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National First Responder Appreciation Day - Have You Signed?

Posted on April 25, 2007 | Filed Under News and Noteworthy

If you are a police, fire, or ems first responder and are not aware of Steven Jones and his First Response Coalition then you need to check out the First Response Coalition web site. In brief, the FRC is dedicated to the support of first responders particularly regarding interoperable radios and communications systems, as well as the establishment of a National First Responder Appreciation Day. We at FireAwards.com have signed the petition and support Mr. Jones and the First Response Coalition - you should too.  Tags: first responder, fire, police, ems

The Universal Symbol of Fire Service

Posted on April 11, 2007 | Filed Under Articles of Interest

A quick search on the Fireawards.com site for the term “Maltese Cross” will return dozens of items used as gifts or awards for firefighters. A quick search on Google for the same term returns about 1,230,000 results. The short version of how this symbol became synonymous with firefighters and fire service is as follows:

The Maltese cross is known around the world as a symbol of the fire service. It is often seen painted on fire trucks, on the clothing of firefighters, depicted on firefighters badges, and is quite often the chosen design of firefighter tattoos. So where did the Maltese cross come from, and how did it get to be known as a symbol of the fire service?

The Maltese cross is named after the island of Malta, which came to be the home of the Knights of St. John. The Knights of St. John existed during the 11th and 12 centuries. The armor worn by the Knights covered their entire bodies as well as their faces. Because of this it was often difficult for the knights to recognize one another during battle. They realized they would need some type of symbol that could be used to quickly and easily identify them selves. They chose the Cross of Calvary, which would later be known as the Maltese cross. During the Crusades, the enemies of the nights commonly used fire as a weapon. It was quite common for a Knight to have to risk his own life to save another Knight or extinguish a fire.

The Knights of St. John were also known for their care of the sick and injured. Combined with their abilities to fight fires, and the pride and honor they took in their work, the Maltese cross seems a fitting symbol of the modern fire service. Firefighting is a proud profession, and only a symbol of pride would exemplify the work of a firefighter.

So basically, you had a bunch of guys banding together under a common symbol, working for the common good - sound familiar? Tags: firefighters, maltese cross, fire service symbol

Paramedic Instructor Receives Award

Posted on April 2, 2007 | Filed Under News and Noteworthy

McLaren Regional Medical Center paramedic instructor Jamie Kitchen receives an “Award of Gratitude” from his paramedic class of 2007 presented by Paramedic Chris Tolan. McLaren Regional is located in Flint, Michigan.  Tags: Award, Paramedic, McLaren Regional Medical Center