciate the recognition for our hard work. I also want to stress our thanks to our resources in Public Affairs, like the newspaper and TV, who have really helped us get the word out regarding programs and trainings."
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