FY2017 Arlington Fire Department Annual Report FY 2017 | Page 30

Fire Chief Recognized by the American Medical Association
In February 2017, Fire Chief Don Crowson was honored in Washington, DC by the
American Medical Association (AMA) as the recipient of the 2017 Dr. Nathan Davis
Award for Outstanding Career Public Servant on the Local Level. Chief Crowson was
recognized for the Arlington Fire Department's Community Paramedic Program which
aims to reduce EMS system demand, create cost savings for the City, reduce
unnecessary ER visits, and improve quality of life for citizens through offering
preventative in-home care to select patients. Named for the creator of the AMA, the
award recognizes federal, state, and local
officials whose career service has contributed to
the art and science of medicine and the
improvement of public health.
“The recognition by the AMA is an amazing
honor and a direct reflection of our team’s
commitment to public health and wellness in our
community. Our team’s success comes in from
the support of many partners in our community.
Together we’re making a difference in Arlington.
It’s nice to see that our efforts are being noticed
on national level.”
- Chief Crowson
Random Acts of Kindness
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In 2010, Arlington firefighters started the
Arlington Fire Charitable Group (AFCG), a
non-profit 501(c)(3), in order to raise and
distribute money to help those in need.
The non-profit, known as Random Acts of
Kindness (RAK), is used to support
members of the community, as well as
the Department, who are in need. The members of AFCG
select the organization or individuals in need of aid and
provide support, either monetarily or in the form of labor.
The intention of the program is to quickly respond to
people in difficult situations, without the time-consuming
processes often required for more formal assistance
programs. RAK recently received a generous donation
from former City of Arlington Mayor Robert Cluck and his
wife, Linda, to help with expenditures for those in need.
RAK has built a strong relationship with Mission Arlington to acquire items such as
medical beds, walkers, fans, and bikes to help conserve funds and provide greater RAK
assistance. Recent Random Acts of Kindness have included treating a terminally ill child
and her family to a special night out and helping with her subsequent funeral costs,
assisting with tree removal, repairing a damaged roof, clothing assistance, and, most
importantly, connecting citizens with City programs they can turn to for assistance.