Jay Evans
HFD

The HFD Citizens’ Fire Academy is Jay Evans’ most tangible gift to the city ... Mr. Evans’ brainchild is a tremendous forum for dialogue between fire department personnel and the people they serve.

 

The HFD Citizens’ Fire Academy is Jay Evans’ most tangible gift to the city. In this 12-week course that he developed, firefighters and paramedics teach civilians about response times, floods, downed power lines, fire drills, and investigations, to name only a few of the challenges they face. The civilian students get to wear bunker gear, ride along and learn firsthand what it’s like to fight a fire.

But the Citizens’ Fire Academy is more than a fire department “fantasy camp.” Mr. Evans’ brainchild is a tremendous forum for dialogue between fire department personnel and the people they serve.

When he is off duty, Mr. Evans is still on duty – always prepared to protect the people. He has been a member of Houston Volunteer Firefighters for more than 40 years and has been the chief of the group for 20 of those years. He drives a car with a trunk full of firefighting gear, ready to battle a blaze if it arises.

To honor his fallen brothers and sisters in fire departments throughout the United States, Mr. Evans has compiled a book of deaths in the line of duty. The book has information about those firefighters’ families and the departments they served.

Mr. Evans has honored the history of Houston’s fire department by serving as a board president for the Houston Fire Museum.

For his dedication to a safer Houston, and for honoring those who have paid the ultimate price to protect citizens – we proudly honor Jay Evans by presenting him with the Bravo Award.