McLean, Va. – The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Volunteer and Combination Officers Section (VCOS) has officially announced the winner of the 2024 John M. Buckman III Leadership Award.
Fire Chief Brian McQueen (Ret.) has been selected as this year’s winner by the VCOS board and their partners at Provident Insurance. Chief McQueen has proven himself an exceptional leader and has been a tireless advocate for firefighter health, both during and after his official tenure as Chief of the Whitesboro Fire Department (New York).
Chief McQueen was diagnosed with cancer in 2014, and it was soon confirmed to be a direct result of his work as a firefighter. Brian used his diagnosis as inspiration and led the Firefighter’s Association of the State of New York in its charge to lobby the state legislature to create a cancer benefit for all volunteer firefighters. Their efforts were successful, and the benefit became active in 2019.
Chief McQueen is a co-founder of the Believe 271 Foundation, Inc., a 501c3 non-profit that assists firefighters in Oneida and Herkimer Counties through their battles with cancer. Since its inception, the organization has provided $419,125 of assistance to those in need.
Along with his colleague, Chief James Seavey Jr., Brian represented the National Volunteer Fire Council at the first National Cancer Alliance meeting. He helped lay the foundation for the first Lavender Ribbon Report, which continues to provide vital information on the prevention and mitigation of firefighter cancer. Through this and many other achievements, Chief McQueen has proven himself a true champion for firefighter health and wellness.
“Chief McQueen epitomizes servant leadership both within the fire service and in many other aspects of society,” said Chief Rich Cowger, the current VCOS Chair. “Brian works tirelessly to educate firefighters [and their departments] on cancer prevention, and he’s done an incredible job spreading awareness about the benefits that firefighters diagnosed with the disease have available to them.”
Alongside his work as an advocate, Chief McQueen continues to assist the Whitesboro Fire Department’s Training Division by offering his time and expertise as an instructor. He was instrumental in helping secure grant funding for the Whitestown MAZE training complex and has been a key part of many other training projects, initiatives, and programs within the volunteer fire service.
VCOS and Provident Insurance will officially present Chief McQueen with the John M. Buckman III Leadership Award at the 2024 Symposium in the Sun in Clearwater, Florida. VCOS has waived the recipient’s registration fees as part of this award, and the award’s sponsor, Provident Insurance, will pay for all travel and lodging expenses associated with his attendance.
About VCOS:
The IAFC's Volunteer & Combination Officers Section (VCOS) represents the efforts of fire chiefs across the U.S. and Canada addressing the needs of volunteer and combination emergency response agencies. Their efforts are focused on specific areas of organizational management that present challenges to creating and sustaining viable emergency response programs.
About Provident Insurance
Provident Insurance is a pioneer in developing insurance programs for firefighters, EMS providers, municipal entities, and law enforcement.