During the opening ceremonies of Firehouse Expo on October 20th, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) presented the Arthur J. Glatfelter Distinguished Service Award to Gerard F. Scannell, Chief A. Marvin Gibbons (posthumously) and Hal Bruno (posthumously). The award recognizes Outstanding Contributions to Support and Further the Mission of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.
Chief Dennis Compton, Chairman of the NFFF Board of Directors, Chief Ron Siarnicki, Executive Director of the NFFF, and Troy Markel, President of VFIS and a member of the NFFF’s Board of Directors, presented the awards to Chief Gibbons’ wife Mary Ann and to Hal Bruno’s son, Harold Bruno.
2016 Recipients of the Arthur J. Glatfelter Distinguished Service Award
Gerard F. Scannell
Gerard worked hard all of his life to address job related hazards. He served as the head of the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, part of the Department of Labor. He was a former OSHA official and director of safety and environmental affairs for Johnson & Johnson.
He was with the National Safety Council for years and was committed to reducing firefighter deaths and injuries. He served as both Vice Chair and Chairman of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and worked with the Board of Directors to remodel the national memorial in 2003.
Chief A. Marvin Gibbons
Chief Gibbons was a Past President of the Maryland State Firemen’s Association (MSFA) and a member of the Hillandale Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. in Montgomery County, Maryland.
Chief Gibbons was man whose impact on the fire service was felt nationwide. Like Art Glatfelter, Chief Gibbons was committed to honoring the fallen and worked tirelessly to establish the National Fallen Firefighter’s Memorial. In 1990, Chief Gibbons was honored with an award for outstanding service from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for his work in overseeing the design and construction of the Memorial.
The memorial and the annual National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend were among Marvin’s proudest achievements in his lifetime. We are grateful for all his efforts.
Hal Bruno
For more than 60 years, Hal Bruno served as an active member of the fire service community, giving selflessly as a dedicated volunteer firefighter, advocate, commentator and leader. He is renowned for his commitment to fire safety initiatives and his compassion for the members of the fire service and their families.
Hal was appointed chairman of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation in 1999, a distinction he held until his retirement in 2008. He set the standard for honoring the fallen, caring for their families and preventing future firefighter deaths and injuries. Hal’s approach was straightforward: Care for the families of our fallen heroes as you care for your own.
Under Hal’s leadership the Foundation expanded workshops, conferences and scholarships for survivors. He guided and supported the Foundation in developing safety initiatives for firefighters and advancing safety practices to reduce the number of line-of-duty deaths and injuries.
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