|
|
Funding homegrown firefighters
Association gives Berkner High senior academy scholarship
By SARAH POST Staff Writer
Published April 29, 2004
|
The Richardson Firefighters Association hopes a new scholarship will turn out homegrown firefighters.
The association awarded a scholarship to a Berkner High School senior Monday. It covers the costs of attending the North Texas Training Association Fire Academy.
Luke Lansford, son of Terri and Larry Lansford of Richardson, was presented with a scholarship worth about $3,000 at a golf tournament in Wylie. Local golfers and companies participated in the tournament to raise money for association charities, which also include the Fix-a-Home program, the Muscular Dystrophy Association and Parkland Memorial Hospital's summer burn camp.
The scholarship covers tuition, bunker gear, uniforms and books. It was made available to seniors throughout the Richardson Independent School District.
Applicants were required to have a 3.0 grade-point average and to write a 500-word essay explaining why they want to become a firefighter. A panel interviewed finalists.
Billy Whitson, the president of the firefighters association, said the scholarship helps foster a connection between the Fire Department and the community and serves a better purpose than a general college scholarship.
"We've always wanted to do more as far as being a part of the community. A lot of our guys don't live in Richardson and are missing a certain connection with the community," Mr. Whitson said. "Just giving $1,000 or $2,000 to a kid to attend a university - it doesn't go very far. We want to home-grow our own firefighters. We want to say, 'Go learn to do what we do.'"
Luke, 18, has been working toward that goal. He has participated in the Richardson Firefighter Explorer Program since September and will soon become a captain.
He said his interest in firefighting began when a friend's home burned in 2002.
"That's when I decided that is what I wanted to do," he said.
Those feelings were reinforced when, during a recent visit to New York City, he visited with firefighters who helped rescue victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
He wrote about both of these experiences in his essay.
Luke plans to start the fire academy June 14.
"I'm just thrilled because I thought it would be at least a year before I would start academy," he said.
After that, he wants to attain an associate's degree in fire science and become certified as an emergency medical technician and paramedic.
Mr. Whitson, 35, has been a firefighter for 10 years.
"There's no telling where I'd be if I'd started at 19," he said. "When you start early, your career opportunities are so much greater. You're promoted faster, and you can go as far as you want to. When [Luke] is 35, he's got a chance to be a chief in a department."
Mr. Whitson said the association hopes to offer the scholarship to more students each year and to expand the scholarship to fund paramedic training. All Richardson firefighters are required to be certified paramedics.
Scholarship recipients are not required to apply to the Richardson Fire Department when they complete training.
"We would like to think that if there were an opening, they would try to get back to the community that helped them through," said association vice president Noel Saldivar, "but we just want them to contribute to the fire service. It's really a big family throughout the country."
Richardson Fire Chief Mike Jones said he is pleased that the firefighters association aids the community outside of work. He said the scholarship is a great way to help someone start a career.
"These days, fire academies are very expensive. For somebody that age, it would be quite a challenge to have that cost and the time commitment staring you in the face," Chief Jones said.
|
2004 Scholarship Winner
Name: Luke Lansford
School: Berkner High School
Parents:Terri and Larry Lansford
Info: Luke, 18, has participated in the Richardson Firefighter Explorer Program since September
Page Last Updated: Dec 05, 2004 (21:11:53)
|
|
|
|
|
|
| S |
M |
T |
W |
T |
F |
S |
|
|
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
|
12
|
13
|
14
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
|
19
|
20
|
21
|
22
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
|
26
|
27
|
28
|
29
|
30
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Action
Center |
IAFF Member Benefits
Loans, insurance, credit cards, discount car & hotel rentals & other benefits for union members only |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PRINT/SAVE
Article 
