Four students have been selected to receive scholarships from the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Fire Safety Educational Memorial Fund based on their academic achievement, leadership abilities, contributions to fire safety activities and pursuit of careers in fire safety. Three of the students are majoring in either fire protection or fire safety engineering. The Memorial Fund is administered by a committee appointed by the NFPA Board of Directors. Each scholarship is $5,000.
Stephen Petit, joining the Masters Degree program in fire protection engineering at the University of Maryland in September, was awarded the John L. Jablonsky Scholarship. The scholarship aids graduate students in fire protection engineering programs in the United States and Canada. Petit served as an active volunteer firefighter while an undergraduate at Clarkson University and will be working at the Center for Firefighter Safety Research and Development at the University of Maryland this fall.
Daniel Nilsson, currently pursuing doctoral studies in fire safety engineering at Lund University in Sweden, was awarded the Memorial Fund’s David B. Gratz Scholarship, established for students enrolled in fire science or engineering programs outside of the United States or Canada. Nilsson conducts research in fire evacuation and human behavior, concentrating on how exit guidance influences choices in emergency situations and social influence during evacuation.
Allison Carey, an undergraduate fire protection engineering student at the University of Maryland, was chosen as the first recipient of the Arthur E. Cote Scholarship, which was established upon Cote’s retirement from NFPA in 2006 to recognize and offer support for individuals pursuing a career in fire protection engineering. Last semester, Carey worked on an alternative fuel project sponsored by the Fire Protection Research Foundation, an affiliate of NFPA, and will be involved in similar projects in the future.
Nicholas Eschner, a senior at Oklahoma State University pursuing a Bachelor of Science in fire protection and safety technology, is the recipient of the George D. Miller Scholarship. Eschner has been a volunteer firefighter/EMT during his summer breaks and intends to have a career either in the local or national level of the fire service. The Miller Scholarship provides assistance to students in fire service or public administration programs in the United States or Canada.
Applications for NFPA scholarships and contributions to the Fire Safety Educational Fund can be sent to: NFPA Fire Safety Educational Memorial Fund, Attention: Christine Ellis, 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA, 02169-7471; phone: 617-984-7244; fax: 617-984-7222.
