Silver City Fire Chief Milo Lambert was
awarded the Carl Joe Standerfer Meritorious Service Award recently in Socorro
at the annual New Mexico Fire and EMS Expo awards banquet. The award,
given just six times since 2011, was created to honor a fire service leader
whose career has demonstrated "an exemplary role in providing exceptional
service to effect positive change, and who has made a significant impact on the
fire service capability throughout the state of New Mexico."
"I'm honored to be recognized by my colleagues, said
Lambert, and I feel very fortunate to be able to do work that I love, and to
help improve fire services in New Mexico."
Lambert's fire service career began in 2002 when he joined
the Tyrone Volunteer Fire Department. The
following year he was hired by the Town of Silver City as a paid, career
firefighter, and was quickly promoted through the ranks as an engineer,
lieutenant, and in 2008, to fire marshal.
As fire marshal, he instituted several code edition updates, developed
and performed a full-scale fire and life safety plans review process, and
modernized how arson investigations are performed in Silver City and throughout
the county.
In 2017 he was promoted to fire chief, and since then has
worked hard to improve fire inspections and firefighting plan reviews. He also updated the department's hiring
process, which has brought the department up to full staff.
Lambert, a lifelong Silver City resident, is a founding
member of the New Mexico Fire and EMS Expo, the largest, statewide conference
for firefighters where they receive training, update skills, and have an
opportunity to network with their peers. He also is board president of the New Mexico
Fire Marshals Association, which is now pursuing several legislative changes to
improve fire service throughout the state.
A passionate fire service advocate, Lambert was also instrumental
in resurrecting the state's Fire Service Council, and was recently elected vice
president. The Council is recognized by the New Mexico Public Regulation
Commission (PRC) as an advisory board to help guide state fire services in New
Mexico.