Governor’s Award for PW Fire & Rescue Department, OWL VFD and Dumfries-Triangle VFD

OUTSTANDING FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONSE

Prince William County Department of Fire Rescue, Dumfries-Triangle Volunteer Fire Department and Occoquan Woodbridge Lorton Volunteer Fire Department are the recipients of Virginia’s Outstanding Fire Department Response from Gov. Glenn Youngkin as recipients of the 2022 Governor’s Fire Service Awards which were presented during the annual Virginia Fire Chiefs Association Expo and Symposium in Virginia Beach.

During the winter weather event in January 2022, the Prince William County Fire Rescue System, consisting of the Department of Fire and Rescue, the Dumfries-Triangle Volunteer Fire Department, and the Occoquan-Lorton-Woodbridge VFD responded to Interstate 95 and established an ad-hoc rescue and public service effort to handle the stranded motorists, some of whom had been stranded for over 18 hours.

Establishing incident command, the combined efforts of the members of the Prince William County Fire Rescue System provided food, water, and medical attention to the citizens. Using station assets, they cleared exit ramps from the highway to allow motorists to exit the Interstate.

Compiling supplies from station stocks, they distributed support in food, and water, and when the system’s logistics section responded, added blankets and other aid. Through the incident command process, they dispatched assets from their task force to respond to and treat several medical emergencies.

In the finest tradition of the Fire Rescue and EMS service, they answered the call without hesitation.

Established in 2002, the Governor’s Fire Service Awards honor excellence in Virginia’s fire service and are facilitated by the Virginia Department of Fire Programs in collaboration with the Virginia Fire Services Board.

“I am proud to honor these remarkable fire service professionals,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “We celebrate and thank these first responders and support staff for their extraordinary contributions to the Commonwealth.”