Texas Fire Service Hall of Honor Lifetime Achievement Award
This annual award recognizes individuals from the fire service with outstanding commitment and contributions to the Texas Fire Service. All donations will be to TEEX for the support of the Texas Fire Service Hall of Honor.
Lifetime Achievement Award, given posthumously to Chief Shawn Snider of Edinburg FD, is accepted by his wife and daughter in 2024.
2025 Lifetime Achievement Award Dinner Ceremony
Join us for the Lifetime Achievement Award Dinner Ceremony, Sunday, January 19, 2025 from 5 – 8 PM at the Embassy Suites Hotel & Conference Center in Frisco, TX. Dinner tickets must be purchased in advance.
Who’s Eligible to be Nominated?
Nominees MUST be either:
- a current or retired firefighter from a career, combination or volunteer fire department or
- another member of the fire service profession who has excelled in their dedication and service to first responders and citizens of Texas.
Nominees should also meet the following criteria:
- They have attained prominence through their professional careers or other endeavors that significantly contributed to the development and growth of the Texas Fire Service.
- They have a distinguished record of outstanding service to the Texas Fire Service and
- They have been recognized statewide for their efforts, or their contributions to the Texas Fire Service have been identified as impactful and necessary.
Nomination Process
Almost anyone can submit a nomination, including past award recipients.
However, current Texas Fire Service Hall of Honor selection committee members are not allowed to submit nominations. Self-nominations are not accepted.
Selection Process
TEEX shall be the administrator and host organization of the Texas Fire Service Hall of Honor Lifetime Achievement Award program. Nominations will be presented to a selection committee comprised of one representative from each organization represented in the Texas Fire Service Consortium. The selection committee will review all nominations and decide on the recipient(s). Induction into the Hall of Honor is not limited to one recipient per year, and an inductee is not required annually.
Award Timeline
Nomination Deadline
First Friday in August
Judging
August-October
Recipient(s) Announced
mid-October
Recipient(s) Honored
annually at TEEX’s Leadership Development Symposium
Hall of Honor Recipients
2025
Dr. G. Kemble Bennett, Senior Professor Texas A&M University, Former Director of TEEX
Stuart Grant, Operations Chief, Grapevine FD; Former Chief of Dallas FD
Helen B. Johnson, Retired Executive Director, SFFMA; Firefighters Pension Commissioner
Willie Wisko, Former Galveston Fire Chief; Executive Board, TFCA; FEMA
2024
Chief Steve Bass, Grapevine Fire Dept.
Chief Shawn Snider, Edinburg Fire Dept.
2023
Chief C.T. “Tommy” Anderson, Santa Fe Fire & Rescue
Lieutenant Steve L. Harris, Dallas Fire Dept.
Mike Higgins, Sherman Fire Dept.
Wendy Norris, Texas Line of Duty Task Force
Visit the Hall of Honor
The Hall of Honor display will be located in the lobby of the new Les W. Bunte, Jr. Classroom and Administration Building at the TEEX Brayton Fire Training Field in College Station, TX.
TEEX Selected as Host Agency
TEEX was selected as the host agency for the Hall of Honor Lifetime Achievement Award. As the host agency, TEEX is responsible for providing administrative oversight of the nomination and selection processes, coordinating the annual induction ceremony, and chairing the selection committee.
The Hall of Honor selection committee will be comprised of appointed positions from each of the following organizations represented in the Texas Fire Service Consortium:
- Texas Fire Chiefs Association – TFCA
- State Firefighters’ and Fire Marshals’ Association of Texas – SFFMA
- Texas State Association of Firefighters – TSAFF
- Texas State Association of Fire and Emergency Districts – SAFE-D
- Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service – TEEX
- Texas A&M Forest Service – TAMFS
- Texas Fire Marshals’ Association – TXFMA
- Texas Commission on Fire Protection – TCFP
Who is TEEX?
TEEX makes a difference by providing training, developing practical solutions and saving lives. The major TEEX programs include fire and rescue, infrastructure and safety, law enforcement, economic and workforce development, and homeland security. As a member of The Texas A&M University System, TEEX is unique in its ability to access a broad range of emerging research and technical expertise.
Working with other agencies and encouraging involvement has led to better fire safety and emergency response, better roads and infrastructure, improved homeland security, safer workplaces, heightened public safety and security, new therapeutics manufacturing and the evolution of cybersecurity. By placing safety and well-being above all and by focusing on prevention and response, TEEX has become a comprehensive training provider through more than 80 years of extension training. Additional information about TEEX can be found at teex.org.
Contact Info
Please let us know if you would like more information about the Texas Fire Service Hall of Honor Lifetime Achievement Award, Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service or Donation opportunities.