Southlake Fire Driver/Engineer Chase Sanderson received the city's 2026 Employee Performance Fire Department Director's Award for stepping up when his colleagues needed him most.

The award recognizes Sanderson's dedication to his teammates and his commitment to helping others succeed. In Sanderson's case, two specific actions stood out.

When a fellow firefighter's family member was experiencing declining health, Sanderson volunteered to cover his colleague's shift so the firefighter could be with family, according to My Southlake News. He didn't wait to be asked.

Sanderson also stepped in when the Southlake Fire Department faced a backlog of new paramedics who needed to complete the Field Training Officer program. He voluntarily transferred shifts and returned to the ambulance to work as a Field Training Officer, guiding new hires through the certification process.

New paramedics who trained under Sanderson described him as calm and clear in his instruction while holding high standards, according to My Southlake News.

"You have to be able to count on your teammates in this job, and I think it's so important to give that same support back," Sanderson said. "If I can help someone out, I'm always going to try to do that."

The Director's Award is one of several categories in Southlake's World Class Employee recognition program. The City Council agenda for May 5 listed the 2026 Employee Performance Awards under the City Manager's Report.

The City of Southlake's Facebook page drew 114 reactions and 12 comments on the announcement. Among the commenters, Tommy Sanderson expressed pride in his son, and Randy Christian, a retired Dallas firefighter, praised Sanderson for going above and beyond.

In his award portrait, Sanderson wore his navy uniform with "C. Sanderson" and "Engineer" name tapes and a navy cap bearing the fire department logo.