Since 2002, the Virginia Governor’s Fire Service Awards have honored the exceptional dedication and service of fire professionals across the Commonwealth. Presented annually at the Virginia Fire Rescue Conference in Virginia Beach, these prestigious awards recognize excellence in five categories.
Most categories celebrate both a career and a volunteer recipient—highlighting the invaluable contributions of Virginia’s diverse fire service community.
Awards Timeline:
- Nomination Period: Open all year
- Deadline to Submit: December 1st
- First Round Review: Begins 1 week after deadline
- Finalists Chosen: By the first Friday in January
- Final List Sent to Governor: By the second Tuesday in January
How to Submit Your Nomination:
Submitting nominations for the Virginia Governor's Fire Service Awards is a straightforward process. Follow these simple steps to ensure your nominations are received and considered.
- Explore the categories and choose the award category that best fits your nominee’s achievements.
- Gather details and collect information about your nominee’s accomplishments and any supporting materials.
- Fill out the Online Form and provide accurate details about the nominee and upload all required documents.
- Submit by email and be sure to send your full submission to: policyoffice@vdfp.virginia.gov.
Award Categories
This award celebrates individuals or organizations that go above and beyond in protecting Virginians from fire hazards. Whether through strong leadership, sound management, public fire education, or by supporting fire departments across the state, these nominees exemplify outstanding service.
Who’s Eligible:
- Fire service professionals from municipal, state, DOD, or federal teams working in Virginia
- Private sector or nonprofit organizations that support fire safety or public education in Virginia
This award honors those who contribute to high-quality fire service training—through lesson development, instruction or program delivery. It highlights innovation, commitment, and statewide impact in preparing Virginia’s fire service community.
Who’s Eligible:
- Instructors or training contributors affiliated with municipal, state, DOD or federal fire service agencies in Virginia
Given to a fire department that delivered a remarkable emergency response in the past year—particularly where collaboration, multi-agency coordination, and smart decision-making played a critical role in the outcome. Nomination must include a VFIRS report and a detailed example of the response.
Who’s Eligible:
- Any fire service organization in the Commonwealth of Virginia
Awarded to a paid or volunteer firefighter who consistently goes the extra mile to protect their community. This person shows exceptional dedication to public safety and promotes meaningful improvements in fire prevention and response.
Who’s Eligible:
- Any firefighter—paid or volunteer—serving in Virginia
Presented to a chief officer who exemplifies exceptional leadership, integrity, innovation, and commitment to both their department and the broader Virginia fire service. The recipient has a distinguished record of achievements and meaningful contributions.
Who’s Eligible:
- Any paid or volunteer chief officer serving in Virginia
Award Resources
Governor’s Fire Service Award Manual
This manual provides detailed information about each award category, eligibility requirements, submission instructions and timelines.
Need Help or Have Questions
Please reach out to the Policy Office at policyoffice@vdfp.virginia.gov for guidance or additional information.