Lieutenant Allen Green of the Chattanooga Fire Department has been named the 2026 Company Officer of the Year by the International Association of Fire Chiefs.
Green was recognized for a career that extends beyond emergency response, combining company-level leadership with fire and life safety education, youth mentoring, community risk reduction, and nonprofit work.
The award highlights his work to prevent emergencies before they happen, particularly through education programs aimed at young people and communities most at risk.
As a fire and life safety educator, Green has used data to identify higher-risk neighborhoods and develop outreach programs designed to improve fire safety awareness. His approach is built around a simple principle: prevention starts with education.
One of his flagship initiatives is Read to Succeed, a literacy and fire safety program that brings Chattanooga firefighters into elementary school classrooms each month. The program combines reading with practical fire safety lessons, helping firefighters build relationships with children before an emergency occurs.
Green launched the program at Calvin Dunson Elementary, the school he attended as a child. The initiative reflects his broader commitment to turning personal experience into service for the next generation.
Raised in foster care and group homes and supported by Bethel Bible Village, Green has spoken about using adversity as a source of purpose. After graduating from Hixson High School, he attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga to study chemistry before pausing his education to support his twin sons. He later completed his degree while serving as a firefighter.
His work with young people also includes PPCH, Inc. — Pain, Perseverance, Character, Hope — a nonprofit he founded to mentor at-risk youth and provide support, guidance, and encouragement.
Green has also authored a children’s book, ‘Mom! Dad! What Should I Do?’, which teaches families about home fire escape planning, safe meeting places, and the importance of working smoke alarms. Proceeds support his nonprofit and literacy initiatives.
Beyond Chattanooga, Green contributes to national fire prevention efforts through the Sound Off Initiative, which promotes working smoke alarms and supports safety outreach for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
He has previously received the Ralph Cothran Civil Service Fire Fighter of the Year Award, recognizing both his firefighting service and his commitment to youth and community work.
The IAFC said Green exemplifies modern fire service leadership by combining operational responsibility with education, prevention, mentorship, and community trust-building.
Green said: “Teaching and educating, for me, is like a ministry. It’s not just about giving out information. It’s about implementing change and growth.”
