The year is almost over, and for many not soon enough. It’s been a year of incredible disasters and bad news, but it’s also been a year of change and inspiration. I’d like to give out some little gold stars for some of the good things in 2005:

Citizen partners. Use ‘em or lose ‘em. Citizens were encouraged to keep in-case-of-emergency phone numbers on their cell phones. Community Emergency Response Teams are just starting to take off and not soon enough! The Tokyo Fire Department has probably one of the most sophisticated programs for teaching its citizens how to respond to potential earthquakes and fire. Preparing citizens how to react beats panicky people in front of fire trucks. Cooperative partners in safety -- what a concept! Gold star for common sense.

The 16 Life-Safety Initiatives. Throughout 2005, FIRE CHIEF magazine included safety initiative articles courtesy of the IAFC’s Safety, Health & Survival Section and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. We are grateful to the SHS Section for its contributions and support of these important initiatives. Gold star for commitment.

Camp Inferno. Overland Park (Kan.) Capt. Julie Harper’s two-year effort to help introduce young women to the world of emergency services was finally a tremendous success and on multiple levels. The young women learned about firefighting and EMS and gained a tremendous amount of confidence from the week-long experience. Furthermore, Kansas firefighters who worked as instructors got to test their leadership skills, and the department increased its potential for future applicants. Better news is that Camp Inferno is scheduled again in 2006. Gold star for persistence.

Positive-pressure ventilation. Sometimes it takes too long for good ideas to catch on in the fire service, and PPV is one of those ideas. I sat in on an officers’ class at the Chicago Fire Department for its new mobile ventilation unit, and Tempest Technology’s Leroy Coffman’s simple demonstration of how PPV was one of the most convincing presentations I’ve seen all year. Gold stars for acceptance.

Seatbelt wraps. It might have been my idea, but it took vision to turn the idea into a product to encourage seatbelt safety. Harold Boer, president of Rosenbauer’s Central Division did exactly that. More than 31,000 “Everyone Goes Home” red seatbelt wraps were distributed for free. Gold star for dedication.

Outstanding station design. After five years, the Station Style Fire Station Design Awards judges were so in awe of the Sky Harbor Center, Phoenix Fire Station #16, we had to create a new level of award for a fire station. Architect Lawrence Enyart of LEA Architects, working with Phoenix Div. Chief Ken Leake produced a fire station with a critical eye to the future. Gold star for vision.

What does 2006 hold for the emergency services? I’ll tell you what I think next week.

Have a safe and happy New Year!