Friday, July 3, 2009
2008 Career Chief Award Winner
Charles Werner, Charlottesville (Va.) Fire Department The Great CommunicatorIf you were to create an archetype firefighter, he or she would probably come from a firefighting family, decide at an early to be a firefighter, spend the last two years of high school apprenticing at the fire station — trading hard labor for knowledge, be mentored by a progressive chief, rise through the ranks by assuming leadership roles on special projects, be largely self-taught in new technology that improves the department, become a nationally recognized authority on an important technology, and be promoted to chief of his or her department. Storybook as it may seem, that has been Charles Werner's career trajectory to chief of the Charlottesville (Va.) Fire Department, and it is part of the reason he is this year's career Chief of the Year. His resume is 17-pages long; the first three detail his career, but the next nine carry a bullet list of his other accomplishments running from 1974 to the present. Besides that he is a meticulous record-keeper, Werner's résumé gives you another clear picture: this guy is an achiever. |
2008 Volunteer Chief Award Winner
Michael Lee, Bethany (N.C.) Volunteer Fire Department Southern ComfortHearing Bethany (N.C.) Fire Chief Mike Lee's quiet, relaxed voice, it's hard to picture him shouting orders and commanding his cadre of volunteer firefighters on the fireground — at first. But get him talking about his job, his volunteers and his department, and you will start to get a clear picture of the dedication and determination that earned him the title of 2008 Volunteer Chief of the Year. “Mike is not a very loud, boastful type of person,” says friend and colleague Robert D. Cardwell. Cardwell has known Lee for 18 years and currently serves as Rockingham County (N.C.) fire marshal. “Mike is quiet in nature, but when he wants something, you know it through his determination and the way he talks to people. His determination is very visible in his attitude. He's able to get people motivated, but he doesn't shout orders. He's not a coach-type person, yelling at individuals to get them motivated. He's soft-spoken, but motivates people to get the job done just by his nature.” |
