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FIRST Honors Veteran Fire Commissioner During Patch Ceremony

Here at the Center for Firefighter Injury Research and Safety Trends (FIRST), we honor those in the fire and rescue service not only through our research, education, and practice initiatives, but through our collection and display of fire department patches at our office at the Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health in Philadelphia.

On July 6th, Sherry Brandt-Rauf, JD, MPhil, presented the patch of her father, former Commissioner Hubert Brandt of the Lido Volunteer Fire Department in Point Lookout on Long Island, New York. She spoke of her father, aged 93, and his commitment to protecting the beachfront community he served. His mottos, "Public Service" and "Drive Tough," remind us all to always keep our home and community in mind and to approach each day with strength and determination. The FIRST Center was proud of have Brandt-Rauf pin the patch of Commissioner Brandt and his fire company in the case outside her office to represent the countless first responders who believe in serving the public and driving tough.

Sherry Brandt-Rauf is an Associate Teaching professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at Dornsife. Her teaching and research focus on environmental and occupational health policy, with specific interests in issues of efficacy and equity. As a lawyer and a sociologist, her occupational policy expertise is invaluable to the FIRST Center. Throughout her time as an Affiliate Faculty member of FIRST, she has worked closely with student researchers on the issue of workers' compensation law and presumptive disability in the fire and rescue service, particularly for claims regarding physical and mental injuries. As the FIRST Center expands our policy research and initiatives, Sherry Brandt-Rauf's tenure as Affiliate Faculty will serve to guide us. Through the pinning of Commissioner Brandt's patch, her commitment to FIRST and to the fire and rescue service is exemplified.

For more information, please contact Victoria Gallogly, Outreach & Communications Coordinator vhg25@drexel.edu