Longtime Odenton Firefighter Receives Prestigious State Award

ODENTON, MD -- Volunteer first responders sacrifice their time, sometimes their sleep and even their own safety to protect and help others. David W. Lewis has served the community of Odenton as a 47-year veteran of the Odenton Volunteer Fire Company of which he is a life member. Recently, Lewis was honored by the Maryland State Firemen's Association with the Robert H. Shimer Administrative Person of the Year Award for 2019.

Lewis not only has been on the front line of numerous fires and emergencies during those 47 years, he also has served the fire company as a past president, past line officer and sat on many committees. He's also a past president two times over for the Anne Arundel County Volunteer Firefighter's Association. He was inducted into the association's Hall of Fame in 2000, is a trustee emeritus and remains active on several committees.

He's served the Maryland State Firemen's Association since 1978 and was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 2002. He received the Gladhill-Thompson Trophy in 2016 after serving as president from 2011-2012. During his term, he initiated the Cancer Support Network Committee and the Wills for Hero’s Committees that still are active committees.

In 2012, Lewis was instrumental in helping pass legislation in Maryland that required sprinklers in all new single-family residences. He currently serves as one of two Maryland directors to the Cumberland Valley Volunteer Firemen’s Association and as one of two Maryland directors to the National Volunteer Fire Council. He sits on the association's grants committee, the recruitment and retention committee, the incentives committee and the convention committee.

One of the Lewis’ key contributions was his leadership in securing a $2.2 million grant award under FEMA’s Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program for the MSFA. The MSFA hoped to secure the grant in order to develop a statewide recruitment and retention program. He co-authored the MSFA proposal, and when the decision was made to merge MSFA’s application with that from the Maryland Fire Chiefs Association, he assisted in brokering an agreement that defined the roles and authorities of each organization in the grant award. After being awarded the grant, he developed a strategic plan for the four-year implementation of the projects available under the grant.

Lewis' knowledge of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program has been recognized across the state and the country. Each year, prior to the grant application period, he travels across the state to lead application workshops that help ensure departments understand the requirements for grant submittal and what makes a successful grant application.

This dedicated firefighter also travels around the United States teaching fire service-related courses and attends numerous meetings, conferences and conventions in support of the fire service.