Awarded annually at the The Continuing Challenge Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Workshop in Sacramento, the Leo K. Najarian Responder of the Year Award honors an individual, agency or organization who most exemplifies the spirit, ideals, essence and practice of hazardous materials response and management. The award is open to any responder public or private, volunteer or paid. The honor is named after Leo K. Najarian of Los Angeles Fire Department and former CSFA Hazardous Materials Committee Chair, who was an early guide and mentor in hazardous materials response and incident management.