Buckley Fire Department wins two AFSPC awards Published Feb. 7, 2014 By Airman 1st Class Samantha Saulsbury 460th Space Wing Public Affairs BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo.- -- The Buckley Fire Department won two 2013 Air Force Space Command awards for their dedication to base safety. The Buckley Fire Department earned the 2013 AFSPC Fire Prevention Program of the Year award and Michael Anderson, Buckley Fire Department inspector, earned the 2013 AFSPC Civilian Officer of the Year award. According to the International Association of Fire Chiefs website, the annual Fire Prevention Program of the Year award recognizes the achievements of the Department of Defense's best fire prevention program. "Our main job is identifying fire deficiencies and correcting them," said Tim Bosch, Buckley Fire Department chief. The Buckley Fire Department led the way at AFSPC and Air Force level at zero-dollar fire loss; no property loss was reported all year. Dave Herman, fire prevention assistant chief, stresses that working for the fire department doesn't mean just responding to emergencies. "The overall responsibility of fire prevention is inspections, code enforcement and handling public education for the installation," Herman said. "If a fire extinguisher training class is scheduled for your unit, we'll be the ones over there teaching it." The fire department is responsible for inspecting more than 200 buildings on base for any possible fire deficiencies. "The most effective way to stop a fire is to prevent it from happening," Herman said. One individual, Anderson, was highlighted for his devotion to base safety, ensuring each building was properly inspected for any fire hazards. According to Bosch, Anderson was well deserving of the Civilian Officer of the Year award. His hard work and dedication was a large contribution to the unit's success. "He's identified as the strength of the unit effectiveness inspection," Bosch stated.