This year's recipient of the Kyle Brayer Veteran in Public Safety Award is Captain Joe Escontrias. 

Captain Joe Escontrias proudly served our country as an SGT in the United States Marine Corps as an Aircraft Firefighting and Rescue Specialist. His accomplishments include a medal of good conduct, marine unit citation, and 2 naval achievement medals.  

Captain Escontrias joined the Tempe Fire Medical Rescue Department 14 years ago and has served our community as a Firefighter Paramedic an Engineer Paramedic, served on our Tactical Response Teams, Hazmat, currently as a Captain Paramedic and TLO for Tempe Fire Medical Rescue Department.

Captain Escontrias is presently assigned to the training division where he has been an exceptional and inspirational leader and employee within the Tempe Fire Medical Rescue Department. He has taken on the role of RTO assisting with the success of two of Tempe's largest recruit classes in the last decade, he continues to mold the future of our young firefighters by his willingness to work with new cadets, volunteering his time before his shift starts to do skills work and assist them with interview prep or any other tasks they will need to succeed in the fire service.

 

He has assisted with developing new probationary training logs for all new members, civilian and sworn that come to the department. His dedication is apparent as he spends long hours at the training center assisting with developing and implanting new trainings for the department that will be beneficial and potentially lifesaving for years to come. 

Captain Escontrias played a vital role in working closely with other Tempe city departments to have the city receive and ISO 1 rating. This rating is given to less than 5% of cities nationwide receiving such an honor is a significant accomplishment. He has worked to ensure that the Tempe Fire Medical Rescue department captures trainings as well as exposures in an easy identifiable way thru our existing software, that will continue to support the department and city for years to come.

Captain Escontrias continually shows a willingness to take on new challenges to help grow himself as a captain as well as the members that work with him on a day to day basis. He has proven himself to be a proven leader who with his hard work and dedication is a true asset to this department and the city. He lives the mission of the department and daily tries to better himself and those that he works with.