FIRE CHIEF magazine's annual "Fire Chief of the Year Awards" honor longtime dedication and leadership in the fire and emergency services. The awards are sponsored by Pierce Manufacturing and are presented at Fire-Rescue International.

Award Information

• Fire Chief of the Year main page
• Nomination Information
• Nominating Organizations
• Award-Winner Archive

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2011 Career Chief Award Winner

Chief Debra Amesqua
Madison (Wis.) Fire Department

Chief Debra Amesqua has a love of many things: her family, her fire department, her art and her need to stand up for what is right. In fact, for nearly three decades, Amesqua's loves have helped her through tough times as the first female chief of the Madison (Wis.) Fire Department — where she fended off character attacks and internal sabotage while trying to lead the department into the 21st century.

Amesqua was named Madison's fire chief in January 1996, becoming one of only seven women to head a U.S. fire department. She also was the first Latina chief in the country. And now Amesqua is FIRE CHIEF's 2011 Career Chief of the Year.

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2011 Volunteer Chief Award Winner

Chief Robert Perry
Union Fire District in Peace Dale, R.I.

Chief Robert Perry, who has led the Union Fire District in Peace Dale, R.I., for the past seven years, and Gen. George Patton have a lot in common. Like Patton, Perry understands the importance of effective training, cares deeply for those in his command, can be a tough commander when the circumstances warrant, and knows the importance of leading from the front, rather than the rear. For all of these reasons, he is FIRE CHIEF's 2011 Volunteer Chief of the Year.

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Past Winners

2010

Chief Tom Carr
Charleston (S.C.) Fire Department

Chief Tim Wall
North Farms Volunteer Fire Department in Wallingford, Conn.

2009

Chief Randy Bruegman
Fresno (Calif.) Fire Department

Chief James Seavey
Cabin John Park (Md.) Volunteer Fire Department

2008

Chief Charles Werner
Charlottesville (Va.) Fire Department

Chief Michael Lee
Bethany (N.C.) Volunteer Fire Department

View All Winners (1996 to present)