| OREGON FIRE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION |
Meritorious Awards
The Oregon Fire Chiefs Association is proud to host the only statewide forum for agencies and individuals to recognize and pay tribute to members of the Oregon fire service for acts of courage, heroism and dedication to their profession. Award winners are honored each year during the OFCA's Annual Conference.
Nominations for the 2023 Oregon Fire Service Meritorious Awards are now closed. Nominations for 2024 will be accepted in January 2025. Please check back for more information.
Submit a Nomination - CLOSED
Award Categories
MEDAL OF HONOR
The Medal of Honor may be awarded to an individual or individuals who, in the line of duty and under extremely hazardous or life threatening conditions, go(es) above and beyond the call of duty by performing an act of outstanding courage involving imminent risk to their life / lives while saving another human life.
Please be sure your nominees meet the following criteria:
- The nominee has shown extreme courage in the line of duty.
- The nominee has gone above and beyond the call of duty.
- The nominee has placed themselves in imminent danger to their life, or lost their life.
- The nominee was performing the act to save or protect a human life.
The selection committee will evaluate your nominee(s) based solely on your nomination narrative. Please explain in detail the courage shown, dangers faced, and imminent risk to the nominee’s life.
MEDAL OF VALOR
The Medal of Valor may be awarded to an individual or individuals who, in the line of duty and under hazardous conditions, rescue(s) or save(s) the life of another. The individual or individuals must have risked serious personal injury or bodily harm during the act with prior knowledge of that risk.
Please be sure your nominees meet the following criteria:
- The nominee has acted in the line of duty.
- The nominee acted with courage while knowingly risking serious physical injury.
- The nominee was acting to save and / or protect a human life.
The selection committee will evaluate your nominee(s) based solely on your nomination narrative. Please explain in detail the courage shown and willingness to act in the face of grave danger and risk of serious personal injury.
AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
The Award of Excellence may be presented to any individual or individuals who, through long term professional commitment, acts, or performance, meet one or more of the following award criteria. To be nominated for this award, the nominee(s) must be an active member of the organization or contributed significantly to the success of an organization:
- Performing assigned duties or highly credible acts in an outstanding and superior manner meeting the highest traditions of the fire service.
- Continuous professionalism, as indicated by superiors and performance evaluations, or who has, in a specific instance, performed their duties in a particularly admirable and honorable manner.
- Development of a program, process or equipment positively affecting the fire service or safety and welfare of the public.
The selection committee will base its decision solely on your nomination narrative. Please explain in detail the nominee’s actions meeting the criteria stipulated above. Please include a detailed description of any programs, processes, or equipment developed and its effect on the fire service and / or safety of the public.
DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT
The Distinguished Conduct Award may be granted to any member of the fire service who acted with professionalism and efficiency when faced with a specific danger or adversity and who carried out their duties properly despite this danger / adversity. The award may also be presented for conduct by off-duty fire personnel for a lifesaving act. The action for which this award is earned must be exceptional compared to the expected responsibilities of emergency responders. To be considered for Distinguished Conduct the nominee(s) must meet one or more of the following criteria:
- The nominee is a member of the fire service or other public safety agency.
- The nominee faced a specific danger or adversity during which the nominee acted with professionalism and efficiency.
- The nominee safely carried out the act despite the danger / adversity faced.
- Other emergency responders would consider the nominee’s actions exceptional.
The selection committee will base its decision solely on your nomination narrative. Please explain in detail the nominee’s actions meeting the criteria stipulated above.
UNIT CITATION
The Unit Citation may be awarded to a group of responders for a lifesaving act, rescue, or public safety program. The award may be presented to a single or multiple agencies whom the selection committee determined met one or more of the following criteria. When awarded, the Unit Citation will be presented as a plaque to the lead public agency responsible for the lifesaving act, rescue, or public safety program, with each named person receiving a Unit Citation ribbon and certificate.
- A group of responders who, in the performance of their duties, performed an extraordinary lifesaving act.
- A group or responders who, in the performance of their duties, performed an extraordinary rescue.
- A group of responders who created and implemented an outstanding public safety program which directly contributed to protecting life, property, or the environment.
The selection committee will base its decision solely on your nomination narrative. Please explain in detail the group’s extraordinary lifesaving act or public safety program.