The Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) and National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) are accepting nominations for the Senator Paul S. Sarbanes Fire Service Safety Leadership Award. Presented to organizations in recognition of outstanding contributions to firefighter health and safety, the award embraces the illustrious career of Senator Sarbanes, who served for 36 years in Congress. The presentation of the award will take place on April 2, at the 21st Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner.
Dedicated to the health and safety of our nation's fire and emergency services, Senator Sarbanes served as a Co-Chairman of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus prior to his retirement in 2007 and authored the legislation that established the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation in 1990. In 1997, he was the recipient of the CFSI Legislator of the Year Award, the highest honor given to a member of Congress for contributions to our nation's fire and emergency services.

Shortly before the Senator's retirement, CFSI and NFFF announced the creation of the award with corporate support from State Farm Insurance and VFIS. The recipient organization will receive a trip for two representatives to Washington, DC to attend the dinner and accept the award. The deadline for submitting nominations for this year's award is February 13, 2009.

Additional information about the Senator Paul S. Sarbanes Award is available on the CFSI and NFFF websites (www.cfsi.org and www.firehero.org), or contact CFSI at 202-371-1277. If your organization has a program to promote and address firefighter health and safety that meets the eligibility criteria, please read how you can be considered for the Senator Paul S. Sarbanes Fire Services Safety Leadership Award.

For additional information about the National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner, please visit the CFSI website at www.cfsi.org.

For additional information about the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation please visit www.firehero.org.