Firewise Recognition Day

The Lodge at Mount Magazine State Park 2007

Sixteen Arkansas communities were honored for their efforts to reduce the vulnerability of homes to wildfire and earning Firewise Communities/USA recognition during a luncheon and recognition ceremony Oct. 23, 2007, at the Lodge at Mount Magazine State Park. Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe and Arkansas Forestry Commission representatives presented the awards.

Firewise board members from Antoine, Caddo Valley, Camp Albert Pike, Carrollton, Higginson, Langley, Meeks Settlement, Mt. Holly, Newhope, Paris and Pleasant Plains were honored for their community's recent recognition as Firewise Communities/USA. Fifth year Firewise Communities - Holiday Island, Joplin, Norman, Oden and Story - were presented plaques from Arkansas FireWise and the Arkansas Forestry Commission in honor of their continued participation. (Photos below.)

Plaques were also presented to representatives from Lake Catherine State Park and Mount Magazine State Park in recognition of their efforts to reduce the wildfire risk to structures within the state park boundaries. (Photos below.)

Four Arkansas Forestry Commission Rangers - Lowell Altom, White County Ranger II; Chris Ludwig, Union County Ranger III; Roy Neil May, Clark County Ranger III, and Billy Williams, Pike County Ranger III - were recognized for their outstanding accomplishments in promoting Arkansas FireWise and assisting communities through the Firewise Communities/USA recognition process.

Lowell Altom (second from left) assisted the communities of Higginson and Pleasant Plains through the Firewise Communities/USA recognition process, and worked diligently to spread the Firewise message throughout White County and portions of southern Independence County.

Chris Ludwig (third from left) has assisted four communities through the recognition process, and has approached numerous others in Union County. Cairo, Callion and Norphlet became recognized Firewise Communities/USA in 2006, and Mt. Holly was recognized for its newly acquired Firewise Communities/USA status during the luncheon.

Roy Neil May (far right) assisted the community of Caddo Valley through the recognition process in 2007, and has hosted exhibits and meetings with fire departments in Clark County to provide residents with information to protect their homes from wildfire and encourage area communities to participate in Firewise Communities/USA.

Billy Williams (second from right) assisted the communities of Antoine, Camp Albert Pike, Langley, Meeks Settlement and Newhope through the recognition process, and even assisted fire departments with conducting wildfire risk assessments for homes in their community. Williams has also hosted exhibits during community Firewise days to provide area residents with information to protect their homes from wildfire. Williams is currently assisting several other Pike County communities in the early stages of the recognition process.

Arkansas FireWise Consultant Dr. Kelly Hurt (pictured at left) was presented an award for outstanding accomplishment in promoting Firewise for his efforts in large communities including Bella Vista Village, Eureka Springs, Fairfield Bay, Fayetteville, Hot Springs and Hot Springs Village.

Tony and Patricia Siciliano, Arkansas FireWise consultants, were presented an award for outstanding accomplishment in promoting Firewise for their work with rural communities in Carroll, Boone and Madison Counties. At this time it was also announced that Tony and Patricia had been awarded the National Firewise Leadership Award for State Leadership by the National Firewise Communities Program. The Firewise Leadership Award is designed to honor individuals and organizations conducting wildland fire mitigation activities in residential developments in the wildland/urban interface.

"Pat and I are honored to be recognized," said Tony Siciliano. "Our reward was being given the opportunity of working with all these great communities. We've met so many great people. We've been very fortunate to be involved with fire departments and residents from Boone, Carroll and Madison Counties. During our work with them, we've been invited to numerous affairs, cookouts and meetings. We were welcomed in as friends and now we feel like we are a part of their community family. We believe very strongly in the Firewise program, and we hope that those we talked to will continue on making their homes and surrounding areas safe. ... Thank you for allowing us to be a small part of the Firewise program."

Newly Recognized Firewise Communities/USA

Antoine and Meeks Settlement

Accepting a plaque on behalf of the communities of Antoine and Meeks Settlement are Vance Teel, Antoine Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief; Debbie Van Camp and Heston Teel.

Camp Albert Pike

Accepting a plaque on behalf of the community of Camp Albert Pike are Janice and Denver McRae.

Higginson

Accepting a plaque on behalf of the community of Higginson is Marvin Mathis, Higginson Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief. Also pictured is Lowell Altom, White County Ranger II, and White County Judge Michael Lincoln.

Mt. Holly

Accepting a plaque on behalf of the community of Mt. Holly is Steve Rose, Mt. Holly Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Fire Chief. Also pictured is Chris Ludwig, Union County Ranger III.

Paris

Accepting a plaque on behalf of the community of Paris are Harold Schluterman and Rep. John Paul Wells. Also pictured are Todd Hoopes, U.S. Forest Service Fire Management Officer, and Dennis Ahne, Logan County Ranger III.

Caddo Valley

Accepting a plaque on behalf of the community of Caddo Valley is Lt. David Suttle of the Caddo Valley Fire Department. Also pictured is Roy Neil May, AFC Clark County Ranger III.

Carrollton

Accepting a plaque on behalf of the community of Carrollton is Beth Randleman, Alpena Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief.

Langley

Accepting a plaque on behalf of the community of Langley is Eddie Ayers, Langley Firewise board member. Also pictured is Billy Williams, Pike County Ranger III.

Newhope

Accepting a plaque on behalf of the community of Newhope are Robert Jordan, Shona Jordan, Kenneth Fant and Sandra Hunt. Also pictured is Billy Williams, Pike County Ranger III.

Pleasant Plains

Accepting a plaque on behalf of the community of Pleasant Plains are Rick Siler, Pleasant Plains Mayor, and Stacey Caplener, Pleasant Plains Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief. Also pictured are Lowell Altom, White County Ranger II, and White County Judge Michael Lincoln.

Fifth Year Firewise Communities/USA

Holiday Island

Accepting a plaque on behalf of the community of Holiday Island are Jack Deaton, Holiday Island Fire Chief; Connie Deaton and Tony Siciliano, Holiday Island firefighter and Arkansas FireWise consultant.

Norman

Accepting a plaque on behalf of the community of Norman are Tim Turner, Teresa Turner and Myrtle Parish. Also pictured is Ben Rowland, Fire Program Manager, Ouachita National Forest, Caddo/Womble Ranger District.

Story

Accepting a plaque on behalf of the community of Story are Dale Morris and Earl Gene White.

Joplin

Accepting a plaque on behalf of the community of Joplin are Bob Bochik, Tera Bochik, Glen Mayle, Ken Mattson, Bill Barnes, Colleen Helms, Debi Barnes and Rita Arnett.

Oden

Accepting a plaque on behalf of the community of Oden are Horace Lawrence, Latresa Lawrence, Jeannette Fryar and Tommy Fryar.

Recognized Arkansas State Parks

Lake Catherine State Park

Accepting a plaque on behalf of Lake Catherine State Park are Bill Saunders, Superintendent, and Richard Boyes.

Mount Magazine State Park

Accepting a plaque on behalf of Mount Magazine State Park are Beck Bariola, Superintendent, and Doug Carter, Park Ranger.

Other photos from the event

The luncheon and recognition ceremony held at Mount Magazine Park was part of the day-long event "FireWise on the Mountain," that included a welcome by Mount Magazine State Park Superintendent Beck Bariola, presentations Dr. Kelly Hurt and Jack Deaton sharing the success story of fifth year community Holiday Island and Tony Siciliano's presentation on his accomplishments working with rural communities in Carroll, Boone and Madison Counties. A training session for Arkansas Forestry Commission Rangers was held following the recognition ceremony. John Shannon, State Forester, introduced Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe. David Samuel, Arkansas FireWise Coordinator, served as master of ceremonies.