Firehouse is pleased to announce the top five finalists in the 2015 Emergency Vehicle Technician (EVT) of the Year Award.
The first place winner is Michael Adams, fleet supervisor, South Metro Fire Rescue Authority (SMFRA), Centennial, Colo. He joined the SMFRA Fleet Services Bureau as an EVT in 2005 with a unique experience with heavy-duty trucks from working with a heavy-duty truck leasing company in Denver.
Adams is well-known in his area for his diagnostic and troubleshooting skills with electrical challenges in multiplexing, aerials, engine and transmission electronics. He is a Fire Apparatus EVT Level III Master and ARFF EVT Level III Master Technician and recently passed his first EVT M1 Level I Supervisor Certification.
The EVT of the Year award will be presented to Adams at the Fire Department Safety Officers Association's annual Apparatus Specification & Vehicle Maintenance Symposium on Jan. 18th, in Scottsdale, AZ. This award is sponsored by Smeal Fire Apparatus Co., Snyder, NE.
Robert Corsi, chief mechanic for the Cranston, RI, Fire Department, came in at second place. Corsi has 27 years of service with the department and holds 20 EVT certifications and 23 Automotive Service Excellence certifications.
Steve Strom, fleet supervisor, Menlo Park Fire Protection District, Menlo Park, CA, came in at third place. He is also fleet supervisor for the FEMA California Urban Search & Rescue Task Force-3 and its entire flotilla of apparatus.
Alan Jarvis, fire equipment supervisor, Lakeland, FL, in fourth place, is an Automotive Service Excellence and EVT Master Technician. Jarvis began his career with Lakeland Fire Department in 1988 and also volunteers his mechanical skills repairing electronic wheelchairs.
Damon Sanderson, senior fire mechanic, Gila River Fire Department, Chandler, AZ, is in fifth place. With 19 years’ experience as a mechanic/technician, he joined the department in 2006. Sanderson is a member of the Arizona Fire Service Mechanics Association.
Twenty-three nominees from across the United States were received for this year’s award. The EVT of the Year Award was created to recognize the dedication and professionalism of men and women committed to the safe operation of emergency apparatus and support of emergency responders and their communities.
