Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC) Forester Keith Murphy and District Ranger Mark Munns of the Washington District have earned a prestigious state award for serving on a special Incident Management Team.

The GFC Type 2 Team has won a 2006 Georgia Public Employee Recognition Award in the "Leadership" Category. Governor Sonny Perdue hosted a ceremony recognizing all winners on Wednesday, May 3, at the World Congress Center.

"We are extremely proud of our GFC colleagues for their outstanding performance and for being recognized by their state agency peers," said Ken Stewart, Director of the Commission. "Each member of the team is a true leader and that is demonstrated every time they are called on to serve."

The GFC Type 2 Team was nominated by the GFC's Newnan District for its notable service in the wake of several recent natural disasters. Last September, the Team was dispatched to Bossier City, Louisiana, to utilize its National Incident Management System training in managing the flow of commodities and warehouse operations at Barksdale Air Force Base following Hurricane Katrina.

The team also responded to a series of wildfires in Georgia. In previous years, the team served in Florida following a series of hurricanes and provided services at a conference in St. Simon's Island.