Navy Fire and Emergency Services (F&ES) teams and personnel were recently acknowledged as the "best of the best" in the fleet and shore enterprise.

The 2016 F&ES awards, announced by Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) March 3, is an annual program implemented in 1997 which names the Navy's top winners, most of whom go on to compete in the Department of Defense-level award competition.

"Bravo Zulu and congratulations to all of our Navy F&ES award winners and nominees," said Vice Adm. Dixon Smith, commander of Navy Installations Command. "Competition at this level is fierce, and selecting this year's winners was extremely challenging. All participants should be very proud of their professional achievements and well-deserved recognition."

CNIC received 64 nominations which competed in 13 awards categories. The winners are expected to be formally recognized in front of their peers and region fire chiefs during an awards ceremony at CNIC headquarters in Washington, D.C., in May.

"The annual F&ES awards are a great opportunity to recognize the outstanding work Navy civilian and military firefighters are doing across the fleet," said Carl B. Glover Jr., director of CNIC's Navy F&ES. "Our firefighters are prepared to respond on a moment's notice, and if called upon, risk their life to save a life."

The following winners will continue as the Navy nominees for the corresponding DoD F&ES awards:

Navy Large Fire Department of the Year: Commander, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic District 3 Naval Air Station Oceana

Navy Medium Fire Department of the Year: Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka

Navy Small Fire Department of the Year: Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay

Navy Fire Prevention Program of the Year: Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka

Navy Military Fire Officer of the Year: Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) 1st Class Anthony Beck, San Diego Metro

Navy Civilian Fire Officer of the Year: Samuel Feltner, Naval Support Activity Naples

Navy Military Firefighter of the Year: Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) 2nd Class Austin Ulas, Naval Support Activity Naples

Navy Civilian Firefighter of the Year: Yu Nalazawa, Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka

Navy Fire Service Instructor of the Year: Robert Whittemore, San Diego Metro

The winners of the following Navy-specific award categories do not have a corresponding DoD-level award to compete for:

Navy Emergency Medical Services Provider of the Year: Craig Wright, Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay

Navy Fire Inspector of the Year: Keiko Sato, Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka

Navy Fire Chief of the Year: Kenneth Snyder, Commander, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic District 3 Naval Air Station Oceana

Navy F&ES Hall of Fame: Frederick Seibel, retired assistant fire chief, U.S. Naval Academy; Gelacio Rodriguez, retired region fire chief, Commander, Navy Region Midwest; Gerald Makowski, retired Pacific area fire marshal, U.S. Pacific Fleet; and the late John McDonald, retired battalion chief, Naval District Washington.

Navy Installations Command is comprised of approximately 52,000 military and civilian personnel worldwide responsible for the operations, maintenance, and quality of life programs to support the Navy's fleet, fighters, and their families.

For more information, visit http://www.navy.mil, http://www.facebook.com/usnavy, or http://www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from Commander, Navy Installations Command, visit http://www.navy.mil/ or http://www.cnic.navy.mil.