Recipients of the 2025 Texas Fire Service Hall of Honor Lifetime Achievement Award Announced

COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS – On January 19, 2025, four individuals will be inducted into the Texas Fire Service Hall of Honor for their career-long commitment to the Texas Fire Service. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes current and former firefighters, emergency service personnel and others who have made significant contributions and shown outstanding commitment to the Texas Fire Service. This year’s award recipients, Dr. G. Kemble Bennett, Stuart Grant, Helen Benner Johnson and W. H. “Willie” Wisko, will join six previous inductees to the Hall of Honor.

Dr. G. Kemble Bennett is a dedicated educator whose life work has been in public service. He has led large organizations, chaired educational, professional and governmental boards and has made significant contributions to the practice of industrial engineering and emergency services. Bennett previously served as the director of the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) and was instrumental in founding Texas A&M Task Force 1 and Disaster City®. Throughout his career, he impacted and strengthened many aspects of disaster response in Texas and beyond.

Grapevine Fire Department Assistant Chief Stuart Grant is a dedicated firefighter, paramedic and trainer and a published author and administrator with over 45 years of experience in the Texas Fire Service. He was instrumental in developing an urban search and rescue team in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, known today as Texas Task Force 2. Grant is widely known for his willingness to share his experiences and knowledge with firefighters across Texas and the nation through his involvement at TEEX’s annual Municipal Fire Training School, the Fire Department Instructors Conference and local training academies.

Helen Benner Johnson has distinguished herself as a member of the fire service profession who has excelled in her dedication and service to the first responder community and citizens of Texas. Her service as the Commissioner of the Texas Emergency Services Retirement System, her support of volunteer firefighters across Texas and her efforts as the Executive Director of the State Firefighters’ and Fire Marshals’ Association were instrumental in bringing awareness and support to firefighters from the Texas Legislature.

Former Galveston Fire Chief W. H. “Willie” Wisko Jr. will be honored posthumously for 60 years of service to the Texas Fire Service. From his tireless efforts to create the Texas Fire Chiefs Association to his advocacy for the Texas Fire Service on the national stage, many remember his desire to help and teach. Following his retirement as the Galveston Fire Chief, Wisko continued his mission to help by working with FEMA as a disaster assistance specialist until his passing in 2023.

TEEX is the host agency for the Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Hall of Honor display is located in the Les W. Bunte Jr. Administration and Classroom Complex at Brayton Fire Training Field in College Station, Texas. The award selection committee is comprised of representatives from several member organizations from the Texas Fire Consortium, including the Texas Fire Chiefs Association, Texas Fire Marshals Association, Texas State Association of Fire and Emergency Districts, State Firefighters’ and Fire Marshals’ Association, the Texas Commission on Fire Protection, the Texas A&M Forest Service and the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service.

For more information or to purchase tickets to the Texas Fire Service Hall of Honor Lifetime Achievement Award dinner and ceremony, go to txhallofhonor.org.

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Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service
Vita Vaughn | Director of Marketing and Communications/CMO
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