Leland Gayheart was a 23-year-old firefighter who lost his life due to a devastating burn injury in 1991. As a tribute, the Leland Gayheart Prevention Award was created to encourage prevention programs within local fire departments.
The award is presented to the fire department whose innovative efforts have demonstrated a statewide, countywide or citywide impact on prevention and fire safety. The Leland Gayheart Prevention Award is presented annually by the Gayheart family and the University of Michigan Trauma Burn Center.
All entries are judged on program design, outcomes, leadership role, target audience and impact on local, state or national level. All nominations are reviewed by the University of Michigan Trauma Burn Center and recipients receive a $500 honorarium and a plaque.
“We commend the Farmington Hills Fire Department on their obvious passion and dedication to the prevention of fire-related injuries in the community,” said Karla Klas, Injury Prevention Education Specialist at the University of Michigan Trauma Burn Center.
According to Lt. Denny Hughes, fire and life safety educator with the Farmington Hills Fire Department, “Project Hot Stove” was created due to an upward trend in kitchen fires in the community.
“We especially wanted to reach out to residents from different ethnic backgrounds, so the DVD is going to be translated into multiple languages including Mandarin Chinese, Lebanese and Spanish,” he said, noting that other languages may be considered if requested.
