MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. -- The Department of Defense has selected James C. Summers, a fire inspector at the station's fire department, as the 2002 Marine Corps Civilian Fire Fighter of the year.
What is fascinating about the award, which was announced in August, is Summers has only been involved in fire fighting and prevention for about a year, said Charles B. Duffy, station fire chief.
"(Summers) is the best of the best," added Duffy. "He competed against fire fighters from 14 bases, which includes fire prevention and fire fighting. He's only been working here for a little over a year; definitely a fast learner."
Before fire prevention, Summers, a retired Marine master gunnery sergeant, was a military policeman at the station's Provost Martial's Office.
"I retired from the Marine Corps in June 2001 after 26 years of service," Summers said. "Once I retired, I thought about law enforcement in the civilian sector. I was hired by the City of Yuma Police Department."
After graduating from police academy, Summers decided police work was not what he wanted to commit himself to for the next 15 to 20 years.
"I didn't have a comfortable feeling (about doing police work)," he said. "Anytime you're in a profession like that and you're carrying a gun, second chance vest and dealing with the criminal element, if you're not sure you want to do the job, you're putting yourself and partner in jeopardy."
That's when Summers decided to hang up his badge for good.
However, opportunity knocked shortly thereafter when a position for fire inspector became available at the station fire department.
Summers applied for the position.
Familiar with Summers' work ethic, Duffy decided to give him a chance.
So began a new chapter in the former police officer's life.
In the following months, Summers studied dozens of fire prevention manuals, attended the DOD's fire inspector course, Arizona Western College's 17-week fire fighter academy and dozens of other classes and seminars. He has become a sort of walking encyclopedia for fire codes and regulations.
"The job was difficult at first because there were a lot of reference documents that I had to be familiar with," he said.
Today, Summers is responsible for meticulously inspecting more than 100 buildings on and off station to ensure they will provide safety and security to inhabitants if a fire occurred.
During an inspection, Summers will inspect sprinklers, extinguishers, doors and fire escape displays throughout a building.
According to Duffy, Summers' title of best fire fighter of the year is well deserved.
In his time as inspector, Summers has initiated a program to upgrade the fire extinguisher system for the 150-pound wheeled Halon systems aboard the station, identified a design flaw in the fire sprinkler system for newly constructed military family housing, investigated several minor structural and vehicle fires to determine origin and cause and instructed several hundred Marines, airmen and DOD personnel about fire safety in office and work spaces.
"Some people say I'm pretty modest about winning the award," said Summers. "I'd say it's an outstanding accomplishment, but that achievement would have never been obtained if it weren't for the chief, assistant chief and my fellow co-workers. They're the ones who trained me in fire prevention and how to be a fire inspector. This award belongs to them as much as it does to me."
The award means little to Summers. At the end of the day, the only thing he is concerned with, he said, is preventing the loss of life.
He might be doing a different job, but the former Marine is still dedicated to protecting others.