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High points for our community-focused champions
Photo Above: Captain Dwight Smith and Firefighter M. Jones take a picture with Craighead Elementary School students after teaching fire safety.
MFRD Captain Dwight Smith
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MFRD Captain Dwight Smith says the Public Fire & Life Safety Division annually averages approximately 300 fire and life safety events, 80 truck events and 450 smoke alarms home installation. However, through this year’s highly successful SMOKE ALARM BLITZ, the number of smoke alarms home installations is close to tripling with over 1,000 to date.
Captain Smith is a community risk reduction fire and life safety educator. He graduated from the Mobile Fire-Rescue Training School in the winter of 1998. In his current role, he is responsible for developing and presenting community risk reduction-related education to the general public, health care facilities, schools and to any civic group upon request.
When asked what is his favorite part of the job, he said it’s the opportunity to know he can make a difference in someone’s life through fire and life safety education. Captain Smith’s programming includes Fire Safety in Schools, Youth Fire Risk Invention Program and Mobile Fire Extinguisher Program.
MPD Officer Gary Owens
Officer Gary Owens of the MPD Crime Prevention Unit has served the Mobile community for 19 1/2 years and steers up purposeful programs such as Project Care, Coffee with a Cop, Junior Police Academy and Meals on Wheels at Mardi Gras. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has placed limitations on his community service programs, Officer Owens’ work will be modeled for years ahead. Notably, as chairperson for National Night Out, Officer Owens earned Mobile the recognition as one of the Top 20 Cities in the U.S. for hosting a well-planned National Night Out event. And, in 2019, to give families a safe and fun outing for Halloween, Officer Owens partnered with MFRD and Public Works to organize a first-ever Public Safety Trunk or Treat event. It attracted nearly 3,000 attendees.
“It is a honor for me to get up each day and put this uniform on and serve the citizens of the wonderful city of ours,” said Officer Owens, who has received the Excellent Police Duty Award four times during his career.
Officer Gary Owens instructing the 2021 Junior Police Academy.
