The Charles E. Raubeson Award is named in honor of our first Secretary/Treasurer and former West Haven, Connecticut, Fire Marshal, Charles E. Raubeson. Charlie, as he was affectionately called, was also one of the founding members of the New England Association of Fire Marshals. Charlie worked hard for this organization not only in setting up our annual conferences but attending important meetings and conventions around the country. As Charlie attended these meetings and conventions, he not only fought for fire safety codes and standards here in New England but around the country as well. Charlie’s Assistant Secretary/Treasurer, was Henry E. Tracey, a retired Fire Inspector for the City of Hartford and retired Fire Marshal for the Town of Simsbury, both in the State of Connecticut. When Charlie became ill one year at our annual meeting and conference, Henry took over the reigns as Secretary/Treasurer. Charlie never came back but always had his voice heard. When Charlie passed away, Henry thought there would be no better way to honor him than to name an award after him.
The Charles E. Raubeson Award is given out every year at our Annual Meeting and Educational Seminar. This award is presented by the Secretary/Treasurer to a member who has demonstrated leadership and has worked hard both in and on behalf of this organization at meetings, conferences, educational seminars, and in the fire code adoption process.
The following is a list of past recipients of the award who have demonstrated the qualities that would have made Charlie proud. We would also be remiss if we did not thank the late Henry E. Tracey for establishing this very prestigious award.
RAY MCNABB, DAVID GOGGINS, JAMES DOHERTY, JOHN R. VENDETTA,
HANS LUNDGREN, CLARENCE DARROW, Mrs. HENRY TRACEY, MICHAEL MURPHY,
FATHER EDWARD HYLAND, CHARLES EISENBERG, DAVID ROTH, GARY S. KEITH,
ALFRED J. HOGAN, STEVEN F. SAWYER, JOSEPH H. BENOIT, ROBERT F. DUVAL,
RONALD R. FARR, JOHN WOODWARD SR., KEVIN KOWALSKI, SUE HAWKSLEY, PATRICK T. TOURVILLE,
JOHN FRANCOLINI
