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# Fire department receives top honors for 2023

By Natalie Skelton, DLA Aviation Public Affairs

                RICHMOND, Va.  –              
Defense Logistics Agency Installation Management at Richmond’s Fire Department received three awards for efforts during 2023, recognizing the department’s dedication to safety, efficiency and innovation.

The accolades include DLA Fire Officer of the Year, DLA Fire Department of the Year and DLA Fire Prevention Program of the Year.

Assistant Fire Chief William Hock was named the DLA Fire Officer of the Year. Reflecting on this honor, Hock attributed his success to his team, and said, “I owe most of this to my team. They are the ones that make me the fire officer that I am. Without a great team supporting me, the job does not get done.”

Hock’s tenure as the temporary Fire Chief at DLA Susquehanna, from Nov. 5 to Dec. 31, 2023, showcased his ability to manage the largest DLA Fire Department effectively. His leadership was crucial in implementing the new requirements of the fiscal 2023 National Defense Authorization Act Section 388, which required the Department of Defense to comply with national standards developed by the National Fire Protection Association regarding staffing requirements for structural and aircraft rescue firefighting.

Hock’s achievements include earning the Chief Fire Officer designation, a rare honor.

“The CFO designation application evaluates a chief officer on seven different components ranging from a resume review, education level, professional contributions and technical competency,” said Hock.

The DLA Richmond Fire Department earned the designation DLA Fire Department of the Year for its efforts in emergency response and operational excellence. Over the past year, the department protected the nation’s premier aviation logistics base, safeguarding more than 3,000 lives, 611 acres and 84 facilities during 219 emergencies.

In particular, the department was recognized for its’ containment of a fire at Bellwood Apartments, where prompt action limited the blaze to the room of origin. Additionally, the department demonstrated their standards of safety and efficiency during its’ response to a traffic accident at the gate involving advanced life support for a trauma patient and the handling of a restaurant fire.

Training and readiness are pillars of the department’s success.

“The department implements an annual training plan each calendar year,” said Wesley Farber, training lieutenant. “This is a multistep process that starts with ensuring regulatory requirements are met and continuous self-assessments, along with conducting strength and weakness evaluations.”

The Fire Prevention Program has also been recognized as the Fire Prevention Program of the Year, reflecting its proactive measures and community engagement. The program’s success is evidenced by zero damage or loss of mission-critical DoD assets, thanks to inspections and code compliance enforcement.

The prevention staff conducted 391 inspections and worked closely with facility engineers to uphold life safety standards. The annual Fire Prevention Week campaign educated 800 employees and children on fire safety.

The department’s innovative approaches have further enhanced fire safety measures. One initiative was the development of an enterprisewide Fire Warden training program on the Learning Management System.

“The fire wardens are the backbone of fire safety,” said Hock. “They are the fire prevention eyes and ears every day in the workplace.”

The DLA Richmond Fire Department remains focused on improvement and innovation. Future goals include the purchase of new apparatus and the commissioning of a Fire Station Alerting System to improve response capabilities and timeliness. Additionally, the department aims to foster collaborative efforts with neighboring departments through training and response initiatives.

“These awards signify the effort our personnel have put in to ensure we are providing world-class customer service and emergency response capabilities to the DLA Richmond community,” said Chris Bales, Assistant Chief of Operations.

As the department looks ahead, it is focusing on self-improvement through routine internal audits and maintaining its accreditation status, ensuring benchmarks are met with both internal and external evaluations.

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