Emergency Vehicle Technicians

The Jim A. Bland Memorial Award has been presented at every Southwest EVT Conference since 2002 to a member of our industry who has demonstrated the professionalism, achievement, and vision that Jim Bland exercised in his long career in the industry.

Jim A. Bland was the former supervisor of the Houston Fire Department Maintenance Shop and, at the time of his untimely death, was serving as the City of Houston Fire Marshall.

He was on the NFPA Apparatus Standards Committee and the Texas A&M Fire School faculty in College Station, Texas.

He was a charter member of the Texas Association of Emergency Vehicle Technicians and served at various levels throughout the country on apparatus maintenance standards at the highest levels.

His sudden death before our conference in Tyler, Texas, was a morale blow to the staff and members of the Oklahoma and Texas EVTs. However, establishing this presentation inspired the conference to move forward with his legacy and inspire others to continue making sacrifices to the public safety profession.

This award has been given to industry leaders like William Foster, retired Vice President of Spartan Motors, and Al Conkle, from the Ohio Fire Mechanics Association.

In 2023, it was with great honor that Dean Mayhew, 2017 Jim Bland Award, presented Tommy Moak 2023 with this honor along with the Jim Bland Award Committee. The Jim Bland Committee held this year's awardee to display the type of achievement and sacrifice to the common good to be presented with this award.

Sincerely, Terry Slayton. 2004.