We are proud to share that Alan (Al) Sactor, Assistant Director in the Fire Marshal Office at ESSR, received the President’s Distinguished Service Award—one of the highest honors granted to staff at the University of Maryland. For 40 years, Al has embraced the responsibility of keeping the UMD community safe, beginning his career as a fire protection specialist in 1985 before serving the past two decades as the university fire marshal and assistant director for the Department of Environmental Safety, Sustainability, and Risk.
During his tenure, Al established UMD’s Office of Emergency Management and grew the Fire Marshal program from a one-man operation into a 15-person team with permanent evening shifts. His team conducts inspections, reviews construction plans, investigates fires, and more. Among his many accomplishments, Al brought fire sprinkler protection to all residential facilities, initiated the campuswide fire alarm monitoring system, and designed the automatic external defibrillator program. Beyond his official duties, he is a tireless volunteer, engaging with the community at local schools and events such as Good Neighbor Day and Maryland Day.
“Alan has dedicated his professional career to the university,” says Robert Ryan, retired public service director for the city of College Park. “His work has been essential to the university’s reputation as a safer campus.”
Al also serves nationally as president of the nonprofit Center for Campus Fire Safety, and at the state level as assistant state fire marshal for UMD. As former chair of the Maryland State Fire Marshals Committee, he successfully advocated for bills that have saved lives throughout the state.
Al, earned an associate’s degree in fire science at Montgomery College, a bachelor’s in biology from Syracuse University, and a master’s in environmental management from UMD Global Campus. Before joining UMD, he served as a firefighter and paramedic with the Hillandale Volunteer Fire Department, where he was commended for rescuing a UMD student from a burning off-campus apartment.
“Alan is an exceptional human being who is highly respected by his peers and colleagues,” says Gloria Aparicio Blackwell, director of community engagement. “His contributions to the profession and the community are unparalleled.”
This recognition marks the first time in ESSR’s history that one of our team members has received this prestigious award. Al was formally honored at the Staff and Faculty Convocation on Wednesday, September 17, 2025. His legacy of leadership, service, and safety continues to make an extraordinary impact on our university and beyond.