The St. Louis Retired Black Professional Fire Chiefs and Firefighters recently recognized Fire Chief Sherman George with its Leader of the Year award.
“Chief Sherman George, a 38-year veteran of the St. Louis Fire Department and the first African-American Fire Chief in the department’s 149-year history as a paid department has distinguished himself as a true leader in the city of St. Louis and through out the state of Missouri. His character and integrity are without question,” the group said, in a statement.
“Chief George’s accomplishments have had a progressive expansion each year since his appointment as Fire Chief in 1999, beginning with a whooping reduction in overtime cost of over $400,000 in one year. While working in a collaborative effort, this Chief has obtained grants in excess of $5 million and placed life-saving Automated External Defibrillators (AED’s) in city buildings.”
Chief George was also nominated on a national level as Fire Chief of the Year and received the 2005 Community Service Award as well as the King Man of the Year award in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
