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< Back John A. Donnelly, Sr. Fire & EMS Chief and Honorary Co-Chair, ex officio John A. Donnelly, Sr. started his career with DC Fire and EMS in 1992 at Truck 16. Over the course of his career he has served at Rescue Squad 3, Tower 3, and as Battalion Fire Chief 2; as the Division Commander of Special Operations, Homeland Security, and Apparatus Division; as a member of the Command Staff in Special Projects; and in Executive Officer Roles. In 2018, Chief Donnelly was promoted to the newly established Professional Development Bureau which included the Human Resources Division, Professional Standards Office, Training Division, Medical Services Division, and the Grants Office. Chief Donnelly serves on numerous committees supporting regional and national preparedness, including the International Association of Fire Chiefs Terrorism and Homeland Security Committee and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government’s Fire Chief’s Committee. Chief Donnelly is a long-time Ward 4 resident of the District of Columbia and lives in Manor Park. He spends his free time working with the Boy Scouts of Troop 98 in Brookland.

< Back Robert Holman, MD Board Member From 2013 to 2016 Dr. Holman served as Internal Medicine Discipline Director for Unity Health Care, Washington’s largest federally qualified health center. In 2016 he was asked to assist in the transformation of Washington, D.C.’s Fire and EMS agency, where he became their longest serving Medical Director – with accomplishments including: Development of the nation’s largest 911 nurse triage line; Increase in Utstein cardiac arrest survival rates from below national average in 2016 to being tied for #1 in the US in 2023; neurologically intact survivors increased by 200%; Improvement in stroke bundle of care performance from 7% in October 2022 to 70% in May 2024; Facilitated interagency collaboration to establish the D.C. Stabilization Center that directs intoxicated patients from Emergency Departments to a community stabilization center; and Launched field transfusion of whole blood in D.C., contributing to a decreased homicide rate. Dr. Holman served on GUSOM’s Committee on Admissions from 2001-09 and served the National Board of Medical Examiners for sixteen years as, primarily, a member of the USMLE Step 2 committee. He is recipient of the 2024 Eagle award for national leadership in EMS, awarded by the Metropolitan Medical Directors Global Alliance. Dr. Holman obtained his BA in Latin from the University of California, Davis, graduated from Georgetown University School of Medicine, interned at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, and later returned to Georgetown for the remainder of his Internal Medicine residency and chief residency before completing a Medical Staff Fellowship in Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health.

< Back Kate Fogle Archivist Kate previously served as an Associate Curator of Photography at the Library of Congress, where she curated photographic materials, made recommendations for historical and contemporary acquisitions, and wrote for the Library's Picture This blog. She has had fellowships or internships at the National Women’s History Museum, the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, and several museums and archives in New York. Kate has a Master of Arts in Film and Photography Preservation & Collections Management from Toronto Metropolitan University in Ontario, Canada. She lives in the DC area with her young daughter and her husband, who is an active-duty Coast Guard Officer.

< Back Ronald Siarnicki Board Member Ron began his career as a firefighter with the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department in 1978 and, over 24 years, progressed through the ranks to Chief of the Department. In this position, he served as the Chief Executive Officer responsible for the fire, rescue and emergency medical services of Prince George’s County, Maryland. While with the Department, he also served on the Joint Fire and Police Pension Board for four years. Prior to joining the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department, he served as a volunteer firefighter with the Monessen Volunteer Fire Department, Hose House #2 , in western Pennsylvania. In doing so, he followed a family tradition-both his father and grandfather were volunteer firefighters. In July 2001, he retired from the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department to take the position of Executive Director of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF). In recognition of his outstanding leadership with the NFFF and the fire service as a whole, he has been recognized by various groups and organizations to include: The Fire Engineering Lifetime Achievement Award, Alan Brunacini Fire Services Executive Safety Award from the International Association of Fire Chiefs, Metropolitan Fire Chiefs’ Presidents Award of Distinction, University of Maryland, University College Distinguished Alumnus, American Burn Association’s Moncrief Award and the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Silver Medal of Valor. A strong proponent of higher education, he earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) and served as a UMUC faculty member for the Fire Science Curriculum.

< Back John Sollers Board Member John has extensive experience coordinating with both local and federal agencies and is a certified instructor in hazardous materials, incident management, and National Fire Protection Administration best practices. He is a graduate of the Executive Leaders Program: Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Homeland Defense and Security and the University of Maryland.

< Back Amy C. Mauro, Esq. Executive Director Amy is a results-oriented manager and problem-solver known for her depth of knowledge on policy, legal, agency operations, budget, public safety and criminal justice issues. From 2015 to 2023, she served as Chief of Staff for the DC Fire and EMS Department during a time of significant transformation of the Department . She worked with retired Chief Gregory M. Dean, current Chief John A. Donnelly, Sr., and their executive leadership teams, to drive strategic budget investment, cultural and organizational change, and service improvements. The Department’s reforms and innovations, particularly in the area of EMS, have received national recognition and emulation. Prior to working for the Department, Amy served as General Counsel and Chief of Staff at the DC Office of Risk Management (DCORM), as well as a staff member in the Office of the City Administrator, DC US Attorney’s Office and DC Council. Amy is passionate about improving DC Fire & EMS services for DC residents, which includes her family and kids. She is currently working with the Board to build the DC Fire & EMS Foundation to the stature that the Department’s members and customers deserve. Amy is a DC native and lives with her husband Mark, and their two children, in Ward 6.

2025 Awards Ceremony and Dinner The DC Fire & EMS Foundation co-hosted the 2025 DC Fire and EMS Department Awards Ceremony and Dinner on April 10, 2025. Thank you to our sponsors and donors who helped make this amazing night happen! Contact us for information on how to become a sponsor at the 2026 ceremony! Thank You to Our Sponsors See the full Photo Album here and the full ceremony here . Photos by Lexi Critchett and Valerie Freeman Guest MCs Brian Mitchell and Fred Smoot with Foundation ED Amy Mauro Fire Chief John Donnelly with Councilmember Brooke Pinto ...and Local 36 President Dave Hoagland, Deputy COS Alexis Squire Guest MCs Brian Mitchell and Fred Smoot Council Chairman Phil Mendelson MC Lieutenant Keishea Jackson MC Captain Jordan Wiley Guest MC Kevin Grevey Family of Lieutenant Robert Heaney DCFD Pipes and Drums DCFD Honor Guard Foundation Executive Director Amy Mauro Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly Regina Snead, Baby Einstein Child Development Center Director honoring gas explosion first responders DCFD Pipes and Drums Company of the Year: Rescue Squad 2 Toddler accident survivor and her parents greeting her first responders Toddler accident survivor with her Childrens Hospital caregivers Honored for a cardiac arrest save Employees of the Year, including Administrative, Firefighter, Paramedic, and Officer. Administrative Units of the Year: Property Maintenance and Logistics Divisions Honoring the 67 Souls Lost on 1/29/25 Anthony Chappelle with his life savers Kay Bennett with her life savers Firefighter, Paramedic, and Officer of the Year Retired Assistant Fire Chief James Hanson

DC Fire & EMS Foundation supports the Department and its heroic members with resources for training, employee wellness and recognition initiatives, and state of the art equipment and facilities. How Your Investment Helps The DC Fire & EMS Foundation raises funds to support first responder wellness and recognition, training and leadership development, innovation, facilities and equipment. It also educates the community about the Department's life-saving mission. 93% of the Department's budget funds operations, leaving only 1% of the non-personnel budget for training and less than 2% for non-capital equipment and facilities maintenance. The Foundation supplements the Department's needs that are not included in its municipal budget. First Responder Wellness and Recognition Firefighters and EMS personnel are at increased risk for cardiac conditions, infectious disease, cancer, mental illness, and substance abuse. The daily and cumulative stress and sacrifice of their jobs takes its toll. The DC Fire & EMS Foundation supports the safety and well being of DC Fire & EMS employees and their families through an emergency fund for those in health crises. It supports the Department's peer support team, provides wellness programming, and sponsors the Department's Annual Awards Ceremony and Dinner. Training & Leadership Development Strong leadership has been key to the Department’s recent progress. Through its work with the Department’s Women’s Advisory Council (WAC), the Foundation co-sponsored the Heroes Haven wellness and leadership event for female firefighters, as well as the annual Camp Spark!, a two-day summer camp for girls aged 12 to 17 years old who are interested in becoming firefighters and EMS providers. In 2025, the Foundation funded an executive coach to work with the Fire Chief and his executive leadership team to facilitate teamwork, individual growth, and a solid leadership bench for the future of the agency. Innovation The Foundation funds research to further its vision to empower the Department to continue to be a national leader in each of its disciplines. We have funded EMS internships in the Office of the Medical Director for two summers. In 2025, in partnership with Children's National Hospital and the Doris Duke Foundation, the interns conducted research on racial equity in the treatment of pain, STEMI (heart attack) care and coordination with hospitals, buprenorphine induction for opioid overdose patients, and mental health treatment. Community Education Every spring, the Foundation’s Executive Director, Amy Mauro, testifies about the Department’s proposed budget. Underfunding of the Department in the past risked the public’s and firefighters’ safety, and we advocate to ensure we never return to those days. The Foundation also works on projects that educate the community on the Department's life-saving mission, its history, and its members' sacrifice, Examples of this work include the Foundation's grant-funded website https://www.dcfireem shistory.org/ The Memorial Helmet Project, and The 100th Anniversary of the Last Run of the Horses Equipment & Facilities Most DC Fire & EMS personnel work 24 hour shifts out of fire houses that serve as their workplace and home. Their facility needs are unique compared to other DC agencies. The Department's Training Academy campus is outdated for the Department's current operations and is in need of significant modernization and repair. The DC Fire & EMS Foundation advocates for providing personnel with state of the art equipment and facilities so that they can provide the best service commensurate with the high priority Departmental mission of saving lives.

Contact us with questions, support, donations, or feedback about the DC Fire & EMS Foundation. The Foundation's Address: 122 Kentucky Ave, SE Washington, DC 20003 CONTACT US Name Email Subject Message Submit Thanks for submitting! Join our mailing list Email* Subscribe I want to subscribe to your mailing list.

DC Fire & EMS is aggressive about fighting and preventing fires. The Dept meets national standards for response times and fire suppression and has a robust community fire prevention and education program. #DC'S BRAVEST DC residents and businesses can count on #DC's Bravest to be there quickly to save lives and property. DC Firefighters arrive at fire scenes in 5 minutes and 20 seconds or less over 90% of the time , making them national leaders in meeting National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standards. They also confine fires to the room of origin over 80% of the time, And they confine fires to the structure of origin over 95% of the time. Preventing Fire Fatalities Despite DC's Bravest's excellent record rescuing fire victims and preserving property, each year the District loses too many lives to fires, with an uptick in fire fatalities over the last few years. DC Fire & EMS works with the community to prevent these tragedies with its All Hands on Prevention and other programs. The Department has a strong Fire Prevention Division that on an annual basis conducts over 12,000 building inspections, investigates almost 200 arsons, installs over 3,000 smoke alarms, and conducts hundreds of fire safety education sessions for kids, seniors, and other residents and business owners. Learn More Learn More Safe Staffing D C Fire & EMS is fortunate to have the NFPA recommend ed staffing levels on its fire appara tus . While this staffing has been redu ced in other jurisdictions, as well as in DC during economic downturns in the past, DC fully staffs its apparatus. T he DC Fire & EMS Foundation supports maintaining current staffing levels for the safety of our firefighters and residents.

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DC FIRE & EMS FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES $442,467 IN GRANT AWARDS FROM LEGACY ON ICE PROCEEDS Monumental Sports & Entertainment’s Legacy on Ice event raised funds for the families of those lost in the tragic January 29, 2025 mid-air collision over the Potomac River, first responders, and the US Figure Skating Association Contact: Amy C. Mauro, Esq. 202-297-0599 amy@dcfireemsfoundation.org August 1, 2025 (Washington, DC) – On March 2, 2025, Legacy On Ice brought the figure skating community and thousands of supporters together at Washington, D.C.’s Capital One Arena to honor the 67 lives lost in the January 29th airline tragedy on the Potomac River, as well as the first responders who rushed to the scene. One third of the funds raised by the event will benefit area first responders (the remaining funds benefit the families and the US Figure Skating Association). “The grants being announced today are both a practical measure of gratitude and a symbol of hope and healing for those first responders who worked on this tragic scene to help bring closure to the families of those who lost their lives,” said Chander Jayaraman, Co-Chair of the Foundation’s Board of Directors. Government agencies involved in the plane crash response, or their affiliated non-profit organizations, were eligible to apply for the funds. The grant applications were evaluated by a committee of DC Fire & EMS Foundation Board and staff members, and then reviewed and approved by the Foundation’s Board of Directors. The evaluations were based on the eligibility of the applicant, the quality and completeness of the application, the anticipated impact of the proposed funding, and the nature and size of the responding agency’s response to the Potomac River tragedy. The Foundation announced the following awards: $142,500 to the DC Police Foundation for the building of Wellness Rooms for Metropolitan Police Department personnel, a Member Wellness Academy for police officers and their families, and the purchase of an mobile wellness application for every police officer on the force; $85,000 to the DC Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for foundational support of mass casualty response operations, enhanced response readiness, and delivery of targeted staff training on trauma-informed family assistance and interagency coordination; $27,554 to the Prince Georges County, MD Fire and EMS Department for a new wireless communication system and equipment for special operations personnel, as well as a train the trainer course on Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, an evidence-based therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder, for both the county’s fire and police departments; $15,000 to Charles County Dive and Rescue, Inc. to support their purchase of a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) to assist with dives and rescues; and $172,413 to benefit DC Fire & EMS Department personnel through its affiliated organizations, including: $44,247 to the DC Fire & EMS Foundation in unrestricted funds for Legacy on Ice related program costs; $70,196 to the DC Fire & EMS Foundation for sustaining and expanding trauma support services for DC firefighters and EMS personnel; $25,000 to Food on the Stove to support its Food for Thought initiative $23,000 to the DC Firefighters Burn Foundation to support its Family Services program; and $10,000 to the DCFD Emerald Society Pipes and Drums for supplies and equipment replacements. Amy C. Mauro, Esq., Executive Director of the Foundation, stated that “We are eternally grateful to Ted Leonsis and Monumental Sports & Entertainment for their leadership in this initiative and their understanding of the impact that this work has on these employees and organizations.” ###########