Honoring the 2025 Joe Hickey Fire Service Award Recipient
Recognizing Leadership, Service, and Commitment to the Burn Community
Each year at Phoenix World Burn Congress, the Phoenix Society presents the Joe Hickey Fire Service Award — an honor that recognizes a firefighter or firefighter burn foundation that demonstrates an unwavering commitment to supporting burn survivors through every phase of recovery. The award reflects the philosophy of the late firefighter Joe Hickey, who believed deeply in placing the well-being of burn survivors above all else.
The selection process is guided by eleven fire service organizations across the United States and Canada, including the D.C. Firefighters Burn Foundation. Our Board Member, Jimmy DiGregory, proudly represents DCFFBF on the selection board and also presents the award to the recipient each year.
Celebrating This Year’s Honoree: Steve Luppinacci
We are proud to announce that this year’s Joe Hickey Award was presented to Steve Luppinacci, a dedicated leader and long-standing advocate within the burn community.
Steve began his fire service career in 1987 with the Stratford Fire Department, where he served for 26 years in fire suppression, search and rescue, hazmat, and medical response. He is a committed member of IAFF Local 988 and the Stratford Professional Burn Foundation, bringing compassion and leadership to every role he holds.
His contributions to the burn community run deep. Since 1993, Steve has been a vital part of the Arthur C. Luf Children’s Burn Camp, later becoming camp director. His passion for supporting burn survivors extends well beyond camp — he collaborates with multiple burn foundations to ensure that survivors feel supported, understood, and cared for, no matter the extent of their injuries.
Steve represents the spirit and dedication the Joe Hickey Award was created to honor. His decades of service, compassion, and commitment have strengthened the burn community and touched countless lives.
Congratulations, Steve, on this well-deserved recognition. Thank you for the lasting impact you continue to make.
About the Joe Hickey Award
Created in 2009 by former Phoenix Society Board President Ron Siarnicki, the Joe Hickey Fire Service Award honors firefighters and firefighter burn foundations that demonstrate:
A commitment to improving burn care
Support for survivors across all phases of recovery
Dedication to the mission of the Phoenix Society and the broader burn community
The award is named in memory of firefighter Joe Hickey, whose lifelong philosophy centered on putting burn survivors’ well-being first.
Eleven organizations participate in the nomination and selection process each year, including:
D.C. Firefighters Burn Foundation
Dearborn Firefighters Burn Drive
Firefighters Burn Fund Victoria (BC)
Firefighters Burn Fund, Inc. (Winnipeg, MB)
Firefighters Burn Institute (Sacramento, CA)
Edmonton Firefighters Burn Treatment Society (AB)
Metropolitan Fire Fighters Burn Center Fund (Baltimore, MD)
New York Firefighters Burn Center Foundation
Portland Firefighters Children’s Burn Foundation
San Jose Firefighters Burn Foundation
Stratford Firefighters Burn Foundation
Thank You to Jimmy DiGregory
We are grateful to Jimmy for representing DCFFBF on the selection board and for presenting the Joe Hickey Award each year. As a 2019 recipient himself, he brings a full-circle understanding to this role and exemplifies our foundation’s ongoing commitment to the burn community nationwide.
In 2019, Jimmy DiGregory received the Joe Hickey Fire Service Award at PWBC in Anaheim, California — a recognition that reflects his ongoing commitment to the burn community.
