Tuesday, December 1, 2015

BLM Hotshot Receives Kevin Hull Fire Leadership Award

The BLM Nevada State Leadership Team annually recognizes a fire employee with the Kevin Hull Fire Leadership Award. Kevin Hull was the Nevada State Fire Management Officer from 1996 to 2005. Upon Kevin's retirement he presented the State Leadership Team with a challenge: to reward excellence in fire leadership throughout BLM Nevada.
2015 Silver State Hotshots
2015 Silver State Hotshots
On October 21, Marci Todd, Nevada Associate State Director presented Chris Boyer the Kevin Hull Fire Leadership Award. Chris is a member of the Silver State Hotshots.

"This award recognizes excellence in fire leadership by an individual or group of individuals who are nominated by their peers or supervisors," said Paul Petersen, Acting State Fire Management Officer. "This annual traveling award is housed at the district office of the recognized leader until November of the following year."

"Chris has promoted leadership development not only for his crew, but for the whole State of Nevada's BLM fire organization," said Jonathan Palma, Acting Carson City Fire Management Officer. "Chris's efforts continue to strive to advance our understanding of leadership and promote a culture of learning."
Paul Petersen, Acting State Fire Management Officer, Chris Boyer, Kevin Hull Fire Award recipient and Marci Todd, Nevada Associate State Director
Paul Petersen, Acting State Fire Management Officer, Chris Boyer, Kevin Hull Fire Award recipient and Marci Todd, Nevada Associate State Director
Chris came to the Silver State Hotshot Crew in 2012 as a lead firefighter and brought a unique amount of passion and enthusiasm for the job. In 2012, Chris attended Critical Incident Situation Management (CISM) training and during the 2013 fire season he was called on to support the Winema Interagency Hotshot Crew (IHC) after the events of the Freeze Out Ridge Fire where a member of the crew was seriously injured in a remote area and survived due to the use of the Traverse Rescue System (TRS). This system uses a Kendrick Extraction Device to immobilize the patient before placing the person into a traverse rescue stretcher to a harness which lifts the patient into the helicopter hovering above.

Chris doesn't just lead in the medical realm and the training arena; he has emerged as the physical leader of the crew. Chris has brought new and challenging physical trainings to the crew and uses his physical strength and conditioning to make everyone around him better. He consistently mentors the young firefighters on the crew, takes time during the off season to train with them and helps them to develop and realize their full potential.
Justin Cutler, Silver State Hotshot Assistant Superintendent and Chris Boyer, Kevin Hull Fire Award recipient
Justin Cutler, Silver State Hotshot Assistant Superintendent and Chris Boyer, Kevin Hull Fire Award recipient
"As the 2014 recipient of the Kevin Hull Fire Leadership Award, I can say there is no one in NV BLM that I have worked around in the past season that is more deserving of this award than Chris Boyer," said Justin Cutler, Silver State Hotshot Assistant Superintendent.

Chris is currently signed up to instruct at the apprentice academy during the winter of 2015-16 and is spearheading a recruitment and outreach program for the Carson City District in an attempt to bring more diversity into the BLM's hiring pool. Chris also assists younger firefighters in developing their resumes and job applications for opportunities in the next fire season.

Story and photos by Lisa Ross, Public Affairs Specialist
****************************************************
Reprinted from BLM Daily, November 25, 2015

No comments: