Trending Topics
Sponsored Content

CFSI and IFSTA Announce Partnership for Fire Safety Education Award

Sponsored by

The Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) and the International Fire Service Training Association at Fire Protection Publications, Oklahoma State University (IFSTA/FPP/OSU)recently announced a new sponsorship agreement for the Anne W. Phillips Award for Leadership in Fire Safety Education. Established in 2007, the Phillips award is presented annually at the National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner for outstanding achievement in fire safety education. As part of the announcement, the two organizations named Ms. Meri-K Appy as the recipient of the 2012 Award.

Former president of the nonprofit Home Safety Council, Ms. Appy is widely regarded as the fire and emergency services’ leading advocate for public safety education. She specializes in simplifying injury prevention and disaster preparedness messages, concepts and strategies for greatest impact, especially for audiences at highest risk. Appy spearheaded the development and national delivery of three award-winning injury prevention programs including Risk Watch(NFPA), The Home Safety Literacy Project (Home Safety Council) and Start Safe: A Fire and Burn Safety Program for Preschoolers and Their Families (Home Safety Council). Now head of her own consulting company, Meri-K is working on a number of national fire safety initiatives, including Vision 20/20 and an exciting new public education initiative with USFA: “Fire Is Everyone’s Fight.”

It was Appy who actually developed the idea for the Anne W. Phillips Award while at the Home Safety Council. Realizing that the fire service did not have a national award for public fire and life safety education, she approached the Congressional Fire Services Institute about developing one. For the past five years, the two organizations have co-presented the award at the Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner.

Bill Jenaway, CFSI President, Craig Hannan, Director of Fire Protection Publications at OSU, and Mike Wieder, IFSTA Executive Director issued a joint statement honoring the 2012 recipient. “Meri-K Appy certainly embodies Anne Phillips through her outstanding accomplishments over the years to advance the cause of fire safety education. She is the Anne Phillips of our generation and we take great pride in acknowledging her work by presenting her the 2012 Anne W. Phillips Award for Leadership in Fire Safety Education.”

Recognizing IFSTA’s support of the program, Jenaway extended his thanks to IFSTA/FPP and Oklahoma State University. “On behalf of my fellow board members, including Louis J. Amabili who served with Anne Phillips on the National Commission on Fire Prevention and Control, I extend my personal thanks to IFSTA/OSU-FPP for its continued support of CFSI. This particular award program is very important to maintaining a constant awareness on fire and life safety education throughout the nation.”

The award presentation will take place on April 26 at the 24th Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner in Washington, DC. For information about the program, visit the CFSI website at www.cfsi.org. Additional information about the International Fire Service Training Association is available www.ifsta.org.

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU