Awards
Firefighter of the Year 1982-present
EMS Provider of the Year
Bulldog Award
2019 Employees of the Month
2018 Employees of the month
2017 Employee of the Month
2016 Employees of the Month
2015 Employee of the Month
2014 Employee of the Month
2013 Employee of the Month
2012 Employee of the Month
2011 Employee of the Month
2010 Employee of the Month
2009 Employees of the Month
2008 Employees of the Month
2007 Employees of the month
2006 Employees of the month
Award Guidelines:
Firefighter of the Year:
Nomination Committee: Officers Management Group
Selection made by: Fire Chief
Award Given: Certificate & Plaque as well as name placed on plaque at all stations
The Firefighter of the Year is awarded at the annual awards banquet and recognizes the significant contributions, achievements, character and long-term dedication of the individual being considered. Selection is based on the candidate's performance of duties, motivation, teamwork, leadership, creativity, safety and customer service.
Nominating Criteria: The officers of each station will select one person to nominate to the Chief for consideration, (can be any member does not have to be from their station) nominations may be made to recognize individuals for performance in any of the following areas:
Leadership: Individuals must demonstrate outstanding leadership skills and initiative with proven problem solving skills
Dedication: The individual must have longevity in the fire service. He/She has demonstrated the highest degree of dedication and participation within Yakima County Fire District 12, including training, fire response, public education and other fire service operations.
Loyalty: The individual has demonstrated an allegiance to Yakima County Fire District 12, and to its’ firefighters. Is a team player who supports others’ efforts to achieve the goals of the fire service, supports the fire service by embracing its policy and procedures, engaging only in constructive criticism that will lead to improvements in the service.
Productivity: Has gone well beyond the duties in a manner that exemplifies the competency that all firefighters should strive to achieve and which reflect the highest standards of Yakima County Fire District 12. Regularly demonstrates the ability to reduce fire losses and to better serve his/her community.
Professionalism: Perform his/her fire service duties in a manner that exemplifies the competency that all firefighters should strive to achieve and which reflect the highest standards of the fire service. Regularly demonstrate the ability to lead and to follow, depending upon the circumstances.
EMS Provider of the Year:
Nomination Committee: Officers Management Group
Selection made by: Fire Chief
Award Given: Certificate & Plaque
The EMS Provider of the Year is awarded at the annual awards banquet and has been created to recognize a dedicated individual who works as an EMS Provider at Yakima County Fire District 12 and has demonstrated exemplary pre-hospital patient care providing consistently strong clinical skills to the patients he/she cares for.
Nominating Criteria: The officers of each station will select one person to nominate to the Chief for consideration, (can be any member does not have to be from their station) nominations may be made to recognize individuals for performance in any of the following areas:
Professionalism: Perform his/her EMS duties in a manner that exemplifies the competency that all EMS providers should strive to achieve and which reflect the highest standards of the fire service. Regularly demonstrate the ability to lead and to follow, depending upon the circumstances.
Teamwork: The individual has demonstrated his/her ability to work as a team with other responders and the patient he/she is caring for to provide the best possible care.
Motivation: The individual makes an extra effort to provide EMS care whenever possible and is frequently the lead during patient care
Bedside Manner: The individual is able to build a relationship with each patient and is calm and caring during EMS service calls
Clinical Skills: The individual has demonstrated a thorough knowledge of EMS skills, protocols and practices.
Dedication: The individual actively participates in EMS training and goes above and beyond the normal level of EMS certification/training.
Bulldog:
Nomination Committee: Previous years award winner
Selection made by: Previous years award winner
Award Given: Certificate & Plaque, traveling bulldog chain with dog tags
The Bulldog award is awarded at the annual awards banquet and is to recognize the member in Yakima County Fire District 12 that experienced the most personal difficulty in carrying out his/her assigned duties, yet was successful in meting desired outcomes for the department.
Desired Outcome: Members will be inspired to overcome obstacles and distractions while carrying out their duties. Members will recognize that they can experience difficulties and still maintain the respect of their peers. Those who succeed in overcoming adversity will be properly rewarded by someone who has experienced a similar situation.
Value: Those who receive the award will be recognized as having “true grit”, more likely to succeed when others fail. Excused from up to two misdemeanors, such as being late, out of uniform or dropping a hose coupling for one full year, the bulldog recipient is sent to the head of the line when fire personnel are waiting to be served at a social event if they are wearing the Bulldog award at the time.
Years of Service:
Award Given: Maltese cross pin with the Department name and years served
The years of service pins are awarded at the annual awards banquet and are to recognize members for their dedicated years of service to the citizens of Yakima County Fire District 12. Service pins may be worn on the member’s uniform above the name tag.
Criteria: Partial years do not count, only complete years, most members join in August of each year however typically the awards banquet is in spring of each year therefore members typically will have met the years required for their pin in August however it is not awarded until the following spring.
Eligibility: The date of hire on the members personnel file is used to determine eligibility.
Years Awarded: Service pins are given for the following years: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 & 50
Employee of the Month:
Nomination Committee: Any Member of Yakima County Fire District 12
Selection made by: Fire Chief
Award Given: Certificate & fire related gift
The employee of the month is awarded following the next months officer meeting and recognizes an individual for an exceptional contribution to the progress of the District, extraordinary performance or outstanding customer service during the previous month.
Nominating Criteria: Any member of Yakima County Fire District 12 can nominate to the Chief another member for consideration; nominations may be made to recognize individuals for performance in any of the following areas:
Productivity: Has gone well beyond the duties in a manner that exemplifies the competency that all firefighters should strive to achieve and which reflect the highest standards of Yakima County Fire District 12.
Extraordinary Performance: Was a key element to the successful outcome of a challenging situation, alarm or other problem
Outstanding Customer Service: Went above and beyond the norm in assistance to a patron or customer of Yakima County Fire District 12.
Clinical Save:
Nomination Committee: Station Officers
Selection made by: Fire Chief
Award Given: Certificate & Lapel Pin
Clinical saves are awarded either at the annual awards banquet or other fire department function at the discretion of the Fire Chief and recognizes individual(s) involved in a clinical save based on the following criteria:
Patient: The patient was found pulse-less and non-breathing
Transport: The patient was transported to the hospital with a subsequent release from the hospital or the patient refused transport after making a full recovery on scene.
Treatment: Members that provided CPR, airway management, defibrillation or were directly involved in patient care are eligible.
Years of Service/Retirement Plaque:
Award Given by: Fire Chief
Award Given: Wood plaque with member’s badge.
Nomination Criteria: Twenty (20) years of service to the Fire District and in good standing when retiring or awarded to a member when leaving the District based upon their contributions while on the Department for any number of years at the discretion of the Fire Chief.