01/23/2026
We are incredibly proud to congratulate our very own Equipment Operator Stephanie Banks, who was recognized yesterday afternoon at the Oklahoma Fire Chiefs Conference in Stillwater, on achieving the highest officer-level accreditation in the State of Oklahoma by successfully completing the Executive Fire Officer (EFO) Program through OSU Fire Service Training.
The Executive Fire Officer program is a prestigious, graduate-level public safety leadership program built on the IPSLEI Ethical Leadership curriculum. The program requires years of dedication, advanced coursework, and the completion of a Capstone project similar to a dissertation, focused on leadership, ethics, and organizational change within the fire service.
Stephanie completed the program in its entirety and submitted her Capstone to the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society, Leadership Studies Division, for formal grading, an extraordinary academic standard rarely required in fire service education.
She was accepted into the 9th EFO Class and distinguished herself as the first firefighter in the State of Oklahoma to complete the program in full with accreditation.
(Chief Duane Helmberger of Stillwater is the first Fire Chief in Oklahoma to reach this level. Congratulations, Chief Helmberger!)
With a strong academic foundation already in place, Stephanie has continually pursued advanced credentials on her own initiative through OSUFST and the Alabama Fire College, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to professional growth, ethical leadership, and service excellence.
Stephanie’s dedication exemplifies what it means to raise the standard of excellence, not just for herself, but for this department and the community we serve. Her accomplishments raise the bar for the fire service across Oklahoma, and we are honored to serve alongside her.
Well done, Stephanie. We are proud of you!
📷 with Rodney Foster, Assistant Director OSUFST