Chief Recognized for Leadership in Fire Education

Information courtesy of MaSAFE

Capt. Rick Tustin, president of the Massachusetts Association of Fire and Safety
Educators, (MaSAFE), presented the Fire Chiefs’ Leadership in Fire Education
Award to Everett Fire Chief David T. Butler at the Fire Chiefs’ Association
of Massachusetts’ (FCAM) annual professional development conference on
February 6, 2013 in Boxborough. A citation was also presented to Chief
James M. Vuona of Shrewsbury.

MA SAFE created the Fire Chief’s Leadership in Fire Education Award to honor
fire chiefs for excellence in leadership of community fire education efforts. Often
these efforts are behind the scenes and not readily noticed. No community fire
educator can be successful without the support of the fire chief. Introducing
the award, retired Mendon Fire Chief Charlie Johnson said, “Fire chiefs know
that our responsibility is to not only respond to and suppress fires but also to
prevent them from happening. There is no better way to accomplish this than
with prevention through education.”

Fire Chief James Vuona of Shrewsbury has instilled the mantra of customer
service to each and every firefighter in the department every time they interact
with the public, said the press release. As the former fire prevention officer he built strong programs with the schools, other town offices, and businesses. With strong succession planning he was able to pass those programs to new personnel who have strengthened and improved those community relationships.

His staff says, “The chief takes every opportunity for public education whether it’s the traditional S.A.F.E. Program, the Spirit of Shrewsbury Day, fire station tours, working with scouts, the senior center or persuading the housing authority to install low-temperature burners or in-hood extinguishers.”