Bill Williams Humanitarian Award Nomination

The Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs (OAFC) is inviting people to submit nominations for the Bill Williams Humanitarian Award.

Bill Williams loved people and was friends with everyone no matter who they worked for. He would go out of his way to help people, give them advice, or get them the product that they needed (even if it was not something that he sold). He was all about service. If you needed help, Bill would be there. He was constantly doing good deeds. He did things because he felt that it was the right thing to do.

Bill was a long-term employee of Safedesign and was a regular fixture at the OAFC Trade Show as the Exhibitors’ Representative and as the MC for prize draws.

A Bill Williams Humanitarian Award nominee has to be someone from the fire service or fire industry and should exemplify one or more of the following attributes:

Contribution to the community: Contributes to the community or the fire service over an extended period of time. This could be a lifetime of many small acts of kindness, a single incident that was above and beyond the expectations of the job, or an active ongoing contribution to an organization involved in humanitarian work. The results and outcome of the individual’s work should reflect positively on the fire service.
Exhibits professionalism: The individual exhibits a positive outlook and attitude. The individual consistently provides a high level of service while showing respect, compassion and courtesy to others.
Leads by example and influences others: The individual goes about the routines of her/his job, day in and day out, with a remarkable attitude and enthusiasm that influences and benefits others.

To learn more about Bill Willaims, you can view this video:

Additional Factors:

The nominee must be someone from the fire service or fire industry.
Self-nominations are not permitted.
The award will not be given merely to recognize long-term membership on a committee or organization.

Previous Recipients of the Bill Williams Humanitarian Award

Previous Recipients
Name		Year
Mike Vilneff		2022
Russell Chalmers		2018
Rick Chesebrough		2017
Aaron Blair		2016
Al Hills		2015
Gary Bullock		2014
Robert Kirkpatrick		2013
Chris Powers (Ret.)		2012
Bruce Little		2011
Garnet Bennett		2010
Aurèle Constantineau		2009

You are encouraged to submit nominations, including supporting documentation. An accurate, persuasive and well-documented justification that provides examples of how the nominee meets one or more of the above attributes and criteria is an essential part of the nomination and selection process. Each nomination will be considered on its own merits.

This award is based on the merit of received submissions; therefore, the award may not be given out each year. If you know someone who is deserving of this award, please complete the nomination form below.

This year, the Annual Awards will be held at the OAFC Conference and Trade Show on Thursday, May 4, 2023 at the International Centre in Mississauga, Ontario. The deadline for submissions is March 15, 2023. Please ensure you submit your nomination before the deadline.

For questions regarding the annual awards, feel free to contact us at info@oafc.on.ca.