Navy Shore Enterprise announces 2025 Fire and Emergency Services Award winners

by Aerial FirefightingAmericasAmericas - Breaking NewsAssociations and OrganisationsAviationBreaking NewsPeoplePorts & Maritime

Commander, Navy Installations Command has announced the Calendar Year 2025 Navy Fire and Emergency Services (F&ES) Award winners, recognising fire and emergency personnel across the Navy Shore Enterprise for operational excellence and mission support.

The awards highlight teams and individuals responsible for emergency response across U.S. Navy installations worldwide, including structural fire suppression, aircraft rescue, hazardous materials containment and emergency medical response. According to the command, these capabilities are central to maintaining readiness across shore installations and supporting fleet operations.

By carrying out life-saving medical interventions and rapid emergency response operations, Navy F&ES teams help ensure that bases remain operational so that naval forces can train, deploy and conduct missions.

“Our personnel are the cornerstone of base resilience,” said CAPT Bill Lane, deputy director of CNIC operations. “Protecting our people and our tactical assets is essential for projecting power from the Shore Enterprise. These winners represent the best of the best in ensuring our mission remains uninterrupted.”

From this year’s recipients, three Navy representatives advanced to top honours in broader military competition at the Department of War (DoW) level: Naval Support Activity Annapolis; Katsuhiro Watanabe of Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka; and Metro San Diego, a regional fire and emergency services organisation covering Naval Base San Diego, Naval Base Coronado, Naval Base Point Loma, and Naval Air Station North Island.

The awards span multiple categories recognising performance across different installation sizes and specialties.

Navy Shore Enterprise awards in full

In the Small Fire Department of the Year category, Naval Support Activity Annapolis received the DoW-level award, with Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay named runner-up. For Medium Fire Department of the Year, Naval Station Mayport was selected as winner, followed by Joint Region Marianas.

Metro San Diego FES earned the Large Fire Department of the Year award, with Navy Region Northwest as runner-up. Joint Region Marianas was also recognised for Fire Prevention Program of the Year, alongside Navy Region Mid-Atlantic District 3, Naval Air Station Oceana, and Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek–Fort Story as runners-up.

Individual awards highlighted firefighters, officers, instructors and emergency medical personnel across the fleet. ABH2(AW) Kiara Robin of Naval Station Rota was named Military Firefighter of the Year runner-up, while ABH2(AW/SW) Joshua Acuna of Metro San Diego was also recognised. Civilian Firefighter of the Year went to Katsuhiro Watanabe of Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka (DoW winner), with Ahmed Dakail of Naval Support Activity Bahrain named runner-up.

Other honours included ABH1(AW/SW) Leaundre Johnson of Naval Support Activity Naples as Military Fire Officer of the Year winner, and Eric Boggess of Naval Station Mayport as Civilian Fire Officer of the Year winner. Additional categories recognised training, inspection, EMS provision, and fire prevention leadership across multiple installations.

The Navy also recognised legacy contributors to the Fire and Emergency Services community through Hall of Fame inductions. Inductees included retired fire chiefs and senior leaders such as Ruben Perez, Edward Stillwell, David Inman, William Casey, Kenneth Snyder, and Jack Woodard (deceased), reflecting long-term service across multiple regions.

Lifetime Achievement Awards were also presented to senior leaders including Rodolfo Gonzales, William Killen, Christopher Connelly, and Daniel Gaumont, acknowledging decades of service within Navy fire and emergency operations.

Commander, Navy Installations Command oversees global Navy shore installation management, including infrastructure development, sustainment and quality of life programmes. The organisation manages 10 Navy regions and more than 70 installations, employing over 48,600 personnel focused on readiness, training and support for fleet operations.

According to the command, Navy installations function as operational platforms essential to supporting global naval missions and maintaining overall fleet readiness.

Expecting the Unexpected: Why fire safety in airports should never be left to chance

by Featured NewsFire DetectionProjectsSafety

The fire that occurred at the substation serving Heathrow Airport, on March 21 2025, caused massive flight delays and cancellations all over the world; despite the actual cause of the fire is still unknown, experts believe that a lack of automatic fire detectors present at the substation may have been a contributing factor to the amount of damage and delays caused.

Experts believe that if automated fire systems were in place the damage would have been immensely reduced.

Substations like the one in Heathrow can be susceptible to numerous types of fire hazards.

From the risk of short-circuiting or overheating to leaks in the oil-cooled transformers, project managers must be aware of every possibility and prepare for the worst.

The risks present in airport construction sites

When it comes to airports, any kind of disruption can have major repercussions, which is why extensive planning and security measures are crucial.

Electrical fires and leaks, which may have caused the Heathrow disaster, are very common hazards on construction sites, and pose an even bigger issue when said sites are located in airports.

Ramtech, the wireless fire and safety detection systems company, has had experience in dealing with such environments, having provided WES3 temporary fire devices to aid in the expansion of one of Europe’s biggest major airports.

The goal is to expand the airport by 2026 to accommodate over 70 million passengers annually, an increase of 14 million from current levels.

This massive expansion includes the construction of a new pier and terminal, operational and commercial spaces, aprons, and taxiways.

To handle the increase in passengers, parking capacity will be expanded with landside access to the new terminal.

This major project demanded strict adherence to safety regulations to prevent significant disruptions across the entire airport.

To ensure comprehensive coverage, Ramtech provided and installed the WES3 Water Leak Detection System, the WES3 Wireless Fire Alarm System, and the REACT Emergency Notification platform at the airport.

Another significant airport fire incident occurred at London Luton Airport in October 2023, when a fire broke out in a multi-story car park, causing extensive damage and the partial collapse of the structure.

The blaze, which affected over 1,200 vehicles, forced the suspension of flights and created major travel disruptions.

Investigations suggested that the fire may have started from a single vehicle before spreading rapidly due to the lack of sufficient fire suppression measures in the car park.

This incident highlighted the vulnerability of airport infrastructure to fire hazards and underscored the necessity of stringent fire safety systems in parking facilities as well as operational areas.

The path moving forward

The Heathrow substation fire serves as a stark reminder that fire safety in airports can never be left to chance.

Airports are critical hubs of global connectivity, and any disruption, especially one caused by preventable hazards, can have widespread economic and safety consequences.

As demonstrated by Ramtech’s prior experience, implementing proactive fire detection and emergency response systems is essential to mitigating risks and maintaining operational stability.

Moving forward, investing in cutting-edge safety technology and stringent regulatory compliance will be key to ensuring that airports remain resilient in the face of unexpected challenges.

Beyond the immediate operational disruptions, incidents like this highlight the importance of infrastructure resilience.

Airports must continuously evaluate and upgrade their electrical and fire suppression systems to adapt to new risks, including the growing demand for sustainable energy solutions.

A well-maintained and thoroughly inspected infrastructure can significantly reduce the likelihood of catastrophic failures, ensuring passenger safety and minimizing financial losses.

Moreover, collaboration between airport authorities, fire safety experts, and technology providers is crucial in developing robust emergency response strategies.

By integrating smart monitoring systems, artificial intelligence-driven risk assessments, and real-time alert mechanisms, airports can stay ahead of potential threats.

The Heathrow incident underscores the need for a forward-thinking approach, one that prioritizes innovation, preparedness, and a commitment to safety at every level of airport operations.