The Staunton Fire Protection District (SFPD) has been honored with the 2025 Billy Goldfeder Fire Service Organizational Safety Award by the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), as reported by the Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL). This prestigious accolade is a salute to the district's exceptional devotion to the health and safety of fire service personnel.
It's noteworthy that the SFPD is not just another fire department in America. Since May 2017, they have sustained an image as the only volunteer fire department nationwide to earn the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) designation. This federal program recognizes small employers which exhibit high standards in safety and health management systems. The SFPD's significant contribution and ongoing collaboration with IDOL's On-Site Consultation Program were pivotal in tipping the scales in their favor for the award.
The presentation took place at the IAFC's annual conference held in Orlando, Florida. At this event, which draws national leaders from the fire service industry together, the SFPD was specifically lauded for their proactive strategies in ensuring firefighter safety, as well as for their strong partnership with IDOL. "One of the key elements of our application for the Billy Goldfeder Organizational Safety Award was our ongoing relationship with IDOL," SFPD Chief Rick Haase told the Illinois Department of Labor. "The award committee was very impressed with the safety program that organization had developed and even more impressed that organization had obtained state and national OSHA SHARP recognition as an all-volunteer organization."
Erik Kambarian, who heads the IDOL’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health, commended the SFPD for setting a standard in workplace safety for fire departments both in Illinois and across the nation. This division is dedicated to ensuring the well-being of fire department personnel and the community they serve. They offer a free and confidential On-Site Consultation Program, which helps a myriad of high-hazard government employers and small to medium-sized businesses in Illinois. To access this expertise, employers are welcome to reach out by calling 800-972-4216, sending an email to [email protected], or visiting the WorkSafe website.
Funding for the 21(d) On-Site Consultation Cooperative Agreement, which backs the division’s efforts, comes principally from a federal grant. This grant accounts for 90 percent of the program's budget, with the remaining 10 percent coming from state funds.
