During FRI 2025, the prestigious Garry Briese IAFC Safety Performance Award was presented posthumously to John Miclot—a passionate leader and advocate for firefighter health and safety whose sudden passing in early 2025 left a lasting impact on the fire service community. The award took place on Thursday, August 14, recognizing John’s lifetime of service, innovation, and generosity.
John brought an unmatched blend of leadership, expertise, and compassion to every role he held. As a volunteer firefighter with the Fox Chapel Fire Department and a national safety officer with the Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA), he was deeply committed to reducing line-of-duty deaths and injuries through practical, actionable safety initiatives.
A Board Member of the First Responder Center for Excellence (FRCE), John championed firefighter wellness on a national scale. His efforts ranged from strategic planning to personal engagement – including speaking at a recent two-day wellness summit at the FDNY Fire Academy, where he emphasized the essential link between fitness, health, and operational performance.
The FRCE is an NFFF affiliate organization, created in 2016. Its mission is to promote quality educational awareness and research to reduce physical and psychological health and wellness issues for first responders.
He was always willing to share his expertise, connect people and ideas, and champion our mission. John did not simply advise—he showed up.
The Garry Briese IAFC Safety Performance Award honors those who go beyond expectations to advance safety in the fire service. Few have done so with the heart, humility, and effectiveness of
John Miclot.
