IFSI Scholarship Program

It's that time of year again. The annual Illinois Fire Chiefs Scholarship competetion application peroid has begun. Last year, the Illinois Fire Chiefs awarded 94 scholarships for over $74,000.00 to firefighters in Illinois.

In 1990, members of the Illinois Fire Service Institute field staff created the Education and Research Awards Committee to provide funding for the education of firefighters in Illinois. Since that time, the fund has grown and is now overseen by the University of Illinois Foundation.

The committee serves firefighters by approving matching funds for six scholarships awarded by the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association. They are named in honor of six firefighters whose service to IFSI made a meaningful contribution to IFSI and the fire service locally and nationally. Some of these names may not be widely recognized, others such as Andy Fredericks and Pete Lund were well known figures. However, all of these IFSI staff members made significant contributions to the fire service:

Gerald M. Monigold Memorial
Gerald M. Monigold was the Director of the Illinois Fire Service Institute from 1976 until his death in 1996.

One $1,000 grant to be used in the pursuit of education in a Fire Service related field at the graduate level.

Dean Mercer Memorial
Chief Dean Mercer was, for three decades, the lead IFSI field staff instructor and area representative in southern Illinois until his death in 2001.

One $1,000 grant to be used in the pursuit of fire service training.

Andrew Fredericks Memorial
Andy Fredericks was an IFSI field staff instructor and FDNY firefighter who lost his life at the World Trade Center in New York City on September 11, 2001.

One $1,000 grant to be used in the pursuit of fire service training.

Pete Lund Memorial
Pete Lund was an IFSI field staff instructor who was instrumental in creating the IFSI Structural Collapse rescue program. He was a retired FDNY lieutenant and volunteer fire chief who lost his life in the line of duty at a house fire in June 2005.

One $1,000 grant to be used in the pursuit of fire service training.

William Renaker Memorial
William Renaker was a well-known expert in rope rescue operations and served as the Rescue Program Director for the Illinois Fire Service Institute until his untimely death in July 2005.

One $1,000 grant to be used in the pursuit of education in a Fire Service field.

James T. Berggren Memorial
Chief James T. Berggren was a nationally recognized authority on rural water supply. He was an IFSI field staff instructor from the 1960’s until his death in 2006.

One $1,000 grant to be used in the pursuit of fire service training.

The Program also supports research that studies ways to enhance firefighter safety and to promote new technology. Examples of activities that are supported by grants from the IFSI Education and Research Awards Program:
- Field staff instructor development
- Heat stress and flashover research
- The study of special event occurrences where firefighters can learn new fire fighting techniques

For additional information or to contribute, follow the link below.

http://www.fsi.uiuc.edu/content/outreach/scholarship.cfm