Three 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.
Derek Bergsten, a 17-year-member of the fire service and currently a lieutenant in the Rockford, Illinois Fire Department, is the recipient of the George D. Miller Scholarship. Established in 2002, the scholarship was created in tribute to NFPA’s former president and chief executive officer. Bergsten aims to complete a master’s degree in public administration and attain the rank of district chief officer within the next five years as he works toward his long-term goal of becoming fire chief. The Miller Scholarship provides assistance to students in fire service or public administration programs in the United States or Canada.
Nicholas Ozog, currently pursuing a master’s degree in fire protection engineering at the University of Maryland, was awarded the John L. Jablonsky Scholarship. The scholarship aids graduate students in fire protection engineering programs in the United States and Canada. Ozog has served as a volunteer for numerous local community organizations as well as Special Olympics and Habitat for Humanity. The John J. Jablonsky Scholarship is named in honor of the former insurance company executive who served on the National Commission on Fire Prevention and Control. Jablonsky held several positions with NFPA including Standards Council chair, and he is a recipient of NFPA’s highest honor, the Paul C. Lamb Award.
Roger Harrison, a graduate student at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, 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. Harrison is conducting research that aims to provide improved guidance to fire engineers in the design of smoke management systems involving thermal spill plume. The scholarship is named in honor of Chief Gratz, the first career fire chief of Silver Springs, Maryland and former director of the Montgomery County, M.D., Department of Fire and Rescue Services. He was instrumental in initiating the fire science program at Montgomery College, where he served as an adjunct professor. Gratz was NFPA’s first executive director for international operations, serving in the position for 22 years.
The Memorial Fund is administered by a committee appointed by the NFPA Board of Directors. Each scholarship is $5,000.
At a recent NFPA board meeting, Kenneth E. Isman was appointed chair of the NFPA Scholarship Committee, replacing Dr. John Bryan who served a 10-year-term as chair of the committee. Bryan has served NFPA as a member of several technical committees, an instructor at NFPA seminars, and most notably as chair of NFPA’s Board of Directors from 1978-1980 and the Standards Council from 1985 to 1991. In 1986, Bryan was awarded NFPA’s prestigious Paul C. Lamb Award.
Incoming chair, Kenneth E. Isman is the assistant vice president of Engineering at the National Fire Sprinkler Association and serves on a number of NFPA technical committees; he is presently a member of the Standards Council. In addition, Isman serves as chair of the Warren E. Isman Education Grant Task Force which awards grant monies for haz-mat response teams seeking specialized training.
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: +1 617 984-7244, fax: +1 617 984-7222.
NFPA has been a worldwide leader in providing fire, electrical, building, and life safety to the public since 1896. The mission of the international nonprofit organization is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training and education. Visit NFPA’s Web site at www.nfpa.org.