Nassau County Presiding Officer Norma Gonsalves and the Nassau County Legislature approved legislation at this week’s Legislative meeting to provide more than $1.5 million in grant funding to fund the Volunteer Firefighter Recruitment and Retention Scholarship Program.
Nassau County families and seniors depend on our volunteers who respond to fire, rescue, and emergency medical services. In response to this need for volunteers, Nassau County has developed the Volunteer Firefighter Recruitment and Retention Scholarship Program as an incentive for people to serve in the volunteer emergency services.
Developed by the Office of Emergency Management and Funded by the Federal Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant fund, this innovative program is available for full time and part time students entering Nassau Community College. Volunteers under the scholarship program will be eligible to have tuition paid while maintaining their membership as an active member in good standing in one of Nassau County’s volunteer fire companies or fire department EMS providers.
A student/volunteer must maintain volunteer activity and training levels and certain academic objectives during their course of study and must commit to a post-education service obligation of one year for each year of scholarship received.
“This program gives Nassau County the opportunity to give back to those willing to put their lives on the line for the safety of Nassau residents,” said Presiding Officer Norma Gonsalves. “I am pleased to be able to provide these dedicated individuals with an added incentive to allow them to continue their volunteer work while also improving their lives.”
The legislation approved Monday secures the existence of the program for an additional 5 years.