About the Award
The IAFC Ben Franklin Award for Valor, sponsored by Motorola Solutions, is the IAFC's most prestigious award. Since 1970, the award has recognized the spirit of service, courage and heroism that is a proud tradition among the world's fire and emergency service. The program is named for one of the first fire chiefs in the United States, Benjamin Franklin. An inventor, statesman and humanitarian, Mr. Franklin was a prime contributor to the wealth of tradition that symbolizes the fire and emergency service worldwide.
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Presented annually at Fire-Rescue International (FRI) by the IAFC and Motorola Solutions, the award honors a firefighter for his or her expert training, professional service and dedication to the duty displayed in saving human life. But the program is more than that. It helps raise public awareness and support for the fire and emergency service.
The nomination period is OPEN!
Criteria
All active firefighters career or volunteer, whether on or off-duty, are eligible for award consideration for an incident in which they saved a human life. The nomination must be submitted by the Fire Chief/Chief of Department.
The incident must have occurred no earlier than April 1, 2024, and no later than December 31, 2025, for the nomination to qualify for the 2026 program cycle. An individual or a team of up to four may be nominated. All nominations are reviewed by a select committee of IAFC members.
Required Information
- Nominee(s) full name and contact details
- Description of the incident
- Copy of the incident report from your department
Optional Information
- Information about local awards and recognition that have been made concerning this incident (maximum of 3)
- Any other information you feel will be helpful in review of this nomination (ie. Media coverage, photographs, reports by superiors/ fellow firefighters – maximum of 3)
Submit Nomination
The nomination period closes April 6, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET. Recipient and regret notifications will be issued by June, followed by a public announcement of the recipient(s). The award recipient(s) and their department chief will receive VIP treatment during FRI, August 12-14, 2026, in Kansas City, Missouri. The award presentations will take place during the FRI general session, Friday, August 14, 2026. The recipient's chief is also presented with the Benjamin Franklin Departmental Award for Leadership.
Questions? Contact: BenFranklinAward@iafc.org.
2025 Honoree
The 2025 Ben Franklin Award for Valor was presented to; firefighters Kyle Steen, Nick Jasnoch and Morgan Helton and Fire Chief Jason Culberson from Rapid City (SD) Fire Department
View Press Release