News Release
NPS
News Release Date: March 12, 2020
Contact: Candice Stevenson, 208.387.5239
Roberta Gorman has been selected as the new structural fire prevention program manager for the National Park Service (NPS) Structural Fire Program under the Division of Fire and Aviation Management (DFAM). In her new role, Roberta will be responsible for the Structural Fire Prevention Program, which centers on the preservation of life and the protection of NPS buildings and their contents from structure fires.
Roberta has more than 19 years of experience as a federal employee and nearly 8 years as a federal contractor. She began her career at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore as a lead interpreter and supervisory park ranger/education specialist.
She graduated from DePaul University with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences and recently completed an Associate of Science in Fire Services Administration from Idaho State University.
No stranger to the Structural Fire Program, Roberta’s interest in structural fire began at Lake Mead National Recreation Area where she completed her first firefighter class as a seasonal employee and grew as she became certified as a Firefighter I and II by the State of Indiana. In 2008, she began working for the Structural Fire Program part-time from Badlands National Park, designing educational presentations, updating the program’s website, and preparing newsletters. Since 2012, Roberta has worked as a contractor involved in most aspects of the Structural Fire Program in Boise, ID. She has managed the structural fire protection internship program, completed A123 audits, created policy, collaborated with external programs, and coordinated suppression training.
Prior to moving to the Boise area in 2010, Roberta served as the lead voluntary service specialist for Veterans Affairs at the VA Black Hills Health Care System in Sturgis, SD. She managed a volunteer program consisting of 500 volunteers at two medical centers and 13 community-based outpatient clinics that served the needs of area veterans.
Brian Johnson, chief of Structural Fire for DFAM, is excited to have Roberta in her new role, “Roberta has worked for us for a long time and has a wealth of knowledge about all aspects of the Structural Fire Program. She has a passion for the NPS and the Structural Fire Program that is sure to provide quality work in her new role. We look forward to seeing where she will take the program in the future.”
“Working for the NPS again in the Structural Fire Program is a wonderful opportunity and I’m thankful to have been selected. I’ve enjoyed experiencing the program’s growth over the years. I look forward to continuing to learn from and work with structural fire leaders throughout the Service who strive to protect lives and structures from the devasting effects of structure fire,” shared Roberta.
Roberta resides in Idaho with her husband Mark, a retired NPS employee, and their three children. They enjoy raising chickens, hiking, and exploring backcountry roads in their Jeep, Firecracker. Roberta will be stationed at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, ID and will begin her new position on March 15, 2020.
Last updated: March 12, 2020