South County Fire’s Community Outreach Manager Shawneri Guzman has been named the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Fire and Life Safety Educator of the Year.

The award recognizes educators who take the lead role in making their communities safer and demonstrate excellence in using NFPA programs and materials. Guzman was selected from candidates across the U.S.

“Shawneri is an innovator, an advocate and a world-class educator who is saving lives in our community,” Fire Chief Bob Eastman said in a news release. “Her passion for implementing behavior change has allowed our agency to be at the forefront of community risk reduction efforts in Snohomish County. We are extremely proud to have Shawneri on our team.”

Guzman, a life safety educator for 25 years, is coordinator of Safe Kids Snohomish County, president of the Snohomish County Fire Prevention Association, a Washington Child Passenger Safety Program instructor and serves on the Snohomish County Traffic Safety Task Force. She also created and teaches courses in numerous injury prevention categories, including: Aging in Place, Car Seat Awareness, Child Safety & CPR, Disaster Preparedness, ACT and Workplace Emergency Preparedness. For Guzman, helping people stay safe is more than a job.

“Supporting our community through education and service is a calling for me,” Guzman said. “I feel a strong responsibility to protect people and also teach them how to protect themselves. I’m truly honored to be recognized for what I consider to be my life’s work.”

Guzman was named 2021 Washington Public Fire Educator of the Year and Outstanding Safe Kids Coordinator in Washington in 2020.

The NFPA awarded both Guzman and South County Fire with a $1,000 stipend. She will be formally recognized at the NFPA Conference and Expo in June.