Citation honors outstanding public information work in emergency management
NORMAN – Major Brandon Pursell, with the Del City Fire Department, was recognized for his dedicated commitment to keeping the public informed with the 2011 Ben Frizzell Memorial Award. The citation was presented by the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) during this year’s emergency management conference. The award recognizes an individual who provides outstanding service in the area of emergency management public information.
This year’s award recipient has managed a vast array of duties with constant professionalism. He has become an essential element on all large events and emergencies in the city from damaging weather to public education activities. Most recently, he has provided crisis communications on wildfires, a flooding event, a blizzard, a fatality fire involving three children and a $6 million bond election.
On the public awareness and education side of his position, Pursell has developed and implemented many new programs, including the city’s School Zone Safety campaign and Safety Day at the municipal swimming pool. He also created and manages the city’s first Twitter and Facebook accounts and serves on the committee to help develop a new city website.
Additionally, Pursell was instrumental in the designation of Del City as a Storm Ready community and the delivery of more than $1 billion in grants to his city’s departments.
“Major Pursell is an invaluable asset for the City of Del City,” said Del City Fire Chief Jim Hock. “He recognizes the needs of not only the Fire Department but other departments within our city. He is always looking for ways to promote public safety education.”
“Major Brandon Pursell has been an outstanding partner to the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management and an outstanding ambassador of information for the residents of his city,” said OEM Director Albert Ashwood. “We commend his efforts as well as the City of Del City’s commitment to the need for public information during both disaster and non-disaster times.”
In addition to serving as Public Information Officer, Pursell is the Training Officer for the Del City Fire Department as well as a critical member of the Del City Emergency Management team.
The Ben Frizzell Memorial Award is presented in honor of the late OEM PIO who served the agency from 1995 to 2000.
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