Introduction
The Point Pleasant Fire Protection District is recognized as a progressive, respected and professional fire department in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The department provides fire, rescue and emergency medical services to a 5 ½ square mile commercial, industrial and residential area of Northeastern Boone County. Additionally, the department maintains extensive automatic and mutual aid contracts with surrounding cities as well as throughout Northern Kentucky including the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. The department is served by a combination of career, part-time and volunteer personnel committed to maintaining a rich tradition of excellence and outstanding public service.
Background
Nationwide, recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters is a challenging and growing issue. Locally and across the country, the number of volunteer firefighters has declined to critical levels. In the Point Pleasant Fire Protection District, more than 25,000 persons and $1 billion in property are protected by our firefighters. Additionally, the growing cost of a college education causes many individuals to delay or forego their quest for a degree, even though the demand for higher education by employers is at an all-time high.
The Program
F.I.R.E. is a “tuition in exchange for service” scholarship and training program for college students. This program was developed in response to the vital need for volunteers to serve and as an incentive for people to join the volunteer fire service. F.I.R.E. is intended to meet the challenge in the Point Pleasant Fire Protection District of recruiting new firefighters while promoting higher education. It is an investment in both our communities and the people who volunteer to protect them.
The program will award a limited number of full scholarships (tuition, books, fees, etc.) up to a predetermined amount, at an accredited college or university. In return, scholarship recipients commit to service as a firefighter while actively pursuing a degree of their choice. There is no restriction on the academic program you may enroll in. This program is not for everyone. Candidates must have a willingness to meet the physical and mental challenges offered by the fire service, while maintaining the equally rigorous demands of higher education.
This program is supported through a partnership between the Point Pleasant Fire Protection District and Toyota Motor Manufacturing of North America.
Eligibility
· Must be 18 years of age upon completion of basic
recruit training
· Be a resident of Northern Kentucky (Boone, Campbell, Kenton, Gallatin,
Grant or Pendleton County)
· Must be high school graduate or have GED equivalent
· Currently enrolled, or planning to enroll, full-time in an accredited
college or university (must meet institutions enrollment eligibility
requirements)
· Successfully pass criminal background and drivers license check
· Successfully pass medical examination, including drug screen
Benefits
· Pursue the degree of your choice
· College Education Tuition Assistance
· Resume/Employment Skills
· Personal Achievement
· Self-esteem and Confidence Building
· Life-long Skills and Friendships
· Personal Growth and Team Building
· Physical Fitness Facilities
· Employee Assistance Program
· Accident and Sickness Insurance
· Workers’ Compensation Insurance
· State and Federal “Line-of-Duty” Benefits
· Modern, State of the Art Firefighting Equipment
· Modern Office Facilities and Equipment
· High-speed Internet Access
· Uniforms and Protective Clothing Provided
Program Requirements
· Successful completion
of IFSTA Essentials of Fire Fighting Course in accordance with the
requirements of NFPA 1001 and Commonwealth of Kentucky Commission on
Fire Protection Personnel, Standards and Education
· Maintain on-call requirements in accordance with an established duty
schedule
· Maintain department training requirements
· Abide by established department policies and procedures
· Must be enrolled as a full-time student (12 or more credit hours per
semester)
· Must maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 each semester
(a review of the student’s academic transcript will verify that this
academic obligation has been met)
· Maintain continuous enrollment in an accredited college or university
throughout the scholarship duration
Scholarship Selection Criteria
Designed first as a recruitment
incentive, selection of scholarship recipients is based primarily on the
membership needs of the Point Pleasant Fire Department. Financial needs
or other qualifications of the candidate are generally not taken into
consideration.
The program is designed to create a true partnership arrangement between
the Point Pleasant Fire Department and the F.I.R.E. recruit and to
create a system for success – not failure. To ensure the overall success
of the student, it is imperative that the fire department and each
F.I.R.E. recruit collaborate on a plan for achieving operational and
educational success (balancing commitments at home, work, school and the
fire department).
Scholarship Renewal Criteria
The scholarship program will renew
annually, providing the recipient:
· Maintains all department activity and training requirements
· Maintains academic eligibility requirements
· Maintains a minimum 2.0 grade point average (GPA) for the duration of
his/her studies
Summary
This program has been carefully designed to provide students with a blend of general academic education, firefighting skills education, and work place experience. As many current forms of training become more formalized with grades and college credits, a student’s competency becomes better validated through accountability and performance testing. This enhanced base of education will better prepare an individual for the complex and diverse job duties that today’s firefighters assume. The program creates a win/win opportunity that provides numerous benefits to all those who participate. The fire service gains a higher level of education for its personnel, resulting in an increased level of service to our local communities. The student is able to participate in a unique educational opportunity with maximum learning opportunities. Most importantly, local communities benefit from well trained and competent firefighters who are prepared to deliver a public service that is efficient, professional, and safe.
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POINT PLEASANT FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
FIREFIGHTER INCENTIVE FOR RECRUITMENT AND EDUCATION
THE F.I.R.E. SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
APPLICANT INFORMATION
Name: ________________________________________ Date: ________________
Address: _____________________________________________________________
City: ______________________________ State: ____________ Zip: ____________
Phone: _____________________ H.S. (or GED) Graduation Date: _______________
High School Attending (Attended): ________________________________________
College or University Attending: __________________________________________
Drivers License Number: ____________________________ Expires: ___ / ___ / ___
(A copy of your current driver’s license must be submitted with this application)
Do you have any physical impairment(s) that would affect your ability to perform firefighting duties?
______________________________________________________________________
REFERENCES
(Please List 3 References, Including at Least 1 Current Teacher. No family members.)
Name Phone Number Relationship How Long?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Please answer the following questions:
1.) How will your educational, professional, and/or personal goals benefit from your acceptance into this program?
2.) How will you balance commitments at home, school, work and the fire department?
Answers must be typewritten (100 words or less) on a separate sheet. The original questions must be included with your answers.
By Completing and Submitting This Application, I
- Authorize the fire district, or its agents to investigate my background, character and general reputation by contacting my references or any other individual the fire district or its agents considers necessary;
- Authorize my references and any other individuals contacted by the fire district or its agents to release any information requested and absolve those parties who provided information requested from any and all liability related to their doing so;
- Authorize the fire district, or its agents to investigate my background and driving record and to release any pertinent information deemed necessary for investigation;
- Certify that this application was completed by me, and that all entries on it and information in it are true and complete to the best of my knowledge.
Signature: ______________________________________ Date: ____________
Completed applications must be submitted in an 8 ½” x 11” envelope marked “FIRE Scholarship Program” and mailed or dropped off to:
POINT PLEASANT FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
3444 TURFWAY ROAD
BOONE COUNTY, KY 41018
For additional information contact the department at:
PHONE 859.283.2798 FAX 859.283.2104
Graduates
Rober Levey
FIRE/EMS CERTIFICATIONS
State of Kentucky 150-hour Firefighter
State of Kentucky Hazardous Material Technician
State of Kentucky Fire Inspector
National Registry EMT
State of Kentucky EMT
COLLEGE DEGREES
- BA Spanish – Northern Kentucky University
- Credit Hours earned toward AS Fire Science – KCTCS
“I first heard of the program through my father, who heard of it due to his involvement in the fire service. This program has benefited me financially and educationally by allowing me to earn my bachelors degree from a well respected educational institution while saving my parents the cost of tuition. I have socially benefited by learning the importance of getting along with, interacting with, and living with a “second family” every third day. By being on a shift with the same people every third day, it has prepared me for my career by allowing me to experience what it is like to be a career firefighter assigned to a specific shift. This program has also allowed me to earn numerous certifications and experience a great amount of training which will help me to further my career. Overall, I find this to be an extraordinarily fantastic program which has exceeded the expectations of both my parent’s and me. As a result of the F.I.R.E. scholarship program, I have achieved two important personal goals: Graduating from an accredited university (Northern Kentucky) with a BA in Spanish, and better my firefighting skills and knowledge through in-house. Without the numerous benefits this program has given me, I would have had to depend on my parents to pay for my education and would have had to rely on basic fire training and any experience I could gain from working part-time at another fire department. This department not only has great training but also great people who use the training to make this one of the best departments in the area.”
-Robert Levy
Graduate December 2006
Benjamin Bonfilio
FIRE/EMS
CERTIFICATIONS
· IFSAC Firefighter I
· IFSAC Firefighter II
· State of Kentucky 150-hour Firefighter
· State of Kentucky Hazardous Material Operations
COLLEGE DEGREES
· AS Fire Science Technology – Cincinnati State Community/Technical College
“I participated in the F.I.R.E. Scholarship program through the Point Pleasant Fire Protection District while I was attending Cincinnati State Community/Technical College. The program was a wonderful experience, especially for one who is interested in a fire/EMS career. The program offered me the experience needed to start a career in the fire service. I have gained knowledge and hands-on experience. This opportunity was once in a lifetime. My tuition was paid and I experienced the reality of working in a fire department. I have formed life-long friendships with the members of the department. I would recommend this program to any individual seeking a higher education and “real-life” work experience, fire service related or not.
-Benjamin Bonfilio
Graduate December 2006
Joshua Corry
FIRE/EMS
CERTIFICATIONS
· IFSAC Firefighter I
· IFSAC Firefighter II
· State of Kentucky 400-hour Firefighter
· State of Ohio 240-hour Firefighter
· State of Kentucky EMT
· State of Ohio EMT
· National Registry EMT
· State of Kentucky Hazardous Material Operations
· State of Ohio Hazardous Material Operations
· State of Ohio Fire Inspector
COLLEGE DEGREES
· AS Fire Science Technology – Cincinnati State Community/Technical College
“I originally joined Point Pleasant Fire District as a firefighter recruit in August 2004. As I was attending recruit class with the other new recruits, including three F.I.R.E. scholarship students, one of the F.I.R.E. students dropped out of the program for personal reasons. I stepped in his place effective January 2005. The F.I.R.E. Scholarship Program has presented many benefits to me financially, socially and educationally. The funds available to me have been more than enough to pay for tuition, parking, books, supplies etc. Socially the program has benefited me with the opportunity to meet many people with a wealth of knowledge about the fire service and what it takes to be successful in this career field. The program has given me the opportunity to pursue a degree in Fire Science Technology at Cincinnati State. The F.I.R.E. Scholarship Program provides a great opportunity for young men and women to get their foot in the door to the best profession in the world. The prospect of working at a firehouse and having school paid for was too good of an opportunity for me to pass up. The program has been great for me because this is the profession that I have chosen. In two years I’ve received various certifications, logged countless training hours, and made many friends in the fire service. I currently work and/or volunteer for three fire departments in the Northern Kentucky area and have the opportunity to do the job that I love on a daily basis. I plan on graduating from Cincinnati State, with honors, in December 2006 with a degree in Fire Science Technology.”
-Joshua Corry
Graduate December 2006
All three of these students earned a degree from an accredited college or university, while fulfilling the requirements of the department. Not only did they achieve their goal of receiving a degree, but they also maximized the opportunities for fire/EMS education offered by Point Pleasant Fire District. Coupled with the work experience, these three individuals took full advantage of their opportunities and achieved the maximum benefits offered by the F.I.R.E. Scholarship Program.