PGFD Profile - Steve "Country" White

Assistant Fire Chief Steve "Country" White

Steven E. White is a 17-year veteran of the Prince George’s County Fire/Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Department and serves as a Duty Chief and Technical Services Commander. Steve “Country” White is also a loving husband, father and avid hunter.

He started his fire service career as a member of the College Park Volunteer Fire Department in June of 1990 and remained a volunteer for five years until he was hired by the Prince George’s County Fire/Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Department in June of 1995. He was a part of Career Recruit School #27. In September 2012, he was promoted to the position of Assistant Fire Chief.

During his 17-year career he worked mostly at Fire/EMS Stations in the Southern portions of the County including serving as Captain at Oxon Hill #821 and Battalion Chief at the 7th, 3rd, 5th and 4th Battalions. He was assigned to work at Hazardous Materials Station #53 during the height of the Anthrax Scare and was part of the staff at the Fire/EMS Training Academy during instruction of a recruit school. As a Duty Chief, Steve is responsible for the overall supervision of all Department activities for a 24-hour time period.

Steve White (with helmet) discusses a challenging rescue
on Van Dusen Road in laurel.

Steve is the recipient of several awards including Unit Citations for the LaPlata Tornado response, Anthrax Scare and the Vermillion Avenue Project. He also received a Knights of Columbus Firefighter of the Year Award in 1994. Recently, he operated as the Technical Services Battalion Chief on the scene of several high profile rescues including a confined space incident on Van Dusen Road in Laurel and a swift water rescue of three teens from the Northwest Branch under the 38th Street Bridge in Hyattsville. Technical Rescue Services consists of firefighters and medics that are highly trained in difficult and challenging rescues. The team responds on all incidents involving water rescue, confined space, high angle and incidents involving structural collapse.

Steve is an avid hunter and coordinates the Southern MD
Chapter of Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry.

Hunting to “Country” is more than a just a sport or hobby. He coordinates the Southern Maryland Chapter of Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry. When asked to describe the Group and their activity, White stated, “This Chapter is a group of volunteers who love to hunt and desire to help our communities. Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry is a National non-profit organization that has chapters throughout the country and Canada and now in Kenya. This Program raises money to pay for the processing of donated deer harvested by hunters and coordinates getting meat to local soup kitchens and food pantries. Over the past four years we have had approximately 2,650 deer donated and processed through the Program within the Southern Maryland region. This accounts for approximately 132,500 pounds of meat donated to local pantries and soup kitchens. This has provided an estimated 530,000 meals to those in need within the community.” The Counties included in the Southern Maryland Chapter are: Prince George’s, Charles, Calvert, and St. Mary’s. Some of the local organizations that have donated to the cause are Prince George’s County Farm Bureau, HuntOnly.com, Charles County Community Foundation, and the Southern Maryland Resource Conservation and Development. For additional information on the organization you can visit their website at www.FHFH.org.

In addition to the busy schedule as a Technical Services Commander, Steve still finds time to coach T-ball, flag football and basketball. He stated, “I also enjoy fishing and anything outdoors. Mostly, I enjoy spending time with my family.” Steve is married and has two “great” boys; Colby, 8 and Trent, 6. He introduced his spouse as his “Wonderful Wife Sayshan.” Sayshan Conver-White is also a Battalion Chief with the Fire/EMS Department and coordinates the activities of the Safety Office. Steve and Sayshan are both very active in their church, Crossroads Apostolic Church in White Plains, and currently coordinate the children’s Ministry.

The nickname, “Country,” Steve said, “The name Country came when I moved in to the College Park Station 812. There was another member named Steve Wright and that’s how they decided to tell us apart on the intercom. It stuck in fact it has stuck so well that my friends from high school now call me Country.”

As far as his goals and aspirations with the Fire/EMS Department, Steve said, “To develop personnel that I come into contact with to become the leaders of the future.” His personal goals include, “To introduce the wonderful outdoors to those who might not have the opportunity to see what God has created. To work with kids who don’t have many of the opportunities to get out and enjoy nature the way that I have so fortunately been able to,” said Steve “Country” White.

Steve, Sayshan, Colby and Trent reside in LaPlata, Maryland.

If you have any questions or need additional information regarding the Southern Maryland Chapter of Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry, please contact them by way of email at Southernmdfhfh@yahoo.com.

Steve White (white shirt wearing glasses) was part of a group of Firefighter/Medics that were
able to greet a man they rescued from a mulch machine months earlier.

Story by Mark E. Brady, PGFD PIO, 240-508-7930
Edited by Paula Black, Administrative Aide, Office of the Fire Chief