The Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) have selected the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) as the recipients of the 2015 Senator Paul S. Sarbanes Fire Service Safety Leadership Award.
The awards will be presented at the 27th Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner on April 16, 2015 in Washington, DC. Named after retired-Senator 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 their outstanding contributions to firefighter health and safety. State Farm Insurance and VFIS serve as the corporate supporters of the award program.
The IAFF is being recognized for its leadership role in addressing cancer in the fire service. Epidemiological studies have emerged over more than a decade which point to a causal relationship between firefighting and occupational cancer. In terms of prevention, the IAFF is leading the way on several fronts, participating in scientific studies and publishing information on causal relationship between firefighting and cancer that benefits all firefighters. On the state and federal level, the IAFF has fought for the removal of chemical toxins which are found in abundance in every American home and workplace. And when cancer does strike, the IAFF has been at the forefront of fighting for presumptive coverage for the leading cancer risks firefighters could encounter every day.
CFSI President Bill Jenaway and NFFF Chairman Dennis Compton issued a joint statement recognizing the IAFF for its work. “We applaud the work of the International Association of Fire Fighters in addressing a very serious threat to the health of our nation’s firefighters. Through their efforts, we are discovering ways we can protect our one million firefighters against cancer and what we can do to help them when they are diagnosed with this dreaded disease. Our two organizations look forward to honoring the International Association of Fire Fighters on April 16th.”
Please click here for additional information about the 27th Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner and Seminars Program. Approximately 2,000 fire and emergency services leaders from throughout the nation are expected to attend the annual program. In addition to the dinner and seminars, attendees will schedule meetings with their members of Congress to discuss important fire and life safety issues.
» Learn More: About the National Fire and Emergency Services Symposium and 27th Annual National Fire & Emergency Services Dinner
