For more than 20 years, Vina Drennan has been an influential advocate for firefighter safety. A dedicated volunteer with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) and the Fire Department of New York Foundation, she is a compassionate supporter of the loved ones of fallen firefighters.
During the opening ceremonies of Firehouse Expo in Nashville, Vina’s tireless commitment to the fire service was recognized warmly as she received the NFFF’s 2018 Art Glatfelter Distinguished Service Award.
Vina became active with the NFFF and the FDNY Foundation following the 1994 death of her husband, Captain John Drennan of FDNY from burns he sustained while battling a fire in Manhattan. Her candid and passionate presentations about the circumstances of her husband’s untimely death have inspired firefighters and the entire fire service to make safety a top priority. Her commitment to serving on the NFFF’s Board of Directors and several committees have helped further the Foundation’s mission.
“The contributions of Vina Drennan to the NFFF are many and varied,” said the NFFF’s Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief Dennis Compton. “The Arthur J. Glatfelter Distinguished Service Award was established to recognize exceptional service to the NFFF. The Glatfelter Award provides a perfect mechanism to recognize the ‘exceptional service’ of Vina Drennan!”
Arthur J. Glatfelter will always be remembered as a champion of the U.S. Fire Service. He was the founder of VFIS—the first insurance company founded in 1969 to meet the insurance needs for volunteer firefighters. He also played a significant role in the creation and founding of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial and served on the NFFF Board of Directors between 1995 and 2005. Glatfelter also co-founded the Congressional Fire Service Institute (CFSI) with former Congressman Curt Weldon.
Chief Compton was inducted into the 2018 Firehouse Hall of Fame during the Legends & Icons Celebration. The event honors longtime contributors who have made a lasting mark on the fire service.
Chief Compton is a regular contributor to Firehouse Magazine, addressing pertinent issues in today’s fire service. He also authored the Fire Politics column for 10 years.
“All of us at the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation are very happy for Chief Compton to receive this recognition and honor,” said Chief Ron Siarnicki, Executive Director of the NFFF. “His insights inspire all of us in the fire service to continually evaluate our roles so that we can effectively improve our safety and service to the communities we serve.”
