Deputy county fire chief receives national award

Doña Ana County Deputy Fire Chief Eric Crespin has received the Patriotic Employer award from the Employer Support of the National Guard and reserve, a U.S. Department of Defense office that promotes cooperation between Reserve Component Service members and their civilian employers, the county said in a news release.

County Fire and Emergency Services firefighter and paramedic Clete Powell nominated Crespin for the award, the county said. Powell said he joined the county Fire Department because fellow soldiers told him how supportive the department is whenever they need schedule flexibility or receive deployment orders. And that has been his experience, Powell said.

Employees of the National Guard or Reserve may nominate supervisors for support provided to the nominating service member and his or her family. The Patriot Award reflects the efforts made to support citizen warriors through a wide range of measures, including flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment, caring for families and granting leaves of absence, the county said.

“I fully support everyone who serves on the guard and reserve,” Crespin said. “As a supervisor, it just comes natural to support them, as they defend our country.”