MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, Calif. -- After competing a half dozen times, MCLB Barstow’s Fire and Emergency Services Division was finally recognized as the Marine Corps’ Fire Department of the Year (Large category) for 2005.
Although listed as the smallest unit in the large category, MCLB was able to shed its consistent runner-up status with its improved programs and services to take down the “big boys.”
By winning the Marine Corps award, MCLB Barstow’s F&ESD became eligible to compete against the other services for the Department of Defense Fire and Emergency Services award.
The Fire and Emergency Services awards program recognizes individuals, teams, and departments that have made/or make significant contributions to Fire and Emergency Services.
The award banquet, held in conjunction with the International Association of Fire Chiefs, honors DoD’s best fire department, military and civilian fire fighters, officers, and heroism awardees. Fire departments from all military services nominated personnel and teams for possible selection. The award banquet is the finale of the annual DoD Fire and Emergency Services Training Conference, which was held this year in Dallas, Texas.
Unfortunately, MCLB was runner-up to Ft Bliss who won based on their actions during and in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. “How do you compete with that?” asked Fire Chief Robert Wyman, of MCLB’s Fire and Emergency Services Division.
The International Association of Fire Chiefs and the DoD Fire and Emergency Conference merged about six years ago and that’s when it became a DoD Fire and Emergency Services award, according to Wyman.
“Prior to that it was a Navy and Marine Corps (NAVMAR) award and in 1997 we were first runner-up to Keflavik in the large category. The next year, 1998, we were first runner-up again to Keflavik, and not only did they win the large category, they won overall,” said Wyman.
What changed to enhance MCLB Barstow’s chances of getting over that hurdle were the changes in the package submissions.
According to Wyman, this was initially an Air Force program that was adopted by the Department of Defense. So the submission went from a Navy/Marine Corps format, which was a 3-inch binder consisting of 50 to 60 pages to a one-page document.
“It took us several years to understand the correct winning format of what the judges were looking for in the programs that we did,” Wyman revealed. “If we look at our programs, what we’re doing here with our fire prevention program, education and training, helping out the schools with our fire house and what we did with our sprinkler systems (these items are some of what the judges are looking for).
“They look at our operational programs which are Hazardous Material, Emergency Medical Services, Basic Life Support and Advance Life Support with our paramedics, the Toys for Tots program; all the things that are in the submission” Wyman explained.
The awards are based on the programs the departments have, how the programs are managed and how successful the department is, he said.
“When you look at our programs – we have solid programs – we do some things that no other installation does,” Wyman emphasized.
“Our sprinkler maintenance and testing; I don’t know what other fire department does that. We are the only fire department that runs the Toys for Tots program in the Marine Corps. So there are some specific areas the judges look at,” continued Wyman.
The areas, or criteria, fell under six headings: (1) Customer service, (2) Department level awards, accreditation, certifications and other recognition, (3) innovativeness, (4) Quality management principles and initiatives, (5) Quality of life initiatives, and (6) other.
The hardest part of it all was having all these great programs and trying to condense it down to a one-page document for submission, said Assistant Fire Chief Steve Mulcare.
“This time we went with the format that others have used and basically you fill one page with as much good information about your programs that you can and they evaluate you,” he said.
What the department submitted was what they thought was their most important programs based on the criteria, and those are what they were judged on.
Some of MCLB Barstow’s programs are shared with other installations, according to Wyman and Mulcare such as their Paramedics program and the bases that are starting programs are using MCLB Barstow’s F&ESD as a model for the Marine Corps.
Of course, each organization is going to fine tune it for their region be it San Bernardino or Virginia, Wyman chimed in.
“I think we see that throughout the Marine Corps fire services, I mean all the fire chiefs and all the fire organizations, even though there is some competition for this award, we share information across the board,” said Wyman. “If there is somebody out there we can help or some other organization; we do so.
“I think we are well respected in the region and in the Marine Corps. I feel we do a good job of providing mission capable services.”
This is one of the main reasons MCLB Barstow’s F&ESD took top honors as the Marine Corps’ best fire department in the large category.
Although they finished as runner-up in the DoD level competition Wyman and his crew feel that by continuing to provide customer satisfaction through the “Wow” principle and enhancing its programs and services, that being runner-up in the Department of Defense will be a thing of the past.
“We are very happy about winning the Marine Corps award,” said Wyman. “We have a great department with great people who are very knowledgeable and care a great deal about what they do.”