Georgia State Fire Marshal Dwayne Garriss has been named the recipient of the 2018 Excellence in Fire & Life Safety Award.
The award, sponsored by the International Code Council (ICC) and the Fire & Life Safety Section (FLSS) of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), honors those who have dedicated themselves to saving lives and property through the development of codes, fire-prevention practices and leadership techniques.
While many women and men commit themselves daily to reducing community risk in our nation’s fire departments and allied agencies, there are some individuals whose commitment, skill and perseverance rise above the norm and deserve special recognition. These are the men and women for whom the Excellence in Fire & Life Safety Award was intended.
Deputy Fire Chief Andy King with the Franklin Tennessee Fire Department, Chair of the Fire & Life Safety Section, presented the award to Chief Garriss citing his many contributions and accomplishments, his great sense of humor and camaraderie with his peers, and commending his activity and strong leadership in the code development process related to fire and life safety. Representing the International Code Council Board of Directors, Board member Angie Wiese spoke about Chief Garriss’ accomplishments, his role in mentoring the next generation, and his help in mentoring and introducing her to the activities of the ICC board.
With an educational background in architecture from the University of Tennessee, Garriss started his career as a mechanical engineer project manager and then relocated to the Georgia Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner in 1988 as a fire safety engineer. In 2011 he was appointed as the Georgia State Fire Marshal in 2011. Chief Garriss is the immediate past president of the International Code Council Board of Directors and has been an active member of ICC’s Fire Code Council, including serving as chair.
This article includes excerpts from the August 14, 2018, issue of the Building Safety Journal Online, copyright International Code Council, and is reprinted with permission.