One of Thomasville Fire Rescue’s own has been recognized on the state level. The Georgia State Firefighters Association (GSFA) has recently named TFR’s Chief of Training Craig Dukes as the recipient of the 2017 Training Officer of the Year Award. This recognition is given annually to a training officer who has shown both proficiency in training methods and also community leadership. Dukes was presented this award during the 2017 Georgia Fire Service Conference awards ceremony held August 26, 2017 in Athens, Georgia.
“This recognition of Chief Dukes is well deserved for his dedication, leadership, and commitment to our fire department and the Georgia Fire Service,” said Thomasville Fire Chief Chris Bowman. “It’s been through Chief Duke’s vision and leadership that the men and women of our fire department and around the state have become highly trained and bravely prepared to do their jobs safely and professionally.”
Chief Dukes has been in the fire service for over 15 years and is known for his high standards of performance. He is viewed as a role model for both positive mentorship and high ethics. “I felt truly honored when I found out I was nominated,” said Dukes. “To be recognized amongst my peers by the Georgia State Firefighters Association is really humbling and it leaves me almost speechless. Training firefighters is a passion of mine, and I am thankful to be a part of helping to ensure that firefighters operate efficiently, effectively, and safely on the fire ground.”
The GSFA is a membership organization that serves all firefighters across the State of Georgia. It is the largest and oldest fire service organization in the state with over 3,500 members. Since its founding in 1952, GSFA has been providing its members with an active network and resources for information, communication, and representation on the state and national level.
Dukes, who joined TFR in 2002, is credited with helping to create a cultural change at TFR that empowers accountability, targets risk management, and emphasizes training and certification that even surpasses larger municipal departments. Through his impressive statistics of improvement together with the significant impact he’s had on training, Dukes has demonstrated a commitment to excellence. Both TFR and GSFA are proud to announce Chief Craig Dukes as GSFA Training Officer of the Year.