First and foremost, the Toni Pini Diversity & Inclusion Award is about acknowledging and celebrating successes. There’s always a lot of talk about what the fire service is not doing; the problems, the issues. We can move efforts further faster if we take a look at what’s working and acknowledge and celebrate that.

On June 28th, the formal work of making the Award a reality started!

In under an hour, in a conference call held with 27 of the 29 members of an organizing committee—that included active and retired fire service personnel, representatives from related fire service organizations, FIRE 20/20 staff, consultants to the fire service, lead award sponsor Lion Apparel, and Toni’s two daughters—sub-committee chairs and initial members were self-selected, time frames set, and next-steps were outlined.

Additional participation is welcome!

We’ve listed below the sub-committee chairs, their initial members and tasks. If you want to join, please contact Larry Sagen at: info@fire2020.org.

Nominations Committee:

Co-Chairs
Nate Trauernicht, UC Davis, CA
Cherina Kleven, Retired Asst. Fire Chief, Las Vegas NV
Bob Oliver, Deputy Chief, Redmond, WA

Members
Mark Carr, Fire Chief, New Britain, CT
Ozzie Mirkhah, Fire Protection Engineer, Las Vegas, NV
Debra Jarvis, Consultant

Tasks:

• Who should receive the award (individual, station, department)

• Recruitment Category

• Retention Category

• Nomination Process

• Nomination form content

• Nominating sources

Selections Committee:

Co-Chair
Kevin Sur, Deputy Chief, Richmond Heights OH

Members
Ernie Mitchell, Retired Fire Chief, Pasadena, CA; Past President, IAFC
Flo Soliz, Fire Chief, Travis County ESD #4, TX
Carol Remz, FIRE 20/20
Lou Piotrowski, Consultant

Tasks:

• Develop process; collect, review, select

• Document and record; permissions

• Train/brief reviewers

• Notify winners

Award/Award Ceremony Committee:

Co-Chairs
Gerri Penney, Community Educator Coordinator, Palm Beach, FL
Debra Amesqua, Fire Chief, Madison, WI

Members
David Daniels, Fire Chief, Woodinville, WA
Bruce Varner, Fire Chief, Santa Rosa, CA
Laura Baker, i-Women Board Member; Deputy Chief, Tucson, AZ
Vicki Smith, Vice President, Lion Apparel
Alonzo Chapman, Battalion Chief, Milwaukee, WI

Tasks:

• Identify meaningful acknowledgment (plaque/certificate/scholarship for future firefighter)

• Venue; date

• Ceremony; speakers, photos/video

Public Relations Committee:

Co-Chair
John Granby, Government Affairs, Lion Apparel

Members
Bruce Varner, Fire Chief, Santa Rosa, CA
Ann Davison, IAFC, Fairfax, VA
Lori Worth, PIO, Madison Fire Department, WI
Hayley Fudge, Public Relations, Lion Apparel
Alonzo Chapman, Battalion Chief, Milwaukee, WI

Tasks:

• Strategy to promote nominations

• Media list, press releases

• Strategy to promote honorees

• Media list, press releases

Sponsorship/Partnership Committee:

Co-Chairs
Jim White, Fire Chief, Winter Park, FL
Larry Sagen, FIRE 20/20

Members
Ruth Obadahl, Deputy Chief, Central Pierce, WA
Sharon Gamache (tentative), Director of High Risk Outreach Programs, NFPA
Hayley Fudge, Public Relations, Lion Apparel

Tasks:

• Secure media sponsor(s)

• Secure additional funding sponsors (Lion Apparel is the lead award sponsor)

• Establish award partnerships within and outside the fire service

• Secure an event sponsor

Timeframes/schedule:

• July-September 2010

  • Subcommittees meet and develop committee plans

  • Subcommittee chairs meet to begin combining committee plans

• October 2010

  • Organizing Committee meets to revise plan and identify additional tasks
    

• November 2010

  • Organizing committee meets to finalize plan and set schedule

  • Venue and additional sponsors confirmed