Title
Recognition of Lt. Darrell W. Brown for the 2004 Fire Investigator of the Year Award (NB)
Explanation
The Florida Fire Marshals' and Inspectors' Association (FFMIA) was formed in 1977 to unite for mutual benefit those public officials responsible for fire prevention through inspection, code enforcement, public education, and arson investigation. Each year, FFMIA selects one professional from a fire service organization in the state whose skills and service exemplify its goals and objectives, and who possess one of the following appointments: fire marshal, fire and life safety educator, fire inspector or fire investigator.
In the fall of 2004, Assistant Fire Chief Elmond Taylor nominated Lt. Brown, as the FFMIA Fire Investigator of the Year. Lt. Brown was selected for his outstanding contributions to the Gainesville Fire Rescue Department, the City of Gainesville, and the entire fire service community.
Lt. Darrell W. Brown has been employed with the City of Gainesville for 24 years, the last 20 of which have been with the Fire Rescue Department. Since 1998, Lt. Brown served as GFR's Fire Investigator, having achieved both firefighter and police officer certifications. Included among Lt. Brown's responsibilities are post-fire origin and cause determination, follow-up investigation, and closure of investigations by sworn complaint, arrest, internal affairs investigation, critical incident stress debriefing, and inter-agency coordination for terrorism intelligence. He has also served as a member of the Regional Domestic Security Task Force.
To quote Assistant Chief Taylor in his nomination letter regarding Lt. Brown, "He puts tremendous thought into his work and is always willing to share his expertise and observations with other staff and other agencies. He has worked hard to develop the three fire inspectors that assist him to improve their post-fire investigative skills. Lt. Darrel W. Brown successfully walks the middle-ground between the t...
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