The Richard DeMello Public Safety Communications Advocacy Award was Presented to Retired Deputy Fire Chief Barry Luke on November 23^rd.  Chief Harlin McEwen, the first DeMello Award recipient, announced the recognition during the Radio Club of America's 110th annual banquet held in New York City.

Chief Luke Started his Public Safety Career at Age 15 with the Gainesville (Florida) Police Department Explorer Program in which he Worked as a Volunteer Police Dispatcher.  After graduating from high school, with only Red Cross advanced first aid training, he was hired as a rescue technician and assigned to a rural fire station.  He subsequently worked as a firefighter, paramedic, law enforcement officer, and flight medic with several agencies in the central Florida area.  In 1988, he became the Director of Public Safety Communications for the Gainesville Police Department and helped lead a successful consolidation of the City and County PSAPs.

In 1997, Chief Luke was Hired by Orange County, Florida Fire Rescue where he served as Fire Communications Manager, Division Chief, and Deputy Chief.  He helped manage several disaster events and received an award from the Congressional 911 Caucus on behalf of his agency's handling of emergency communications in the aftermath of Hurricane Charley which generated 465 emergency incidents that were held for dispatch as the storm traveled over Orange County.

In 2008, Chief Luke Started Working with NPSTC and was Appointed Deputy Executive Director, Remaining in that Position through his Retirement in July of this Year.  In that role, he helped manage the NPSTC Committees and Working Groups and wrote dozens of reports and technical documents.  He is a Life Member of APCO and has received numerous awards during his 45 years in public safety.  Some of his most memorable projects involved the creation of technical reports which documented capabilities needed by first responders using the new Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network, now known as FirstNet.  Today, he works as a volunteer in the Trauma Center at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle and helps facilitate the NPSTC EMS Working Group.

Chief Luke's Entire Career has been Focused on Public Safety and Public Safety Communications and has Earned him Everyone's Appreciation for the Time he has Spent with NPSTC.  Congratulations Barry!