Chamber Honors Local Firefighter For Emergency Response Expertise

RESTON, VA — The Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce recently honored a local firefighter as its first responder of the quarter, according to a post on the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department's blog.

Capt. Mike Allen of the B-Shift was recognized for his expertise in emergency response to the Great Falls and the greater Reston area.

Having served as a captain at Station 12 in Great Falls for nearly 10 years, Allen leads a team responsible for responding to emergencies in a diverse and challenging community made up of a variety of buildings, from high-rises to single-family homes. The area also includes single-lane roads, major highways, and Metro stations.

After the derecho knocked out power for days in the Great Falls in 2016, many homes were unable to draw water from their well pumps. Allen delivered lifesaving water to horses in the area.

"Captain Allen has personally invested his time and energy to educate and train not only himself and his crew, but also to mentor firefighters, officers, and chief officers who are not familiar with the area," the blog post said. "He takes time to explain operations and take people on 'field trips,' driving them around to show them the challenges and response plans for these unique areas. He is actively engaged in the community and goes above and beyond what is expected, particularly on non-emergency events."