April2011-winner

Lt. Jamey Parker

Hiawatha Fire Department
Hiawatha, Iowa

Lt. Jamey Parker of the Hiawatha Fire Dept. in Iowa is an example of what fire service instructors need to be in order to create a culture of safety inside and outside the firehouse.

"Jamey is entering his 20th year of fire service, and he still has the same great passion and focus on safety he started with," said Rob Archibald, the fellow firefighter who nominated Lt. Parker. "Jamey goes above and beyond the call of duty to make sure everyone is safe."

In the last few years, Lt. Parker has become even more focused on health and wellness as a vital part of firefighter safety. He strongly supports the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation's 16 Firefighter Life Safety Iinitiatives through many different paths but mainly through his strong presence as an instructor. Lt. Parker has served as a training instructor and deputy chief of safety, taking an active role in writing policies and procedures. He helped instate the department's respiratory protection program, which includes fitness testing and training requirements for firefighters.

Lt. Parker is also charged with the health and safety of his duty crew, which consists of seven other firefighters. He encourages regular workouts at the station and, even when his crew is on call, they regularly spend that time working out at the gym together. Lt. Parker also sees that the Hiawatha Fire Department has an active fire protection group, which speaks at schools in the area and holds 911 simulations for local children.

When asked what he thinks the most important lesson is for firefighter safety, Lt. Parker said, "People are the most valuable asset. We must take care of our firefighters in order to take care of the community properly."