Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department
4100 Chain Bridge Rd, Fairfax, Virginia 22030
Phone: 703-246-3801, TTY: 711 and Fax:703-385-1687
Duty PIO (Weekends/After-hours): 703-280-0694
Media Information Line: 703-324-3000
Email: fire-rescue.Pa-LSE@fairfaxcounty.gov
Website: www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fire

7/24/2008

125th Recruit Firefighter Graduation
(First Mother/Daughter Firefighter Combination)

Since March 2008, recruit firefighters have been training to respond to hazardous materials incidents, vehicle extrication operations, swift water emergencies, confined space rescue, fire suppression, and emergency medical incidents. The 22-week recruit firefighter/EMT course is both physically and mentally strenuous. Thirty-three firefighter recruits will officially become professional firefighter/EMTs upon graduation.

Of special note, the first mother/daughter career firefighter combination within Virginia will take place graduation night. Lieutenant Pamela Dailey will present to her daughter, Erin J. Gardner, her fire helmet along with Fire Chief Ronald Mastin. After research, there are only two other mother/daughter combinations – one in Knoxville Fire Department, Tennessee and Wales, the United Kingdom.

Thomas Harbour, Director, Forest Service’s Fire and Aviation Management Program, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), will be the graduation speaker.

Harbour was promoted as the Director, Fire and Aviation Management Program, USDA in January 2005. Director Harbour began his career with the Forest Service in 1970 as a firefighter in California. He has held various leadership positions on the Apache National Forest in Arizona, the Challis National Forest in Idaho, and the Modoc National Forest and the Angeles National Forest, both in California. Director Harbour has led top interagency incident management teams for more than 10 years to battle forest fires, floods, and hurricane incidents across the country. He has also assisted Indonesia and Greece in wildfire management.

Director Harbour is a graduate of the University of California at Davis with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. He also has a bachelor’s degree in forest management from Washington State University.

For more information, call Daniel L. Schmidt or Lieutenant Raúl G. Castillo, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, 703-246-3801 and TTY 711. Fairfax County is committed to nondiscrimination on the basis of disability in all county programs, services and activities. Reasonable accommodations will be provided upon request.