>> East Manatee (FL) Fire Rescue District Training Officer TIM HYDEN was presented the Congressional Career Service Award by Congressman Vern Buchanan (R-FL) during the inaugural Florida 13th District Congressional Fire, Rescue and EMS Awards Ceremony. Hyden’s accomplishments include developing a system of documentation to track ISO required training that helped improved the District’s ISO rating; an in-house Supervisor Proficiency Program Hyden created based on NFPA 1002; certifying all district firefighters as incident safety officers; organizing the Back to School Awareness campaign; developing a tailored NIMS training program for Manatee County; and coordinating several countywide drills on NIMS, hazardous materials, and multiple patient incidents.
>> Columbia Southern University (CSU) announced Casa Grande (AZ) Fire Department Battalion Chief FRANK RICCI as the winner of the CSU/Arizona Fire Chiefs Association scholarship. Ricci, a CSU alum, won the scholarship based on his entry in an essay contest sponsored by CSU and the Arizona Fire Chiefs Association, an organization that provides professional opportunities for fire chiefs. The annual scholarship covers tuition for up to 24 months for one specific online degree program with CSU. The online school features many degree programs including business administration, occupational safety and health, fire science, and human resource management. www.ColumbiaSouthern.edu.
